The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 149, 21 December 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21.

Owing to press of matter, we have been compelled to hold over our leader, Little River meeting, Sundowner's contribution, Le Bon's Bay School picnic, and other items of general interest.

Tuesday next being Christmas-day we purpose publishing the next number of this journal on Monday evening, the 24th instant, and would feel obliged by advertisements and any other matter for insertion being forwarded to our office early on the forenoon of that day.

A meeting took place on Saturday last at the Pigeon Bay Hotel, for the purpose of forming a Sports committee, Mr S. Priest was voted to the chair. The following gentlemen were elected to serve on the committee :—Messrs S. Priest, G. McKay, R. Paton, J. Gunning, W. Ashton, J. Hay W. Lyall. It was proposed to have the sports on the 28th Dec, committee to meet on the 22nd to draw up a programme. It was agreed to have one flat race and one hurdle race for horses, open to all comers. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting

Whilst the Christchurch coach was stopping at the Somerset Hotel yesterday evening, and during the time the driver, Mr Chamberlaine, was engaged sorting his parcels, the horses were startled by a noise made on the iron fence, which caused them to bolt. Fortunately, they were stopped before proceeding far, and, with the exception of an injury to one of the horses, no damage occurrec 1 worth speaking of.

The boat races that were unavoidably postponed on the 17th instant, on account of the inclemency of the weather, came off on Tuesday, the following day, the light breeze then blowing being propitious for thus finishing the Regatta Programme. The Conoe and Tub races, however, could not be got off. At about half-past 12 o'clock, the sailing dinghies got into position, and a fair start was obtained, the Bruce and the Shoo Fly having the best of it at the setting off. Before the race vas half o\ er, it was evident that it lay the in hands of Mr Glynan's boat, the Paul Pry, which subsequently came in an easy first, Mr Beecher's boat, the Bruce, being an equally easy second, the Shoo Fly third, and the Fanny nowhere. The Sculling race was the next pulled off, resulting in an admirably contested race, eventually won by Mr J. Thomas, Mr G. Brough being second in the Molly, and Mr J. Wright third in the Lark. The programme was concluded by the walking on the Greasy Bowsprit, the. prize for which was cleverly won by Mr G. Black, Some private money was then subscribed on the spot for another contest, for which three entered, the first two, Messrs J. Thomas and C. Watkins, accomplishing the feat of walking out to the end of the spar, touching the mark, and then returning safely back to the jetty, without sharing the fate of the third competitor and getting a ducking. Altogether, considerable interest was shewn in the getting off of the items mentioned, and it seemed even more so than on the Regatta day itself. During the afternoon the Paul Pry and the Bruce sailed a private match, the former again defeating Mr Beecher'3 boat.

At the Regatta Committee meeting, held on Monday evening, at ~Wagstaffs Hotel, to consider the protest lodged by Mr C. A. Rich, ot the Lyttelton Yacht Club, against the Venture, owned by Mr Black", it was decided that as the flag, which is recognised as the guiding mark for competing boats, was missing, and therefore the proper mark whereby the boats would shape their course was absent, that the fairest manner of settling the difficulty would be for the yachts to sail the race over again,' either in Akaroa if possible, or in Lyttelton' as might be agreed upon, and in the event of either boat refusing to sail again that the race be declared null and void.

By advertisement elsewhere it will be seen that Mr R. M. Taylor .has started a timber, yard in Balguerie Street, and has already on hand for sale a shipment of timber, per the schooner Jane Hannah, from the Bluff. There can be but one opinion as to the benefit this fresh local enterprise will prove to builders throughout the district, and a hitherto much felt want will be supplied in it. We wish Mr Taylor every success in his venture.

A fire, which had been smouldering for some days in the bush at Robinson's Bay, was fanned by the gale of the 17th instant into unusual activity, and spread over the Okain's road side of the Bay, destroying a great quantity of fencing, and some 20 or 30 acres of cocksfoot. The residence of Mrs Peter Shadbolt was in imminent danger, but owing lo the presence of mind of that lady, who was alone, the other members of the family being away at the Regatta, the fire was kept off by means of wet blankets laid over the roof. Mr Duxbury is a very heavy loser through his fencing being destroyed, as also are Messrs W. Morgan, P Shadbolt, and Piper. The fire lasted till Wednesday, necessitating a careful watch being kept by those whose dwellings and property were near the scene of conflagration, but all danger is, we are glad to hear now past.

A retnrn recently issued regarding the position of Savings Banks in the United Kindom may be taken as reflecting pretty accurately the condition of the working classes. The return gives a great variety of particulars respecting Savings Banks, but the most important are those relating to the investment of savings. We are glad to note that the return fully sustains our national character for thrift. The figures show that in Scotland the habit of saving is most widely diffused. The number of depositors in England was 1,120,172 ; in Wales, 32,947 ;in Ireland, 56,849 ; and in Scotland, 260,819. Dividing the population as given in tiie census of 1871 by the number of accounts opened at 20th November in last year, we find that while in Ireland only one in 96 of the population, in Wales one in 36, in England one in 19 were depositors, the proportion in Scotland was one in 13. This is a result highly creditable to the habits of our working classes ; and if we exclude those who, from superior wealth, use other means of investment we are able to reach the agreeable conclusion that in nearly every alternate family, a bank account is kept open.— Edinburgh Daily Review.

We have to thank the publishers for a specimen copy of the " Southern Provinces Almanac " for 1878. We note that this edition bears a marked improvement on its predecessors, containing, as it does, more . matter of general interest and useful information, in addition to which is a colored lithograph map of the Provincial District of Canterbury, shewing well denned boundaries of its different Counties. We observe that the Almanac can be obtained at Mr Daly's, and at Messrs Garwood and Cos.

A fatal accident by drowning occurred in Pigeon Bay, on the 19th inst. The s.s. Akaroa, on her trip from Lyttelton, on the morning of that day, gave a tow to a fishing boat manned by J. Snoswell, W. Agar, a man known as Yankee Dick, and Thomas O'Brien. All went well until the boat was cast adrift from the Akaroa, in Holmes Bay, when by some means the tow line fouled, thereby causing the boat to capsize ; at this time O'Brien was laying under the fore sheets, and had not the time to clear himself before the boat was over. He is supposed to hay« been drowned in that position, and his body was recovered after about ten minutes, bnt like was extinct. The other three men were picked up by the Akaroa, and were conveyed back to Lyttelton with the body. Every effort was used at Pigeon Bay to resuscitate the.unfortunwte man, but without .avail. The deceased had been in former years a jockey, bul had lately resided on the Peninsula.

A large bush fire was started at Barry's Bay on Monday last, which caused considerable uneasiness to some of the settlers there, and to Mr E. C. Latter, who had reason to fear thd tdpjnear approach of the flames to his mill and property. The fife is supposed to have originated from some man having set fire to a tree while engaged in hunting for honey. Fortunately no damage was done, and a change of wind took all immediate danger from Mr Latter's premises.