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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 80, 24 April 1877, Page 2

A narrow escape from what would have I been an extensive conflagration, happened to the Criterion Hotel, yesterday morning. From what we can glean it appears that about three a.m. Mrs. Adams discovered a strong smell of burning wood, and, thinking that all was not right, aroused her husband, and the man servant, who, on making a search found a dense volume of smoke proceeding from the bar parlor Owing to the suffocating density of the smoke it was with difficulty that the seat of the fire was discovered, but when found a few buckets of water soon extinguished it. The fire was, no doubt, caused by a live ember getting between the chimney and the wooden jamb of the mantlepiece, gradually smouldering there until \t was just bursting into a flame, when fortunately it was discovered and subdued. Had the lire been burning a few minutes longer nothing could have saved the hotel and its contents, while doubtless the flames would have extended to the opposite property belonging to Mr. Waeckerlie. A short time since we, in an article, drew the attention of the burgesses of Akaroa, to the necessity of a lire engine being obtained for the Borough, and we also advocated the desirability of a fire brigade being formed. The narrow escape from fire, of the Criterion Hotel, should arouse us to a sense of our danger, and will, we hope, be the. means of our sugges tions being carried into practical effect. The police authorities have again sta tioned a constable at the Head of the Bay, in the place of constable Lamb, who was recently removed to Little River. In making this appointment we consider a great blunder has been made, the officer appointed, Constable McGrorman, being a foot constable. We contend that a mounted officer should be stationed at the Head of the Bay, the distances he has to go, the roughness of the district, its distance from Akaroa, all go to prove that an unmounted man, in such a place, is next to useless. A meeting of the Le Bon's Bay School Committee, was held on Saturday evening last. Present —Messrs W. Barnett, (chairRecce, Leonards, Hartstone, Oldridge, Hall, Elliot, and F. Oldridge. The Chairman read the following telegram from the Secretary of Education in reference to the Chairman retiring— le As you were not a retiring member the election does not affect your position as chairman." The new members considered that the Secretary had no power to send such advice, and at once proposed Mr. G. Hall, as chairman. As this resolution could not be earned, the chairman read the minutes of the previous meeting, which were duly confirmed, and as there was no further business to transact, the meeting broke up.

"We are informed that at the Harvest Thanksgiving services on Wednesday, (St. Marks Day,) the new Transepts will be formally opened. The services will be full choral, aud Mr. and Mrs Baker have kindly offered their services for the occasion. Some selections from the Messiah will be sung as an anthem. We hear from an official source that Messrs. H. Piper and James Bell, have been nominated members of " The Akaroa Eailway and Ellesmere and Forsyth Reclaniation Trust," by His Excellency the Governor for the Ellesmere district. Now that the appointments have been made for the Ellesmere district, we hope an early date will be fixed for the first meeting of the Trust. On Friday morning last the inhabitants of Akaroa were surprised to see the Hinenioa steaming up the harbour with the ensign flying at the main. It shortly transpired that His Excellency the Governor, and Commodore Hoskins were on board. There being no time to arrange for a formal reception, Councillors Wagstaff and Watkins in the absence of the Mayor, received His Excellency on landing, and afterwards conducted him through the town and domain. Councillor Wagstaff expressed the delight the inhabitants had at again the representative of the Queen amongst them, and expressed a hearty welcome to His Excellency on the part of the citizens, but regrelted that on account of no previous advice, there was no time tor a more formal reception. His Excellency was accompanied by Commodore Hoskins, who expressed himself much pleased with the harbour. The Hon. G. McLean, Commissioner of Customs, and Dr. Hector were also on board, and accompanied His Excellency over the town. The Commissioner of Customs stated that he saw no difficulty in bringing a railway to Akaroa harbour, and said that the Commodore was of the opinion that the harbour was a magnificent one, and should be turned to account. Dr. Hector presented the Domain Board with a valuable collection of seeds, from California, which have been handed over to Mr. S. Watkins on behalf of the Board. The selection contains some rare conitirse and new vegetables. Captain Fairchild after staying a few hours steamed away for Dunedin. The Governor before leaving-, expressed himself, pleased with visit

We understand that a soiree a'fiQ enter, tainment, in connection with the English Church congregation, is to be held in Pigeon Bay about the first of next 'month. We wish the people of that very sociable community the success that usually attends such occasions.

It will be seen from' advertisement that a well deserved compliment is to be paid to; Mr. arid Mrs. Baker, in the shape of a complimentary concert, under the patronage of the Mayor and the members of the Masonic Body. , Mr. and Mrs.\ Baker are already known to Akaroa audiences in Irish melodies, but on this occasion they take for this place a new role, viz., selections from sacred oratorios and the Oavatina " Come into the garden Maude," in which Mr. Baker's fine tenor voice will be heard to great advantage. A feature in the programme will be the appearance of the Akaroa Christy Minstrels. We advise all lovers of music to put in an appearance at the Town Hall, on Thursday evening, when we can ensure them of a musical treat.

How very shocking! The Guardian says :—" A tall, strapping woman named Mary Thompson, who was described by the police as an old nuisance, was sentenced by Mr. Watt/.R.M., to four months' imprisonment for indulging in the pastime of kiss-in-the-ring in front .of the White Horse Hotel- The arresting constable stated that he saw her at midnight with her arms round a man's neck kissing him, and behaving in a very unbecoming manner. , Miss Thompson evidently thought she had been badly treated, and asked the constable ' what harm there was in kissing.' John Elliot, the individual who was said to have been kissed, and who was rather indignant at the arrest of the'charmer, had to pay 40s. for obstructing the police.'

Poor Sergeant Bates, having braved the fearful dangers of carrying the American flag through the very centre of England, is now living in a state of inglorious and oppressive poverty in his native Since his great achievement in England, Bates has tried to distinguish himself in other ways, but has never again been successful. Shortly after his return to America, he conceived the notion that it would be a happy blending of business and gratitude if he could introduce prairie chickens into the land whose generous hospitality he had enjoyed throughout his walk. Accordingly he established quite an extensive agency for the collection of eggs, which he imported to England. But the eggs broke, or proved addled, or met with other misfortunes, and the sergeant regretfully abandoned this enterprise. When the Centennial Exhibition was opened, he started for Philadelphia, carrying his travel-stained flags, and wearing his faded regimentals. But nobody minded him or them, and he was obliged to beg his way back to his home at Saybrook. His last desperate plunge at fortune was made when he sold a silver watch, presented to him by one of his admirers in England, and invested the proceeds in a few thousand photographs'of himself, bearing aloft the flag that had braved the British breeze. But nobody would buy the photographs ; and Sergeant Bates, his wife, and five children are now in a very poor way. — Mayfair. The Court of Exchequer has decided that cutting cocks' combs is cruelty to animals. But if you don't cut cox-combs they inflict themselves upon you, and on which side is the cruelty to animals then? — Punch.