The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1886.

Kumara Times, Issue 3084, 21 September 1886, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1886.

At about half-past four o’clock this morning the firebell rang out its notes of warning, and residents near the Hospital soon found that the cause for alarm was in their neighbourhood. The wooden chimney of an old hut on the Hospital Reserve was seen to bo on fire, and Mr H. Hope and others who live opposite hastened over, and, knowing that an old and infirm man lived there, broke open the door and got him out, and then busied themselves in fetching water and extinguishing the fire in the chimney. The Fire Brigade men also turned out promptly, and the fire was subdued before any damage was done to the hut itself. Great credit is also due to the night watchman, for his timely warning, otherwise poor old James Wilson might have fared even a worse fate than befel him seen teen years ago last March, when, by a tall o; some slabs in a tunnel he was working in Greenstone, he was pinned so that he could not move. The candle he was using was not put out by the fall of ■1 ebris, end Wilson fell in such position that the candle set fire to his trousers about and below the knee and kept burning for about half-an-hour, until he was released from his torturing position, so that the flesh eventually came off, le-.v’r g noll.il> <■ I.IV > •■>„• { 7 iT-

ivmovod to the drey Hospital, and it was three years before he \va < able to go about

again. Last night he had another narrow escape from death by fire. We learn from the Postmaster, Mr MacDermott, that the San Francisco mails will arrive by the Christchurch coach to-morrow afternoon.

With a portion of the report of the Borough Council meeting some dissatisfaction has been expressed in consequence of some details concerning the appointment of a chairman of the Public Works Committee being omitted. We willingly supply the omission ;—Cr. Jorgenson moved, and Cr. Killeen seconded—“ That Cr. Mulvihill be appointed Chairman of the Public Works Committee.” Cr. Mulvihill declined. Cr. Mulvihill moved, and Cr. Maloney seeonded—“ That Cr. Killeen be appointed Chairman of the Public Works Committee. ” Cr Olden moved an amendment, which Cr. M'llroy seconded—- “ That Cr. Zeigler be appointed Chairman of the Public Works Committee,” A division was taken on the amendment, with the following result:—Ayes, 3 Crs. Anderson, Olden, MTlroy; Noes, 5 Crs. Fitzsimons, Mulvihill, Jorgensen, Maloney, and the Mayor. The amendment being lost, the resolution was put as the substantive motion, and carried. Also, it was Cr, Maloney who moved, and the Mayor who seconded—“ That Dr. M‘Brearty be appointed Medical Officer to the Board of Health.” In our report we inadvertently reversed the names of the mover and seconder.

The unfortunate man Philip Walker, who so rashly attempted to destroy himself at Maori Creek on Saturday last, died of his injuries at the Grey River Hospital yesterday morning. From the first (the Argus states) his condition was so precarious as to hold out but little hopes of his recovery—and indeed the poor fellow himself did not wish to live.

Yesterday’s West Coast Times remarked:— “The Grey morning paper is still disturbed about the Supreme Court sittings, and makes an ad misericordiam appeal for alternate sitttings. A prominent Greymouth member of the Law Society, is known to have wagered that he will yet procure the removal by some means or other. Perhaps, his editor friend is ‘in’ with him.” The Argus retorts thus : —“Our contemporary should pick his words and try to be accurate. We made no appeal whatever. We merely stated the facts of the case, and explained that we were indebted to the Guardian for them ; and our only regret is that the facts could not be obtained from the morning paper, which appears to be conducted more to suit the interest and leanings of individuals than on true journalistic lines.” Miss Andrews, a well-known and muchrespected school teacher at Hokitika, died at one o’clock yesterday, after a.long illness. The funeral took place this afternoon.

Mr Clarke, County Chairman, writes to the West Coast Times that the paragraph stating he had collided agaimst a verandah whilst out driving, was written in error ; that he came into collision with nothing. Hall and Miss Houston, the alleged poisoners, were brought before the Court at Timaru yesterday morning, and some evidence was taken, the result being that the prisoners were formally committed to take their trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court at Christchurch. Neither Miss Houston nor Mr Hall was admitted to bail.

Beach seems to have done as he liked with Gaudanr in the sculling match, actually stopping and allowing Gaudanr to pass him at Barnes’ Reach, when Beach put on a spurt, shot ahead, and won by three lengths.

The Hillman Town quadrille assembly will meet at the Empire Rooms to-morrow evening, at eight o’clock.

Mr Wilson, the dentist, will be leaving to-morrow morning, to revisit Kumara again shortly.