The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 18.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 200, 18 June 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 18.

Despite the inclemency of the weather, the meeting of those interested in advocating the claims of the Okute Valley as a route for the proposed railway to Akaroa took place in the French Farm.schoolhouse yesteiday evening. The inhabitants of that Bay were fairly represented, Mr T. S. Baker being voted to the chair. The presence of Mr E. C. Latter, Chairman of the Trust, materially assisted to explain the position of matters connected with the railway, and at the close of the meeting a cordial vote of thanks was accorded that gentleman and the members of the Trust for their efforts in forwarding the business which lies under their supervision. The following resolution was proposed by Mr C. W. Bridge, who was present as agent for Mr R. Townsend, now in England, and seconded by Mr T. Brooks— " That this meeting endorses the action of tho Trust in carrying out the objects of the Lakes Reclamation and Railway Bill, and has no desire to trammel their endeavors to promote the passing of the Bill, but at the same time it hopes that the possibility of the route being taken by the Okute Valley will not bo overlooked." This was carried unanimously. A full report will be given in our next issue.

Complaints are numerous with respect to the Sunday shooting that goes on in this district, and more especially in and round about Akaroa itself. Boys, in whose hands a gun is alike dangerous to themselves and others, have been making a practice of blazing away at anything, and nothing, in close proximity to dwelling houses, at the most imminent peril to everything, save what was aimed at. We are informed that some of these youthful sportsmen were engaged in the innocent recreation last Sunday week, of firing a weapon, supposed from tho " crack " to be a rifle, across the main road. It is high time that a stop was put to this indiscriminate handling of firearms by those not old enough to be blessed with the necessary amount of caution in their use. Parents and guardians can step in here and use their authority in tho interests of public safety, if not of those over whom they have charge. With regard to adult sportsmen, who, it may be presumed seek higher game than the boys, we would remind them that by an old Act, which, as far as we are aware has not been repealed, it is illegal to shoot game on Sundays. The following is the clause referred to :— <* Protection of Animals Act, 1867, clause 16— No person shall hunt, shoot, take, or kill game or native game on Sunday."

The removal of the lamp which the Borough Council resolved upon at their last meeting was carried into effect yesterday. Its usefulness, however, was somewhat marred by the fact that, though lighted last evening, from some unexplained reason, it went out before seven o'clock.

The organ chamber in St. Peters Church' Akaroa, is said to be the reverse of watertight, and the recent boisterously wet weather proved the conectness of the assertion. During the wind and rain of Tuesday last, a considerable quantity of water found its way through the junction of the new roof with the old building, the consequence being that some music books, choir music, &c, were injured. Those who know anything about the mechanism of an organ will perceive the danger in which the nice little instrument in St. Peter's is thus placed, and some serious injury to it may result if. steps bo not taken to remedy the evil. While on this subject, we may mention that it is the general opinion of local musical men the organ in question is not situated in the most advantageous place for sound, and they suggest its removal out into the southgtransept, directly under the lancet window. This, of course, ig a matter for the church officers to consider, bur, if, as is alleged, tho instrument can be moved without being taken to pieces, and at very little expense, and its tone be improved thereby, it is certainly worth carrying into effect. It may bo useful to those who may require the services of a certificated surveyor to know that Mr H. H. Fenton, C. E., having successfully passed the necessary examination, is now in possession of this certificate, and is therefore, qualified to undertake every species of survey work in terms of both tho Public Works and Land Transfer Acts. We understand that Messrs Dobson, Triphook, and Fooks, are the only other old Canter- i bury Surveyors who possess this ccrlifi" j cato.

A special meeting of the Local Board of Health was held last evening, at the Council office, iv connection with a reported case of diphtheria in tbe town. This disease being proclaimed infectious by the Governor, in terms of "The Public Health Act, 1876," the Board resolved to appoint Dr J. Guthrie medical officer, and requested him to report to a meeting of the Board, to be held at 10 o'clock a.m. to-day. '

The postponed regular meeting of the Lodge Akaroa, No. 1666 E. C, takes place to-night, as advertised elsewhere.

By advertisement in another column it appears that Mr J. H. Smith desires to call the attention of Peninsula residents to a sale of drapery and clothing which he purposes holding in Armstrong's Buildings. It is stated that the sale is to last only for a month. For further particulars, we refer our readers to the advertisement and handbills.

There is no doubt that English spelling is an arbitrary institution, that its, rules, if rules it has, have but little of either rhyme or reason in them. A certain glory as of independence of conventional rules, may be said to attach to those 'who, scorning the narrow restrictions of orthography, strike out new paths in the art for themselves and set a noble example of freedom and originality in spelling. Mark Twain says he knew a man who insisted on spelling " kows" with > capital K> and that there was a boldness and originality in the conception which excited his admiration. But for daring disregard of all trammelling precedent, and ingenious variation of established usage, we think an example that came under our notice the other day cannot easily bo surpassed. On the manifest furnished by the master of a craft trading between two well-known ports in Canterbury appeared the following enigmatical entry :--" 185 tjeaze.'' External evidence led the Customs officer to the conclusion that these mysterious characters were intended to denote a certain staple article of export from the locality. Whether he was right in his • conjecture we must leave our readers to decide.

By the following telegram, which we clip from .the Lyttelton Times, it will be seen that the proposed judicial changes are not to be of anything like so sweeping a nature as the Press Agency telegram published last week would havo led us to believe. It is evidently the intention of the Government that each considerable centre shall possess a District Court, the Judge of which shall also act as Resident Magistrate. While this official is acting in his capacity as Judge, or is absent on his necessarily frequent circuits, it is expected that the Justices of the Peace will earn their right to retain that distinction by attending- to the ordinary police business:— " Wellington, June 15. The following are the judicial changes decided on : —District Judge Ward is to sit in Christchurch, and be relieved, of Milton, Palmerston, and Invercargill. Judge Bathgate is to sit at Milton and Palmerston, and Judge Haivey at Invercargill. Mr Watt, R.M., is to sit at Port Chalmers as R.M. Mr Richmond Beetham; R.M; at Napier, is to be transferred to Christchurch as R.M.; and Mr Mellish, R.M. there, is to go to Timaru in succession to Mr Woollcoinbej who retires on a pension. Mr Mansford assumes duty here as R.M. and District Judge on June 29. The position of District Judge ar.d R.M. at Napier is not yet filled up. The number of R.M.s in Westland will probably be reduced. In each of the chief towns the Justices of the Peace are to be expected to attend to ordinary police business, and a proper roll of attendance is to he prepared."

Rather a good story comes from the Forty Mile Beach. It appears that two horsemen were taking a galop along the shore, when, simultaneously, they caught sight of what appeared to be a small black chest, half buried in the sand. To jump off their horses and examine the prize was the work of a moment. Yes, there was no doubt about it, it was a square black box, strongly made and securely fastened. Both felt an intuitive conviction that a vast treasure, thrown up by the sea, lay before thorn, to which an ever watchful Providence on their account had directed them in their course. A dispute, however, arose as to which of them this treasure belonged to, each claiming to have discovered it first. From difference of opinion arose high words, and from high words resulted a challenge to fight for it then and there, and accordingly an adjournment was made to the "lovely -grass,'where a thrilling combat of a quarter of a round took place, the sea-gulls soaring over bead excitedly, filling the' air with their shrill cries, and'evidently anxious for the end of the fray, that thoy might dine off the body of the vanquished. In this they were doomed io disappointment, for after a few blows, one of the principals in the strange battle was seen to make a dart for his horse, clamber hurriedly into his saddle, and make tracks for home, Avith a riderless horse in tow. The victor yelled triumphantly, shook his fist at his rei rearing foe, and returned io the " casus belli," tho small black case that still lay imbedded in the sand. By almost superhuman efforts he succeeded in dashing in the top of it, and found ■ emptiness. It was too true ! tho black chest was only some stout boarding nailed together, and painted black, which had been used as a boat buoy. Gono were all the visions of wealth and affluence ; he had quarrelled with his best friend ; gone also was his horse. The way ho dealt destruction on that wooden caso was fearful to see, and wo draw a veil over the rest of tho scene.

As an example of tlie keen competition now existing throughout the world in all matters of business, and the expense incurred by every one who has anything to sell in bringing it under the notice of the public, we may mention that a local

storekeeper received a business circular the other day from a firm located, not in i Manchester, Birmingham, or any noted, though unpleasant, seat of manufacturing industry or commercial enterprise, but, of all places in the world of uncommercial travellers, from Venice! " Beautiful Venice! city of song" sings the poet, and all our associations with the plac seem to resolve themselves into ideas ofvvats t departed grandeur, the Bridge of Sighs, musical gondoliers, Antonio and Shylock, serenading, and a kind of delightful air of languor and laziness. . But it seems [impossible to connect Venice with real right down business, and a circular coming thence in which " your esteemed orders are solicited," and quoting prices in prosaic £ s. d. instead of vague and poetical " ducats " seems an anachronism. And then how does Venice become aware of the existence of Akaroa? After all, as Dickens used to say, "the world is very small, so small."

" Atlas " in The Woi'ldhas the following: on Municipal borrowing in the old country. " Sir Stafford Northcote, in his speech introducing the Budget, made some well-con-sidered remarks, which met with Mr Gladstone's approval, on the great danger of allowing too much latitude to municipalities in the way of borrowing money. The good, direct and indirect, that municipal government has done is almost incaculable, but corporations are nowadays apt to fall into the hands of dishonest or vain and incapable " nobodies," as Mr Lowe calls them. The floating debt of the virtually bankrupt Florence is nearly £1,600,000, Naples is almost in as bad a plight, and the municipal taxes of New York are about £5 9s per head of the population." Coming nearer home, we notice by the accompanying extract from the Neio Zealander that the Masterton Borough Council have experienced some difficulty in raising their loan. "The Masterton Borough Council is somewhat in difficulties from its non-success in floating a loan. The enterprise and energy o£ the Corporation deserve sympathy, and it is to be hoped that the Government will devise some means during the ensuing session to enable Boroughs to borrow up to a reasonable limit, at a modedate rate of interest. No one doubts that the expenditure of a few thousand pounds of borrowed money in Masterton would be reproductive, or that it would be spent other than wisely or well by the present Borough 'Council." It is absurd, of course, to compare Municipal Governments in this colony with those in England, still, Sir Stafford Northcote's remarks apply here with equal force, and the suggestion in the | latter paragraph would be of the utmost service to corporations, at the same time that it would keep the borrowing within reasonable bounds.

The Auckland correspondent of the Lyttelton Times says :— r " An important ruling has been given by tho AttorneyGeneral. About two months ago a case of sheep trespass, John Byecroft v. B. Martin Gubb came before Mr H. T. Kemp, R.M., at Port Albert. Plaintiff claimed 2d per sheep per diem. The land upon which the trespass took place was partly fenced, so it was a nice open question to test the sacredness of private property as pitted against the provision of fencing lands which are farmed upon the ; false principle of compelling owners of crops to fence out their neighbour's cattle, instead of the owners of wandering cattle being compelled to fence their property in. As the case was opened Mr Kemp saw that a very large and important questioti was coming before him, and suggested the desirability of the parties to the suit coming to some satisfactory mutual arrangement. They declined to allow the matter to be shelved, and desired to have the case tried upon its merits. As. the case selected was merely a test case, at last the Resident Magistrate got them to agree'to submit it to the consideration of the Attorney-General for his opinion, with the agreement that they would abide by the opinion so given.. 'Ho now gives his ruling in favor of -the plaintiff, thus upholding the dic.tum that private property .cannot, be trespassed upon with impunity, fencing or no fencing. In the northern parts of this Province the fencing laws in force have done more to keep cultivation in a backward condition than, any other single cause. These laws have been worked wholly in favor of tho squatter, who oftentimes had only two or three acres, and owned and allowed to wander at large hundreds of half wild cattle, who did sad havoc in adjoining cultivations. This ruling of the AttorneyGeneral will give an ensouragement to bona fide settlers and cultivators, and show that owners of-cattle will have to keep them at home, and there provide food for them.