Untitled

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 109, 3 August 1877, Page 2

The usual weekly meeting of the Akaroa Mutual Improvement Society, was held in the school-house, on Tuesday evening, the 31st ult. The Rev. W. Douglas presiding. Mr. Nicholls read • a very able and exhaustive essay on "colonial manners and customs," which showed a deal of thought in its preparation, and a thorough knowledge of the subjects commented upon. Without doubt, this essay has been the best written and most instructive that has yet been given at the society's meetings ; the language used, the illustrative anecdotes introduced, the arguments adduced, and the whole tone of the composition, showed it to be the production of an astutely observant master mind. We hope to again hear Mr. Nicholls on this or other kindred subjects. The usual criticisms, by the members, followed the reading of the essay, Messrs. Hughes, Adams* McGregor, Andrews, .Robertshawj Hem" ingway, Noonan, Cork, Billens, and others' expressing their opinions. The Rev. President, in summing up, spoke highly of the intellectual treat which Mr. Nicholls had, that evening, given, the society, and otherwise commented upon.the usefully instructive nature of'essays such as hisTho subject for the society's next meeting, will be a conference on religious instruction in schools. The business of the evening was closed, by the Rev President giving the benediction.

A meeting of the committee appointed by the Akaroa Mutual Improvement Society, for the purpose of deciding upon a programme for an entertainment to be given on the occasion of the anniversary on the 12th prox., was held in the Akaroa schoolhouse, on the evening of the 31st ult. there being present Messrs. Hughes, Nicholls, McG-regpr,. Black, Billens. Garwood,' -tirid'. H. D. -Watkins. ; ' It was, resolved that the anniversary re-union of the society be celebrated by a conversazione, the price of admittance to which being fixed at one shilling. That the programme consist of vocal and instrumental music, recitations, and reading, prizes of proficiency in the two latter accomplishments being given ; no reading or recitation to take longer than five . minutes in its delivery.. Intending competitors, being members of the society, to give in their names and subjects to the secretary, not later than the 14th inst' It was also resolved that the ladies be requested to undertake the" providing of light refreshments during the evening, and that Mr. Black do see to matters of detail therewith. Messrs. Garwood and . Nicholls were appointed to arrange .the musical part of the entertainment;

A-remarkable haiil of flal-fish was taken in French Farm on Wednesday night. The Head of the Bay, French Farm, and Barry's Bay were all well supplied with the result of a few hour's fishing. The fish were of a large size, and very good quality.

A summary of the Financial Statement will be found in another column;

We have been requested to notify tho contemplated holding of an "Australian Juvenile Exhibition."" The'idea, which has the" '-attribute of - novelty,' to isay the least of it, emanates from Bailarat,,where,' an Executive Committee has been formed to arrange and carry out details, and ob-f tain subscriptions. The 1 first exhibition fa", proposed to be held on March }, 1878.'' The object of the movement is, briefly," to enlist tho sympathies, and arouse the. energies of the young /people to compete in the works of industry and . usefulness; to create a taste .for fine; arts and ornamental works, j and "to enable all to shew their handiwork,: and obtain "new ideas from -each .other.,-.' The rules.and regulations, with further explanations, will be published at ai* early date. . ; In the case of Campbell) v. McConnell and Todd, a summary if which, appeared in the Christchurch telegrams of our last ■ issue, the plaintiff eltcted to accept a nonsuit. . We understand that Dr. Buhner, the energetic medical referea fir the Mutual Provident has obtained upwards Of one hundred and thirty proposals for Life Insurance in this district. At the sitting of the House of .Representatives On the 31st ult; in reply to a question put by Mr. Montgomery,, the Hon. F. Whitaker said there had been no correspondence with regarcl'to erecting a courthouse and post-office at Akaroa. Since that answer was given, however, there can be no doubt that the communications sent from here will have reached the Government. --. . . At the Supreme Court, Christchurch, on the 31st ult., in the case Buchanan, v. Joblin, Mr. 'Garrick -applied for a rule nisi to enter' a nonsuit, or to arrest the judgment, or for a new trial. This is the same case which we 'reported in our last issue, when a verdict was returned for the plaintiff, with two guineas'.'damages-. The Court granted a.rule nisi. ' ■'..'" '• ' i A meeting of the Le .Bon's Bay School Committee was held on Monday last, for the purpose of nominating four new members, in the room of those who had resigned. Messrs. Condon, Fairbrass, Hemmingsen, Foster, and Yorkensen were duly nominated. A show of hands was demanded,' which resulted in favour of the last four. Mr. Barnett, sen., demanded a poll on behalf of Mr.'.Condon ; but failing to .obtain the .names' of- six householders, the last four were duly, elected. Considerable discussion ensued with regard to the term, 'Shouseholder.''' After wards the new committee held a meeting, when Mr. Hall was! unanimously elected chairman. It was to apply to the Board of Education for additional teaching assistance,'the average attendance of the school being now 43.

The dull routine and monotony of our daily street-life is occasionally broken in upon by sudden denouements, some startling, some amusing.".Something*.-of.the-., latter kind is mid to have occurred Opposite the Bank of New Zealand on Tuesday last, and Aye can only regret our absence on the occasion. It appears like a farce on the.face 5 of it, but this is how we got it:—Scene. Bank of New Zealand. Dater 31st July 1877. Dramatic Persona,: —An -Esculapius and acontractor. Fyte 1.-4-Enter both, fresh from the shrine of Bacchus. Contractor: — " Come on, you adjective." iEsculapius 0- " Let me alone, you adjective adjective, or I'll knock you down, you .adjective.'',. (The battle commences, both roll upon the gory soil. Tableau—JEsculapius victo-rious—-rampant npt-'n a contractor couchant —cries,. &c.) Enter ; stranger, who suggests that the, individual underneath be permitted to arise.' ,-Esculapius declines the offer, and is forcibly pulled off the contractor, with considerable .damage to his robe. Fyt'e ye. 2nd.—The'-cbmbat is sustained with great pluck by-both, until they fall exhausted in the mtjiJL;''thence,home ward s. And' yet we heir this was only -a Mutual Provident tryftig to get another •■" life."—What a shame!;

The most Reverend the' Primate has postponed bis visit to Akaroa until the end of September. At present his Lordship's intention is to administer the rite of confirmation at Akaroa on Sunday, 3Qth September. He will adso hold a confirmation at tho Head of the Bay,,and will probably preach at Barry's Bay School.

A boy named William Clark, in the employ of Mr. Latter, Barry's Bay, met with a rather severe accident yesterday morning He was engaged at a small bench, which Mr. Latter has had recently fitted up for cutting lafhs, and while passing a batten over the, s_aw, the end was caught and thrown backtWk.t. great force, striking the boy on the arm and tearing away a large piece of flesh, as well as inflicting a severe bruise. ■ " Our terrors in perspective, for- coming nor-westers and the stifling heat of summer; are considerably lessened by the recently acquired knowledge that it will be possible to obtain a good "Shampoo" in-Akaroa Mr. J. J. Kissel has already some of- the necessary appliances fitted up, and the whole will be completed shortly. There is a go-a-head-nvxs about this that we like, and our sincere wishes are for Mr. Kissel's success In his enterprise.

As showing the immense demand there " is for the Sacred Scriptures at the present time, it is stated in.the Day of Rest that: — " The Bible production in our time is equal to more than a' million copies a year, or say more than _9.00.0 every" week, more than every day t 300 every hour, or five , every minute of working time At this ,raje; the press is 'producing an English Bible ,or Now Testament every twelve , seconds/ Those'Bibles are not wasted— 'they are required—and more copies of the Sacred Scripture are demanded in the English-tongue than-in the languages of _all the. other, nations of the world, although the number of versions to,wliich this country gives encouragement and over, arid above, is considerably more than '■150.' '" ■ ' - ' .■'"" : ! ' ' '■'. From the annexed clipping, which we take from the. Oto/o Guardian of July 27th, it will be seen that occasionally the vagaries of genius help to make a break in. the prosaic solemnities of legislatorial life : — ■ '' The tedium of the first dayof Parliament! whe'n,tho tables are floodden with papers of various descriptions, will have been relieved by one upon " Method for Diminishing the Rabbit'Niiisnnce,,' ,in which : arecontained descriptive- plans of how., to effect the purpose sought. The first descriptive plate is by a Mr. Alfred Newton and is somewhat in the form of Venus in its transit across the sun—"D." as representing Venus, being a manhole in the cover of the pit, and " CB " the. sun—an area of 30 or 40 yards. Further on we bave a full-page plan of the " trap " which is drawn with much artistic [skill. Figure 1 represents how bunny is inveigled .on to a platform of. brushwood, fixed ,on a tip acting over a pit when the "tip " tips and. bunny is tipped in a pit below. Figure 2 represents on bunny joyfully skipping along-, with " tucker" in the distance, and then shows how said bunny, in the innocence of his heart and in the confidence of, rabbitdow, hops upon the aforesaid tilt whereupon, (instead of reaching pastures green, he discovers the result of his own . greenness as he goes headlong down, into the pit—not, however, a bottomless one; for the artist, with consummate skill, has depicted a pit with a bottom, on the floor of which are represented a ' number of disconsolate '■ bunnieswith varying expressions of countenance , We bave one rabbit with upturned tail, iril i dicative of " never say die," emulating the i Alpine mountaineer, and evidently, from : the expression om his lips, humming [ " Climb, climb up, clhrib the mountain ■ high." Number 2 as dejected.in eounten- ■ ance, and is licking the dust. Number 3 . has.a woe-begone countenance expressive ■ of great grief, while his left eye looks as if * it was affected with a bad. cold.: Number. , sits on his haunches, with ears erect, and I looks as if ho were thinking, " Well, here's > a pretty go ; they wouldn't have me again I if I had another chance." Number 5 is - positively sick. He is lying on . his side, with tongue stuck out, his left ear drooping and his tail down. Number 6 appears to r be very comfortable ;he is '_ evidently. 1 picking his;teeth \yith a-; straw, having doubtless enjoyed a good feed before ? / being " had." No. Bis trying to stand on his head, probably with a view of battering his brains out, while No. 9is sitting up r contemplating the whole scene .in evident 3 astonishment. We regret sincerely that 7 we are unable to reproduce the picture as it appears in the paper referred to ; but if ' any subscriber has got-a cross child, or a sick oyter, and wants to make it laugh, the 1 plate is at .their service for a limited " period.

Education seems to march, but slowly, in the land cf our nativity, if we are to judge by the following circumstance:—"A geological section, consisting of about a hundred ladies and gentlemen, made an excursion to inspect some objects of interest ijatfie neighbourhood of Bath, England, and on arriving at the Spot, Professor Phillips described the chief features worthy The proceedings of the section were.altogefher unintelligible to the.nativee, and one bucolic individual, who had'(with, many others) followed the' party" to the spot, was overheardj to express his disappointment to a friend as follows;—" Come along,'"the -ring's broken np,and there won't be no fight arter all!"