Untitled

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 315, 25 July 1879, Page 2

Referring to the political situation, the Lyttelton Times says ;—" The struggle between the Government and the Opposition is still going on. The Hon. J. Sheehan last night made a brilliant speech, vindicating his Native policy, and defending himself from the odium that has been cast upon him. , The absence of Mr Montgomery having been noted, we may explain that the member for Akaroa has been called back to Canterbury by sickness in his family, and though he will not be able to take part in the debate, he has left a pair for Government."

On Wednesday afternoon a somewhat amusing spectacle "might have been seen," as the novelists say, only there wero none to witness it but two small boys. The scene was the front of a well-known hostelry in Akaroa. At this hostelry there had pulled up a gentleman not unconnected with literary pursuits, mounted on his Arab steed. Requesting to be provided with a modicum of beer, he proceeded to refresh himself therewith, without dismounting. He had, however, hardly raised the refreshing beverage to his lips, when some evil spirit put it into the head of the aforesaid Arab steed that he was on a racecourse, and that he was in for the Now or Never stakes. Accordingly, without taking his rider into his confidence, the animal made tracks for what he took to be the winning post, at the rate of knots. To see that unhappy gentleman make fraatic efforts to preserve the equilibrium of the liquor which he held in his hand, and at the same time to restrain the impetuosity of his charger, was something superior to the feats usually witnessed in a circus. At length he appeared to make up his mind that he must part with either the glass or the horse, so he dropped the former carefully into one of those mudholes which the Borough Council have thoughtfully provided in case of accidents, and devoted himself to the task of persuading his horse to stop. In this he was eventually successful, and the whole affair was over probably in a few seconds, but, while it lasted, the spectators were forcibly reminded of John Gilpin's celebrated ride.

The usual weekly meeting of the Mutual Improvement Association was held on Tuesday evening in the schoolroom. The Rev. President occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. Mr Wiggins gave an essay on the Crusades, and an interesting discussion followed, in which Messrs Scott, Robertshaw, W. and H. Watkins, Nicholls, Rev. W. Douglas. M'Gregor, and the President took part. The essayist took up the position that the Crusaders were worthy of our admiration as examples of heroism and Belf-denial, and that such examples had a special value at the present day, when utilitarianism had so many votaries. The speeches of Messrs Scott, Robertshaw, and Watkins were elucidatory of the history of the period, Mr Nicholls criticized the previous speakers moderately, the essayist severely, and the Crusaders worse than all. He could see no good in any of them, even the saintly Louis of France. The Rev. W. Douglas defended the essayist, and approved of a good deal of what he had brought forward, though he did not entirely coincide in his estimate of the motives actuating the Crusaders. Mr M'Gregor called attention to the fact that it was the great Hildebrand (Gregory VII) to whom Christendom was indebted for the idea of these wars. Mr H. Watkins drew attention to the fact that Heraldry was one of the results on these wars. After a few remarks from the President, Mr Wiggins briefly replied. Mr H. Watkins promised to contribute a paper on that day fortnight, the subject being " Mystery," and the meeting adjourned.

Court v. Studholme, the great Waimate bush fire case, has entered on the commencement of another stage. At the trial the jury gave a verdict for plaintiff. On Tuesday last Mr Macassey obtained a rule nisi for a new trial on the ground that the verdict was against the weight of evidence, aiid that since the trial new and important evidence had been discovered. The Timaru Herald says:—**'Tho Timaru School Committee have decided to resign office' in consequence of the Board of Education refusing to appoint the person they Selected as second master of Timaru Public School. While we regret that any disagreement has arisen between the two bodies, we do not see what other course was open to the Committee to adopt. Either the Board or the Committee must give way, and as the former hold the leins of power, it stands to reason that the latter must submit to.the former's dictum or else make ytp/y for a new Cammittee who will. 'So*long as the Education Act remains in its present state difficulties are bound to arise, and no clause in it is more likely to lead to disagreements between Boards and Committees than that which provides, or professes to provide, for the appointment of school teachers."

The " Slaves Dream " is parodied by the fate of an old negro bottle-gatherer in Dunedin. After devoting several years to the collection of " dead marines," poor old Ned Robinson succumbed to his infirmities, and sought an asylum in the hospital. Old, black, and supremely ugly, he was voted a nuisance, and an early opportunity was seized for turning him out on the street. The police took him to the lock-up and Resident Magistrate Isaac Newton Watt lectured the old man on his dirty habits, and threatened the lash. " I'm too ole, massa," said Ned imploringly. •' Once't it might do this old man good f but his feelin's gone now." Ned was sent to gaol, nominally as a vagrant, but really to get a scrubbing. This occurred a few months ago. The end of the unfortunate old "nigger " is thus related in a Dunedin exchange :—" Richard Robinson, a colored man, whose occupation in Dunedin for some years past has been that of a bottle gatherer, died rather suddenly in an unoccupied house in Filleul street, late on Wednesday night. At 6 o'clock on the same evening he applied to a neighbor for

relief. The deceased was lately admitted into the hospital suffering from bronchitis. On Wednesday he received relief as an outdoor patient. His body was conveyed to the hospital yesterday." And "this was in a Christian land I" We leave the .gentle public to. imagine, if they can, .the miseries of this poor old discarded min r .strel —refused the shelter of the hospital, turned adrift from the gaol, begging for help, and dying untended and uncared for, like an ownerless dog in an empty house a few hours afterwards.

The New Zealande? thus concludes an able article on the present political situation :—" We care not what may be the result of the present conflict. We are told confidently by the Opposition that they are sure to gain the victory, and that the Ministry is doomed. Be it so. To the Ministry doomed, as ,we are told it is, we offer our congratulations at having produced a platform so broad, so clear, and so decided. We congratulate theni at having put aside all thoughts of temporising, and at the quiet courage with which they have met their boastful opponents, which showed that not fear insult. Their opponents may gather behind their standards all the enemies of liberal measures or the enfranchisement of the people ; they may call to their assistance all the hungry seekers after office, and wretched axe-grinders whose votes their promises can buy ; they may pro cure the help of traitors, and swell their ranks by the aid of the faithless, all will not avail. We believe that the Government will yet triumph, and that the tinkle of the Speaker's bell will cover Sir William Fox and his followers with confusion. But if they succeed, then let the Government go to the country. They need not fear to trust themselves to the people whose best interests they seek to serve. But we will mark the traitors, and brand them with the stigma of public reprobation. Meanwhile the Liberals throughout the Colony should organise; a public meeting should be invited to appeal; a strong central Committee should be formed, and such an organization raised in all parts of the Colony, that every voter upon every roll should be asked to join the Liberal Association. Let those who desire to make New Zealand great, be up and doing. ' Who would be free themselves must strike the blow.' " I If our readers are inclined FY toward deciphering the mysOUO terious, we offer them the WEFO annexed puzzle, and ret-oin-RYOUR mend it to the serious conPAPE sideration of our readers who RPA think it means them. By YU careful and continued appliP cation for a short time it may be solved, and we can but think, when solved, a not very great length of time will elapse before the benefit of this solution will be felt in a form that we can really appreciate. This conclusion, however, may be problematic, but we shall anxiously wait its determination, trusting that it may be in our favor.

We glean the following facts from <f Results of a Census of the Colony of New Zealand taken for the 3rd March, 1878," and only now come to hand. The total population, including 4433 Chinese, was 414,412. Of this total, Canterbury supplied 91,922. The proportion of females to 100 males was 79.40. The average number in a dwelling was 5.02. The density of the population was 0.789. Canterbury, though not the most populous, is the most thickly peopled of all the Provincial districts, having 6.769 people to the square mile, or one family to about 500 acres. As to the ages of the people* we find no fewer than 2567 aged 70 years, 1581 aged 75, 827 aged 80, 13 aged 91, 1 aged 100, and 2 aged 105 years. Surely here we have satisfactory proof that New Zealand suits the Anglo-Saxon constitution. With regard to the education of the people, we find that at ages from 5 to 15 years 63.95 could read and write, 17.00 could read only, and 19.65 could not read. In this matter of general education, Canterbury stands highest in the colony, scoring a per centage of 65.85 able to read and write, Nelson coming next with 65.25, and Wellington coming in third with 65.10. There were 62,866 children attending day schoolSj 14,611 at private schools, 62,273 at Sunday schools, and 9706 receiving tuition at home. The attention given to education, both secular and religious, as shown by the above facts, is exceedingly satisfactory and augurs well for the future of our adopted country. In the matter of religion, we find very great diversity of opinion, but it is something to be noted that out of a population of nearly half a million,- only 202 signed themselves as having "no religion." The principal denominations were as follows :t- Episco. palians, 176,334 ; Presbyterians, 95,103 ; Roman Catholics, 58,971 ; Methodists of

all classes, 37,879 ; Baptists, 9159; Con. gregational Independents, 5555 ; Lutherians, 5643. Of the 202 with no religion, 94 were Secularists ; Atheists, 30; Materialists, 7. Considering the noise made by these Secularists, we are forcibly reminded of the proverb—" Mucklo cry and little 'oo." A glance at the statistics of religious denominations brings out the fact that we live in a free country where there is no compulsion. It also shows that the people with whims and crochets are in a satisfactory minority where they cannot give much trouble.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Kaiapoi, the Bench expressed their opinion that the registration of dogs could be much better performed by the police, than by the clerks to Road Boards, as from the nature of their duties the police were always available, whereas the clerks to Councils and Road Boards having numerous duties to fulfil, could not be expected to be always in their offices. The Bench dissmissed the charges against four persons who were charged with having unregistered dogs, as they all proved that they had been more than once to the office to register them, and found no one in. The same remaiks apply to various cases which have come off in this district.