Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 512, 10 June 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

Mr J. Aylmkr, R.M., sat on Tuesday last to hear and determine any objections which might be made to the Electoral Rol. for tbe County of Akaroa. No objic tions, however, were made, and the Roll was duly signed.

Parliament was opened yesterday. A full report of the Governor's speech will be found elsewhere, there is an evident eiror in ouo portion of tbe report, where His Excellency is made to say that the railways bring in a return of h per cent. Probably it should be 3-1.

Ma Westenra, the secretary to the Sericulture Committee, has received the following telegram, dated Juno 8, from tho Minister of Lands, in reply lo an application for a supply of mulberry trees :—

I will endeavor to meet your wishes and send for the mulberry trees ordered from Sydney. I hope that in the meantime'you are making arrangements for propagating cuttings from the tree in Mr Bouriaud's garden which Mr Federli pointed out as the right kind —W. Eolleston.

A meeting of the Akaroa School Committee was held on Tuesday evening last. There were present —tho Rev. H. Stocker (in tho chair), Messrs Bruce, Kedge, Kisscll, Sims, Westenra, and McGregor. Letters were read (1) From tho Board of Education, authorising fencing and certain repairs to the school ground. (2) From the same, stating that no capitation would be allowed on account of children under five years of age. (?■) Circular r William Fox's prize. (4) From the master, applying for certain school requisites, and for an oven. Three tenders were received for the erection of a new fence, and that of Mr W. Penlington accepted. The Chairman was directed lo write to the Borough Council, asking thetn for a grant of £o towards the cost of certain work in connection with the fence. The question ot the mid-winter holidays was left to the Chairman and master. Great dissatisfaction was ex pressed at the manner in which the cleaning was done, and the Chairman and Mr Westenra were desired to see lo it. The Committee then adjourned..

An accident-occured the other evening in a very simple and unexpected manner to Mr William Tliouias. Tt appears that he and another man were wrestling together for a " lark" in the billiard room of the Criterion when they fell, Thomas being underneath. On getting up he found to his own surprise, and that of every one present, tbat bis right arm was broken just above the elbow. Dr Guthrie set tbe injured limb, which is going on all right.

We have received a letter from Mr G. R. Joblin, of Little River, for which we regret wo havo not space in full. It appears that through some mistake in not posting a letter it became impossible for the deputation appointed at the late railway meeting to intorvicw the Premier prior to his departure for Wellington. Seeing tint: was tbe case, Mr Joblin, to use his own words, " presumed to represent it, a liberty which, under the circumstances, will I trust be deemed excusable." Mr Hall assured Mr Joblin that on reaching Wellingif ho jcould find there were any funds available for the work, it should be proceeded with at once, but in the absence of such funds the work must stand over till Parliament met, when an appropriation for the purpose would be obtained."

Before a certain learned judge a case was being tried, and a small boy w r as tendered as a witness. Some controversy arose as to whether ho understood the nature of an oath. The youngster held on by the front of the witness-box, stood on tiptoe, and gazed around him unabashed by the majesty of the law, taking stock of the learned barristers' wigs. The judge interrogated him as to his religious training. After some preliminary questions, His Honor put a clincher to him. ■'■ My boy, do you know what becomes of little boys who swear to a lie ? " "Or course I do,' unblusbingly replied the Arab ; they make perlioemen of them." •' Swear that boy, Mr Officer," said the judge ; " hi 3 evidence will be reliable. He is gifted with much power of observation and common sense.'' And the boy was sworn accordingly. His Honor was rather rough on the force.

The following piquant story went the rounds of the London Clubs a few years ago. A country member of W- , at a fashionable London club, while lounging in the card room, observed at one of the tables a player flagrantly cheating at cards Horror-stricken at such an occurrence in such a place, he rushed in search of a member of the committee, to disburden his wrath. Ingenuous member breathes with indignation log : —" I say, what would you do if you saw a member ot this club cheating at cards—yes, sir, absolutely cheating at cards ? Committeeman : "Ah —hum, I should, ah—h, back him." The Committee of a certain Jockey Club are evidently of tbe same happy turn of thought judging by their attitude towards one exposedgin a kindred delinquency in a late notorious case. They not only back him, but put him in the chair.

Here is another sweet example ot " Justices' Justice." A northern contemporary says:—" At the local Court on Monday last, Wiliain Blatchford was. put forward in custody of Sergeant Kidd, charged with cruelly ill-treating a horse then under bis care. Mr Guy appoared for the and submitted that his client not being the owner of tho horse was not liable. The Bench took the san c view of the case, and dismissed Blatchford from custody." Should men who cannot understand the Queen's English be allowed to administer the Queen's laws ? The Act which this sapient Bench is sworn to administer reads as follows : — "Any person, ill-treating any animal .

shall be guilty of an offence." Some glib lawyer on a future occasion will probably .'submit" that his client is not liable because he is the owner, and no doubt the Bench will submissively "lake the same view." Verily, besides good laws we need men with a modicum of brains to administer them.