The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 5.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 170, 5 March 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 5.

The Akaroa County Council meet today for the purpose of discussing, once more, the momentous question of the adoption, or not, of the Counties Act in its entirety. The opinions expressed in this journal, when the question was last mooted, we still maintain, and, far from being weakened in our views regarding its advisability, we are, if anything, the more firmly strengthened in our belief in its advocacy, and the good that will accrue to the Peninsula by its adoption. The arguments used, at the- meeting alluded to, by Mr Baker and the chairman, Mr E. C. Latter, that the idea of expense connected with the machinery of the Council, provided the Act was adopted," was greatly exaggerated, and that, far from being a hindrance to Road Boards, the Council would in reality be an assistance to them, were sound and good. These recommendations still exist, and will no doubt after this length of time, when the successful working of the system in other Counties, which wisely adopted the Act from the first has been seen, carry more weight. But, perhaps, the most forcible argument of all is that of having local affairs managed by local men. When Mr Baker urged this at the last meeting, and it was decided not to adopt the Act, MiBarker no doubt thought he had made a point, and scored one, when he replied that he was glad to hear Mr Baker say that, as it was an argument for Road Boards, as being composed essentially of local men. But Mr Barker forgot that the word local, as meant by Mr Baker, did not apply to any one particular portion of the County but to the road works, &c, throughout the whole. Now, recent experiences of the delays that have taken place in obtaining answers to correspondence on Road Board matters from the Wellington officials—delays, too, that have caused serious public inconvenience, and private loss — and, moreover, the utter ignorance displayed in regard to matters down here, with which they had previously been, as far as possible, informed, demonstrate in our opinion moie forcibly than ever the necessity for a local— that is, a County—self-governing body which shall have the supervision of those works that may be necessary, the Road Boards working under such supervision. It will then be found that instead of important public works being retarded by departmental ignorance and official carelessness, that the requirements of the district will receive proper and prompt attention, and impartial dealing at the hands of its representatives in the Council. We consider this meeiing to-day to be fraught with interest to the Peninsula, and that in the decision of the Council a great question is at issue.

We desire to draw attention to what Is becoming an intolerable nuisance to those attending church on Sundays, namely, the practice that is gaining ground of men and boys congregating and perching themselves on the fence of the enclosure next the R. M. Court, just at the hour of-Divine Service. The rude staring, and coarse remarks indulged in, as we are informed, are most painful and disagreeable to the passers by, and we trust the police will take precautions to remove this annoyance from those ladies and others, who desire to attend the services of the church. There were no cases set down for hearing at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday, the Ist inst. A severe accident, and one that might, have been attended with fatal results, occurred on Friday last toMrC. W. Bridge of this place. It appears that he was mounting his horse, which his usually very quiet, when something must have startled the animal, causing it to rear. Mr Bridge's foot was only then just partially in the stirrup-iron, but a piece of leather in the sole of his boot caught, thus preventing him from extricating his foot. Fortunately, however, he had gathered the reins up short, so that when falling he was to a certain extent clear of the ground, although in a most dangerous position being between the horse's forelegs. Strange to say, though the horse dragged him some fifty yards, and while doing so,' performed some acrobatic feats known as " pig jumping," the hoofs, fortunately, never struck him, but during the occasional bumping on the ground, he received a very severe cut on the head, and a bad shaking, which we are glad, however, to hear, under Dr Guthrie's treatment, is not likely to be productive of any serious results.

An eminent clergyman in New Zealand said recently : " I do not refer to difficulties in connection with the salary paid to ministers, though that is often enough the source of sore trial to a minister; but the niggardly manner in which that salary is doled out to him is simply commercially dishonest. I know neither the amount of salary, nor the manner of its payment, of any minister in Auckland, or in New Zealand. But while every clerk in the colony, as a rule, is paid regularly to the day, I venture to say that three-fourths of the ministers of New Zealand are at the piesent hour behind in their salaries. This is simply because advantage can be taken of iheir helpless dependence. If they press for payment, they are ■ mercenery,' and ' can think of nothing but money! money!' And yet when their butcher's bill comes in, 7'eisnot mercenery, although he can think of nothing but ' money! money !' The placing of a minister in this unfortunate position, after engagements made with him, is an act of commercial dishonesty, that is the greatest scandal of the colonial churches."

We understand that a match has been arranged for £50 a side, between Mr. J. Castle's Symphony and Mr # T. Sheenan's Lemon Juice. The race is to be run on the course near Mr Wascoe's Hotel, Lake Gllesmere, and is causing considerable excitement among the sporting fraternity in this district.

The house on Bruce's Terrace, owned by Mr T. Houghton, and occupied by Mr Geo. Wright, had a narrow escape from being destroyed by fire, on Saturday last, the 2nd inst. A child of Mr Houghton's having got hold of some matches, set some dry grass on fire, and this communicated with the gorse hedge, dividing Mr Houghton's property from that of the Rev. W. Aylmer, which being very dry was instantaneously blazing away ' furiously the flames rapidly approaching Mr Wright's residence. An alarm was at once given whep plenty of help being at hand, the fire was beaten out before any great amount of damage had been done.

Messrs Prince and Cattermole, the contractors for the building of the new side school in Pigeon Ba}', have commenced the erection of this much wanted edifice. The building is being erected upon a piece of land, obtained from Mr Gillespie, nearly opposite where the road from Akaroa runs into the Pigeon Bay valley road, and almost at the corner of the road leading to Miss Marshall's and Mr J. Hunt's properties. When completed, the school house will be quite an ornamental addition to that part of Pigeon Bay.

We are at all times gratified at being able to notice the extension of any old industry or the development of any new one, on Banks Peninsula. In connection with the former we, some time since, mentioned that Mr Pettigrew, of Pigeon Bay, had purchased the York Steam Saw-mill, from Mr Shadbolt, and we now have to chronicle that the mill, in its new location at Pigeon Bay, has been for some weeks in full work upon the valuable timber belonging to its owner. We wish Mr Pettigrew all the success he can wish himself in his saw-milling speculation.

While riding his own horse, Tearaway, in the Hack Race at the Little River Steeplechase on Saturday last Mr T. Morshead met with an accident, which might have been fatal, an account of which is given in our report of the races. We are glad to learn however, that beyond a very severe shaking no internal injury seems to have been done, nor any serious results apprehended, Mr Morshead being on the next day very much better, although still feeling dazed from the effect of the blow he received on the head from the horse's hoof.

At a summoned nieeting of the members of the Loyal Good Intent Lodge, No. 4829, 1.0.0.F.,M.U., held in the Oddfellows Hall, Jollie Street, Akaroa, on Saturday evening, the 2nd inst, P.G. Bro. G. A. Oborn, was elected to the office of N.G. for the ensuing term,- in the place of Bro. H. Billens resigned.

The culvert which we mentioned in our last issue as having been ' set on fire on the Little River Road is still burning, and there seems every prospect of its being utterly destroyed. -It seems stratige, considering how near tliis culvert is situated to some houses, that the inhabitants of them should not be able to afford a little time and water toward putting the fire out.

In the garden memoranda for this month, which was published m our last issue, it is stated that "fruit for storing should be gathered before quite mature, for the process of ripening will go on as well as in the open . air." This should read ''will go on as well in the fruit-room, &c." We have to apologise for this unintentional omission. The many friends of Mr E. C St John will be as sorry to hear, as we are to relate, that that gentleman is suffering from an attack of insanity supposed to be induced by a . sunstroke received some years since. Mr St. John was brought before the R.M. of Christchurch on the 2nd inst., and remanded for eight days for medical treatment, on hearing of Mr St. John's condition Mr C. W. Bridge proceeded immediately to Christchurch for the purpose of enquiring into the unfortunate gentleman's state, and to make all arrangements for his comfort. Mr Bridge has telegraphed down that on visiting Mr St. John he found him very violent and that every care and attention is being taken of him.

In our advertising columns will be found a notice to householders in this County and Borough requesting information from any occupier of a house at which census schedules have not been left.

We are informed "that about midway up the Little River Hill, on this side, the telegraph wire is most dangerously low ) so much so, indeed, a man riding on a tall horse would come, in contact with it. As this road is much used at night time, when the wire could not be seen, some serious accident mighty result from its hanging down so close to the ground and across the road. We trust the authorities will see to the matter at once. The present lessees of the Onuku Kainga saw-mills, Messrs McLucas and McKay, have now finished the different alterations to, and in connection with, the mill which is no ,v in good working order. The firm made a shipment of timber last week to Lyttelton, by the Flying Squirrel. Among the other additions and improvement made in connection with the trade of this mill, is the erection of a jetty, at the Kainga, by which means the shipment of timber is greatly facilitated and the danger of rafting entirely done away with.

At a meeting of Stewards of the Little River Steeplechases, held on the evening of the 2nd instant for the purpose of considering the various protests, which will be found mentioned in our report elsewhere, that of Mr T. Sheenan against the rider of Charlie for putting him off the course was disallowed ; decision in the case of Mr J. McFarlane's protest against the owner of Lemon-Juice for running the horse under a faise name being, after considerable discussion, postponed.

A meeting convened'by the residents in the Tai Tapu, Hal swell, and Heathcote districts, is to be held in the Halswell schoolhouse to-morrow evening for the purpose of considering the most advantageous route for the proposed rail way to Akaroa so far as it effects those districts. It is a subject for congratulation to notice the interest taken in the matter of the railway by the residents of those districts through which the lime ia proposed to be carried, shewing, as it does, that they are alive to the necessity for the work, and also to its importance.

We have been informed that since the German Bay oyster-beds have been without a custodian, parties have been obs-orved helping themselves to the bivalves. Our informant states that it is not uncommon, of a night, to see lights flashing and hear boats about the beds, the natural inference being that the oysters are being carried off by wholesale. It is something scandalous to know that the large amount of money and labor expended on these beds will be as good as thrown away if these depredations continue. We would advise the present owners of the property to employ someone to look after their interests, otherwise, like the anecdote of the lawyer and his two clients, the shells will be all that will come to their share. We are sorry to see this valuable property so neglected, but trust the publicity we now give as regards depredations and damage going on, may have the effect of bestirring those interested, and prevent any further destruction and loss occurring.