Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 437, 28 September 1880, Page 2

Local and General.

We have been requested by the Secretary of the Industrial and Horticultural Exhibition to mention the receipt of £5 5s from Mr W. Montgomery. It is to be hoped that this liberality will meet with numerous imitators.

The Annual meeting of the Subscribers to the Little River Public Library was held in the Library on Monday evening the 20th instant. The attendance was small. Mr Jameo Reynolds was voted to the chair. The Chairman stated tbat the meeting had been called to receive the annual report and statement of r&eofcunts and to elect a new Committee. The Secretary read the annual report and the statement of accounts was laid before the meeting shewing a credit balanco of £0 18s 2d. It was proposed by Mr W. Smart seconded by Mr D. Grant and carried unanimously " That the report as

read together with the statement of accounts be adopted." The following gentlemen were elected to serve on the Committee for the ensneing year, viz: Messrs Smart, Grant, James Reynolds, Broderiek, Archer, Olpherr. and Holt. A Vote of thanks terminated the meeting after which a meeting of the new elected Committee was held. All present except Mr Olphert. The following resolutions were passed, viz: " That Mr James Reynolds be Chairman." "That Mr D. Grant be Treasurer." "That Mr T. Holt be Secretary. " That this meeting be adjourned to Saturday evening the 25th instant at 8 o'clock."

The following is the latest story by " iEgles" :—Those who live in the country, and some who live in towns, know that the instructions to boundary-riders, more especially in the lambing season include an injunction to poison (that is, make bait of) every dead animal the}' came from a bullock to a bandicoot. On the Lachlan, when the native dogs were more than usually destructive, the boundaryrider was sent out in search of the station cook, two days missing, and last seen at a shanty, celebrated for the power of its strong waters. Very soon Sam rode back to the overseer and informed him that he had found old Callaghan, stretched in one of the bends of the creek. "Good heavens!\ said the alarmed overseer, "is he dead ?" "No fear," said Sam, "or else I'd have stopped to poison him."

Sixty-five Native prisoners were arraigned at the District Court, New Plymouth on the 23rd inst., on a charge of wilfully obstructing the free passage of a thoroughfare at Pungarehu on Sept 4. Mr Standish, Crown Prosecutor, with Mr Samuel, appeared for the crown, and Messrs Halee and Roy for the prisoners. The jury brought in a verdict of guilty. His Honor sentenced the prisoners to two years' imprisonment in the Lyttelton Gaol, and to find security in the amount of dloQ each to keep the peace six months after the expiration of the sentence. He also told the interpreter to tell the prisoners that the length of their sentence depended upon how the Natives they left behind behaved themselvas. By a later telegram ■we learn that Mr Halse, counsel for the Maori prisoners, will appeal to the Supreme Court on the four points raised at the trial viz—l. That the indictment was bad, from uncertainty of the description of the locality. 2. That the West Coast Settlement Act, 1880, is ultra vires. 3. That no plan of highway, an notified by the Governor under the Act. was deposited in the Survey Office. 4. That the pistrict Court bad no jurisdiction to try an offence where *■ punishment may be a life one.

A number o£ well known gentlemen in Christchurch have formed the idea of making a cheap and most enjo}'ahle trip to the Melbourne Exhibition at Christmas. They intend chartering a steamer to tako them to Melbourne, on board of which they will live whilst there. 'I he return fare, including board and lodging on tbe steamer at Melbourne, will be about £10 or £12. About 50 gentlemen have already signified their intention of going.