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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 56, 30 January 1877, Page 2

The nomination of candidates for the office of trustees under the " Lakes Ellesmerc. and Forsyth Reclamation and the Akaroa Bail way Act " takes place to-day. The post of trustee is of a very important character, and too great care cannot be exercised in the selection of the men to be chosen. It is not for us to attempt to point out to the electors whom they shall send to represent them on the Trust, only this word of caution will we give,—Let them be careful to re-

ject men, who from self interest or other causes, are likely to prove obstructionists. Setting aside the construction of a railway to Akaroa, the permanent reclamation of Lake Ellesmere, is itself, a work of the greatest importance. Those who have passed along the Christchurch road in a summer month after the periodical letting out of the lake, cannot but fail to have observed the immense stretch of rich land covered with a luxuriant crop of grass upon which thousands of cattle are depasturing ; this land, which during the winter and early spring is covered with the water of the lake, would if permanently drained, become most valuable, and realize a high price. On this ground alone then, it is desirable that the trustees should do their utmost endeavour to realize such a consummation ; but when the construction of a railway to Akaroa comes to be considered in conjunction with draining the lakes, then the work to be performed by the trustees becomes doubly important, and it is to be hoped that they will set to work with such a will, that having caused the necessary survey to be made, and plans to be prepared, they will be enabled to.ask Parliament at its next session for extended powers, in order to complete their work.