The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 339, 17 October 1879, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17.

We must ask our readers kindly to excuse our usual supplement this morning; It shall appear with our next issue.

-We regret to have to record the death of one of the oldest settlers on the Peninsula, Mrs Webb, of Laverick's Bay. The deceased lady, who died on Saturday last, had been thirty-eight years in the colony, having been one of the first arrivals at Wellington. She left this place for Akaroa, and she and her first husdand, Mr Knight, were the first who purchased land in Okain's Bay. Mrs Webb was universally liked, and her affability and hospitality were unsurpassed. She leaves a large family to mourn their Jobs.

A meeting of the Le lion's Bay School Committee took place on Saturday evening. The Committee having been challenged to fence the back of the school ground up to the line, accepted Mr Leonardo's tender, being the lowest. . Mr Edge, the Government Inspector, Was unable to examine the school, owing to the schoolmaster's illness, no children coming on the day appointed. The Clerk waß instructed to send notices to certain persons with reference, to the iiregular attendance of their children. The Chairman stated that Mr Montgomery had been kind enough to send him a cheque for £3 3s for: the children's prize fund, and he had acknowledged it suitably. Mr Montgomery also presented. £5 5s to the library fund. The Chairman stated.that a person had been complaining of the school being closed during the past week, during the master's illness. He had a certificate from Dr Guthrie* stating that the teacher was under his care, and totally unfit for duty. . The school had been Opened during the past twelve months 427 times. Mr Evans was elected member of Committee in place of Mr M'Culloch, resigned.

The following is an analysis of the members of the House of Representatives, according to occupation, made by Mr Saunders. The hon. gentleman says :— "lain glad to say that we have twentytwo farmers. Then we have no less than eleven lawyers. We have seven members whom I am obliged to call 'gentlemen' for want of a better, more distinctive name. (Severe, this, Mr Saunders!) We have seven newspaper editors, .proprietors) and contributors. We have six merchants; We have five whom I will call "'• financiers, connected with money lending Institutions and so on, and we have three large freeholders. We have two runholders, two manufacturers, two mining agents, and two pensioners—and they both sit on the Government benches. Of the fourteen others there are, no two alike, so that upon the wholethe different classes of the.community are very fairly represented in this House. Many of the old residents on the Peninsula will hear with regret that Mr T. B. Chadwick. chemist here, is now an inmate of the Hospital, and dangerously ill of rheumatic fever. We are quite sure his many old friends will much regret to hear the circumstance, and as he has frequently alleviated suffering mothers the sympathy and kindly offices of his friends and others are much, needed. Few people here have done more in there way to cheer their fellow men than Mr Chadwick, 'and we think it only just that under the circumstances, his friends should look upon his present circumstances as one for their; kindly consideration;

As will be seen from an advertisement in another column, Mr Bridge will hold a sale of cattle, sheep, and horses at the Head of the Bay, to-day. After the late rains and fine weather we have little doubt but that the demand will be good in the face of the plentiful shpply of grass.

Tlie County Council, we understand, meet on Saturday, the 25th instant, at the hotel, Hill Top, when the question of the Pound Fees in the County, and other important subjects will again come up for consideration. A legal opinion has been given that the by-law will have again .to be considered de novo, on account of the amendment made by Mr Coop at the last meeting being carried.

Many of our readers will regret to hear thatMr'H. G. Watkins, late Mayor of this Borough, and otherwise well known as an old settler, still continues seriously indisposed. Mr Watkins has now been confined to his bed for some weeks, and his medical adviser gives little hopes to his friends of any speedy restoration to health.

Owing to the political meeting being held at the Town Hall on Wednesday evening last, the usual meeting of the Council lapsed for want of a quorum. The aefjourned meeting will be held on Saturday evening, at 7.30 p.m. Of course we are not in the secrets of the\ "Why a meeting of the Council should Ye called for a Saturday evening, but struck us as inconvenient. ; \ i We have to acknowledge -the receipt of an elementary work on drawing by Mr Nicholls, head master of the public school here, a review of which will appear in our next..

TheJthingyis almost more than the Works Committee mind can comprehend, but it is neverthlesß true that the Bridge in Jollie-st'.has at last been mended, after five months' consideration. The cost for lighting the dangerous structure, which by. the way has been useless for the time indicated, has been over£3, and Btrange to 'say the whole matter has been put on a satis, factory footing for fourteen shillings.

It is reported that a bull has been turned adrift in this neighborhood with a chain and rope attached to his nepk, and as a.natural consequence the animal has become entangled in the bush, where he has remained for several days without food or water. It may be news to some of pur friends to know that during last session of Parliament an Act for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was passed, the provisions of which are of the most stringent nature. In the case of persons offending against the provisions of the Act imprisonment may be ordered without option of fine. The Legislature further marks their idea of the enormity of any offences against the Act by fixing the maximnm penalty at £100.

The .resolution passed at the meeting held on. Wednesday evening having been communicated to Mr Montgomery, he has forwarded us the following telegram for publication :—" Wellington, October 16. To the Editor of the Akaroa Mail, Akaroa,—l am exceedingly grateful to the electors of the Akaroa district for the vote of confidence passed at the meeting last night. The electors nobly protected an absent man, and set an example to other districts.—W- Montgomery."

The case of Barker v. the proprietors of the Lyttelon Times for libel was heard on Wednesday, before his Honor Mr Justice Johnston and a special jury. It resulted in a verdict for the plaintiff, with £5 damages. .