The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 225, 13 September 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13.

A gentleman who rode round from Christchurch on Tuesday last gives a doleful account of the state of the roads. On j the new road across Lake Ellesmere a great many of the culverts, were washed away rendering it necessary for the traveller to make detours through the lake, not a pleasant proceeding for any one unacquainted with the depth of water. On this side of Wascoe's there was a formidable landslip, in attempting to cross which our informant got stuck nearly up to his middle in tho tenacious clay. It appeared at one time as if the Christchurch coach would be unable to get through, but West was equal to the occasion. Taking two of the coach horses from Wascoe's, he rode on to Little River, and brought back a spare coach, leaving some one to bring on the coach which had come from Christchurch to the other side of the slip. The mails and packages were then got across and transferred to the other coach. Fortunately there were no ladies on board. A gentleman driving through later in the day in a two horse buggy had even a worse time of it than our horseman friend. At one time he feared that he would have to pass the night on a sort of island in the lake. Last evening the coach arrived in good time, so that we presume the obstructions bave been removed, though of course the repairs of the culverts will be a work of time.

We regret to learn that the Rev. D. O. Hampton has been obliged to leave his work for a short time owing to illness brought on by over exertion. As the time of his return will depend upon his recovery, his people need not think themselves forgotten because of any disappointment in services that may consequently arise.

It is our painful duty to record the death by hanging, of Mr Edward Goodwin, farmer, of Pigeon Bay. The deceased was discovered by his son Henry at about halfpast four o'clock in the afternoon of Wednesday last, the 11th inst., hanging by the neck, in a slaughter-house near his own residence. He was quite dead when found., He was missed from his home by his wife about two hours previous to the discovery of the body, and she informed her son, who went in search, and found him as above stated. Deceased had been in very low spirits at times for some considerable period, and had been heard to say that he would do away with himself. An inquest will be held to-day.

Although there was, as we expected some opposition to the passage of the Akaroa Railway Bill through the Legislative Council, we are glad to be how able to state that those members who were foremost in opposing the scheme have withdrawn their opposition, and decided not to interfere with the progress of the Bill, so that thero is every reason to believe we shall soon be able to record the successful issue of the labours of the Trust and, at the same time, another of those large public works which will not only benefit this district, but the colony generally.

The election of three councillors for the Akaroa Borough Council took place yesterday. No very great interest was mani f ested in the proceedings, as the number of votes recorded will testify. The candidates were the three retiring councillors and Mr Henning. As the latter gentleman did not think it worth his while to inform the burgesses of his intentions, either through the columns of the Press or by means of. a public meeting, the result is not to be wondered at. The three former were tried men, while Mr Henning, in a public capacity at least, was tetally unknown. It is a laudable ambition to desire to serve one's country in any capacity but anyone endeavoring to obtain a public position should be prepared to take some little trouble to obtain it. . The official declaration of the poll appears elsewhere. We have been requested to call attention tc an important sale of stock to be held by Mr C. W. Bridge,' at the Head of the Bay yards on Monday next. The entries comprise about a hundred and thirty head of ; cattle of various ages. -As the late severe weather has caused great loss to stockowners on the Peninsula, the present sale offers an excellent opportunity for them to renovate their herds. ; In another cplumn appears an advertisement convening a public meeting to be held at the Head of the Bay to-morrow, t 0 take steps towards procuring Increased representation for Berard riding in the County Council.

The Chemist and Druggist of July 15 says :—Dr Georgo Harley, F.R.S., has the courage of his opinions. He is an advocate of reformed spelling, and consequently he spells spell spel. In his private correspondence as well as in his publication he avoids all superfluous consonants, and "in order," lie says, "to prevent people marveling at what, at first glance, might apear strange speling, I have had printed in neat leters, in the "uper lefthand corner of my note paper— Reformed Speling! No duplicated consonants except in Personal Names." Dr Harley calculates that "to the proprietor of the Times by the abolition of -redundant consonants would be effected a pecuniary saving, in' the form of space, time, and material, of from eight to ten thousand pounds per anura ! ! Some reader may perhaps smile, and exclaim, 'This cannot be.' Nevertheles, by calculation he wil find it to be a fact. Perhaps he wil feel stil more astonished were I to calculate' for him the anual amount of time and labor he needlesly throws away in his own private corespondence. For his quiet meditation I may inform him that, by a critical calculation based upon the Post-office statistics, I have ascertained that the coresponding part of the British public, in leters of corespondence alone, not including post-cards or circulars—only leters—in the-year 1875, wrote and sent through the Post-ofice over twenty thousand nrilions (!) of superfluous duplicated consonants." Our advice to Dr George Harley, F.R.S., (a handle which we take to mean Fearful Rong Speller) is to give up the short spell, and take a long one. From a correspondent we learn that a meeting of the Little River Cricket Club took place last Friday. Mr H. 6. Tyson occupied the chair. Tho report and balance sheet for the last year were read, showing a balance in hand of £1 7s. The report was considered satisfactory. The meeting then proceeded to elect a committee for the ensuing year, when the following gentlemen were chosen:— Messrs H. and J. Radford, Reynolds, Sefton, Joblin, and Westrcpp. We understand that a number of new members are about to join this club. Our correspondent while going by the train to Dunedin on Friday last, was'enabled to see a little of the recent serious shipping disasters which have occurred at Timaru ; but, with his usual facility for bad jokes, all we could gather from him was that " being in the train, you see, we could only ketch s. glimpse" of the vessels that were high and dry.