Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 519, 5 July 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

There were clean sheets at the E. M" Court here last Friday, both on the civil and criminal sides of the Court. Yesterday was the 105ih anniversary of the declaration of American Independence, and the telegraph strangely brings us news of the attempted assassination of the President.

At the concert in the Oddfellows' Hall the other evening the 1.0. G.T. Lodge was benefited by the receipts at the door to the extent of £10.

The man George Gustave Schmidt who was arrested and brought up here last Tuesday for stealing the gun and cartridges from the Kiccarton Hotel, has been committed for trial at the present session of the Supreme Court.

An accident happened to Mr C. Tapley working with Mr G. Breitmeyer, on last Wednesday he was taking the bone out of a piece of meat when the knife slipped and ran into histbigh,. inflicting a nasty wound, he was at onco attended to by Dr Guthrie, and he is now progressing as well as can be expected, but it is feared he will not get out of the house for some time to come.

We are sorry to have to record a very serious accident to a son of Mr J. Harley, Challis gully, yesterday afternoon. At the bottom of German Bay Hill the little fellow attempted to jump up on the shafts of an empty cart, driven by his uncle, Mr S. Curry, of Duvauchelle's Bay. In attempting to do this he unfortunately slipped his hold and he fell under the wheel of tha cart, which passed over his thigh inflicting very serio'is injuries. He was at once seen by Dr Gutbrie who ordered his removal to the hospital, where he novsr lies.

From an advertiseniet in this issue it will be noticed that Mr Garwood calls a public meeting for Thursday evening of all those who are interested in the extermination of small birds and especially sparrows. Mr Garwood has been to some trouble to correspond with the Tai Tapu and Kaiapoi Sparrow Clubs on the subject, and will have interesting details to give of the working of such Clubs, and the exhibiting of cold poison to these pests of the farmer and gardener in its most attractive form. To enable us to form an idea of the large amount of damage done to roads by straying cattle, we learn that one day last week a gentleman was on his way from Head of the Bay to Robinson's Bay and on the road between the County Council offices and, the Robinson's Bay tramway ho counted over a hundred head of cattle. Another gentleman informs us that one evening recently on the road between the German Bay school house and the school on the Long Bay ruad he counted 82 head. Both gentlemen were at some trouble to accurately ascertain the numbers as they both take an interest in Road Board matters. How the ratepayers who turn those animals out can be so suicidal, itis hard to say. They h ye an empty ex< hequer and are doing their best to ruin the roads. Itistobe hoped that the proposed system of contractors impounding will meet the difficulty. At any mtu prompt and decisive measures should be takun in the matter.

We have to acknowledge receipt of the following Bil s from the Government Printer, viz., Education Reserves Act 1877 Amendment, a short Bill of 5 sees, giving power to the Governor on tho application of any School Commissioners of any Education District to open for sale reserves set apart for primary educationThe proceeds of the sale after being sold by the Waste Land Board, in whose district such reserves are situated shall after the incidental expenses are deducted be handed to the School Commissioners to be invested in Government securities, or expended on the erection of schools and school houses with the approval of the Governor. Under the act of 1877 the School Commissioners had power only to lease reserves for 21 years. A Bill to provide for the formation of the New Zealand Institute of- Surveyors, consists of 13 sections and has been read a second time. Thej Act has for its object the legalising of another close profession in the Colony, members of which can only qualify under examinations prescribed by bye-laws, and none but members can recover fees. Judging by the remarks made by the Minister for Lands on the second reading of the Bill, it does not meet with much favor from the Government. The New Zealand Medical Association Bill is another shop Bill of tho same class, and gives power to the General Council to frame bye-laws and appoint a Board by whom all diplomas for registra tion shall be approved before being registered. The Gaming and Lotteries Bill is evidently a useful and practical Bill, and has provisions for putting down gaminghouses and betting-houses with a high hand. Lotteries and sweepstakes are also punishable under heavy penalties. Permission to engage in art unions must be under the hand of the Colonial Secretary, and are defined as associations for the purchase of paintings, drawings, or sculpture, to be afterwards distributed by chance. Any racing club on application to the Colonial Secretary may use Totalisator. The corrupt practices at election of members of House of Representatives Act has for its object the prevention of bribery, treating, undue influence, giving of refreshments and cockades, members of election committees who assemble at public houses are liable to a penalty, Voters may still be legally conveyed to the polling-booth. The Regulation of Elections Act is also to htmd as originally printed, but has I received such treatment in Committee that when it emerges from that ordeal, its parents will fail to recognise it, any biief summary of it is therefore at present useless.

Like the great case of Jarudyce, Bell's road has been moved on another stage. After over three years of bargaining and negotiating, Mr Inman, it transpired at the Eoad Board meeting on Saturday, will give a title to it if the Board closes the lower part of thj Le Bon's Bay road. The Clerk of the Board was directed to get this in writing, evidently oblivious of the fact that the closing of all roads rests with the ratepayers.

The fact that the waters of Lake Foreyth are now threatening the road formation along the lake was referred to in a conversational way at the County Council meeting on Saturday, and also the fact that the whole of what is known as Birdling's flat was being ploughed up by the traffic. This is much to be regretted, as in the event of the Eailway being completed the traffic must be large. The Little River Eoad Board would do well to see to the matter at once.

The no confidence debate was continued in the Victorian Legislative Assemble)' to a late hour on Thursday night. The following evening a division took place, resulting in an equal number of votes ior and against the motion. The Speaker, the Hon Peter Lalor, gave his casting vote in favor of Government, and the motion was consequently negatived, and thus tne Government was saved by the casting vote of the Speaker. By a curious irony oil fate the gentleman who occupied the chair of the Victorian House of Assembly was one of the ringleaders of the famous Ballarat riots in Dec. 1854. At the fight on the stockade the Speaker lost one of his arms, and a price was set on his head by the Government of the day to find him dead or alive.

On Thursday evening a largely attended meeting of ratepayers of the Okain's Bay District was held in Little Akaloa. Mr Hunter occupied the chair, and Mr J. B. Barker, the member for the Riding in the County Council, gave his reasons to the meeting for his proposition for taking over the main roads of the County. Mr Barker objected to.the Local Government Bill of last session as giving too large rating powers. He expressed himself as strongly in favor of taking over the roads in question. On the motion of Mr Shuttleworth seconded by Mr Waghorn, the meeting was adjourned for a month to enable the ratepayers to see the Local Government Bills to be introduced by Sir George Grey and the Government. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings.