The Kumara Times. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1877.

Kumara Times, Issue 166, 16 April 1877, Page 2

The Kumara Times. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, APRIL 16, 1877.

Our correspondent " Gully; Raker,'' on Friday, pointed out what he alleged to be " the first fruits, of - the Municipal agitation now going on in this township," viz : " the reduction of a County Council vote for roads and tracks in the Kumara District, by one half." There can be no denying the truth of this statement as far as it goes, though the Inference drawn from it by " Gully Raker" admits of question. He infers that the redaction has caused a loss to the place of £IOOO. But if the agitation proves successful, and there can be no doubt that it will, Kumara will have her own revenue to spend within her boundaries, a revenue which will amount to much more than the sum by which the vote of the County Council was decreased. We say that there can. be no doubt of the successful issue of the agitation, because we are in a position to know that the number of resident householders who have signed,the petition is.far in excess of the number: required by the Act. Two hundred and nineteen out of a possible three hundred and five have now affixed their signatures to the necessary document,'and only fifteen have declined to sign. All of these eignatures have been, duly.-veri-fied'&nd- they represent* much larger number of votes than at first sight they appe?r to do. In the petitUn-; each signature is entitled to be : reckoned according to the sateable value of the property owned by the signer. The gliding Scale, by which this is regulated iaihe same as that which regulates the number of votes to be given at Municipal elections to each burgess, and according to it, these 219 signatures ,ttrast be counted as, 279' This represents so large a majority of the householders of Kumara, that.the " undercurrent of opposition " must prove powerless to thwart their wishes. The proclamation—by the Goi vernor—of Kumara as a Borough is, therefore, assured, though we may have to wait for some months before such proclamation is gazetted. The fact that so large a proportion of the householders of Kumara have declared for the establishment of a Borough goes far to prove that the place is ripe for the exercise of Municipal fractions. When it is considered how little has been done .for Kumara by the Road Board,, and how small a portion of the County Council's*" favours it was likely would fall to our share, seeing that the Council has so large a district calling for the expenditure of its not in. exhaustible revenue, there is small cause for astonishment that the people of this town have resolved to detach themselves from both bodies and manage their own affairs. It is to be hoped that the management of these affairs will be entrusted to men who will fulfil their duties honestly and efficiently. There is a field of labour before our future councillors which will give them ample room to bring into play all their executive powers. The formation aud lighting of our streets, the drainage of the town, the supply of water, the suppression of nuisances will have to be cared for by our future magnates. It is too true that, as a rule, men entrusted with civic powers use those powers for selfish ends; fortunately, however, in so compact a township as ours will be, no individual can bene&t himself without at the same time allowing his neigh hours to share in the benefit. to-day.

.Mr and Mrs Anderson notify that they will give a ball at the Theatre Royal on Friday evening next. ilt has been notified ti the committee of the Hokitika Hospital that the Government cannot liquidate the liabilities of that institution. v • ' ' . ' , • •

"In the lockr-up "this morning were two men, charged with drunkenness. One of them is also charged with being illegally on premises. " " • ■ f

The usual Church services were held yesterday by the Anglicans, Catholics, and Presbyterians.. They were all largely attended.

Another densely crowded chouse pat- t ronised the Hibernlca on Saturday night. | The several new items in the programme were equally successful with those pre- i vlously given. The Kapltea bridge was opened for ! traffic on Saturday afternoon. It will' be f out of the contractor's hands in a few days. Telegrams for Australian Colonies, etc., per Ringarooma, via Bluff, will be received at Kumara telegraph office up to 10 a.m., tomorrow, Tuesday, 17th inat. The price of coal at Greymouth has been reduced foom 28s to 20s per ton. A man, supposed to be of unsound mind, was seen beyond the Larrikin's on Sunday week, and the police are desirous of learning his present whereabouts. He is described* as being of stout build, fivefeet six or seven inches tall, between 45 and 50 years of age. He has dark brown hair and wears his beard. He had on old moleskins, patched, and a white wide-a- , wake, but neither boots nor coat. The parties whb saw him camping out, aßked him to sleep In their tent, but he declined their offer as he said he was in the habit of sleeping under the heavens. In the morning he was gone, and has not been heard of #lnce Sunday week. > - '?.'. ' : \ The Oddfellows call for ' tenders foiLsupplying* %he table ball they intend to give on the-Qneen's birthday.

AcEffePATHY.—-The iiest and safest core for Rheumatism, Lumbago, Chest and Throat Diseases, Scarlet Feveri dcci Duncan M'Lean, Mam-road.—[AdvT.]