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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 391, 2 May 1879, Page 2

The following telegram was received last evening by the Chairman of the County Council, in answer to an invitation from that body to meet them at luncheon on the Bth instant, from the Hon. J. T. Fisher: —" Much obliged, but would be nnable to accept on this occasion, as the Governor wishes to see as much as possible of Akaroa during his shore stay. J. T. Fisher." Owing to the unwonted length of our report of the proceedings of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, we are compelled to hold our various items of interest.

The Assessment Court sat at Duvauchelle's Bay, on Wednesday, April 30, to consider objections to the valuation roll of the Akaroaand Wainui Road Board. The valuation roll, however, was not coinpletef and the Court could therefore with the inspection of the roll. A no'tige , appears in our advertising columns, stajing" that the new roll will be opan for instep--tion from May 7 to June 7 nexVand/tliat the Court will sit again on June 16 to consider any objections that may be made thereto- Owing to the default above mentioned, the Court was not,able to tdke into consideration any objections, but apart from this, it appears that most of the objections were informal. We may remind intending objectors that objections must be made in the form of the 4th schedule of the Act, and must be in duplicate, one copy being addressed to the Court, and another to the Road Board. Also that objectors should attend the Court persqnally in support of their objections. Correct torms may be obtained at our office and at the Road Board office, Duvauchelle's Bay. We would remind our readers that the annual meeting of the subscribers to the Akaroa Literary Institute, will take place on Monday next. The annual subscription became due yesterday, and now is a favorable time for new subscribers to join. We should be extremly glad to report a very considerable addition to the subscribers' list. The subscription is extremly moderate, the advantages of membership are great, and we are sorry to observe that this excellent institution is not supported nearly so well as it deserves.

The Melbourne Age of April 12 contains the following critique on the pictures lately exhibited in that city by Mr W. Watkins of Akaroa. As will be seem the criticism is very favourable. Perhaps a still stronger proof of this artist's work having met with due appreciation* in Melbourne lies in the fact that his exhibits have all found purchasers at satisfactory prices :—" Of the landscape painters this year W. M. N. Watkins claims considerable praise both from the variety and the excellence of his works. This artist combines good drawing with skilful management of color. Some of his pictures show much warmth and great clearness, the gradations of color being usually produced in a manner which causes very natural effect. As an instance of the combination of these qualities, we may mention his Waimakariri, a New Zealand subject. A river is represented flowing over a rocky bed between two mountain ranges. The stream bends round to the right in the distance, and is lost in the azure of the atmosphere. The mountains are snow-capped, and in the foreground there is a mass of deep verdure, which contrasts agreeably with the light beyond. The weather has been stormy, and the broken clouds dapple the landscape with alternate patches of sunlight and shade. The contrasts thus produced are most effectively worked out. A more serene picture is his Lake Rere, a landscape in which the principal objects are the lake in question and the mountains which occupy two sides of it. Although the brightness of the landscape, is such as to leave the impression of faultless weather, the sky is murky. It appears altogether too murky to be consistent with the brilliancy of the scene beneath. His picture of Milford Sound is also a work deserving of much praise. The singular beauties of this spot, which has formed the theme of so much artistic labor, are portrayed with fidelity and without the straining after effect which in dealing with the subject some artists have been betrayed into. Other paintings by the same brush also worthy of notice are a view of Ayhner's Valley, and a scene in Akaroa."