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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 313, 18 July 1879, Page 2

For the third time of asking, the meeting of the Borough Council lapsed last evening again for want of a quorum. The members of Council present were his Worship the Mayor, Crs Cullen, Henning, and O'Reilly. The"bußine"ss of the (Council, Aye understand, is getting considerably in arrear through these frequent lapsed meetings, the question of the repairs to the bridges and the striking of a rate, &c. x being at a standstill. Cr Bridge put in an appearance immediately after his Worship had adjourned the meeting until Monday evening, but it would have scarcely been decent to proceed with the particular business indicated in the absence of those important functionaries, the Chairmen of tbe Finance and Works Committees.

A meeting of the Duvauchelle's BaySchool Committee was held on Saturday, Julj* 12, the members present being Messrs Libeau, Saddler, Vogan, Pawson, and the Chairman. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Letters were read from the Board of Education — 1. Requesting to know what amount the Committee may require for incidentals for the incoming year. 2. What maps are required for school. 3. Voucher for £10 15s lOd, viz., £5 6s lOd for June salary and £5 9s for June quarter incidentals. A letter was received from Mr B. de Mai manche, applying for the use of the school for a dancing class. The application was refused. A letter was received from the schoolmaster, stating that tbe average attendance was 45 last week, with 58 names on tho roll, and suggesting" that the Committee apply to the Board for an assistant mistre*ss ; also, stating jthat the chimneys of the school and house smoked badly ; also, asking the use of the schoolroom for-a night school. It was resolved to let the schoolmaster have the use of schoolroom, except on Thursday, that being the Good Templars' night. Three tenders were opened for ditching and planting quicks in school ground. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Saddler, seconded by Mr Vogan, that the tender of Mr W. Widdicombe be accepted at £6 7s 6d. Accounts to the amount of £3 2s 8d were passed for payment, and the meeting adjourned.

The "Loafer" thus describes another "New way to pay old debts" :—A well known Canterbury Licensed Victualler was recently recovering from a severe attack of gout, when a, friend called in to see bow he was getting on, and asked if he could do anything for him in Dunedin, whither he was proceeding that day. "Nothing that I know of," groaned the gouty one, "unless you could pick up some tumblers that'll run out five to a bottle of beer. I got my doctor's bill to-day, and 1 must do something to make it up."

From an advertisement in another column it will: be seen that the . Akaroa Football Club intend playing a match with the-French Farm Club, on Saturday week, on the ground, Robinson's Bay.- The gen-," tlemen representing Akaroa'will, we derstand, be Messrs E., A., and J., Lelievre, Jos. and John Armstrong, J. Hewitt, M. Daly, P. Berland, W. and H. Watkins, A. Rhodes, W. Narby, W. Hughes, J. Macfarlane, and W. Newman.

The following is the letter forwarded by Messrs Fenton and' Wilkins to the Akaroa and Wainui Road' Board on Saturday last, in answer to the Board's communication re engineering arrangements :— '•Akaroa, July 11, 1879. .The Akaroa and Wainui Road Board. Gentlemen, — We have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 7th inst., and replying to the portion which refers to men's time, beg to be informed if the meaning of the paragraph is that the survey hands are not to be paid in wet weather, as the Board has not been charged for any other time not employed by them in working. With reference to Mr Welchman, we beg to submit that the pay we give him is more a matter for our own consideration than that of the Board. In regard to the grading of roads being done by a " certificated man," wo presume that the Board means that we must personally do all the grading ourselves. If such be the case, we beg leave to decline, as the camp and instrumental expenses we are already put to are so great that we cannot personally do the work for the money. We may mention that we are jnst now commencing some surveys for the General Government,, the price for which was fixed by Mr Baker, the Chief Surveyor, and that is considerably above that charged by us to the Board in consideration of having continue ous work from them. Mr Welchman, Mr Loughnan, and ..Mi Riches, who are employ 3d by us, have all been on the surveyfor years, and we think them perfectly competent to' do such portions of the work as they are entrusted with. We shall be glad to know if we are to break up our camps now at once or finish the work now in hand. We received your letter on Tuesday morning, but did not like to stop the roads actually in hand until after a meeting of tlie Board, and we trust that yon will'confirm our action so far. We are, gentlemen, your obedient servants, Fenton and Wilkins, Licensed Surveyors."

From the Gazette of 2nd inst., we notice that the following teachers on the Peninsula hold certificates or licenses under " The Education Act, 1877," as follows :— A. Nicholla, Akaroa, D 1 ; J. Speight, Tai Tapu, El; Mrs M. Hutt, Okain's Bay, E2 ; H. Jaggar, E2 ; Mrs K. M. Lowe, Wainui, E2; G. W. Westropp, Littlo River, E 2; E.F. Barnett, Governor's Bay, E3; .J. Hutt, Okain's Bay, E 3 ; D. M'Clure,.Barry's Bay, B 3; Miss M. Pitcaithley, Pigeon Bay -side school, E 3; Miss Thomas, Akaroa, E 3 ; F. W. Thompson, Pigeon Bay 7j> E 3; ir T. H. Macmillan Le Bon's Bay, E <l*>Rpbt. Willis, Little Akaloa, E 4; Zweinbruck, Tai Tapu, E4. The. status assigned to each teacher is that which was due on 30th June last. From the same document we notice that only 36 teachers in New Zealand hold certificates of higher rank than j that held by Mr Nicholls, of the public school here.