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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 144, 4 December 1877, Page 2

We have been requested to notify that the Union Steam Shipping Company will issue return tickets at 30 per-cent, off double fares to, all ports of call from the 13th December to 31st January, available for return to .the .28th February.

What is the Fire Inspector about? Is he waiting for a fire to occur, in order to give his , men practical drill, or is he waiting for the men tthemselves ? We are perfectly aware that all the material appertaining to a hook and ladder brigade is not yet to hand ; but is'there no preliminary instruction or drill that the men could proceed with in the meantime, so that they may not be complete tyros at the work when the material is to the fore ?

We congratulate the energetic .-promoters of the forthcoming Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition, that their efforts have had the effect of enlisting many into the ranks of exhibitors and competitors in the various classes of exhibits. We hear on all sides of great preparations being made, sewing diligently proceeded with, fancy work of the most lovely and amazing devices, knitting, drawing, mapping, &c, all bearing ample testimony :o the popularity of the movement, which we trust may be of annual occurrence.

Are none of our local boating men coming forward at this regatta to compete in the rowing races ? Every year up to now we tyave taken a prominent part in .these contests, and have fairly distinguished ourselves in them. Are we going to allow strangers to come here on the present occasion and walk away with these prizes without even an effort on our part to gain them ? Surely there is something radically wrong in such a want of.spirit, in such an utter indifference to loss of prestige, and that English characteristic, which is so tenacious of its honour, glory, and supremacy, and which has ever been supposed to lead the British/to suffer anything rather than tamely submit to defeat. There seems to be a sad deterioration in our young men when this lindifference is shewn,*as it is shewn now, for up to the present time not a step has been taken towards forming a crew—or crews— much less, in practising On former regattas, at a time so close to the da}' as this, it was the custom to see'one or two crews at least, practising almost every evening, but now, not a crew, not a boat, and, it seems, not a.single man with' sufficient proper spirit and pluck in the place to go in for it.

' The sale of booth sites on the Regatta day took plate at Messrs Bridge and BushelPs office on Saturday last. The reserve fronting Bruce's Hotel and Messrs Garwood and Go's store was let in three parts—that part immediately opposite the hotel being purchased by Mr Beecher for £1 6s, the centre portion by MrR. Noonan for £1, and the part next the wharf, by Mr Rodrigues at £1. That section of land kindly lent by Mr G. Black and situatec 1 between Mr Annand's shop and the Peninsula Bakery, was knocked down to Mr Scott for £.1 ? and the right of selling programmes was purchased by Mr 11. Bridge for the same money.

Mr Daly offers a prize for an additional exhibit at the Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition, but is doubtful under which head the item will be classed. The prize is "for the best baby under six months old, to, 4 be exhibited b} r the mother." What an opportunity for the matrons of Akaroa ! What an anxious day it will be for them, and the respective fathers! But who wrill be brave enough to take the responsible office .of ■ judge in this class of exhibits? ■" The judgment of Paris," thb " apple of discord," and all that, is .nothing to it. We are 'rather inclined'to think " Babies" might be -placed in the Horticultural branch, under the head of " pinks," for instance■'■; although, on second thoughts, as we find that the poorer folks are, and the more they have cause to be industrious, the larger families they possess, perhaps it would be more.appropriate to class li the babies " on the industrial side. We cannot better conclude these remarks than by slightly paraphrasing; Mark Twain, and saying to the married portion of the community "If you have any fine,-healthy., six-month-old infants, trot 'em out."

■ We are informed that Mr Montgomery haw signified his intention -of giving 3 guineas towards a.prize fund .for the Robinson's Bay School, should the coni-

Strange and varied are the contradictions which we meet with in print, one of the .most peculiar of which is the subjoiiaed paragraph clipped from an American journal. We leave our readers to draw their own conclusions as to -the paeaning intended by the writer: —The Sunday School Times, while advocating the extremest total abstinence views, expresses unusual liberality to wards those who favor a more moderate stylo of temperance, and says : "If men will not be total abstainers we are glad to have them agree to put! some limit >to their drinking. If they have no objection "to milder liquor's we commend them for refusing rum and gin. We haive even expressed an approval of the movement—so far as it goes—of. our English brethren, who pedge themselves not to take : anything intoxicating between drinks." '

The long continuing drought is doing considerable injury to the grass-seed crops on. the Peninsula, .and; unless a plentiful rainfall takes place immediately! they will ibe rendered, comparatively, worthless. ,The pasture, too,'.is losiqg its . and, cattle in consequence are falling off, so that it may be said that all classes of the community will suffer if the dry weather" continues:for any length.-of tiflie. ■■-' ■.■. '■■

We would remind our readers of the open lodge" meeting advertised by the Akaroa Hope Lodge, LO.G.T., to take place tomorrow evening, at 8.30- p.m; These entertainments, gratuitously afforded to the public by the G-ootf "Templars, have been; on pother occasions highly spoken of in this joufrnal, anlii there is every reason to believe this meeting will in everyway c»bme up to the preceding ones.

On one or two occasions lately some larrikins have vented their animal, and other, spirits in an insane interference with the Borough lamps ; such as putting them out, leaving the doors open, removing the kerosene and substituting water in its place, and other small diversions too numerous to mention, the last, but not least, being the hiding or " planting " of the lamplighter's ladder. .We would wish to point out to these festive souls that, though we can fully sympathise with their desire to create some small excitement for themselves and others in the present dull state -of things, we must condemn any pranks which tend to injure either an individual or his property, and that their actions in the matter alluded to may be productiveof considerable loss to Mr Manning, who has taken the contract for lighting the lamps at a very low price, and also are calculated to put the Borough to .the expense of having them all up before the Resident Magistrate for injury ■to .the Borough property. We have been young ourselves, and should not like to see them get into trouble. We trust this warning will suffice.

A meeting of Committee of the Akaroa and Wainui Races was held at the Somerset Hotel, Head of the. Bay, on Saturday evening last, when a good muster ;of members put in an appearance. Mr Shadbolt was voted to the chair. The old rules were revised and adopted, and a great -amount of routine business got through. Nominations for the Handicaps and Maden Plate appear in our advertising columns. The nest meeting will take place at the Somerset Hotel on Saturday evening next, after which a detailed programme will appear in the Akaroa Mail.

Judging by the accounts in the Christchurch papers, the efforts of the Rev. JTather Henneberry in connection with the ■Catholic Missions and the cause of temperance have been eminently successful, over 2000 people having taken the pledge. At the conclusion, of the mission services on Sunday last, those who had promised .to abstain, in number about 2000, formed in procession, .ana marched through the town. Each absj|merwas decorated with a rosette and-medSK It is said that already the movement hag made a difference in the Saturday night" things' ; 'at '* various' pußlichouses.

A meeting of the Church Building Committee was held ?in the Church, at the Head of the Bay, 'on Nov. 28. Present— Rev. P. C. Anderson (chairman), and Messrs S. Curry, B.irwick, Condell, Pawson, and Blythen. 5 The chairman having read correspondence between the. Lord Ptimate and himself relative to the desirability of appointing a provisional committee for the Church at the Head of the Bay, expressed his hope that the appointment of such a committee would be conducive to the good of the Church. A petition to the Primate to license Mr ■ Blythen as Lay Reader was signed. Proposed by Mr, Curry, seconded by Mr Condell—" That Messrs" Barwick, Pawson and Blyihsn be "appointed as a provisional committee:" After some discussion, it was resolved to use exertions to further a' gift auction in aid of the Church Building Fund, the same to be held about Christmas. It was also resolved that persons sending exhibits to the Horticultural Show, Akaroa, should be solicited by ( the provisional committee to contribute par± of such exhibits, the same to be, sold by auction for the benefit of the Church' Building Fund. Proposed by Mr Curry, seconded by Mr Pawson—'• That Messrs Bridge and .Bushell be requested to lend their services in disposing of such articles, and that the, chairman be requested to communicate with them accordingly." Resolved that the present meeting'be adjourned till 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13.

Mr F. W. Thompson, formerly pf Napier, who was appointed to take charge of the Pigeon Bay School has arrived, and will commence duty forthwith. In addition to " teaching the young idea, 1, Mr Thompson has accepted the office of 'Clerk to the Pigeon Bay Road Board at a salary of £25 per annum.