The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 157, 18 January 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18.

Our attention ban been called to a memorial stone which has recently been placed' over the grave of the late Rev. Mr Neville, in the enclosure surrounding St. Peter's Church. The stone in question has jbeen laid flat on the grave, without any foundation to support it, the consequence wiUfbe that, after a spell of wet weather, m\ weight of- the stone will cause it to sink w into the earth ultimately bury itself. It would be as well if this was remedied i before the autumnal and winter rains commence. The Goveiwient has been distinguishing itself at Blenheim, in a case of a paltry nature, in connection with the Stamp Act. A Mr Litchfield, as longsince as November, 1873. gave a receipt for money received, but neglected to stamp the document with the cssentlal'one penny stamp required by the Government. For this offence he is in January,-i,B|B summoned by a Mr Church, \vlio stated he was " instructed by the Crown to prosecute," and further remarked\that. " the desire of the Government the world at large, and the Wairau in 1, particular, should study the Stamp Act." "The world at large!" Why not have added arid" Mars, with the twin Martial Moons? What a sublime cosmopolitan study the New Zealand Stamp Act must be, according to the lights of Mr Church, and those whose mouth-piece he was. Mr Litohfield, not having been studious enough, was mulcted in one shilling and costs. Is this not a frivolously petty thing for the officers of the Government to lend their names to ? Our contemporary the Marlbroitgh Express has some sensibly written and pertinent remarks, on this case.

Our scientific fellow-townsman Mr T. B. Chadwick has captured, bottled, and is exhibiting in his shop window, a monstrous specimen of what he calls the Colorado Beetle. We have an idea that we have often seen monstrosities of the same genus as that shown by the Professor, but have always heard them designated as "Taipo." We are not scientific, so may be wrong. This specimen may be a Colorado Beetle acclimatised and colonised. Although we have our doubts, yet we would not dream of advancing any decided opinion against that of so eminent a savant as Mr Chadwick is known to be.

A contributor of ours has received from the Rev. W. H. Cooper an exceedingly well written letter, describing the Rev. gentleman's trip to New South Wales, and also giving his opinions of the different portions of that colony which he has visited. From this letter, which is dated from Cassiiis, N.S. W., we give the following extract, which speaks for itself :—" I am very much pleased witli my visit to New Soutli Wales, and liked Sydney amazingly, but I was terribly disappointed with the harbour. The finest country I have seen on this side the line is the valley of the Hunter—round Maitland and Morpeth it is magnificent; the soil is deep and rich, and the crops quite fabulous, but I don't care for the up-country district in which we are at present located. Certainly I don't see the country to any advantage, as there has been a drought here for nearly three years, and the wonder is that any animal is alive. Any drought I had previously seen had been of only twelve or eighteen months' duration ; now, over thousands of square miles there has no rain fallen for nearly three years, except a very occasional thunder shower— bare brown earth on all sides ; there does not appear to be any probability of the weather breaking. The dry climate suits me exactly, and the improvement in my health has been something wonderful, but Mrs Cooper does not like the heat at all— she has lost in weight since she landed, but I don't think her health is at all worse. The Parsonage is a first rate house, which cost £1200 ; it, is built to suit the climate with a verandah 12 feet wide round three sides ; the sitting-room—for there is only one—is 32 i'eet by 20 feet ; it was partly furnished, so we had only to get a few trifling things. The garden is more than, an acre, and has a nice little vineyard connected with it, but in consequence of the drought (he fruit will not be large. The district contains a number of very nice families, and all are most kind and hospitable." During the night of the 15th inst., one of the heaviest north-west gales that has ever occurred on the Peninsula, passed over Akaroa harbour. The yacht Winona was compelled to let go a second anchor ; and most of the other boats dragged considerably. A window in Mr G. Black's shop was blown in, and a willow tree in the front of Mr A. Scott's residence very much broken by the force of the gale. What is inowt to be regretted is jthat the fruit trees have suffered severely, the half ripe plums, apricots, apples, &c, being shaken from off the trees. There is no doudt that this wind has done a'great deal of injury to the fruit-growers in the district.

The Greyinouth Evening Star states that the following members of the House of Representatives receive permanent salaries during the duration of Parliament:—The Speaker (Sir W. Fiissherhert), £800; Chairman of Committees (Mr O'Ruurke), £500 ; Chairman of Native Petitions Committee (Mr Bryce), £100." In the case of the two latter gentlemen, this is in addition to the honorarium."

From the report of proceedings oi the Cliristchurch presbytery we extract the following:—"The documents from Kuinara were laid on the table, and the letter from Mr Douglas, of Akaroa, declining the call was read. Mr Fraser moved that the decision of Mr Douglas, declining the call, be approved, and that intimation thereof be sent to the presbytery of Westland. Mr M'Gregor reported the stiate of affairs at Wainui, but asked the presbytery to postpone their decision, until he had a fuller report to lay before them, which was agreed to."

'We are sorry to have to report tint the ketch Jenett, belonging to Mr f nek..!.", of Okain's Bay, was blown ashore iv that bay during the gale on the morning of the 16th yfst. As yet, further particulars have hot reached us.

The meeting convened by Mr Montgomery for the purpose of explaining the part taken by himself in the parliamentary business of the past session, and to state his views on the legislative work done, was not as fully attended as we anticipated. I The speaker was received with enthusiasm, and his remarks elicited considerable approbation and applause. The questions put were but few in number, and of purely local interest, except one asked by Mr Wagstaff, in reference to the constitution of the Upper House. Elsewhere will bo found a summary of Mr Montgomery's speech which we regret to have to produce in an abreviated form.

A meeting of the Little River Jockey Club was held yesterday, at Garwood's House on the Hill Top, to arrange programme and fix the date of the next race meeting. After some discussion, it was decided that the races do take place on Thursday, 28th February. The strong nor'-wester which has been blowing so heavily here during the past few days seems to have done a considerable amount of damage at Christchurch and in its immediate neighbourhood. Both the Christchurch papers describe tho havoc done as being somewhat extensive, and also speak of injuries to property occurring in other parts of Canterbury. Although the gale lias been tolerably severe hereabouts, yet we cannot have felt a tithe of what has been experienced in other parts of the colony.

We clip the following from the Home News : —" An old colonist of 35 years' standing has published a volume of experiences in New Zealand, which will doubtless be read with pleasure in the colony itself.- He describes with much modesty, but veiy graphically, how he fought his way up from the bottom of the social scale to the top ; how his muscles gradually hardened till he could take his share with the best in manual labour, which had at first seemed beyond his strength ; how he wooed and lost, then wooed again and won ; how by steady perseverance and industry he gained for himself at length a good position and substantial wealth. The soundness of the advice he gives to new colonists will be readily admitted by all who know the colony. It is of. paramount importance (he says) to gain experience before embarkiug upon any line of life ; only disappointment and pecuniary loss must overtake the man who attempts to farm before he has been a couple of } - ears or so in the country. The writer recommends the new arrival to get away from the towns into the interior as fast as he can, accepting gladly any employment which will give him a livelihood till he has had time to look about him and learn the way of the place. Later on with the experience gained, he can turn to profitable account any little capital he may have by him, and eventually, like this old colonist, prosper and do well."