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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 236, 22 October 1878, Page 2

The Railway from Wellington to Featherston (Wairarapa) was formally opened by his Excellency the Governor on Wednesday last. The opening train left Wellington at 9 a.m., arriving at Featherston at 1 p.m. As the distance is only a little over forty miles, the rate of travelling cannot be considered an immense advance on that ot good trotting. The telegraphic reporter who chronicles the event is evidently addicted to fine writing, for, after chronicling the arrival of the Vice regal party, the address and reply, &c, he says :—" The Gevernor and visitors then proceeded to the banquet hall, where 150 sat down to a sumptnous repast." Considering that the " banquet hall " was probably a goods shed, and the " sumptuous repast" a good square lunch, that writer certainly knows how to make the most of his materials.

We have seen a specimen of the genuine trout in the creek running through Dr Watkins' garden. The fish has got into a pool whence-its egress is barred by a fall at either end. There must be more where this one came from, and no doubt other creeks in the town can also boast of these fish.

The annual report and accounts of the Government Insurance Department, which should, according to the Act, be laid before the General Assembly by August Ist, had not been so presented up to Friday last, or more than two months after due date.

The Government steamer Stella called at the lighthouse works, Akaroa Heads, on Saturday last, and landed three workmen from Wellington to take the place of the local men who have left the works. One would have thought that workmen could have been procured without going so far afield. The work, we understand, does not require any special skill beyond that of an ordinary man used to rOad making, but after an advertisement has appeared in our columns for a month, Mr Black has been unable to get a supply without sending to Wellington. The labor market of tbe Peninsula, if| one might judge from 'the above, is not overstocked. Tbe Stella, some material for the lighthouse,, -ipis. ..engaged yesterday, in re-laying the mooring buoy off the Wainui Jetty. Many complaints have recently been made by those using this jetty that the buoy in its present position is useless, and at certain stages of the tide and states of the weather, vessels cannot make use of either wharf or buoy. While on this subject, we would suggest that something should be done in the way of clearing away the large growth of kelp that has been accumulating along the Wainui shore* to the almost entire obstruction of traffic from half-tide to ebb. The steam launch Pioneer cannot get near the jetty on account of the growth ofjmarine vegetation, and boats only do so with great Surely the settlers who are so largely interested in the matter could afford the time to cut a passage through the tangled mass to their wharf.

We understand that the Rev. Mr Douglas having had occasion to rebuke some boys in Church on Sunday evening last for disturbing the service, was waylaid on his way home, and assaulted, the boy who did the deed creeping behind and dealing a blow with a stick, and then cutting as hard as his legs could carry him. Mr Douglas describes the boy as having been dressed in light clothes, and as one of those who happened to have been in Church on that evening, and who left before the conclusion of the service. Such an outrage it has never yet been our lot to chronicle, and we do not remember ever to have heard of such a thing. What are our youth coining to ? and what are their parents about ?

Mr Latter has received a letter from W. Montgomery, Esq., M.H.R., on the subject of the proposed.railway. Mr Montgomery therein' states that the adoption by the Legislative Council of the Waste Lands Committee's report necessitated the introduction of a new Railway Bill, at the next meeting of the Houses of Assembly, but to prevent the loss of /rim. and long delay which this would cause, the Government intend placing the making of the Akaroa line throughout iv the schedule of their Railway Bill, and they (the Government) will therefore take over the whole of the reserves held at present by tho Lakes Reclamation Trust. We hope the idea as shadowed forth by our energetic representative will become a stern reality. The railway measures of the Government were to be brought before the Lower House last night, we believe. We therefore hope to be able, in our next issue, to congratulate our numerous readers upon the fact that the commencement of the Akaroa line of railway is more hopefully certain than it has appeared to be for some little time past.

The usual monthly meeting of the Akaroa County Council will be held at Haines' Hotel, Mill Top, on Thursday next at 11 a.m., when a variety of business of 'importance to ■the district will betaken up. "This will probably be-the last meeting of the Council "before ithe annual election, which is fi_;ed\by the Counties Act to take place on Wednesday, 13th November next, fend any arrears' of business will, of course, arranged, It will, we fear, be rat_er'7ih-°n".en*ent- v for members of the Council and others having business with Mr Ollivier in regard to the claims for land compensation in connection with the late Provincial liabilities, having the two meetings on the same day. No doubt Mr Ollivier fixed his meeting in entire ignorance of the fact that the Council met on the same day.

The Flying Squirrel, long and favorably known as a regular trader from Lyttelton to this port, under the command of Capt. Munro, has, we learn, been sold to Mr Grubb, of Lyttelton. The present will be her last voyage down here, her new owner intending her for the West Coast trade. Capt. Munro, the late owner, has resolved to relinquish sea-going, and reside ashore. Mr T. L. Shepherd, sometime M.H.R. and who has achieved a considerable amount of notoriety one way and another, recently instituted proceedings against the Wellington Evening Chronicle for an alleged criminal Kb 01. A disclaimer, however, having appeared in that journal, in which it was stated that the paragraph complained of was not intended to apply to Mr Shepherd, the case was withdrawn. We observe that the place where Mr J. Ollivier is to hold his enquiry relating te land compensation claims is to be tho Borough Council Offices, Akaroa, instead of the Road Board Offices, Duvauchelle's Bay.

By advertisement in another column it will be seen that a meeting is to be held at the Head of the Bay, on Saturday, the 26th instant, to arrange for some sports to take place at the Head of the Bay, on Boxing Day. We are requested to draw attention to a Sunday School treat which is to take place at the Congregational Church Akaroa to-morrow afternoon. We observe that Mr W. Meech offers himself as a candidate for the Mayoralty at the ensuing election. Various rumors are in circulajion as to other probable aspirants, but as yet no one but Mr Meech has declared himself.