The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 30.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 385, 30 March 1880, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 30.

From the Lyttelton Times we learn that up to Friday evening, 59,999 hags of grain bad been carried on the Chrietchurch section and branches. On Thursday evening last, exclusive of those carried, there was collected at the various stations 31,215 bage.

Aβ will be seen by our advertising columns, a meeting is called for Saturday, April 3rd next, at Mr Olphert's Foreyth Anns Hotel, Little Kiver, in order to arrange a programme, &c. for races te be held in that district on the 24th May. A fall attendance of all concerned is requested.

An incontestable proof of the hardness of the times, and the number looking for employment, was given on Thursday last by the extraordinary number of tenders sent to the Akaroa and Wainui Boad Board for a small contract to be let, for clearing slips and repairing the Waikirakikari road from Daly's saddle to Nutter's line, there being no fewer than seventeen.' in number; whilst from the similarity at the prices, it could be clearly seen that tbes' very closest sailing had been made to arrive at a remunerative figure. Messrs Kedge and Wright were the successful tenderers.

Caph M'Kersio, of the s.s. Stella, speaks highly of the assistance given ~to his officers and crew on the stormy passage from Wellington by the Wellington Naval Brigade. He says that the men behaved excellently, taking watch and watch in keeping the deck (generally over the lee rail) like professional seamen. There are many who will join with him in the hope that the " sick transit" will not have any ill effect on the " glory o' Monday " when the Brigade performs its evolutions at the review.

The tenth anniversary of the Le Bon's Bay Congregational Church was celebrated by a tea meeting in that district on Friday last, the 26th inst. Notwithstanding the unfavorable state of the weather, there was a sufficiently large gathering to cause the tea tables to be relayed no less than three times, being in every case well Bupplied, or, as our local bonifaces would term it, loaded to repletion. They were presided over by the ladies of the congregation. After the great tea business was concluded, a public meeting was held, at which a full audience was present; in fact, we might say the building was incompent to hold the number. The finan cial statement pressnted showed a credit balance of nearly £10, irrespective of the sum of £16 promised, towards defra} r ing the cost of enlarging the church. Several addresses were read, and during the evening numerous selections from Moody and Sankey'e Hymns were rendered.

From our contemporary the Lyttelton Times we learn that the presence of the large number of visiting , volunteers on Sunday-evening laet was by no means con-ducive-to that quiet order which is supposed to prevail on Sabbath evenim-e. It must, however, be stated that the largo amount of rowdiness which yras apparent was attributable only to a comparatively email section, wearing a r.aval uniform. These, by their unruly behaviour, attracted I

crowds, consisting mainly of the larrikin type, and now and then there were scenes in the streets which, ,at such a time, were most disgraceful. A member of one of the numerous parties patrolling the principal thoroughfares, had donned feminine apparel, and with him and his companions the simulation of drunkenness seemed to be the height of enjoyment. There were, ns usual, one or two street preachers in Cathedral square, but the visitors would not tolerate sermons, notwithstanding that that they were not compulsory auditors, and the police had to request the preachers to retire, so that a disturbance might be avoided. Marks' fruit shop was another centre of' attraction, and at one time a crowd of about 1000 people had collected. 'Later on it w«s rumored that the shop had been wrecked, btit this was incorrect, only a4ew being made. . At one period of the evening some of the volunteers; were under arms, a serious disturbance apparently being feared, but the order was speedily obuntermanded. The police, wisely, exercised the greatest forbearance.