The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 27.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 298, 27 May 1879, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MAY 27.

. The nomination of candidates for the vacancy in the Borough Council was to have taken place yesterday, but at the appointed time no candidate had been nominated, and the election therefore fell through. We must say that this result is not very creditable to our citizens. We understand that several eligible gentlemen were invited to stand for the office, but declined. It seems a pity that so much difficulty should exist in filling up a position which ought to be considered a legitimate object of ambition. Are those gentlemen who so persistently hold aloof from taking part in our local affairs prepared for the only two alternatives which must follow their determination. One is that the management of their affairs must fall into hands utterly incompetent to carry them on ; the other, that the Borough, as such, should cease to exist, and should simply subside' into a very insignificant portion of a wide Koad District. We consider that since its hiaiiguration the Borough Council has done good work ; it is in possession of a magnificent endowment, and yet some of our leading men are willing to run the risk of losing all these advantages rather than devote a few hours a month to the, services, of ■•■ their fellow townsmen. We are drawing no imaginary picture, We are credibly informed that a burgess was going about yesterdaay with a nomination paper in his pocket, the only object of which could have been, to,.- bring the Council into disrepute, and insult, if not drive from their seats, the present Councillors. Fortunately, it appears that there was not a second burgess to be found willing to sign the paper even for a " lark." Let those who have the welfare of the place at heart* and whose interests are bound up in it, come out of their shells before it is too. late,. ■ . . . ■ ■ : The following item of shipping intelligence reached our office too late for insertion in the usual column : — " May 26. Sailed—-Bruce, C. Haj'lock- owner, Demetrius, master, for Lighthouse Bay", calling at intermediate ports. Passengers—Three saloon and fonr steerage. Exports — 6 bags sugar, 10 bags flour, 4 lialf-chests tea, 2 bags salt, 1 box black-lead, 2 boxes Hacking, 8 bulea woolpacks."

At the last meeting of the County Ctuncil, the address which was to have been presented by that body to the Governor on the occasion of his late expected visit was sent in. The address.was very nicely and tastefully engrossed and illuminated. The body of, the address was in>'antique character, tlie "capitals being executed in Gothic, richly colored and gilded. The'wHole -wjis 'surrounded by. a border in blue and gold*. The work reflects great credit on the artist, Mr Wylie, who has lately been acting as telegraphist here in Mrßobertßh|i\f; # arbsent onleave. - A"h accident happened dn Friday last on Daly's wharf. Mr Hahn had just been ■ fetching some packages from a vessel which was lying alongside, when he trod on a piece of firewood, a quantity of which was lying about the wharf. The wood tipped up, and he was precipitated into the ; water, fortunately escaping *■ with no greater injury than a ducking. Yesterday was observed as a Holiday in Akaroa in honor of the Queen's Birthday. Some sports had been provided for, chiefly through the exertions of Mr G. J. Black. The first event was a pair-oared race for boys under 14, for which there were two' entries, viz., Mermaid, Watkins and M'Grego r, 1 ; Pareora, Brown and Maunders, 2. The Pareora led until rounding the buoy off Daly's jetty, when the other boat came up with her, and, after an exciting contest, won by three lengths. The second event was a sculling race, for which three boats entered—W. Stewart's Petrel, 1 ; H. Burkes Flirt, 2 ; H. Tosswill's Dream. 3. Stewart led from the start, and won by four lengths, the other two close together. A race for model yachts was the next on the programme, and seven were entered— G. J. Black's Whisper, 1;. R. Newton's Blanche, 2 ; J. Bruce's Ripple, 3 ; R. Ferguson's Foam, 4 ; J. Piper's Ada, 5 ;' J. M'Gregor's Bannock, 6 ; W. Rodriguos' Madeira, 7. : The Whisper being the longest bo.at allowed the others two minutes' start, and won by four minutes, : Mr Newton's Blanche being aigood second, and we can say that if her mainsail had set as well as her foresail sho would have won first prize. We understand that at next regatta some very good prizes are to be offered for models, and would impress upon our yonng folk the advisability of building a good class of boat, as most of those sailed on Monday were too small for competition. A series of sports afterwards took place on beach, where a large number of prizes were given away for running, jumping, threelegged races, tug of war, &c, &c. The people present seemed to thoroughly enjoy the sports, which were got off under the superintendence of Messrs Black, Bruce, and E. Lelievre, who understood their work. It is to be hoped that on future holidays something of the same kind will be got up for the amusement of the rising generation. The Lyttelton Times says :—During the present time of depression the fact that the nominated under the system of nominated immigration keep numerous is suggestive. If there was any widespread distress amongst the working classes who furnish the nominators there would not be many nominations. Now the number of nominations received at Christchurch for transmission by the outgoing mail is, we observe, the largest ever made here. The nominations received were for 305 souls, equal to 259 adults. Mr John Cramond, for some years pssfc a well known resident of Timaru, died suddenly 'at that place on Thursday last. The deceased gentleman was well known in Akaroa, having been at one time proprietor of the coaches running between here and Christchurch. We have received from ' the. .Colonial Secretary's Office a copy of " The Sheep Act, 1878, together with all Proclamations, Orders in Council, Gazette -Notices,- and Forms to be used under the Act." The whole is printed in. a convenient pamphlet, form, and contains, in addition, a " Memorandum on the parasitic insects- which infest sheep," by' Dγ Hector. / -.The , pamphlet will be of great service to sheepownersi and may be obtained through any Sheep Inspector. ' . : . An exciting race took place on, Friday which had the merit of being entirely improvised. The course was across country, distance about twenty miles — catch weights. The competitors were a certain legal officer whose visits, in his official capacity, are usually more free than welcome, and a gentleman who had just concluded a compulsory interview with the R.M. ,wi|h .whOjin, he had a financial misunderstanding? "'Civilian had a 'fair start, but as the chase proceeded he sighed arid be. thought him of the poet who sang, " They have fleet stee'dsthat follow, quoth Young Loclnnvar." Now the pace becomes fast and furious, and Liinb-of-the-law gradually forges ahead, only to.be once more j overhauled by his adversary.' At the time our reporter's charger caved in, and he was obliged reluctantly to get off and lead him home, (through the mud), Civilian had got a considerable lead, but the knowing ones would not lay much on him, as they seemed aware that his adversary •would stick to him like a: : well language failed to supply a simile sufficient strong. We await the telegraphic news of the result with intense interest.