Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 488, 22 March 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

The siliing of the Assessment Court for Pigeon Buy was lield mi the School-house, on Sam.day last, before J. Ayliner, Esq., R.M., Judge. Mr A. I. McGregor, (he valuer for the disiiict, appeared in support of the Roll. T. 0. Hay, Esq.. the Chairman of the Board, was also present. The only objector present wa3 the Rev. P. G'ssic-V, who had the rent of his cottage reduced from £10 to £8. On the request of Mr Thomas Mclnlosh, 600 acres Wild Cattle Hill vveie transferred from Holme's Trustees, as occupiers, to the name of the applicant. At the request of the valuer, John Marshall's name was inserted as occupier of: seu-ion 515 instead of the Misses Marshall. William Henderson having changed his residence since the preparation of the Roll, the necessary aHera.ion was made, and ilie Judge signed the Roll and aojootoed the Court.

A meeting of the committee of the Farmers' Club was held on Saturday last at the Head of the Bay. Owing to the absence of several members but little business was done. A teleg.am was read stating that the New Zealand Shipping Company intended to fit out a compartment in the Oraji for the transport of produce f-om the Peninaula. We observe that this vessel arrived in Lytlellon on Sunday evening, and is expected to have quick despatch. Intending shippers should therefore lose no time in making their preparations.

We (Morning Herald) are informed that while Dr Richardson was on a visit to Canterbury last week lie met Dγ Watkins at Akaroa, and the latter gentleman incidentally refened to tlie following paragraph, which appeared in the Morning Herald of the 7th nit. -.—"There are no fewer than 355 doctors registered in the Colony, and of these 32 reside in Dunedin Drs Fisher, of Kaipara. and Tivy, of Christehurch, have the honor of holding the oldest diplomas, theirs bearing date 1827, and the nest in seniority is Dr Richardson, of Dunedin, his registered date being 1820." It appears that Dr Watkius is the oldest medical practitioner in the Colony. He is 87 years of age, and he showed his diploma, bearing the registered date 1810, to Dr Richardson.

Tub races under the auspices of the the Port Victoria Racing (Jlub come off on March 17, at tin Head of the Bay, LyLtelton. The meeting proved in every respect a thorough success. There were nine events on the programme and all were well contested. The following are the winners. We regret that we have not space for a more detailed account. County Hurdles, W. Minefield's Parnell ; Open do, Sheenan's ..Shark; Maiden Plate, D. Gebbies' Kaeper II; County Handicap, J. Brown's Mountain Maid ; District Handicap, H. B. Malison's Blue Gum ; Port Victoria Cup, Sheenan's Shark; Publican's Purse, H. B, Manson's Blue Gum ; Welcome Stabes, Judge's Albany Colt-. A protest was entertd by Mr Sheenan in the County Hurdles against P&rnell, on the grounds that the horse was entered in a wrong name, and did not belong to the district. Another protest was lodged by Mr Bradley, in the District Handicap against Blue Gum for crossing him. Neither had been decided at the latest advices we have.

The Assessment Court holds a sitting at Port Levy to-morrow, and at Kaituna, for the Little Kiver district, on Friday next. These sittings will complete the examination of the Valuation Rolls for the Peninsula. We are pleased to learn that Douglas Wynn Williams, the eldest son of Mr Wynn Williams, of Clnistcliurch, has passed a successful examination for admission at Exeter College, Oxford. It appears that the number of applicants for admission this term was very large— nearly 100 colleges, and always well filed, only a very small proportion could possibly be received. On those who passed, therefore, the examination conferred no slight honor. A meeting of the Akaroa School Committee was held last evening, at the Schoolroom, the Rev. W. Stocker presiding. No application for the post of schoolmistress having been received, it was resolved to advertise again. Mr B. J. Lee was nominate J to fill the vacancy at the Board of Education. The pump in the school ground being out of order, Mr Bruce was requested to examine it. The Chairman was directed to write to Mr O'Callaghan respecting the damage done by his cow to the school property. The following resolution was possed :—" This Committee, while accepting Mias Thomas's resignation, regrets the loss of her services,' and the committee adjourned.