Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 524, 22 July 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

The policeman who has been stationed at Otara be:ch since the Tararua wreck has now received order* to return lo Invercargill. It is considered that there is no occasion for his remaining longer.

A Home paper s iys that, starved from their usual haunts by the severity of the weather, rats in enormous numbers, and of unusual size, are now infesting Kincardineshire. A few days ago about 200 entered a cottager's nouse and attacked a child, biting it so severely that medical aid had to be called. Live stock and produce have also suffered severely.

The Southland Times remarks:—The following remonstrance by the Otago Licensed Victuallers' Association against the bottle license is an example either of superlative hypocrisy or of the grimmest humor. It must be the latter, for the supposition of genuine tenderness on the part of such a body towards women, lest they should be sufferers through drink, would be a little too much for the gravity of the public:—'Bottle licenses we consider to be unfair to hotelkeepers, on account of the expense we are compelled to incur to provide for the public. It has been proved that it has done harm from the facilities it offers to female heads of families to get spirits and have the same charged to groceries!'"

The Timaru Herald gives the follow ing curious illustration of the eccentri-" •

cities of tbe law :—A curious case was brought to light in the District Court yesterday. One Stephen Hoskin recently decided to fie, and arranged with his solicitor accordingly. In due time a trustee was appointed in his estate, who proceeded, by virtue of the power vested in him, to realise on the goods and chattels of the bankrupt. It transpired, however, that in the declaration of insolvency his name bad been entered as " Hnskins," and in consequence of this, it was deemed advisable for him to file a second time. This was duly done, and—here begins tlie strangepart of the story—a second trustee w» s elected. Thefiivt trustee had realised, so tl.e other was trustee of—nothing. Being of business habits, this position was not by any means t-uited to his tastes, and he took the law on the other successfully, as our report of the proceedings shows. The strangest part of the story fits in here. \ Who pays ? The first trustee was, apparently, legally elected, why then should he pay the costs ? The second one was un- j doubtedly right in suing the first, why then should he be out of pocket? More seriously, still, why smou'd the estate pay '? The fii'tit trustee could hare divided the money jir-t as- 1 well as the second, and it, i looks v.* though, in this instance, a large piece had been sliced oil tin; nose for no I other Hi.aon iL.n to ;p' *j the face.

Our usual Eeuter's telegrams did not come to hand last night. We have not yet learned the reason. Possibly a landslip has disorganized the submarine cable.

The barbarous sport of cock fighting is said to be growing immensely popular in New South Wales. The Colonies are becoming increasingly civiised, -

A consignment of Australian apples was offered for sale at Manchester on "the 26th April. The highest price obtained was only 10s 6d per case, while the cost of carriage came to 15s a case.

We learn that Mr H. li. Fenton while out driving in a buggy with his son near Balcairn had a capsize. Neither of the gentlemen were severely hurt, but the trap waa smashed to pieces.

At the Parihaka meeting on Sunday last, Hcni Pihama'ts wife, on entering the village, held up on a supplejack £200, as a present for Te Whiti. The prophet, in addressing his people, enjoined them not to interfere with the constabulary pulling down the fences, as hostilities had passed.

The Dunedin papers contain almost daily letters from men complaining that they are unable to obtain employment, and are on the verge of starvation. We sincerely pity their caae, and are of opinion that something more could be done by municipal and other bodies to find them temporary employment than has yet been attempted. At tho came time many are no doubt more loaiers about town, who have never sought work in tho country, and would not take it if it were offered them. Tins mail from Christchurch to Akaroa was not despatched by coach yesterday, as owing t;> the s!:ate of tbe roads the coach could not have got through. The: mails for tho wayside offices as far as Duvauchelle's Bay were sent on horseback, and those for Akaroa were despatched by the Wanaka. This si.e°mer waa to have left Lyttelton at 3 p.m., but owing to head winda she did not arrive from the t.orth till nearly four o'clock, and consequently was not able to make a start till later She had not arrived up to the time of our going to press, but was expected in about midnight.' The ordinary foTtnigbtly meeting of the Borough Council which should have taken place on Wednesday evening lapsed for the want of a quorum, owing doubtless to the bad weather. The Town Clerk adjourned the meeting till this evening, At this meeting a motion will be taken into consideration,' notice of which has been given by Mr—we mean Cr— McGregor, traveling the whole question of the' Public Works policy of tho Government. The above sentence we must confess to be rather foggy, but our readers mu3t attribute it to a rather trying course of " Hansard," What we are trying- to convey is that Cr McGregor's motion deals exhaustively with the vexed question of Balguerie strert, and covers some two or three pages in the notice of motion book.

We clip the following from the Ashburton Mail: —On Saturday Mr Joseph Ivcas held his opening sale ii the large new mart, just erected b) bim in' Burnett street Eas<-. There was a good attendance of the public, and punctually at noon Mr Bullocu got up to introduce Mr Ivess in his new capacity as auctioneer. Mr Bullock said it was a pleasing duty ho had to perform in introducing Mr Ivess, whom he has known for many years as a journalist, and was now introducing as an auctioneer. The fact of his starting in that business was a further evidence of the progress of Ashburton. Three years ago he had introduced Mr Harrison, and subsequently Messrs Matson, Cox and Co., and others. Although Mr Ivess was a rival, he cordially welcomed him, and hoped the public would give him a fair share of theii patronage. Although he did not agree with Mr [vess in everything, from his past transactions he could say that he was an honorable man, and he was confident that any business entrusted to him would be faithfully carried out. Mr Ivess in replying said that this introduction by Mr Bullock was about the highest compliment thntcould be paid to him, especially as he had come to oppose him immediately opposite his own door. It betokened a liberality which was rarely experienced in rivals, and a breadth of view that one seldom expected to find. Mr Bullock uas a noble example of a rival. Although brought up as a journalist, he (Mr Ivess) was now entering upon a new walk of life ; but he had attempted many things and, without being egotistical, he might s-iy that he had never failed. He he'd that with application and the indispensable quality of (self-reliance, a man was capa do of rendering himself lit for any walk in lif>\ But there was a powerful element of failure in the course of all human affairs, and of course he could not say ihat he would always succeed. He thought, however, that after his lato experience in northern towns, Ashburton ooi'lcl boast, of bone and tiinew which would piaec ii in the rank of the first, country town in :7'rvv

Zealand. He hoped to gam the faipporl of the farmer by inducing tlie buyer .seller to be brought into frequent contact, by the moderate charges which V.i had resolved to adopt. Explicit account sale:.-, moderate (.barges, and prompt seitlemeniH would be the barometer ly ivhir-h x-oplo could gauge his capacity for (Applause.) Tbe company then p.dj.-,:.ni..-d to fchoan;uui7 »{ui.:roe rooia, I-.; drink heuiih nod prosperity to .'viV Ivt.w.

On the night of Sunday last heavy rains commenced to fall accompanied by southwesterly wind. From that time up to last night the rainfall has continued with but little intermission. We have no means of measuring the exact amount, but the quantity of water which fell during the period must have been enormous Within the town the parts where the effects of the flood were most noticeable were at the Mail Office corner and Wa3ckc/»le's bridge. The culvert hear the former spot is utterly insufficent' to carry away tho water of the creek which discharges through it in case of a very moderate flood, consequently a large mass of water collected behind the Library,, the Mail Office, and in front of Leprous forge, and made its way across the road, washing away a great deal of the surface of the road. A second culvert, or some other means providingfor the escape of the water at this place-is an absolute necessity. At the other end of the town things were, if anything, worse,, the culverts being too small to carry away the water, it overflowed- to such an extent as to run through Wgeckerlo's Hotel, completely filling his cellar. The road from the corner halfway to Hahn's bridge was covered wilh water, in some places knee deep. The water was running through the Chinamen's garden, inflicting additional losses on them. From different parts of the distriot reports reach us of the damage done by this late rain, owing both to floods aud 3! ins, As the fcg rises innumerable slips may be seen on the hillsides, some of which extend for several chains. On the new German Bay road, which goes through the late Mr St. John's estate, are four slips, one of which has run for about ten chains carrying away with it soma five chains of fence and completely blocking up the road. Further up are three others varying in size which have also carried away about three chains of fence. Tho Road Board are repairing the old German Bay road so as to make it passable for the coach. Between Mr Piper's road and the post office in Duvauchelle's Bay the road is completely blocked up, and the coach had to take to the beach on Wednesday last. The tide being .high the horses had to swim in some places We understand tbat tbe coach got no further than Mr Stewart's, Barry's Bay, when it had to return, owing to the road being blocked up by slips. Mr MeFarlane proceeded to town with the mails on horseback. A gentleman from Pigeon Bay informs us that'there aro a great many slips on that road. We also understand that the Board are losing no time in having the roads cleared.