The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 4.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 274, 4 March 1879, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 4.

A meeting of the Akaroa School Committee took place last night, when some important business was transacted. Want of space compels us to holdover a report of the proceedings till our next issue.

Those interested in shipping matters will observe from an advertisement in another column that the s.s. Ladybird, originally advertised to call here on Saturday Bth instant on. her way to Lyttelton, will now call on Thursday 6th inst.

At the close of the last meeting of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, Mr Duxbury handed'in his resignation as a member of the Board, a position he has held lor'the past fivo years with satisfaction to the ratepayers and credit to himself. It Is understood that the cause of Mr Duxbury's resignation is to enable him to take a.position under the Board as their Clerk of Works, a position in which he can render himself eminently useful to the ratepayers, and one which he.consented to take after considerable deliberation. The many important works tho Board have in progress at present demand the presence of an expert in road-making almost daily, Mr Barwick's hands being quite full of office work, it is impossible he can see to the details of work in progress. An ad vertisement appears elsewhere, intimating the election of a successor to Mr Duxbury on Friday, the 21st instant.

We would remind our readers that our representative, Mr W. Montgomery, wishes to meet the electors of the district in the Town Hall, Akaroa, at half-past seven o'clock on Thursday evaning next. It is to be hoped a large attendance of electors will be present, not only out of compliment to our respected member, but those who take an interest in matters polical will no doubt find much information and subject for reflection in Mr Montgomery's utterances. It is quite .unnecessary to remind Mr Montgomery's constituents that he is looked upon as one of the coming men, and his polished ideas have an audience a long way beyond his immediate district.

A public meeting of the householders of Barry's Bay was held in the schoolroom on Monday, 24th day of February, 1879, when the following persons were elected as members of the School Committee for the ensuing year :—Messrs P. David, W. G. Chatfield, T. LeComte, R. Stewart, T. Paget, H. Niblett, and D. LeComte. At a meeting of the Committee held afterwards, Mr D. LeComte was elected Chairman, and Mr P. David was appointed to countersign cheques. The meeting then adjourned.

It will be seen from an advertisement in another column that the .usual annual excursion after grass" seed,'in Pigeon Bay, takes place on ' Thursday, 13th instant. The favorite steamer Akaroa has been laid on for the occasion, and the fare being low a large number of pleasure seekers may be : looked for if the weather is fine. The return fare is reasonable, viz., 3s, and tickets can/ be had of the members of the

committee, s

A subscription is being raised in the neighborhood} of Little Akaloa for the purpose of presenting the Rev. D. 0. Hampton with some token in recognition of his past atid efficient services on the Peninsula. We also hear of an attempt to establish an LOIG.T. Lodge in the above Bay. The promoter who is a member of long standing deserves every success in his endeavour ..to subdue the evils of intemperance, though our informant fears the absence of " socialism"jin this instance as well as on previous occasions, will be only too apparent^

We would suggest that his Worship the Mayor should cause,some practical steps to be taken in the way. of sending the district's mite to the widows and orphans of those who were overtaken by the terrible colliery accident at Kaitangata. Every part of the Colony is taking active steps in the matter, and many here would no doubt, contribute according to their means.. Surely this district which responded so handsomely to the Indian Famine Appeal, will not be wanting in succouring these almost at our doors, and, extending that charity to our neighbors, which is twice blessed, blessing him who gives and him who receivesThere is much truth in the old motto, he gives twice who gives quickly.

The Dunedin Jockey Club's annual meeting opened on Thursday last, when the Dunedin Cup, resulted in a dead heat between Mr Ray's Sinking Fund and Mr Fraser's Mata, which was afterwards run off, and won by the latter by half a head. The time of the deat heat, 3rain 57sec, is the fastest on record.

Mr Te Hamara, a native chief at the great meeting, now being held at Orakei, is, we think, a little rough on the Missionaries, when he is reported by telegraph as saying that the evils which came upon the Maoris were introduced by the missionaries, who caused them to look up to heaven, while they took away the lands from beneath their feet.

It is much to be regretted, and a thing hardly conceivable, that the trig poles erected by that indefatigable surveyor Mr J. S. Welch, at French Farm Peak and German Bay, have been pulled down and otherwise damaged. One can scarcely believe that such things are, but the fact remains that this more than wanton mischief has actually "been done in the face of settlers clamoring to be put upon their selections. The law makes such malicious destruction of trig stations a felony, and the perpetrators when discovered will be arraigned without the option of a fine. We believe it is a duty everyone owes to the community to put a stop by any means in their power to the dastardly acts complained of. A clue has been discovered to the offenders, and the chief office has been communicated with to take the necessary steps to secure their arrest. Without putting the strong arm of the law in force, we can surely rely upon the good sense of the inhabitants of the district to allow the position ,of the trig stations to remain ntact ' ' : '/', ; y

The Gazette of 20th February contains the appointment of Robert Mathew Barry as a Registrar of Dogs for the County and Borough of Akaroa, the place of registration being the Town Clerk's Office, Akaroa,, From this Gazette we also notice that a deposit,of Law. Court stamps has been placed in the hands of the Postmaster, Little River, for sale to the public. *■ ' .- . i We would remind our readers that those who are not on 'the electoral- rOlj for the Akaroa Electoral district will require, should they wish to register, to send in the application in the form required by the Ist schedule of " The Registration of Electors Act, 1866," on or before Monday, 31st March. The proper forms may be procured at the Mail office, and the proper officer for receiving them is Mr Justin Aylmer, Registration-officer, Court-house> Akaroa. Xn the present unsettled state of political parties, an appeal might be made to the electors at any time, and now is the time to remember the great maxim of the stormy political days of tho old country— " Register, Register!" ,