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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 325, 29 August 1879, Page 2

Owing to the telegraph line being down between this place and' Christchurch, we havo not received our usual telegrams for this issue. . . ~ The polling for a member of the Okain's District Road Board took place on Wednesday. We have not received their official declaration of the poll, but we are informed that Mr O'Connor was the successful candidate, securing, a majority of five over his antagonist. There are now, or shortly will be, four vacancies in the Borough Council. Councillors Bruce, Henning, and O'Reilly retire by rotation, and the polling to fill these vacancies is fixed by the Act for the second Thursday in September, which on this occasion falls on the 11th. The nominations take place on Thursday next, September 4. Councillor Beecher has been unable for some time past to attend the meetings of the Council, and his seat has consequently also become vacant. The nominations to fill this vacancy will take place on Saturday, September 20. It is hardly necessary to observe that the retiring councillors are eligible for re-elec-tion, and we understand that they are all willing: to come forward again, if nominated. It will be necessary, however, to find another candidate in place of Cr Beecher, whose business avocations will prevent his attending to tho duties of the office.

The polling for a member of the Okain's District Road Board took place on Wednesday. We have not received the official declaration of the poll, but we are informed that Mr O'Connor was the successful candidate, securing a majority of five over his antagonist. The rehearsals for the coming entertainment in aid of the funds of St. Peter's Church are progressing satisfactorily. We understand that a large number of voices have been enlisted for the glees and choruses. The entertainment is fixed to take place on this day week, Sept. 5, and we believe that a good evening's amusement may be looked for.

A subscription is on foot for the purpose of raising a sufficient sum to fence in the old Cemetery, situated at the back of the Catholic Church in Akaroa. It will be remembered that an application was made to the County Council for an unappropriated sum of £10, which remained in their hands to be devoted to this purpose. As that body, however, decided against the application, those interested have determined to take the matter into their own hands. This is the first cemetery which was used on the Peninsula, and it is certainly a good work.to preserve from desecration the spot where the "rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep." Any subscriptions for the above purpose will be thankfully received by Mr P. O'Reilly.

Respecting the latest addition to the Union S. S. Company's fleet which lately called at Akaroa on her first northward trip, the Lyttelton Times says:—"That she is a fine vessel and admirably adapted to fill the Taupo's place there can be no doubt, and she will undoubtedly become a very favorite boat on the coast, especially as she is under the command of that popular master Captain Malcolm. Having a large carrying capacity on a light draught of water, she is eminently suited for New Zealand waters, and to faciliate loading and discharging, two superior steam winches are en the main deck, one at the main and the other at the after hold. Although fifteen years old, she does not appear to be half that age, having been well kept, and subject to little or no rough handling. Her plates are thick and substantial. The Penguin was built and engined by Messrs Todd and M'Gregor Glasgow, in 1864, her dimensions being— length, 220 ft, beam, 28ft, depth of hold, 16ft. This gives her a gross tonnage of 749, or 442 tons net register. She originally traded between Liverpool and Glasgow, and more recently ran between the latter port and Harve, and always was a favorite boat, being speedy and easy in a sea way.

Messrs J. T. Ford and Co held an auction sale of cattle at Barry's Bay, on Tuesday last, Mr E. C. Latter being the vendor. The following prices were realised :— Heifers and steers, fat, £8 to £8 5s ; two-year-olds, £4 os to £4 10s ; cows', £4 5s to £9 ; calves, £2 10s ; one bull, £4 10s. The horses were not sold. The allotments in the township of Wicken were then put up with the following result:—Lots 1 and 2 were withdrawn. Lot 3, T. S. Baken £21 ;4, J. Mundy, £35 ; 5, S. Neilson' £38 10s ; 6, T. Brough, £42 ; 7, E. Haines' £30 ; 8, H. Brickland, £40 ; 9, T. Paget' £58 ; 10, R. Beard, £48 ; 11, W. Chatfield, £38 ; 12, H. Brickland, £41 ; 13; — Le Clerc, £95 ; 14, — Le Clerc, £48, 15, J. Reed junr., £37 ; 16, T. Lecointe, £35 ; 17, H. Brickland, £22.

A Timaru publican tells a good story though it would not appear to be very flattering to himself, says the Telegraph — The Timaru Herald lately brought out a candidate for Timaru, and in doing so showed itself to be a funny paper in the sense that it not only caused a laugh but caused itself to be laughed at. The can. didate in question called upon a jolly publican and said to him " there is a report going abroad that only gentlemen are supporting me; well now, I want to get your support as well." The pnblican has managed to survive the distinction, and tells the story with great gusto.

The Standard (Rangiora) very pertinently observes :— : " The present system of furnishing newspapers, and at a heavy cost too, with telegraphic items of news, is very Badly conceived. AThe public is deluded and is fast beginningUo look with suspicion upon Press telegraphic items. A glance at the telegraphic columns of journals ' run' on different political tickets, shows that strong partizanship has not unfrequentlydictated the tone of the telegrams. This is not as it should be and independent newspapers should cry out against the practice and assist a suffering public in clearing the way for a better system. Collectors and transmitters of telegraphic news should be independent of party feelings, and should rigidly adhere to the "rules laid down for their guidance when furnishing pabulum for tile mental digestion of their clients at a distance. What is wanted, and paid for by public journals is simply news, and not expressions of opinion or cooked accounts of what Dick, Tom or Harry may think or give utterance to when on the political war path."

The Wellington and Wanganui papers indulge in journalistic sparring now and then. The Wellington Post observes :— " Yet another lunatic arrived from Wanganui in the p.s. Manawatu to-day.. We shall look with some interest to the next census returns to see what effect this constant drain upon her population has upon Wanganui." To which the Wanganui Herald retorts:—" Just by way of information for our Wellington contemporary, we may mention that most of the unfortunate persons of unsound mind sent from here came originally from Wellington, and the change from hard times to prosperity proved too much for them."

The " Loafer " says there has been another Native meeting at Parihaka. As is usual under such circumstances, they devoured pigs,, and eels, and mutton birds. They fed largely. The Maoris are very like English people in one respect. They can do nothing of importance without a heavy feed. You ought to caution your telegraphic correspondent by the way. He will shock some of your readers if he sends you many more like the beneath :— "Te Whiti addressed the meeting in the open air for a long time, chiefly on Scriptural subjects. In the evening more important matters were discussed." More important indeed ! It reminds one of the old lady who was on board ship in a heavy gale of wind, and on being told by the captain that everything in the power of human beings had been done to save the ship, and that they could then only leave the issue to Providence, tearfully replied, " Oh! don't say so, captain ; that's too dreadful."

The great law case Court v. Studholme, which arose out of the late destructive bush fires at Waimate, has reached another stage. The Supreme Court sitting in Banco has refused the defendant a new trial or a nonsuit, the judges affirming that they see no reason for disturbing the verdict of the jury. It might be imagined that this decision would have the effect of putting the plaintiff in possession of the fruits of his verdict. But to think so would betray a lamentable ignorance of our glorious system of jurisprudence. It only means that a new ..and still, more costly ordeal has to bo gone through by the man to whom .ja. jury of his countrymen have .awarded damages. .In other words defendant's counsel have, of course, given notice of appeal; The end will probably be an apt illustration of the old fable of the monkey and the oyster. The parties to the suit will each get one of the shells, and the lawyers will absorb the rest.

The Mutual Improvement Seciety met as usual on Tuesday evening in the Schoolroom, the Rev. President in the Chair. Mr M'Gregor being absent when called upon to read his essay on " Spinoza," it was proposed and seconded that there be readings substituted for the essay.. The President opened the evening with a part of the " Ancient JVlariner," L by Coleridge. Mr Nicholls read one of the letters in the " Citizen of the, World," by Goldsmith. A very interesting discussion ensued as to the merits and demerits of the two poets, Coleridge and Goldsmith. For the next evening the President promised lo contribute a paper on the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of Government to be followed by discussion. On the succeeding Tuesday, portions of Shakespeare's King Henry IV will be read. Tho following is the latest definition of the Ministerial Reforms, as stated by a demagogue in we won't say where, — " Fellow detestors, I believe in the Minstrelsy, and am in favor of Triangular Parliaments, vote by ballast, and manhood suffering."