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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 349, 21 November 1879, Page 2

An indignant correspondent of a journal published in Timaru, a place where insolvencies have been tolerably numerous of late, asks •' what on earth is the use of suspending bankrupts, except by the neck ?"

The nomination of candidates for the office of Mayor of the Borough for the coming , year took place at the offices of the Council on Wednesday last, and was a very quiet affair, the only persons present being the. candidates and their nominators. As will be seen from the official notice,' three gentlemen have btien put in nomination, '\yj.z., the present Mayor, Mr C. J. 'AfVaecke-r'l'e, and Councillors Meech and Penlington. The Mayor was proposed by Messrs' K. Bay ley and J. Vangioni ; Cr Penlington by Messrs Kissell and Daly ; and Cr Mccch r by'Messrs., J. Suhc,k'el-1, jan. and O'Reilly. Each of the caiididaresi'eel sanguine of success, and :he contest promises to be a warm" , and exciting one. The poll takes place on Wednesday next.

The annual meeting- of the Akaroa' Cotfnty Council will take place on Wednesday" next, Nov. 2G, at the Hill-top, Biirry's Pass. f'.The Counties Aot "■ provides that on the fourth Wednesday of November in each year, the County Councils shall hold their annual meetings for the election of Chairman and other routine business. The Chairman is elected by the members present from among themselves.

The performances of the Kaphnol Star Troupe, as advertised in our issue of the 14th instant have been postponed for a week from the original dates in the various bays. An accident to the baggage train of the party has been the cause of the delay. The following is the report of the Government Inspector of Schools, W. L. Edge, Esq., on the Akaroa Public Schooli examined 3rd and 6th October last :— Total number enrolled, 173 ; average last quarter, 111 ; average week before date of examination, 118 ; piesentat examination, 120. The following are the results of the examination in the various standards : — In Standard V, presented 2, average age 12.5, passed 2 ; Standard IV, presented 8, average age 12.8, passed 7 ; Standard 111, presented 12, average age 11.5, passed 12 ; Standard 11, presented 28, average age 11, passed 28; Standard 1, presented 28, average age, 9.1, passed 28 ; total presented, 78 ; total passed, 77 ; percentage, 98 ; below standard I in infant class-room, 42. The Inspector generally remarks that " Since last examination various improvements to the buildings have been effected, and a new room, specially fitted up for the infant classes, added. The boys' playground requires to be levelled and cleared of rubbish ; the fence recently erected has rather a peculiar appearance, owing to the fact that in some places there is a distance of at least two feet between it and the ground. The school is still badly supplied with maps, diagrams, &c. All tilings considered, the organization is fair, but it is scarcely satisfactory to see a male pupil teacher of the first year in charge of the infants' room with an average attendance of quite forty children. In my opinion", this is the most important department of the school, and much of its future success will depend upon the training received here. There arc, I was informed, several children living within easy distance of the school who do not attend at all, or no irregularly as to make very little difference in the average. Of the number enrolled, fifty-three were absent on the days of examination.. .With one exception, all the children presented in standards passed and, on the whole, the work done was creditable. Unsatisfactory subjects arc noted in the class lists attached to this report. The classification is now fairly correct, and the head master, I think, acted wisely in presenting the different classes in the standards previously passed under the old regulations. Except that there was too much talking in the higher classes when their teacher left the room, the order of the school, under which 1 include discipline, drill, &c, was commendable. Elementary science, drawing, and singing are carefully and successfully taught; the mistress has followed the printed inatruc-

tions in teaching sewing."

The " Australimia " of November ls-t, says • —Attention has been called this week in the press to the humiliating , circumstances that we have passed the anniversary of the day on which Police-Sergeant Kennedy and his two fellow troopers were murdered by the Kelly gang. That terrible outrage gave a great shock to the feeling of-security previously felt by the colony, but how much greater would have been the blow had it been foreseen that within the year these daring scoundrels would twice make raids on neighboring towns and plunder two banks, and that the efforts of the police to effect their capture would up to the end of the twelvemonths be utterly without result. If the occurrence of such a crime was felt as a degradation to the colony, how much more degradation is involved in the fact that it was committed with the most total impunity.

Mr C. W. Bridge holds his usual periodical cattle sale at the Head of the Bay yards to-day. A considerable variety of cattle will be offered, which, considering the favorable nature of the season for grass, will no doubt find ready purchasers. On Tuesday next the same auctioneer will hold a sale- of cattle belonging to the estate of T. Pawson, of Little Akaloa. :

We observe that the 'promoters of the bazaar in aid of the funds of the' Catholic Church, Akaroa, have altered the date previously fixed upon for holding it. It will now be held on Dec. 16 and 17. There promises to be no lack of amusement on this daj*, what witli the Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition, the Regatta, Athletic Sports, and now the Lsazaar. Such numerous attractions shur.kl attract a large number of visitors.