The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 376, 27 February 1880, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27.

Tlie Christchurch correspondent of the Saturday Advertiser writes thus of a recent prosecution for Sunday trading in that city : —" A principal topic of discussion during tho week has been the action taken by the police authorities against a person named Marks, for Sunday trading. The trade, in the pursuit of which Marks had offended, wassellingfruit. This affords another example of what the American patriots, of Dickens's creation, called " our great moral sense." We are over done with respectability and refinement. Some persons would be pleased lo find another name for the reputation of the Cathedral City. Howbeit, one thing is certain, that in no other city would it have occurred authorities that, tojpreserve the proprieties, it was necessary to take legal proceedings against a harmless, struggling shopkeeper, who kept open his shop on Sunday in the hope of catching a chance customer for apples, oranges, or nuts. Oh, but we are a proper community, and a religious one. Here there is not enough vice and crime for the good men to frown down upon, so they must needs adopt rigorous oppressive measures against a class of men who are permitted to ply their trade on the Sabbath throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and all the British possessions. " Oh, the wickedness of human nature," says some canting hypocrite passing by the poor man's stall, " this must be put down." Then he goe3 to church at night, puts a shilling in the little bag, and next day cheats his best friend of a neat £20 in transacting a job line of " soft goods." Thus must the credit of the place be maintained, and Marks has accordingly to be " put down." He was a foolish man —he ought to have put on the garb of sanctity, and then, come what might, all should have gone well with him. His shutters being closed, he might have shamed the very walls with infamy by day, and mado night hideous, for we are a moral community, look you, and our reputation must not be cast upon a hazard. Get Drunk and be merry on Sunday, we say; but for the sake of that bubble, reputation, keep in the shade—go in the back way, in fact, and you may play the very mischief with our moral code." As a sequel to the above, wo may mention that Mr Stringer, a newly admitted barrister, appeared for the defence, and urged inter alia, that there could be no conviction, inasmuch as by the act of Charles 11, under which the charge was laid the penalty provided was that the offender should be placed in the stocks! His Worship, after adjournment, concurred in the view that the Act was inoperative, and dismissed the case.

We are informed by Mr Lee, proprietor of the two lines of coaches between our town and the grand city, that he narrowly escaped what might have proved a most serious accident. Coming down the steep decline leading from Pigeon Bay to the Head of the Bay, and rounding one of the sharp corners ho espied a case of " dead drunk " lying best part across the road in a happy (?) state of unconsciousness. Fortunately, Mr Lee had the horses well in hand, and managed to pull them up in time, otherwise tho probabilities are that the whole four of them would have given one jump and sent the coach over tho bank into the gully below. One of the passengers alighted, and in the most polite terms imaginable requested tho "drunk" to make his bed a little further from tho roadside.

We have*been shown some bunches of grapes which have been attacked by the disease at present prevalent among the vines. What its scientific name may be we are not aware, but gardeners call it mildew. It appears at first like a sort of white mould on tbe berries, and if not checked ends by thoroughly withering up the latter. Those berries attacked assume •the appearance of over-dried raisins. Perhaps some of our readers may be able to afford some information of this pest, and the best means of keeping it in check.

In another column appears a letter, commenting on the retail price of meat as compared with the present prices which live stock is fetching. The same idea aecniH to have struck one of our local

butchers (Mr F. Arming), who announces that from the Ist March he will be prepared to supply beef and mutton at a considerable reduction on the prices hitherto ruling. The news will be welcome to many fathers of families, who must find it rather a tight fit to make both ends meet

at present.

A correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes thus of Pigeon Bay:—" This Bay is favoured by Nature in several svays. It is allowed by all to bo healthy and pleasant, and not subject in the same degree to those breezes which blow in more exposed places and on the plain-*. The scenery is fine —I might say grand.—lhe harbor is good, admitting vc._--jh of sonic sizo to th

jetty. Sojourners in the place could find many routes for pleasant walks and charming nooks for picnics. The Bay is well adapted for sea bathing, better, I should think, than most places within easy reach of the city. There is a good bottom and plenty of places sufficiently secluded. Visitors, too, must be quiet, decent folks, requiiing neither publican nor policeman, though I believe the Akaroa Resident Magistrate pays an occasional visit. Such occasions might afford fitting opportunities for the young lawyers at the time rusticating at the place to try their 'prentice hand. I wonder if any of the city people have ever thought of this as a good place for city men to build villas in for summer residences. Arrangements could be made whereby they might be able to go to their offices in the mornings and return to their families in the Bay at night. There are, in abundance, choice sites. Pigeon Bay, as a bathing place and desirable locality for summer residences, is worth thinking of."