The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 3.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 187, 3 May 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 3.

Owing to a press of matter, we are reluctantly compelled to hold over our leading article, Little River Road Board report, and other interesting matter.

We have received the first number of a new daily journal published in Wellington, and called, the New Zealander. Our new contemporary aims at becoming a colonial journal, and if it succeeds in this endeavor, we have no doubt that a glorious career lies before it. It is of the full size, and the type used being smaller than usual, a large amount of reading matter is provided. In its leading article, the New Zealander alludes to the present critical aspect of political affairs, and the inevitable struggle about to take place between the party of progress and that of retrogression in almost the same terms as those used in our own editorial columns a week ago. With regard to the side which its conductors intend to take in the struggle, no uncertain sound is emitted. The writer says :—" Our sj-mpathies are entirely with the latter (the liberal) party, and our support will be given to it." A very- able article also appears on the " Victorian Crisis," in which the New Zealand public have for once the opportunity of hearing the popular side of that great struggle vindicated, our press having been too much in the habit of taking both facts and opinion from the Argus, notoriously the violent and unscrupulous advocate of the party ofj retrogression, the organ in the interest of bank balances and broad acres as against men. We cordially hail the advent of a new champion of the cause of progress and equity, and hence, in its truest sense the cause of "law and order."

On Tuesday evening last, as the coach horses were being taken round to the stable, one of those pests of the canine race, which think they' are " to the manner born" to bail up and heel up everything that chance brings in their way, persisted in indulging in its stock-driving propensities on one of the horses. Startled by this novel process of being urged forward, the horse elected that '* discretion was the better part of valour," and accordingly made a bolt for it, accompanied, of course, by its companions in harness. The evening was intensely dark, and as the team dashed up Bruce's terrace, and over Farr's bridge, toward the Domain, the rattling of the harness and the jingling of the chains was highly suggestive of a cavalry chargo, so much so, indeed, as to cause more than one nervous person to believe that '• the Roosians were come ;" probably alluding to the suppository landing of a detachment of horse marines, that being the only mounted naval force we have as yet heard of. Fortunately, no damage was done, and the erratic steeds were stopped before proceeding far on their wayOwners of dogs with a predilection for " heeling up," should curb their propensities. Perhaps this might work a cure: let the amount of the registration fee be in scale according to the urbaneness of the

animal. We are glad to see that tho work at the new Oddfellows' Hall is now being rapidly proceeded with. The heavy tie-beams previously alluded to in this journal, have been now safely got into position, and the contractor, Mr Donovan, is pushing forward the work as speedily as possible.

A public meeting will bo held at the Somerset Hotel, Head of the Bay, to arrange for a day's amusement in the shape of rural sports to be held in that locality on the Queen's Birthday. We hope to see a good attendance, and that sufficient interest will be taken in the matter to ensure success. It is much hotter that our colonial youth should be encouraged to vent some of their superabundent animal spirits in athletic exercises than that they should expend them in senseless and objectionable " larking," such as that alluded to by a correspondent in another column.

At the usual quarterly meeting of the Akaroa Hope Lodge, 1.0. G.T., there was a very good attendance of members. The usual routine business having been transacted, the Lodge Deputy (Bro. A. K. Harlock) actingin the capacity of G.W.C.T. assisted by Bro W. Kearney as W.G.M.' and Bro. 11. Watkins'.as W.G.S., proceeded to the installation of the following officers J..Bruce,' P.W.C.T. ; Bro.

G. Armstrong, W.GT."; Bro. R. Newton, W.V.T.; Bro. J. Nixon, W.S. ; Bro. G. Morgan, W.F.S. ; Bro. W. Watkins W.T. ; Sister Gathercole, W.C.; Bro. Fyfe, W.M.; Bro. Manders, W.D.M. ; Bro. T. Newton, W.A.S. ; Bro. G. Scott W.I.G. ; Bro.. G. Hammond, W.0.G.; Sisters Council, and Newton, R. and L.S. respectively. It wa3 decided to hold an open Lodge meeting on Wednesday evening next, due notice of which will be given.

Residents on the Peninsula, and especially in Akaroa, are so accustomed to the blue slate-colored cats which are now becoming very numerous in the district, that they attach but little value to them, and doubtless many are destroyed in kittenhood without further thought. It may not, therefore, be uninteresting to state that this species of the cat race is a very rare and valuable one, and that blue, cats, as they are commonly called, will fetch a good|price outside this district.. A visitor from Dunedin lately took away with him on his return home one of these slatecolored kittens, and was offered no less than £5 for it. He refused the offer, and, as is usual in such cases, the kitten died shortly afterwards, and, on being offered to the Dunedin Museum, was. gratef unaccepted. There it may now be seen considerably more stuffed than it ever was during its brief, but playful, life. There is a spice of the ridiculous, of course, in the idea of cat farming, but we opine there is money to be made by the sale of these blue feline animals, and it would certainly be a less vmfeline way of disposing of them than the water-butt, or the time-honored piece of string with a stone attached. In the meantime, struck by the originality of the idea, if any one has a stock on hand we are open to come to terms for—say a barrelful, just to try the market. Visitors, however, down south (N.B. —This is not an advertisement) should pay a visit to the Museum, and see this stuffed kitten, beneath which, we would suggest the following inscrip. tion :—

Oh! stranger, pause awhile by Pussy's

paws, And pausing, fear no independant claws, Poor kitty's color is to savage instincts

true, He'd watch a rat or mouse till all was blue. His mews were music, and his tricks

amusing, (His culinary thefts somewhat confusing,) But now his dead, and stufE'd, and so you

see 'im Fit subject for a Muse and a Museum,

In the New Zealand Gazette of the 25th ulto. appear the following statistics, relative to the amount of land in cultivation and agricultural produce, in Feb. last, in the County of Akaroa. The number of holdings over one acre in extent were 360; extent of land broken up but not under crop, 262 acres; in wheat, 353 acres with an estimated gross product of 12,343 .bushels ; in oats, 271 acres for grain, 53 for green food or hay, producing 8,112 bushels; in barley, 85 acres producing 2,316 bushels ; in potatoes, 46 acres producing 202 tons ; in other crops, 123 acres ; total number of acres under crop, exclusive of land under grasses, 931 ;in sown grasses, hay, 331 acres producing 474 tons; in grasses, after having been broken up (including such as in hay) 9,138 acres; grass sown lands not previously ploughed (including such as in hay) 47,117 acres.

As far as we can learn, no steps have as yet been taken to provide suitable periodical entertainments during the winter monthsIn this, as indeed in aught else in Akaroa' there is an amount of apathy and nonchalance evinced by the inhabitants that cannot fail to be productive of a bad result, and must tend to keep back the progress of all that is good and desirable for the place. That there is no lack o_ local talent of the nature necessary to the carrying out of Penny Readings, &c, has been abundantly and repeatedly proved, so that the only obstacle is in reality the laziness of the public. Well, indeed, has this place been nicknamed " Sleepy Hollow!" But we trust this slur upon our energy and activity will not be suffered to exist any longer, we hope that steps will at once be taken by those who have the ability, and the time if they so choose, to inaugurate a scries of entertainment of the Penny Readings class, which are so deservedly popular in other places. The formation, too, of a Glee Society is highly to be desired as a means both of instruction in part singing, and also as supplying the nucleus of other entertainments. That a society of this could be easily formed, and speedily put into working order, our past ci parience has shewn, and we hope the suggestion may be acted upon without loss of time. In this way both instruction and amusement will be provided to vary the monotony of the long winter evenings.