The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 14.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 394, 14 May 1880, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 14.

In consequence of the , length of our report of Mr Montgomery's ineeti/ig, we have been' compelled to hold otser our leader and-other local items. We beg to inform aur readers that the {".Ijourned annual meeting of the members of the Akaraa Institute will be held in thn Library, on Monday evoning, the 17th hist, when it is hoped that a good TMiinber may svttend.

At the hist meelincc of thn Borough Council, it was suggested by one of the Council loru that for the future cheques should be signed at the conclusion of enck meeting for all accounts pnssod for rnyment. We regret to find that the proposal did not find favor with the Mayor and the rest of the Councillors, all we can say is we think the plan proposed would be a most decided improvement upon the one at present adopted. We fail to see why it could not be carried out As to the obstacle brought forward by his Worship the Mayor in the shape of occasional absence at a meeting of one or more of the Councillors authorised to sis/,n the cheijiree, 'this c'ob'ld Very.- easily be overcome* All- that would-"lief necessary would be for tti« absentee or absentees to make it hie or theii business to call round nt the Council Chambers the uo"t .morning and fulfil the duties which would otherwise have been done the previous night. We by no means approve of the Cioik being compelled to run hero and

there nil over the town with the cheque book in his pocket hunting up the various Councillors whomt signature is necessary to render tjlae cheques negotiable We consider the system radically wrong and are of opinion that the sooner both the Borough Council and the Akaroa and Wsinui Road Board follow tin? example set them by the County Couucil and most other public bodies, the better.

On Tuesday evening, the 11th met., the children of the Presbyterian school assembled at their church with their teachers aud other friends for the purpose of being examined in their ruligioun knowledge. A sumptous repast provided by the liberality of Mrs Brown, Sen., and superintended by that lady throughout, preceded tlte more serious work for which they met together The examination was conducted in a very interesting and kindly manner by the Rev. J. liitotfh, who in his address expressed the regret that all prenent must feel at the abHencf, through illness, of their respected pastor, the Rev. W. Douglas. He als® expressed hie approbation of the prizes being given, not only for knowledge gained, but for skill in reading the Bible aloud, and for regular attendance and good conduct. The answering of the children gave very j;reat satisfaction, and it was not always an easy matter to tell which child knew most, but in each case the trial was continued till superiority was clearly apparent to all the listeners. The prizes which consisted of a number of suitable books provided by the Rev. W. Douglas were then distributed by the Rev Mr J. Mclntosh in accordance with the following list:—Catechism, 3rd class, Elizabeth Fyfe ; second class, Jane Bruce ; Ist class, Elizabeth Munro. Scripture History, -3rd class, William Ye wen 1, Gilbert Dalglish 2 ; 2nd class, Jane Bruce 1, Martha Wight 2 ; Ist class, Lydia Wight 1, Elizabeth Munro 2. Reading the Scriptures aloud, Gilbert Dalglish. Regular attendance, good conduct, &c, Emma King, and several minor prizes. T(je young minds were then unbent by a further distribution of the good things that Mrs Brown had furnished, such as gifts from a tree, and by the display* of a variety of magic lantern views kindly exhibited by Mr R. Noonan. The gathering, which had been all through a very cheerful and interesting one, then came to an end, all who had taken part in it feeling very grateful to Mrs Brown for the tea, &c----to the Rev. W. Mclntosh for the very kindly interest he displayed in the proceedings ; to the Rev. W. Douglas for the prizes, and to Mr R. Noonan for the magic lantern display. A feature of the entertainment not to be omitted was the singing of several hymns by the children with considerable taste, Miss Catherine Dalglish accompanying , on the harmonium.

The Lynch Family of Bellringers concluded a short, but highly successful, season at the Oddfellows' Hall, Akaroa, on Wednesday evening. We have already noticed the performances of those artists, and therefore need say no more than that the troupe on the second and third evening of their stay fully maintained the favorable impression which they made on their first appearaiiue. We are gratified to learn that the trip has been a successful one in a pecuniary sense both for the sake of the Messrs Lynch and for that of the place o Akaroft hasj been getting rather a bad name among those who cater for the amusement of the public, and it is as well that it should be apparent that we are able and willing to support anything good ■that comes this way, or we should probably never have the opportunity of witnessing anything of the kind. We are requested, on behalf of the troupe, who have just left us, to express their thanks to the public of Akaroa for the liberal patronage bestowed upon them, and also the kindness which has been shown them personally. On our part we can assure the Messrs Lynch and their associates that they carry with them the best wishes of all with whom they have been brought into contact.