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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 309, 4 July 1879, Page 2

The by-laws of the Borongh of A'/hhurton have been held to bo infoi-mid, owing to their not havu.-g heon cg;j firmed by a ppecird mn;!iing.of the Council after thenbeing returned from Wellington in a somewhat altered form. Since Monday wo have been without direct commucation with Christchurch, tbe mail ma Pigeon.Bay being, tho only one that has been able to run, >•

A meeting of the Akaroa Mutual Im-' proveuaent Association was held in the schoolroom, on Tuesday evening last. There was a very numerous attendance, including several ladies. The Rev. H. Stacker, President of the Association; occupied the chair. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been confirmed,. the first business entertained was a motion by Mr M'Gregor, notice of which had been given, to the effect that ladies should be eligible for membership. Mr Sims seconded the motion. Mr Wiggins cordially supported the motion.. Mr Robet- rshawopposed.it, and stated that, his im-; pression was that the Association had originally been formed for young men. Mr Nicholls spoke in favor of the motion and referred to the past history of the question. The Rev. Mr Douglas owned that he had formerly opposed the motion, but would now support it. Mr Garwood was pleased to hear the Rev. gentleman's recantation. He should support it. The motion was then put and carried. Several ladies at once-enrolled their names. It was announced that the number of members enrolled amounted to 32. The Rev. President then read an essay on " Amusements." He prefaced it by saying that it was avowedly intended to proVoke discussion. After laying it down as an axiom that amusement or recreation was a necessity of our being, the essayist proceeded to treat of different forms of amusement, contending that even those which had been most condemned, such as cards, billiards, theatres, and dancing were not necessarily evil, though their surroundings in certain cases might be so. Mr .Nicholls spoke in favor of athletic sports, and wondered that in Akaroa, which possessed so fine a sheet of water, boating was not practised to a greater extent. Rev. Mr Douglas thanked the President for his essay. He agreed that amusements were necessary. Never heard of anyone wishing to cut them up by the root. It was not amusement that was objected to, but its kind, quality, and quantity. The Puritans had been greatly maligned in this particular. With regard to some of the amusements that had been mentioned, they should be looked at in the concrete and with all their surroundings, not in theory. In this view they were decidedly open to objection. Mr Wiggins thought if any form of amusement, say the theatre, descended to a low level, that the reputable portion of society should endeavor to raise it, and prune away" its objectionable features, rather than turn their backs on it altogether, and thus allow it to become worse. As an instance of what could be' effected in this way, he contrasted the state of the English drama at the time of the Restoration and at the present day. Mr Robertshaw, Mr Garwood, and a stranger who was present all expressed themselves favorably as to the moral influence of the theatre. Mr M'Gregor moved the adjournment of the discussion to that day fortnight, which was carried, and tho meeting adjourned. We congratulate the society on the very favorable start it has made, and hope that the tone which characterized the discussion of Tuesday last may be kept up in future meetings. Next Tuesdaj'' a very interesting debate may be anticipated on one of the burning questions of the hour— the licensing system. Messrs M'Gregor and Sims have promised to open the proceedings, and we fully exjject to see a crowded room to listen to, and take part in, the discussion. We should like to see some of the younger members take part in the proceedings. If they only have half-a-dozen words to say,. they will learn confidence in expressing themselves by endeavoring to say them.

We learn that Mr Noah Walters, of Little River, is the successful tenderer for the Post and Telegraph office to be erected at Duvauchelle's Bay. The buildings are to be completed by September 20. We learn that the Ashburton Borough Council have voted an honorarium of £5 to Mr S. Watkins, of Akaroa, for his design for a Borough seal, which was accepted by the Council. We believe that the Akaro* Borough Council are indebted to the same gentleman for a design for a seal, which they have made use of, but as yet have forgotten to acknowledge. Wo understand that the officers of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board have mado a careful inspection of the district since the iate flood, and find that the damage done is greater than was at first anticipated. Scarcely a bridge or culvert in the district has escaped damage to a greater or loss esteut. Elsewhere an advertisement appears cautioning travellers that the bridges between Akaroa and Barry's Bay are unsafe for traffic, and in-

forming them that the lower or seaward side of the bridges is the best to take for fording. It appears that the Okain's Bay road has suffered to such an extent that the mailnuui was unable to get through, lii Lo Bon's Bay, great damage has been done, severs! bridges having been destroyed. Tho necessary repair's will severely tax tne funds at the disposed of the local bodies, and necessarily retard the progress of imiiy important works about to be ■iiiUcriiiKo.'i. A' correspondent gives tho following remedy for chilblains:—Take common red pepper or cayenne and put into spirits- j tiuiiLi&at Lo mako quite strong, 2nd bathe the aifected parts quite fiec-iy. This wili surely care. lam sixty-five yoara old, and have used and recommended it all my lifo without knowing a failure. . s