The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 250, 10 December 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10.

Wo have been favored by Mr E. C. Latter with the following highly important telegram, relating to the projected Akaroa Railway, which has been received by Mr Montgomery, from the Minister for Public Works :— ** Dunedin, December 4, 1878.— W. Montgomery, Esq., M.H.R., Christchurch. Have given directions to proceed with the work at once. Plans ordered from Wellington. Blair will be in Christchurch in about ten days.—J. Macandrew." Mr Latter further states that if Mr Blair is able to proceed forthwith to examine the proposed line, he purposes accompanying him. It shows that the Government fully recognize the importance of this work, by their having given instructions to proceed with it *' at

once." The day on which the first spadeful of earth is removed for the construction of this raf|toray, which promises now to be not very distant, will be a red letter day for the Peninsula at large, and an especially gratifying one to those gentlemen who have worked so hard, and in the face of very considerable and virulent opposition to promote a work of Buch great public utility.

An emergency meeting of the Akaroa Masonic Lodge, No. 1666, E.C., takes place to-night, at which the installation of officers for the ensuing year will be proceeded with.

A meeting of the Oddfellows is convened for Thursday evening next, to elect delegates for the" district' meeting. The meeting takes place at the new Oddfellows' Hall. We understand that the District meeting is to be held in Akaroa this year.

A meeting of the Regatta Committee will take place to-morrow evening, at Bruce's Hotel. At this meeting final arrangements will be made. We are. requested to call attention to rules 7 and 17, which are appended to the advertisement in another column. It will be seen from them that entries from all boats in harbor must be made by Saturday, December 14, while boats not in harbor on that date may be entered, subject to the approval of the Committee, up to 10 a.m. on the morning of the regatta. The Committee have also adopted a rule of the Lyttelton Regatta Committe with reference to protests, to the effect that any vessel intending to protest must shew her ensign conspicuously in the main rigging, and keep it flying till answered by the Commodore, on the Committee ship hoisting the answering pennant

The enquiry into the loss of the Taranak has resulted in a finding by the Court that the vessel was lost through being out of her course and having run further than her officers supposed. That the "first mishap occurred probably through an error in the compass and probably also by a current ■setting into the bay ; and the second either by an error in the clock, or the officers having incorrectly read _i_si clock. The Court i-vae further of opinion*--ft-ati the master should imve taken soundings, and slowed his engines as the weather-Hvas so foggy, and that if he had done so the accident might have been avoided ; also.thatthe chief officer's log waa not as well J-ept as'it ought to have been. The mas-1 ter'sr certificate was not suspended., but hie •was ordered- _>,pay,?oi*t3.

A Maori woman named White was arrested at Little River on Friday by Constable Smart, on a charge of concealment of birth. She was brought beforo the Resident Magistrate on Saturday, and remanded for a week,-bail beii)g allowed. We are infertned that the Union Steam-, ship Company have arranged to send the Rotorua on the trip .to jtho Soimds, "it had been: pieviously determined'- to; abandon. - •' \\ - • , \ '• We are glad to find that the vexed question of whether Akaroa is to have an excursion steanier on Anniversary Day is settled In thi advertise-' raent elsewhere it will be seen that the Wanaka is detailed for,this trip. An Auckland telegram states that the Roman Catholic total abstainer's purpose marching in procession through the streets of that city, dressed in green sashes, and wearing temperance medals. Rather a light and airy costume this, but perhaps the prevailing hot weather may render it eminently comfortable. *

Sir John Richardson, Speaker of the Legislative Council, is dead,' and is to be buried with military honors. His death has evoked general regret and mourning. The Wellington Chronicle speculates already on the probable effect of his decease on the speakerships of both Houses. According to that journal, it is not unlikely that Sir Wm. Fitizherbert, the present Speaker of the House of Representatives, may become Speaker of the Council, and that Mr O'Rorke will succeed him in the Lower House. These speculations are, no doubt, utterly premature and unreliable. Even if the Government have the intention of elevating Sir W.- Fitzherbert to the ** Lords," they can in no wise ensure his election to the speakership, and any attempt to promote that object would infallibly be resented by the Chamber, as an invasion of its undoubted privilege of choosing its own head. Mr O'Rorke is certainly looked upoh'on all sides as the most likely man for the speakership in the Lower House whenever a vacancy occurs

Those of our townspeople who have pianos which require touching tip, will be glad to learn that Mr H. J. Chattaway will shortly visit Akoroa on a professional tour.

Mr S. B. Seymour, surgeon-dentist, announces his intention of visiting Akaroa. He purposes arriving to-day, and will remain for a few days, during which time he may be consulted at Bruce's Hotel. As we have no resident dentist, no doubt Mr Seymour will not lack visitors.

The polling for a Councillor to fill the vacancy in our Borough Council takes place to-day. The candidates are Mr. J. Beecher and Mr C. Armstrong. The former has already wotied the sweet voices of the electors for the position of councillor. The latter is a new aspirant for fame.