The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 12.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 172, 12 March 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 12.

Owing to the quantity of local and other matter received late last night, we have been compelled to hold over our leading article until our next publication.

The master of the ketch XXX informs us that he left Lyttelton at about 11 a.m on the 7th inst., and at 3 a.m on the next morning laid to underneath Pigeon Bay Heads, starting again at three the next morning, and when about fourteen miles off. Akaroa Heads, his mainmast carried away close to the cap, the boom falling, fortunately, straight down, merely damaging slightly the cook's galley. Captain Donovan was enabled, however, to get enough sail on her to bring the vessel safely into this port, where, doubtless, all due repairs will be executed.

Fish have been very plentiful during the past week around the government jetty. On Saturday last the boys fishing from the wharf caught quite a quantity of parrot fish, rock cod, and even moki. We have repeatedly heard that moki could only be caught with a net, but this idea is fallacious as we saw a fine one taken by book and line. The deck of tbe jetty in places is.so slippery from fish slime that it is somewhat difficult to keep one's footing. We mention this as a warning to the unwary against wandering about the wharf after dark.

A public meeting was held on Saturday the 9th inst., at Le Bon's Bay, at which the following five gentlemen were requested to serve as Trustees to provide for the maintenance and care of the Le Bon's Bay Public Cemetery:—Messrs J. Dalglish, W. Barnett, G. Hall, H. Barnett, and T. Oldridge. As there is a sum of £475 to be expended on the local cemeteries, Mr J. Dalglish was asked to use his discretion in applying for a portion of the same from the County Council for the above mentioned cemetery. At the close of the meeting a hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr J. Dalglish, member for Le Bon's Bay, in the Akaroa County Council, for bid energy in endeavouring to bring about the adoption of tbe Counties Act. Mr Dalgiish in replying stated he had only done what he thought was best for the good of tbe district and thanked the meeting for their approval. •

Mr C. W. Bridge has requested us to draw tbe attention of cattle dealers, and the general public, to tbe unavoidable postponement of tbe sale by auction, of live stock, which was to have been held by him, to-day, at the Forsyth Arms, Little River. The sale will, however, be held at the same place on this day week, and, up to that time, parties having stock they would wish sold at this sale, can enter the same with Mr Oiphert or the auctioneer.

Mr W. Masefield, of Gough's Bay, one of our old identities, intends visiting the mother country, and has taken his passage by the ship Wanganui. During the many years of his residence among us, Mr Masefield has, by his genial disposition and strict business integrity, acquired innumerable friends, all of whom will doubtless join with us in wishing that gentleman a pleasant voyage home, plenty of enjoyment when there, and a speedy retl "" f " Tt"uka Peninsula.

We beg to remind those of our readers whose names are not on the electoral roll that claims to be registered as voters must be sent in to the revising officer during the present month. As many persons whose names are on the roll may have removed their places of residence since they were registered, we would advise them to send in fresh claims. We know that there are a number of persons in the Akaroa electoral district who are legally qualified, but yet havo neglected to register themselves as voters ; we hope they will not allow this opportunity to pass without claiming to have the right of exercising their electoral privileges.

A report reaches us from Gough's Bay, that a man is wandering about that and adjoining bays armed with a revolver, and that he is living in a cave somewhere near Waikckikara. The individual in question is said to have come from Le Bon's Bay, where, for a short time, he worked at Mr John Smith's Mills." Our informant supposes the man to be slightly insane, and, if this is the case, we think the police should make enquiries as to the truth or otherwise of what we now state. As the settlers in the neighborhood we speak of are thinly scattered this report maj r cause them some uneasiness unless the matter is seen to at once.

We are sorry to have to record that the injuries received by Mr Robert Stewart, of Barry's Bay, through the accident which lately befel him, are far worse than we stated whan mentioning the misfortune. In addition to having one of his legs broken, the unfortunate sufferer has also had four of his ribs broke. Tbe fracture to the leg was so severe that, when Mr Stewart arrived at the Christchurch hospital, one of the pieces of leg bone protruded through the flesh, and a portion had to be removed before anything could be done toward the patient's relief. The accident occurred near Kaituna, and was caused by tbe horse which Mr Stewart was working in a dray, bolting, after taking fright at a pedler's van which was passing. In endeavouring to stop the runawaj' Mr Stewart received the injuries which wo have enumerated. It was at first supposed that the injured limb would have to be amputated, but the medical men in attendance subsequently decided.that it may not be necessary to do so. Considering everything, Mr Stewart is said to be progressing as well toward recovery as the most sanguine could have expected.

A monstrous specimen of the Stingaree, pr Sting Ray as it is commonly called, was caught from the Government jetty on Saturday last, the 9th inst. On the day mentioned a lad named George Haylock, who was fishing, found that he had hooked something which he could not pull up, and therefore called Dominique, the fisherman, to his assistance. As both of them could not manage to haul up the capture, Dominique procured a boat and harpooned the monster of the deep. We did not take the dimensions of the fish, but its tail, which was secured by Mr Lambert, for the museum, was armed with three stings and six spikes, tbe longest sting measuring nine inches, tbe next in length five inches, and the shortest two inches. The seafaring portion of our population state that they never saw so large a specimen of this kind of fish.

During the past week Mr Dick, the chief postmaster of Christchurch, paid Akaroa an official visit, and on his return was interviewed, at the Head of tbe Bay, by Messrs Piper and Shadbolt, relative to the establishment of a telegraphic station in that locality, and also as to the building of a post office and appointment of a proper officer for both duties. In connection with these matters Mr Piper informed Mr Dick that it was his (MrP.'s) intention to offer one-eighth of an acre of land for the building, &c, and hoped Mr Dick would lend bis influence and give his support toward the objec; they had in view. In reply Mr Dick stated that from his knowledge of country districts be thought some difficulty would be found in getting the public to sufficiently interest themselves in the matter, however, if they succeeded' in getting a telegraph station appointed the postal authorities would doubtless insist upon their business being carried on in the same building. Should the gentlemen present be visiting Christchurch he would be pleased by their calling upon him there and farther acquaint him as to the progress made,- and-he would also suggest that they should communicate with Mr Montgomery on the subject. The deputation thanked Mr Dick for tbe courtesy accorded them, and promised to carry out the suggestions given by him to them. Passengers by the Christchurch coach inform us that the Akaroa telegraph lino between Tai Tapu and Barry's Bay is sadly in want of repair. Near Ahuriri the wire is down, and laying .across the road, so that the wheels of passing vehicles have to go over it. In other places, posts are down, insulators are missing, and the wire is so low that the coach can hardly pass under it. It seems surprising to us that the proper officer of the department can allow this state of things to continue. At any moment telegraphic communication with this place may be stopped, and we all know what that means to the community. In again drawing attention to this matter we do so with the hope that it may have the effect of showing the urgent necessity of the line being at once put into a thorough state of repair, and this we trust will be done without any more delay.

Mr Superintendent B roll am paid an official visit to Akaroa last week, aud inspected the buildings, &c, occupied by and in charge of the police. We feel curious to know what will be the nature of Mr Broham's report ou these buildings, and what his opinion is upon their suitability for the purposes for which they are used, as well as the state of repair in which they are at the present time. We have a vivid remembrance of once visiting Sergeant Ramsay's quarters on a very wet day, and finding a perfect shower bath, in full working order, going on in every part of the kitchen.

Mr St. John's mental condition has, we are grieved to learn, gone from bad to worse, that gentleman being now an inmate of the Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum. The unfortunate gentleman had taken his passage for England in the New Zealand Shipping Company's ship Wanganui, which sails from Lytteltouaboutthe latter part of this month. Of course, as the above misfortune has befallen him, it will be impossible for him to take the proposed voyage. We do, however, hope to have the pleasure of chronicling, within a short time, Mr St. John's recovery from his present deplorable condition.

As will- be seen by advertisement elsewhere, our Pigeon Bay friends intend to have their annual holiday outing on this day week. The fares, by the s.s. Akaroa, for the occasion, are fixed so low that we should suppose scarcely man, woman, or child will be left in the bay, that is alway supposing that the clerk of the weather is on his best behavior. We wish the holiday-makers pleasant weather, pleasant surroundings, pleasant enjoyment, and a pleasant return home.

Ashburton is well blessed with newspapers. We perceive by yesterday's Press that two evening papers were to issue their publication, in that township, last night. Our friend Mr Ivess, who has a colonial fame for starting papers, must look out that some paper does not get the start of him. In journalism, as in horse-racing, the best should win. if it does not, we can only say " more's the pity." The Akaroa Domain Board have applied to the County Council for the sum of £500, out of the Government vote for domains and recreation grounds within this county ; to be expended in further improving and planting the domain grounds. We have no doubt that the Board's monetary application will receive the.favorable consideration of the members of the Council, and that any money granted will be judiciously expended in necessary improvements upon and about the domain.

Our representative in the Bays district, Mr Duncan Dewar, met with an accident, fortunately only of a slight character, on Saturday last, the 9th inst. It seems that when leaving Mr James Boleyn's, at Stony Bay, MrDewar stooped down by the fence to fasten one of his boots, when the wind, which was very boisterous, caught a heavy unhung gate placed there, and caused it to fall on Mr Dewar, inflicting upon him a nasty wound in the head besides rendering him insensible for a time. Mr Dewar was taken back to Mr Boleyn's, and after ha\ing his hurts attended to was able to proceed on his journey. The canine family is numerously represented in and about Christchurch, judging from the number of dogs upon which the registration fees have been paid during the past two months. We are credibly informed that the police have registered at the Christchurch dep6t 1,586 dogs of different and indifferent degrees, colour, and breed. Quantity is here, but perhaps quality may be wanting.

Bad tracks, in courtesy called roads, are by no means uncommon upon Banks Peninsula, but something superlative in the way of badness is the road (?) from Pigeon Bay to Port Levy. The representative of this journal, Mr W. Sims, has been, in connection with our business, visiting different parts of the Peninsula, and his opinion of the track we mention s harrowing in its details. Not to put too fine a point on it, Mr Sims insinuates that if he is sent that journey again, the chances are we shall have a widow and several orphans thrust upon us. '"Tis a consumnation devoutly (not) to be wished," so, for our own sake, if not for the public good, we wish to draw the attention of tbe members of the County Council to this matter, aud have to earnestly impress upon them the necessity of at once seeing that the special vote granted by the Government for this purpose is paid to the proper parties, to be by them expended, as early as possible, in improving this break-neck disgraceful track. Think of the Akaroa Mail being burdened with a widow and orphans. We collapse under the bare idea of such a catastrophe happening to us We wish to draw the attention of the members of the Borough Council to the necessity of erecting a handrail over the creek, and on both sides of the roadway, immediately in front of Mr Armstrong's garden. As the long dark evenings will soon be setting in this necessary work should be at once taken in hand, otherwise an accident may occur at the place we mention. We hope the council will remember the old adage of " a stitch in time," and act accordingly.

Owing to the non-attendance of a sufficient number of commissioners there was no sitting of the Licensing Court on Tuesday last the sth inst., and the meeting was consequently adjourned untill to-day. The only business to be brought forward is an application from Mr Thacker for an hotel license for his new house in Okain's Bay.