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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 71, 23 March 1877, Page 2

The members of the Akaroa County Council, at their meeting yesterday, resolved not to biing the third schedule of the Act into operation by 6to 3, Messrs Flemingand Hay, contrary to expectation, reversing the views enunciated by them at the last meeting of the Council. The Canterbury Board of Education report there are 117 common schools in Canterbury, with 13,412 children on books; average daily attendance, 9,845 ; number of teachers, 388. We are pleased to learn that Mr Montgomery has written to the Colonial Secretary, drawing his attention to the vacancies in the Lake Ellesmere Eeclamation Trust, and requesting that an earty day may be proclaimed for the first meeting. Mr. Bowen, who is now in Christchurch, has been requested by Mr. Montgomery to bring the matter under the notice of the Colonial Secretary, by telegraph.

The question selected for debate at the meeting of the Akaroa Mutual Improvement Association, held on Tuesday evening, was of an unusually interesting character, the title being, "Are subjects justified in raising the standard of rebellion against constituted governments." Mr. B. Hughes took the affirmative, and in an able and eloquent speech reviewed the tribula. tions which the people in the dark ages suffered under monarchal tyrants, commencing with Palestine, then travelling westward to Greece, Italy and France, and crossing over the Atlantic to America, he pointed out what rebellion had done for that nation Mr. Nicholls, in an equally able speech, advocated the redress of wrongs by constitutional means, and deprecated seditious or rebellious recourse on the part of the people. He argued that there would be no means of arriving at a test as to the strength of the people opposed to any particular reform to justify the resort to " brute force ;" and concluded by reading some very forcible extracts from Lamartine in support of his views. Mr. Eichard Black spoke on the side of the affirmative, interspersing his remarks with some very amusing anecdotes. After a few other members had spoken, the President (the Rev. Mr. Douglas) took a vote, which was carried in favour of the affirmative by 6 to 4. We are informed that a few enterprising settlers, residents on the Peninsula, are agitating for the formation of a company, in £5 shares, to purchase a steamer to run between Lyttelton and the different bays. Strangers from the bays and the residents of Akaroa are often at a loss to know which is the best shop at which to purchase drapery, boots, and clothing. G. Black's establishment offers superior advantages, as he imports direct from the home markets, and thus avoids intermediate profits, and secures reliable articles. For particulars, see anvertisement in third page. —[Advt.]