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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 146, 11 December 1877, Page 2

at this act of the committee's. Mr Daly, however;- authorises us to state that the prize, or prizes, will be available at any future time that the •' Baby Show " can be inaugurated.

The Committee of the Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition have vetoed the "Baby" exhibit. We think the committee have not acted wisely in so doing, as the idea was a good one and would have been sure to have caused considerable amusement, not to mention the good example inculcated by the, no doubt, splendid specimens of infantile humanity that proud parents would have brought forward. The intending benedicts will perhaps be more ctft up than the parents

Parliament was prorogued yesterday, thus bringing to a close the longest session yet held by the New Zealand General Assembly. It haw taken the collective wisdom of the Colony 145 days to transact the smallest amount of jniblic business and the largest quantity of useless talk and squabbling, perhaps ever before recorded in the pages of Hansard. The exact sum that the country will have to pay for these vagaries on the part of its representatives has yet to be stated, we rather fancy the " little bill" will astonish people somewhat.

We understand that a cricket match has been arranged to come off next Saturday between the other side of the harbor and an Akaroa team, the match to be played on the French Farm ground. Mr Birdling lias kindly let the club have the use of his roller, which will be taken to Mr Baker's and prove of great service in rendering the pitdi suitable for playing on. We have not yet received the names of the players, but, doubtless, a list will appear in'our next issue. We trust that all players will endeavour to be present. An attempt is also being made to induce a Lyttelton eleven to come down here on the occasion

of the Regatta, with a view of playing a friendly match on Tuesday, the 18th inst. This match will alno be played at French Farm, It is, of course, to be regretted that there is no recreation ground suitable

for cricket nearer Akaroa, but in the absence of such accommodation, we must agree with the action of the committee in selecting the bedt ground obtainable on which to play foreign matches.

At. the examination of the schoolars attending the Manutahi school, in the Patea district, held on the 22nd ult., the master of the school. Mr Clement Lee, was complimented / on the " success attained in so short a time." Many of our readers may remember that Mr Lee was a resident of Akaroa for some months. The schooner Wild Wave has become the nole property of Messrs Wood Bros, a-nd Co., Mr E.O. Latter having sold his

The yacht Venture has been having one or two cruises lately, just to try her capabilities, and has proved herself a very fast boat in light winds. She is not yet carrying all her ballast, nor has she her proper sails, with the exception of the main sail, which the nautical men say is too'large'for her. Of course there is much diversity of opinion about the boat, but all that we can say, is that we hope Mr Black may find everything come up to his expectations, and that the Venture will score a win.

The proprietor of Wagstaff s Hotel was somewhat surprised, on stepping out of his front door last Saturday morning, to find a four-oar racing skiff, reposing gracefully on his lawn. In the absence of any information with regard to the occurrence of a tidal wave during the night in question, as also from the fact that there was no wind to speak of, it is supposed that some individuals, for the time possessed of more whiskey and muscle than brains, mast have deposited the boat where Mr Wagstaff discovered it. What a lot of energy and ingenuity we constantly see misapplied!

The properties of Mr M. Turner and Mr Hunter, on the Little Akaloa Hill, have been the scene of an immense swarm of small beetles. Our informant assures us that these insects are literally in thousands about the gardens and orchards, which have been stripped entirely of all leaves and flowers, trees and shrubs presenting the appearance of winter. Every blade of grass, too, has been eaten on some parts of the -lull, leaving patches of earth as bare as though a mowing machine had passed over them. Mr Hunter held a sheet under one of the trees, and shook the beetles into it, afterwards immersing the lot so collected in hot water, and, by average, calculated that in this one shaking he must have had over twenty thousand of these insects. Jn fact they have ruined the gardens and orchards of the gentlemen named, and bid fair, unless destroyed by some means, natural or otherwise, to commit sad ravages in the locality, where it is to be hoped in the interests of the rest of the district, they may confine their attentions. The long spell of hot weather, and the drought is supposed to be the cause of their existing in such numbers.

The Union Steam Shipping Company announce that the s.s. Wellington will make the usual excursion trip from Lyttelton to this port on the day of the Regatta. If the weather is propitious, we anticipate even a larger number of visitors than on former occasions. Altogether, the 17th promises to be a success, and it certainly will be the most attractive holidayas yet provided for the Peninsula public. The Horticultural and Industrial Exhibitions will, doubtless, cause many to put in an appearance who would otherwise not have cared to come in for the Regatta, and vice versa, so tbat it may be said that the two sources of attraction, though so widely differing in their nature, will tend to aid one another, and together be productive of a successful and pleasing result.

Mr March's recommendations with

regard 1o the Hospital have been approved by the Government, and tenders for the various requirements will shortly be called. The building is to be got ready for use with as little delay as possible. This is, so far, satisfactory, and we are glad to see that this tardy justice is to be done to the district.

Captain M'Lean of the s.s. Akaroa intends running an excursion trip to Pigeon Bay on Monday, the 17th inst. This steamer also loaves Lyttelton, as usual, on Saturday, the 15th inst, when, no doubt, many will avail themselves of the opportunity thus afforded of spending a day in Akaroa previous to the regatta.