The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 12.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 380, 12 March 1880, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MARCH 12.

We learn that it is in contemplation to call a meeting of the electors of the Le Bon's Bay Hiding in order to request Mr Dalglish, the member o£ the County Council for that district, to explain his action in the matter of the allocation of \Ue Conniy fund i<, with which some of his constituents ci press themselves dissatisfied. We find that some worthy settler lias already commenced to carry out the tin eat with regard to I.lm summary treatment of dogs that may be found trespassing or committing other malpractices, as advertised in our last issue. Two miserable wretches on Wednesday last fell victims to their evil propensities of trespassing and ill-treatment of the ba tribe, and are to be found lying side by side, like unto the manner of Tobias and Bianeas, in a paddock opposite our worthy friend. A. Kodrigues' caberet. Mr 15. T. Missen, clerk to the ft.M. Court Akaron, has been appointed Registrar, under the " Registration of Electors Act, 1879," for the electoral district of Akaroa. Forma of claims to he placed on ilio roll and oilier information may be obtained from that gentleman. In our hist issue we stated that in the second race between the Avalanche and t,1..! I. , ream, tho form-.-r had gsimcd the victory wilii ?> miuiues 10 spare. We were, howi-vcr, in eiror as to the time, a:i the Avalanche had really m:ly v:> s--ocs. to fipaix 1 . We. are inf.'nncd lhat another conies* lic'"'f"ii tho two boats is on the toi>'ii> fi-r an early (h'.U-.

We have been shewn a rarity in the shape of an Octopus or Devil fish, which was caught by Mr Wright, in company with a Mr Rogers, a surveyor, from Christchurch, on Wednesday night last in the harbour. Seeing how seldom this species of fish is met with, the few following remarks might be interesting to our readers : The body of the octopus is of the shape of a very largo swollen pear. It also reminds one of the body of a fat spider. The arms or " cephalic processes " in the octopus are, as the names implies, eight in number. The arms -are covered with suckers, which are sessile in this species of Cejrfialopod, and consist of expanded circular discs formed by a duplicature of the intergument including radiating and circular muscular fibres. The inner surface of the disc is marked by lines which converge to the margin of the central cavity ; the bottom of this cavity is occupied by a muscular substance which can be protruded and retracted like the piston of a syringe. When the animal applies the sucker to any object to which it is to attach itself, the piston is raised, and the cavity obliterated ; it is then withdrawn and a vacuum is produced, whiclvjcan be further increased by a retraction of the central part of the disc itself, when the adhesion produced by the surrounding atmospheric pressure is so great, that in the living [ ainimal the arm may bo torn off before the ! suckers will yield. This is certainly a marvellous piece of mechanism, well worthy of study, and even imitation by engineers. In the present case, the octopus has lost four of his long arms or suckers, most probably through unholy war waged with some other monster of the deep. Mr Wright has kindly given permission, for any who may feel interested in the matter, to inspect the fish in his garden at any hour of Friday, as after that it will be expedient to remove ! it. ' " '

The adjourned meeting of the Assessment Court for the Borough of Akaroa was held in the Council Chambers on Thursday, March 10. Mr R. M. Barry appeared as valuer. The following objections were brought forward : —Mr Adams objected to his name being placed on the roll as occupier of the Criterion Hotel, as, although licensee, still by agreement with Mr Beecher, he was only acting as his agent. The judge decided to allow the required alteration. Mr Roberts appeared as agent for Mr Fred. Lyons, and objected to his (Mr Roberts') name being placed on the roll, as the section for which he was rated was leased to Mr Henry Tosswill. Mr Tosswill consenting, the Judge decided that his name should be plaoed on the roll as occupier. Mr Roberts further objected to the amount the property was valued at, which had been rated at £10. It was reducod to £2. Mr Henning, as occupier of house, &c, Lavaud street, belonging to Mr J. F. Roberts, objected to the amount of rates, which was reduced from £50 to £36. Mr Beecher objected to the rate levied on his sections of part 39, but the valuation was sustained. Mr Arming's objection was presented to the Town Clerk too.late of its being entertained.

A somewhat serious accident happened to a young man of the name of M'Uennott, at Barry's Bay, on Wednesday last. It appears he had been engaged for the grass seed harvest by Mr Brooks the day previous, and had just done his first half day's work. He was coming into Akaroa for his swag in the afternoon, and took the Barry's Bay Saty-mill logging track as the shortest cut. The old saying, however, '' the longest way round is the shortest way home," proved unfortunately to be in this case only too true. The track was a very narrow one, with high banks on either side. A very heavy black pine log was being brought down it by Messrs M'Lucas •md M'Kay's bullocks. M'Dennott saw thejn coming behind him, but could not get out of their way quick enough, and in his confusion he tripped, and the logpassed over him, severely bruising him, and it is feared breaking some bones, but ■the exact amount of injury has not yet been ascertained. Ho was taken to the Hospital yesterday. Cupper, tiie yoiiug lad who was kg severely kicked, is doing well, far beiter in Joed than could have been

expected

Tuesday last marked an important event in the history of Akaroa, being no lens than the opening of tho new Courthouse. Our citizens had for upwards of 30 years been contented with the wretched little shanty adjoining the post and telegraph office for the conducting of their magisterial affairs, but lately, with the aspiring ambition of the rising generation, and the increase of both criminal and civil matters, deemed necessary to be referred to the Supremo powers a want was felt for a larger and more suitable build-

ing. The new Court-house has been erected by the contractor, Mr Win. Penlington, according to the design of the Government Architect. The outside of the building presents a very creditable appearance, but tiie whole of the inside arrangements are without doubt bad, in fact could hardly be worse. The Court itself is a large room far more adapted for a Wesieyan Chapel than for a Court; it inoii.iurcri 4ift by 22ft, and is in height lliil. Wo fiir a;j ventilation is concerned, nothing better could be desired, but {he

very size and emptiness render its acoustic properties moat defective. The great dis-

lanvc I'iorn the Bur to the Bench is out of

all reason, while the table placed at the disposal of the legal fraternity, the Clerk of the Court,'and the Press is larger than the one to be found in the Supreme Court in Christchurch, and amply big enough to accommodate the whole legal staff of that city. The position of the witness-box is, for some ieasons, recotrirnendable, inasmuch as persons placed in it are entirely prevented from holding conversation with anyone, either at the table already referred to or in the body of the building, but, on the other hand, it is on a par with everything else in the buflding, placed at much too great a'distance from the Bench, rendering a painful stress on the vocal powers necessary, both to the Bench and the witness. Another evil is the great disadvantage the Clerk is placed under through having no other seat than one under the Bench at the general table, causing great inconvenience in holding any conversation with the Bench—a course which is always necessary. The last point to which we shall call attention is the want of an entrance for prisoners. Under the present arrangement they have no other provided for them than the one placed open to the public, nor is there any place for them to remain whilst waiting their turn. This could easily be remedied by an opening being made on the north side of the building opposite to the fireplace on the south, and a porch erected there for that purpose. Besides the Court itself, there are two small offices—one for the Resident Magistrate, and the other for the Clerk, both being just as much too small for their purpose as the Court is too large, and no entrance is made for the Clerk to his place in the Court than by either passing through the Resident Magistrate's room, or hrough the public body of the hall, neither of which are comme il faut. The Court is well supplied with light, there being two large windows to the back of. the Bench, and three of the same size to the front, which enjoys a north-westerly aspect. The cheese-paring propensities of the present Government are amply testified to in the state in which the yard surrounding the building has v been left, being crowded with docks, weeds, and rubbish of every description, whereas a small expenditure of money would have caused it to present a decent appearance. The total cost of the building is estimated at between £700 and £800, or, with the fixings included, something over £900. The work occupied the contractor some six months in its erection. Mention is due to Mr Hughes, contractor for the interior fittings, for the very creditable manner in which he has executed his task.

The Assessment Court for the Akaroa and Wainui Bond District was held at the offices of the Board, Duvauchelle's Bay, on Wednesday last, before J. Aylmer, Esq, R. M., Judge. Mr A.I. M'Gregor, the valuer, appeared in support of the valuations. There were very few objections to the roll. Mr George Armstrong objected on the ground that he had not received notice of the amount of the valuation of his property. The Court held that under the 12lh section of ''The Rating Act, 1876," this was not absolutely necessary. The Judge remarked that his attention had been drawn to the fact that; the roll had been deposited for inspection in two different places in the district; he did not think this would amount to an infringement of the Act, but it would be more for the public convenience if the rolls were open for inspection at the office of the Board only. Mr H. Piper appeared to have his name inserted as owner and occupier of certain property in Duvauchelle's Bay. The necessary correction was made. Messrs Snow and Anson objected to amount of acreage they were rated for, belonging to the Peraki run, in the Akaroa and Wainui Road District. The objection was held over until the sitting of the Court at .Kai tun a in connection with the Little River roll. Mr Mark Wright, on behalf of Mrs Wright, Island Bay, objected to the valuation of 438 acres in Mat's Bay and Pig Range at £105. After hearing the valuer in support of the amount, the Court unstained the valuation. This finished the business of the sitting, and the Judge, after signing the rolls, closed the Court.