The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 20.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 305, 20 June 1879, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 20.

According to a telegram from the Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times, which we reprint elsewhere, it appears to be generally believed in the "best informed circles," that Mr Stout, the present Attorney-General, about to resign, not only his position in the Cabinet, but also his seat in the Houso. If this news be correct, we have no hesi- ' tation in characterizing the event as a national misfortune. The AttorneyGeneral represents the element in the Government which it will be most difficult* to replace. However much his opponents might differ from him, they have always acknowledged his ability, both in his own profession, and the wider sphere of politics, his great industry, and his unimpeachable integrity. The worst that has been charged against him is that he is *' crotchetty," and a " doctrinaire." Those defects are no doubt productive of inconvenience at times, for instance when the veteran politician (who knows that '■ he who fights and runs away may live to fight another clay") is trimming his sails to catch every favorable breeze, .it is awkward to have an over zealous colleague ■ who insists on a certain pi incipie being logically carried out, and scorns all timid concessions to the adversary. They are,- however, defects so very rarely met with in our public men, that they are all the more readily to be forgiven . Of the most of those who have occupied prominent political positions amongst us it would be difficult to venture on a definition of their principles, so chameleon lined do thoy appear, judged by the light of their actions and professions at various periods. As a promoter of law and social reforms, Mr Stout will be very much missed. During the last Session some steps were taken in a direction which it was hoped would ultimately lead to the codification and simplification of the huge undigested mass of our statute law. The difficulty of effecting reforms in the direction of simplification of the law arises in a great measure from the tact that the lawyers won't let laymen do the work, say it is dangerous for them to touch the ark, and at the same time take good care not to do it themselves. We should be sorry to think that this course of "action was prompted by mercenary motives. We prefer to atteribute it to a sort of professional instinct, which leads them really to believe that expressing definitely in three words what might be ambiguously amplified into thirty is a measure fraught ..with ruin to all the best interests of society. Whatever the cause, the fact remains that all law reforms, in the'direction of simplification, of which we have had a good many during the last twenty-five years, have been carried out in spile of the opposition of the profession at large. When, therefore, we find an able lawyer assisting in this much needed work of the further simplification of the law, no wonder we are disposed to regret his retirement from public life. From the same source we learn that Sir William Fcxis to assume the leadership of the Opposition, and try conclusions with the Government on a direct issue. The House and the country are to be congratulated on this intelligence. Hitherto the Opposition have been like sheep without a shepherd. A sort of guerrilla warfare has been carried on, sufficient to harass the enemy but of no practical use. We congratulate that side of the House on their choice of a leader. Sir William Fox has everything to recommend him for tbe position. An experienced Statesman, and one of the best debaters in the House, he should be able to marshail his forces to victory if any man can do so. For another reason we are glad to see the leadership of the Opposition assumed by Sir William Fox, and a conflict threatened on some definite issue. If this be carried out, men will have to choose sides, and rail-sitting will be abolished. Sir William's antecedents lead us to believe that he represents the party which calls itself Conservative, as against that of Liberalism. We do not think either of these terms applicable to the circumstances of the colony, and only, use them for'want of a bettor vocabulary. At any rate, .we believe the time is coming when men must range themselves under one banner or the other, and if a be true that th..; Opposition aro reorganized, and have chosen a loader, iowili hasten ■<.. e-m-nnnniation devoutly to be wished.

Th* Court-how-::. Air-iron, nnd Wascoe's j Hotel, Little haver, bave been app^'tof," | against tha L::;a Tax vaiu-i.Aou 'or iD., ! Comity and Boron;:;! oi: Akaroi. Wo unj dtrstend that ihe number oi' 0..-;a<-'.-'-.-.:w lo I h-r.Aoi!. and no d...itbt the Comb; \AH 1 ;..vI . . . • ' • ■

Wo have received a letter from "Schoolboy," concerning the fires in the schoolroom. If there be any truth in the aphorism as to the intimate connection between pun-making and pocket-picking, we are afraid onr young friend is in a verybad way. Wo excuse his allusion to •' latent-heat," but when ho goes on to institute a comparison between " Fahrenheit " and " foreign heat," and further to remark that ho would be " grateful " for a "grate full" of Newcastle coals, we can but ejacnlate," Very sad," and hope this young jokist may see the error of his ways before it is too late. * At the Resident Magistrate's Court on j Tuesday, Geerge Mander was sentenced to j 48 hours' imprisonment for the larceny of a meerschaum cigar holder from the shop of Mr G-. Black. On Monday last, Mr J. Aylmer sat at the Court-house, Akaroa, to hear objections to the roll-for the County of Akaroa. Only one objection was made, viz., by Mr Geo. Spencer Fleming, of Port Levy, whose name was ordered to be inserted on the roll as entitled to five votes. A special meeting of the Akaroa Borough Council was held on Wednesday evening. Present—His Worship the Mayor, Crs Penlington, Henning, Cullen, O'Reilly, Bruce, Bridge and Wiggins. The object of the meeting was to take into consideration tenders for the right of grazing on ihe Borough Reserves for the ensuing twelve months. The-following tenders were opened ;—For the reserve at the rear of the Roman Catholic Church, E. Ditely, £22 Is ; for reserve near Leprous, F. Lelievre, £15 ; Q-. J. Black, £10 10a. The tenders of Messrs Ditely and Lelievre were accepted. An additional tender was laid upen the table, but, as it had not been received by tho advertised time, it was not opened. That excellent journal the Ashburton' Mail has once more enlarged its demensions, and now appeai-s as tbe largest broad-sheet in New Zealand. Its enterprising proprietor, Mr Ivess, is evidently determined that his paper shall maintain a premier position among Provincial journals. The Mail is only two years old, and this is its third enlargement, besides ts having developed from a bi-weekly into a tri-weekly. If it goes on at ihe same rate much longer, it will soon be like the famous Western tree, which was '* so tail it took two men and a boy to see to the top of it*" Owing probably to the unfavorable state of the weather, the first meeting of the Mutual Improvement Association, convened for last Tuesday evening, did not take place. We hope that a fair start may be made next Tuesday.' It would be well that as many ao possible should come forward to join in an affair of this Many will, perhaps, be deterred from joining by,tho idea that they are not competent io contribute anything to the general stock. But this is a mistake Everyone can assist towards making those meetings interesting and attractive. An association of the kind is most apt to flourish when, of a considerable number, each contributes something than when the 1 whole task is left to one or two, however able. We strongl}' advise the young men of the place (and tho middle-aged ones too, for that matter) to put in an appear ance on Tuesday evening at the schoolroom. Ameetingof a chior belonging to a church in this vicinity, says the Thames Advertiser, was held recently, a portion of the business. of which was to decide what form a presentation to a departing bachelor member of the choir should take. Some ladies thought an album would do, while a gentleman thought a ring would be a very acceptable presant. Another gentleman—a small wit in his way—caused some amusement by suggesting that a ring with a finger in it would be the most appropriate souvenir. Everyono saw the joke except the worthy parson of tho parish who officiated as Chairman. He wonderingly requested Mr to explain himself more clearly.