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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 141, 23 November 1877, Page 2

Our late fellow-townsman, Dr. Bulmer, has sent us a copy of Avhat he calls, and what doubtless is a Turkish Punch, which the Doctor writes us he had sent him from Constantinople. The publication consists of four pages, somewhat smaller than dsmy, with a wood-cut representing a bear, having a ring through its nose, with a line attached, and a man holding on to the line, the figures of a man and woman are represented the former pulling at thebearV head to make it advance, the latter tugging at its tail to prevent the forward motion. An inscription beneath this work of ait (?) doubtless funnily expresses its meaning, but as Chaldaic, Turkish, Persian, or whatever language it is printed in, has not been imparted to us, we give up the guessing of this conundrum, as we have to do also that of the peculiar looking letter-press of the publication. Anyone curiousin such things can see this journalistic production at our office.

The old adage that" It is an ill-wind that blows nobody . any good" was strangely verified here on Wednesday last. On many occasions we. have urged in the columns of this journal the necessity of the building erectedfor hospital purposes being finished and put into available order, until at last the Borough Council took .the matter up. Their representations, aided by Mr Montgomery's personal application, .gained a point so far as to exact a --promise from the Government that Mr March should be sent down to report on the Hospital. When the unfortunate man, Hallihan, was brought here from .Barry's Bay, in the absence of any -proper ward he was conveyed to the barracks, while Mr E. S. Latter, who accompanied him down, went to the Resident Magistrate for authority and instructions as to his remaining there. While conversing with the E.M., the coach passed with Mr March on board, as the saying is. To -stop the coach, get Mr March to alight, and bring him face to face with an only too vivid proof of. the urgent necessity of hospital accommodation here, was the work of a moment, and thus, in the twinkling of an eye, Mr March was made to understand more of the urgency of the business for which he had come down than centuries of correspondence or talk would have effected. Orders were at once given, of course, for Hallihan's admission to the barrack.?, and all necessary attendance, but it seems almost as if the breaking of,the poor man's ankle was a special interposition of Providence to further the wishes of the rest of Peninsula inhabitants in the completion of tho much, needed Hospital.

Mr Coop, of Spring Vale'jSaW Mill, Little i River, recently had a pair;o'f valuable bullocks killed under somewhat peculiar circumstances. It seems'that one of that gentleman's bullock drivers, with his team, was in the bush hauling logs for the mill, and had fastened on to two large logs; he started bis team when the dogs holding the timber drew out, .'releasing the bullocks from tho load, and so .startling them that they bolted, thereby 'causing the pair which had been nearest.the : loge to stumble and fall, the runaways ,draggingthem in their prostrate state for a considerable distance over stuinps,frbcks, and dtber obstructions.- When thp team was Was.. fpt&i.d that, one 1 of the tw6 beasts wasf quite dead and the pther. died immediately afterwards.- Mr Coop v/alued the bullocks at twenty pounds each,/but even that money would n'dt.'. replace them, as they were thoroughly fbrolten into, and could be depended upon for the work upon which they were usually engaged.

A painful accident occurred on the 2.lst inst., at Barry's Bay, to a man named Hallihan,.in the employ of E. C, Latter, Esq. The man was engaged in bringing firewood out-of the bush, when the sledge, getting foul.of a log, in some way came against his .'leg, breaking a small bone iri the ankle. The sufferer was immediately forwarded by the steatn launch, which fortunately happened to call at Barry's Bay, to Akaroa, and placed in the Barracks, under the care of Dr. Guthrie.

An overpowering odour of potatoes in a more or less stage of decomposition, assails the nostrils of those whose business, or pleasure, takes them near the Government wharf shed. Doubtless our mext experience will be that the beach will be thickly strewed with these tubers,:and a perfume, not from Araby the blest, that could be advantageously despensed with, will permeate the atmosphere of Akaroa.