The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 352, 2 December 1879, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2.

We regret to learn that Cr Meech has resigned his seat in the Borough Council. At this juncture of municipal affairs it will be necessary to exercise all the best exertions of members of the Council to restore matters to their normal state, and a man like Mr Meech, who has been associated with the Council since the establishment of the Borough, can ill be spared. At the present time his resignation is unforfortunate for another reason, inasmuch as he was Chairman of the Finance Committee, and certain matters of accounts were referred by the Council to that Committee for investigation. Nominations to fill the vacancy caused by Cr Meech's retirement will be received up to noon on the 10th inst., and if a poll is necessary, it will be held on the 22nd.

Messrs Matson and Co. held an auction sale of landed property at their mart on Saturday last. Among the lots offered was one comprising 99 acres of land, with dwelling-house, partly improved and partly in bush, situated at Little Akaloa Bay, Banks Peninsula. This class of land not being much sought for at the present time failed to reach a fair market price, and was passed in at a bid of £475. Lot 2, containing 100 acres, was also passed.

A meeting of the Akaroa School Committee was held yesterday,«evening at the schoolhouse. Present — Messrs Meech (Chairman), Missen, Billens, Dalglish, and Wiggins. The question of the forthcoming examination and prizes was considered, and a schedule of the same prepared. It was arranged that the school treat should take the form of a picnic, and be held somewhere in the neighborhood of Akaroa on Dec. 19. A letter was read from the Board of Education, asking for a specification and estimate of the improvements required in the playground. It was agreed to have a specification prepared. The 'period, of the holidays was fixed, and the Committee adjourned. i * . s-y % t

A meeting of the Okain's District Road Board was held at the Library, Okain's Bay, on Saturday last. All the members were present. The first part of the meeting was devoted to the consideration of some legal business which was supposed to be of a private and confidential nature. Some little birds, however, must have got hold of the matters discussed, as they were pretty freely canvassed after the meeting was over, and those desirous of information as to what had been said or done had no difficulty in acquiring it. After the •".-private and confidential " portion of the meeting was concluded the Board proceeded to consider the action of the County Council at their last meeting in taking in hand the re-grading of the Summit road, and determining to charge the cost of the work to the Okain's Board. The Chairman thought they should address a remonstrance to the Council, and had little doubt, in that case, that the Council would rescind the latter resolution. Mr Callaghan was of a different opinion, and considerable discussion ensued. Ultimately a resolution was carried instructing the Clerk to prepare a statement to be laid before the Attorney-General, asking whether the County Council, in that and other cases, had not exceeded its powers. The Board then adjourned.

With reference to the reduction of ten per cent on members' expenses, agreed to by the House, the correspondent of tho Press says :—" The reduction of the honorarinm this morning was entirely unintentional, and when the mistake was found out, the chagrin and annoyance displayed by a number of members was rather ludicrous. The item which Mr Turnbull intended to reduce was £21,575, expenses of both Houses for last session, but when putting the vote, the chairman took it off the expenses of both Houses this session, £22,690.

" Mazeppa," a contributor to the Saturday Advertiser is responsible for the following:—" When Sir Hercules Robinson was appointed to the Governorship of this colony, the hope was generally expressed that he would continue to take as active an interest in horse racing here as he did in New South Wales. It was afterwards semi-officially stated that it was His Excellency's intention to abandon his connection with the turf; but it would appear that he has been induced to alter his determination, for I have it on excellent authority that His Excellency has become the owner of the colt Grip, and purposes forming a regular racing stud in conjunction with the Hon. W Robinson. The latter gentleman already possesses the nucleus of a team in Natator and Numa, and when a suitable establishment is obtained it is more than likely that other horses will be acquired by the partnership. On dit that negotiations for the purchase of Chokebpre Lodge have been broken off, and that Sir Hercules will probably become the owner of the Maribyrnong training esrablishment.

We observe that the Union S. S. Company intend despatching an excursion steamer to Akaroa on the 16th inst. The Wellington is the steamer selected for the service, and we have little doubt that she will bring a large number of passengers, considering the manifold attractions which Akaroa holds forth on the above holiday.