The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 25.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 289, 25 April 1879, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 25.

Time flies. We do not claim the remark as original, but it is nevertheless true. Day by day the world wags, and nothing stands still. Children are born, couples married, those whose allotted time has come are buried, harvests ripen, bills mature. We have been led into thie moralising tone by observing that while reports are still appearing in the newspapers of the post-sessional utterances of members of the Assembly, already the warning trumpet has sounded preliminary to calling them together again. That delightful publication the Government Gazette (whose supply of heavy papulum editors are, for their sins, compelled to assimilate) announces that Parliament is further prorogued to June 10. This is sounding the " Assembly," The next order given will be "Fall in."

What with articles in the Government and Opposition Press, speeches from members of every political hue, from deepest blue to palest buff, not forgetting the favorite '• neutral tint," so affected by " rail-sitters," from men of every degree of intellectual calibre, rang ing from an Attorney-General to the honorable member for Mudville, with all this, we say, combined with comments thereupon similar in diversity, the public has by this time had enough of the past Session. If we do not understand by this time what was done, what (much more) was only talked about, what floods of eloquence were poured forth, what devoted patriotism was exhibited, the fact must be due to our obtuseness, and cannot be charged upon lack of information. We feel inclined to say, then, with the poet— " Let the dead Past bury its dead," and, glancing forward a little into futurity, enquire what may be likely to be expected as the outcome of the Session which is shortly to commence.

We have little doubt that the forthcoming Session will be an eventful and important one. Though an immense amount of culpable apathy still prevails, there can be no doubt that the citizens of New Zealand have, to a very great extent, awaked to a perception of the truth that each one is responsible for the right use of his influence and privileges in the promotion of justice, and therefore of human happiness. There is no doubt that the present Government have a very difficult task to perform. They have to make headway against three very formidable foes. First there is the party of obstruction and monopoly, those who either openly or secretly continue to cry—" Let us alone. We want no new-fangled notions. Things as they are suit us ver}' well. Leave us our ' vested rights.' Respect ( Capital.' Give us the facilities you have hitherto afforded us to increase our estates and bank balances, and to keep all common fellows at a respectful distance, and— well, after us the deluge, if you wish." Next, they will be attacked by a cloud of guerilla skirmishers, some of them " candid friends," others concealed foes, who, while professing to agree with their policy as a whole, will find fault with every individual shred of it in particular. And besides these enemies, if report speaks true, they will have to confront the still greater danger caused by internal dissension. It is no secret that such dissensions exist, that on one or two occasions a disruption of the Cabinet has only been averted by some timely concession on the part of its head.

For the sake of public benefit we hope that the time of the House will not be wasted in personal recriminations, as has been too much the case heretofore. The questions for the House to consider are, it seems to us—-(1) Are the measures proposed by the Government such as meet our approval? and (2) can the occupants of those benches be trusted to carry them out ? A large number of important questions press for settlement,and must come before the next session of the Assembly, but space will not allow us to touch upon them at present. We shall return to the subject on a future occasion.

The election for a member for the Wainui Riding last Tuesday resulted in the election of Mr M'Donald. Consider-

able interest was taken In the proceedings during the day, which happened to be wet and stormy, and electors being unwilling to leave home, were hunted up by horsemen all over the Riding to the poll: The result was that almost every available elector polled. There were two polling places, one at the offices of the-County" Council, Barry's Bay, where Mr William Sims acted as Deputy Returning Officer) and the other at the schoolroom, Wainui, where Mr M'Gregor acted as Returning Officer. It being understood that the poll was to be declared on the evening of the election, almost all the inhabitants of Wainui assembled in the schoolroom awaiting the result. It was considerably past seven o'clock before the Deputy Returning Officer arrived from Barry's Bay with the ballot papers, but in a few minutes afterwards it was announced that the numbers were as follows: —Barry's Bay Polling Booth — Mr C. M'Donald, 22; and Mr H. Piper, 9; and at the Wainui Booth —Mr M'Donald, 21; and Mr H. Piper, 2; The Returning Officer declared Mr Coll M'Donald d uly elected. Mr M'Donald, who was present, thanked tho electors for the high honor they had done him, and was sure that if Mr Piper had been a resident of the Riding the result would have been otherwise. The usual vote of thanks terminated the proceedings.

As the 2.40 p.m. train from Christchurch to Lyttelton was running between Hillsborough and the Valley, on Wednesday last a man named James Beaton deliberately jumped off for the purpose of picking up his hat, which had blown off. He fell to the ground with great violence, injuring his head and face to a considerable extent. The train was stopped, and the man picked up. On arrival at Lyttelton he was handed over to the custody of the police.

It will be remembered that at the Railway meeting held the other night, a deputation was appointed to wait on Mr Knowles, the Under Secretary for Public Works, who was expected to arrive here on the following day (Tuesday). Mr Knowles duly arrived on Tuesday evening, but everybody, the deputation included, thought that he wonld remain here for a day or two. On making enquiries on the following day, however, it was found that the official in question had incontinently departed by that morning's coach. We are ' not in a position to state whether it is true that he heard of the threatened infliction, and consequently quitted this gay and festive Bcene thus abruptly in order to escape it. Mr Edge, Inspector of schools for North Canterbury, has been paying a visit to the various schools of the Peninsula during the last few days. We uuderstand that Mr Edge has not, or this occasion, examined any of the schools, that operation being only performed once a year, and it is only six months since the last examination took place. In another column will be found a tele gram, dated " London, April 19," quoted by us from the Lyttelton Times, giving a circumstantial statement as to Sir Julius Vogel's retirement from the Agent-Gener-alship, and also naming his temporary successor. In the same column will be found a quotation from the Auckland Star, in which that journal unblushingly asserts that the telegram is a " bogus " one of its own fabrication, designed to act as a trap to a rival journal. This may be all very well as a bit of sharp practice between the two newspapers, but we cannot see where the laugh comes in as regards the public nor why they are to be imposed upon by " bogus " telegrams to gratify journalistic jealousies. Whatever the sins of the Herald, we do not think the Star will gain in reputation by this ruse. Dr Guthrie, who is just now convalescent from a severe attack of rheumatism, left Akaroa yesterday, intending to pay a visit to the far-famed hot springs in search of complete restoration to health which we are sure all his patients and friends will join in heartily wishing him. During his absence his practice will be attended to by Dr Maloney, who has temporarily located himself here for that purpose. Blenheim must be a nice place to live in' says an up-country journal. A gentleman enquiring of a Blenheim friend how it happened the houses were built so far apart, received for answer, " Well, you see, we are obliged to build in this way >as you can't tell what moment your neighbor may take.it into his head to set fire to his premises," adding, " It's a mere matter of insurance." It should be added in fairness that if we go on at the present rate Christchurch Will speedily acquire an equally ominous reputation. By latest advicea from Melbourne we learn that in the Victorian Art Union drawing Mes>rs Thomas Buddie and G. Gilchrist, of Auckland, and Mr G. J. Pierce, of Dunedin, won the ten guinea prizes. Mr W. Watkins, of Akaroa, furnished seven landscapes to the Victorian Academy of Art. The most ambitious are stated to be the Wairnakariri Valley pictures, which are favorably criticised. Mr Gully only exhibited a water color of Mount Aspiring. Mr C. W. Bridge announces an auction sale to be held to-morrow at his rooms, of a variety of useful goods, comprising drapery and clothing, furniture, and a choice collection of pictures.

Mr H. E. Alport had an extremely narrow escape of being seriously hurt at Rangiora on Tuesday evening. On attempting to get on to the evening train whilst in motion, he slipped, and fell between the carriage antl platform. **- A spectator rushed forward and stopped iko train, and at ' the same time Mr Back, General Manager,! jumped down beneeath the train and lifted' Mr Alport' out of danger in a most plucky manner, for which he received the plaudits of the spectators. Mr Alport's back was slightly hurt, and his clothes torn. In a Gazette of the 22nd instant, proclamations declare the game season operas under: Counties of Amuri Kaikoura, Cheviot, Ashley, Akaroa, Selwyn, and Ashburton—Cock pheasants may be killed and hares may be coursed from May 1 to July 31. In each case only between sunrise and sunset.

We have before this pointed out the necessity that exists for Friendly Societies and other associations taking certain very simple, but requisite steps to have themselves properly registered and to protect themselves against possible wrongdoing by their officers. Too of ten do we hear of defalcations by these latter, and in many cases the law as it stands is powerless to punish the wrongdoer. Here is a case in point which we find in a Wellington journal. The accused was secretary or treasurer of a Friendly Society,- and was convicted of stealing the funds of that body, yet it seems at least doubtful whether he will not escape punishment. On prisoner being brought up for sentence, his Honor said he had considered the points raised by the prisoner's : counsel, Mr FitzGerald, namely, that the prisoner should have been indicted for embezzlement' instead of larceny, and that the Court Robin Hood not having been registered in accordance with the provisions of the Friendly Societies Act, and not having its property vested in trustees, could not legally prosecute in Court. His Honor had come to the conclusion that he should reserve the points raised for the consideration of the Court of Appeal, and, therefore, be had no objection to allow the prisoner to be set at liberty piovided that substantial securities were given for his appearance at the next sitting of the Court. The jury had acted properly in following his (the judge's) direction that they should find the pri. soner guilty if they considered that he had fraudulently appropriated the money, but it might possibly happen that he had technically misdirected the jury. Therefore as he had said, he would submit the case to the judges sitting in the Court of Appeal. It was then decided by his Honor that the accused should be liberated on his own recognisance of £200, and two sureties of £100 each.

The April number of " Castner's Monthly and Bural Australian " comes up fully to the high character which that periodical has deservedly attained. Every matter connected with the farm or garden is instructively dealt with, and a mass of information most valuable to the cultivator of the soil is furnished, as the very headings of a few of the articles will show for instance—Profitable farming, Horticultural Calender, Storing Roots, Driving Bees, Grafting, Farmers' Clubs, Dairy Barns, Milch Cows, Preservation of Butter, Poultry Keeping, Chat with the Ladies, &c, besides other literary articles of general interest. One article, entitled,. " Won'tfruitgrow on your "farm ?" quaintly concludes as follows:—" If you have old unfruitful fruit trees on the farm replace them with young, healthy trees, this Autumn, and plant out a fair share ,of small fruits, and take ' Castner's Monthly,, you will live longer, make more ; money and die happier." The man Manders, who was sentenced at the Supreme Court, Christchurch, to three months' imprisonment, with a whipping to begin and another to close it, for indecently assaulting a woman, had his first dose on Saturday. The Times sent a ireporter to witness the operation,; and the* result of that visit is a column description of the revolting spectacle. A most romarkable incident in the history of life assurance occurred recently at Christchurch, when, at breakfast time, Mr Clark, a tailor, gave his wife the money to pay the premium on a £500 insurance before noon, or the policy would lapse. She paid the mouey, and on returning found her husband dead. He had been suffering from heart disease and dropsy, Parliament is further prorogued til] June 10.