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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 292, 6 May 1879, Page 2

We have excellent authority for stating that tenders for the first section of tbe Akaroa Railway will be called for within the week. A private company is also in course of formation for the purpose of constructing a line from Addington, via Tai Tapu and Halswell, to join the Little River line at the point where the latter i urns off for Lincoln. On Friday evening the Committee appointed to make arrangements for the reception of His Excellency the Governor, held a meeting at the Council offices. His Worship the Mayor occupied the chair. It was arranged that a ■ triumphal arch should be erected on the wharf, and that an address should be presented immediately on his landing. It was resolved to endeavour to procure some vehicles in order to give the Governor a drive round, the destination and duration of which would of course depend upon His Excellency's convenience. The Mayor stated that Mr B. Shadbolt had offered the use of his waggonette and pair for tho purpose, and he believed that Mr S. Lee would do the same. After the drive it is proposed to conduct the Vice-regal party to Wagstaff's Hotel, where some light refreshment will be provided. Various sub-com-mittees were appointed to see to the several details, and the meeting adjourned till yesterday afternoon. At the meeting of committee held yesterday afternoon, reports were received from the sub-com-mitties, and their actions were confirmed. A well attended meeting was held at the Somerset Hotel, Head of the Bay, on Saturday evening last, to make arrangements for a day's sports to be held on the Queens Birthday. It was resolved to have three horse races, and the following gentlemen were appointed a committee to draw up a programme of rural.sports : — Messrs T. Mould. G. Vogan, G. Cossar, J. Libeau, and S. Giles. A further meeting will be held to-morrow evening, at which the programme will be submitted. The Akaroa Library has received a welcome addition to its funds in the shape of a sum of £25 lis 7d, as a grant under the " Public Libraries Subsidies Act." The above amount is its share of £916 5s 7d, less £9 9s 2d for expenses of printing, &c, which was available for distribution among 61 libraries in the Canterbury Provincial District. The local light-fingered gentry must be hard up for something,to steal in Lyttelton. The Herald informs its readers that " an unwary young man," while listening to the " patter " of a Cheap Jack, had his pocket picked of—a box of pills. Crimes such as these bring their own punishment. We feel a greater amount of sympathy for the pickpocket than for 'the " unwary young man."

The Wellington Post says it is reported that the Government intend during the coming session to bring down a bill for adjusting the representation more nearly to the population. The status quo is to be .altered as little as One member at present represents an tion of abouti 6000, and it is' intended to .bringj the • ictual, representation to an 'approach; tjo N this,'ibut to? .avoid, as much as jft^ssible, 'offence .to i places already over-represented, aiid not"altogether to deprive them of their advantage. The Post understands that Ministers have undßrconßiderationra scheme?by which the future 'adjustment of the representation to population shall be removed from the arena of parliamentary debate ; and this principle once fixed, the allocation of representation would be placed in the hands of permanent non-political Commissioners, who should take the distribution of population as their sole basis. In another column appears a list of persons objected to as not entitled to.have their names retained on the roll for the Electoral District of Akaroa. . The objections Jwill be heard by the Revision Court jon a day to be subsequently fixed. The annual meeting of the Akaroa Literary Institute was to have been held last evening, but lapsed for want of a quorum. The. President of the Institute, Mr J. Aylmer, accordingly adjourned the the meeting to Thursday evening next, at seven oclock. We are sorry to see so little interest displayed in this excellent institution, and hope that there will be a large attendance on Thursday evening, and that the year, which is new commencing, may be inaugurated by a great increase in the number of subscribers.