Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 445, 26 October 1880, Page 2

Local and General.

Vigorous efforts aro being put forth by tho contractor for the first section of the Akaroa railway. About 40 men are busily employed at the Lincoln station in platelaying and preparing the ballast for the line, and the contractor hopes to complete tho work at the rate of half-a-inilc per week as soon as the ballasting commences. The present contract does not extend bayond five miles from the Lincoln junction. We trust ths present favorable season wiil not he allowed to pass by without pushing on the line to it 3 extension as far as Little River.

Tilic entertainment in aid of the family of Edward Tolley.caine off at the Barry's Bay schoolroom , last Tuesday. .The weather was extremely unfavorable, and in consequence a considerable number who won!il otherwise have attended were provented from doing so. In spite, however of this drawback a very fair audience assembled. A liberal bill of was provided, consisting of two farces and an interlude, in which some laughable business was introduced by Messrs Rossiter and Gutberlot. In the strictly dramati 0 portion of the entertainment, the parts wore sustained by Messrs E. S. Latter? Wilkins, and Wiggins and Dr Guthrie. Some capital instrumental music was provided by Mr J. M. Wood and his coadjutors, Messrs Daly, Meech, Fenton, and L. Watkins. '1 he Rev Mr Stocker acted as coacli and prompter. Mr Latter deserves especial mention, as the whole burden of the necessary arrangements fell upon him. By an unfortunate acci lent the school clock was ...about forty minutes., slow, and consequently it was about four o'clock before access to the schoolrooirt could,be bad. After this time-n stage had to be erected and everything "fixed up" ready for the performance, a work of no small difficulty. Notwithstanding the unfavorable weather, we are glad to learn that the net proceeds of the entertainment amount to some £17 odd. This sum will be deposited in the bank, and drawn upon as required by the Roy H. Stocker and Mr E. S. Latter. Contributors will therefore have the satisfaction of knowing thnt the funds will be irade the best possiuie use of. In conclusion, one word to Peninsula audiences. If you are amused and gratified by a performance, don't be Afraid to, •' signify the same in the usual way." An old farmer whose wife was in the habit of chastising him, used to say, "It pleases her, and it doesn't hurt me." : So in this matter of applause : it pleases the actors, and it does not hurt the-audience. Verbum sat. ":,■-'■■ '-■■-.

On Sunday .evening at .the .Theatre M. Chalet, < the yantriloquist and lecturer of the Diorama, , appearoiVlastiweek in the character :of a Free Thought Lecturer. His lecture co'ri sisted of " Colonel Bob Ingersoll,s Moses' Mistakea. , " There was a crowded audience downstairs, and tho lecturer was frequently applauded. The orchestra played during - the evening, " Sound tho Loud Timbrel," "The Sweet-By and Bye," and " God Save the Queen."

By advertisement elsewhere it wiil bo seen that the consultation on the Canterbury Cnp got up by Mr T. McDonald, Lyttelton. closes .on Thursday, the 28th inst. Up to, that date tickets may bo obtained of Mr Grange, Bnice's Hotel.

Wk have been requested to call attention to an alteration in the time-table of the U.S.S. Co., as far as this port is concerned. The steamers advertised to leave here on tho 2nd and 4th November for the North and South respectively are struck off. In place of these a steamer will leave Akaroa for Lyltelton on the 9tb,nnd ono will call here oh the 11th, going ,: South. Peninsula residents will thus have a Convenient opportunity of visiting the races f t£nd cattle show in Clirislchurch.

A meeting of those interesietl in gretKng up a regatta was held on Friday evening at Bruce's Hotel. There was a fair attendance, and W. B. TosswiJl, Esq., was voted to the choir. ; A /committee and officers were elected-; Mr Tosswill being appointed Commodore. A; , ?'subscription list was opened 'in the room, and a respectable start was made. Lists have since been distributed among" tlie different places of business in the town, and otiiers have been sent away, We hope that now the affair has been fairlystarted; it will not be allowed to languish for want of sufficient support.. . -,-. ; . We have to chronicle the death of another old resident of Akaroa. Early on Sunday morning Mrs Aylmer, wife of the Rev W. Aylmer, passed away. The deceased lady had attained a ripe old ago and had been resident in Akaroa for nearly thirty years past. Her husband, as of course all our readers are aware, was the resident clergyman of the' English Church ..congregation here from 1851 to 1873. Mrs Aylmer leaves several sons, daughters and gramUchildien. Her end was not unexpected, as ehe had been in failing health for some time past. The funeral will take place to-moriow, leaving the Rev W. Aylmer's residence at 3 o'clock.

Wk have to thank the publishers, Messrs Mackay, Bracken and Co., Dunedin, for a copy of "Paddy Murphy's Budget." The volume in question is a collection of what the author calls " Pomrs, Tiligrams, an Ipisfols." Tho articles in question appeared first in the Saturday Advertiser, for which journal Mr Murphy nets as the Wellington correspondent. " Paddy " v brimful of rollicking Irish fun, and it is impossible for any one to read his effusions without being , moved to laughter. But beneath this exuberance of humor is to bo dis covered a vein of shrewd sense and keen satire. Aβ-the editor says in his preface. "' We offen find sound senso in seeming nonsense, as the grain is hid in tho chaff.'" One more statement of his editor we can also heartily endorse:— "The total absence of'anything approaching to bilk'incss is a marked characteristic of. the writings of Mr Murphy, and those who have received the hardest blows from his shillelagh have often been the first, to enjoy a laugh against themselves." Altogether we can heartily recommend "Paddy Murphy'a Budget" to nil who enjoy genuine humor. Mr 11. Billons has been appointed local agent for the sale of the work, and copies may be obtained at his establishment. .

The following letter addressed to Mr J. D. Garwood by Mr Montgomery, M.H.R., has been placed at our disposal:—" I have your letter and note what you say about the charge for telegrams. I always held that the extra charge on telegrams from small stations was unsound in principle, but our Postmaster-General thinks otherwise, and he has the power for the present. I have been waiting to see how the new arrangments would work, and whether all stations which did not pay expenses would be served alike. I shall now make a representation, with what success time will show, —I am, etc. W. Montgomery."

It would be well for our local stockowners to acquaint with the provisions of '' The Brands and Branding i Act," passed last session. Hitherto the registration ;of cattle brands has not been necessary in Canterbury. By the new Act it is provided that every stockowner must register his brand. In the case of brands already registered the registration will hold good for five years, at the expiration of which time they must be registered afresh. Similar brands are not to be registered ; the registrar may require any brand to be altered. No one may use another person's brand, and registered brands are to be prima facie evidence of ownership. Heavy penalties are prescribed for.all breaches of the Act, which, comes into force on the Ist of January next. " The Canterbury Sheep Ordinance, 1872," or so much of it as has survived previous destruction, is repealed.