Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 527, 2 August 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

The Order Paparin the House of Representatives now contains 44 notices of motion, 53 Bills in various stages, and 3 suspended debates. 260 petitions have so far been presented, and 112 papers laid on the table.

The Melbourne Bulletin has the follow ing item of intelligence. We don't understand it, but suppose there is a joke lurking somewhere preceptible only to the initiated :—By kind permission of Mr JasCassius Williamson, Kowalski will shortly perform, on sixty-four pianos, the delightful morceau " Pop goes the Weasel."

Wβ are informed that owing to the indifferent state of the roads, it has been deemed advisable to hold the concert in aid of the prize fund of the German Bay Side school in the Oddfellows' Hall, Akaroa. The entertainment, it will be seen from our advertising columns, will be held on Friday evening, August 12. As the programme is unusually strong, and the object a worthy one, it is to be hoped that tho entertainment will be well patronised.

A Mb Bobottom announces elsewhere that he is prepared to excou'e orders in the various branches of the photographers' art. It i 3 a long , time since we have had a visit from a "shadow catcher" in Akaroa, and Mr R. ought to do a good business. We have seen several specimens of his handiwork, and they are excellent. Mr liobottoia has taken the House formerly occupied by Mr Justin Ayltner, opposite Vangioni's store, whera all particulars can be obtained.

Mo KB than one case of sheep worrying by vagrant dogs has taken place lately in tho neighborhood of Akaroa. During last week Mr Lolievre's sons found nine sheep which had thus como to an untimely end The dogs which had committed the depredation appeared to be experienced hands, and in each case had made straight for the throats of their victims. Owners of dogs fond of this kind of amusement would perhaps do as well to keep them at home The provisions of the l>og Registration Act are very summary, and among other things it is enacted that an occupier of land, or his servant, may destroy any dog running at largo among sheep or cattle. It is not necessary that the dog should be caught in the act of hunting them.

A marriage was coiebrated at noon on Wednesday in St Luke's Church, Oamaru, between the daughter of Dr Wait and Mr B. P. Burbury, of the N.Z.L. and M.A. Go. According to the report in the Mail, the church was densely crowded. The Roy. the Incumbent was assisted by the Rev. R. L. Stanford. Mr Finch played the " Wedding March," and the choir sang the wedding hymns and psalms. The bride was dressed in white- eilk, with a white tullo veil trimmed with orange blossoms. The bridesmaids were Miss Keid« Miss Rich, Miss Gifford, and Miss M'Auley. their dresses were of white llama, blue brocade, and caps to match, and each wore a silver bracelet, the gift of the bridegroom. The- mercantile buildings in Harbor street were gay with bunting , , as were Borne of the vessels in port. The bridegroom is a brother of Mrs Cotton, of this town.

A correspondent of the Lyttelton Times writes i—The damage to the Little River and Akaroa Railway line from tho rising of Lake Ellesmere ia very serious. The parts not stone-faced are washed very much, and where the stone pitching has been done the ballast has gone as far as the centre from the lower side, and the spray goes all over the line, so If the present wind continue south for the night there will be little or no ballast left, and the formation along the unprotected parts will be gone through, The permanent (?) way contractor has been in town I understand during tho past week negotiating with the authorities to let out the lake but between tho time it takes to consider the matter and go through all the formalities of red tape, &c, tho work, which has cost many thousands, is being washed into the sea, which if taken in time, £15C would save. Economy with a vengeance. Tho ballasting engine and sixtj men idle

The Waipa arrived at Lyttelton on Saturday. She loft London or> April 28th, and cleared the Channel on May 4. She brings 22 passengers and a full cargo. During the voyage a case of small-pox occurred, but as the subject of it, one of the apprentices, had recovered and been at-'hia duties since Juno 14, and all his clothing and effects had been destroyed, tho health officer did not consider it necessary to quarantine the vessel. Ihe master, Captain John Gorn, died on Jnna 17 frora chronic lumbago and sciatica. Mr J3unyard the chief officer, took command oil the vessel and brought her into port. The death of the master wan almost expoolo] ho having' suffered Beverly from ths fatwl coropkhifc for some time before ths A'.p left London. It is reported thai he imd written to Jri<s wile and family, v/'jio roaido at Dunadin, that ho was afraid he would not survive another voyage, a fsar which unfortunately was »aaly realised. The lato Captain Gom had been, fcnnorly a pilot at Port Chalmers, and \vn<.! afterwards in the Union Company's service. Ho had been in command of the Wdpa fc; , ootue years, and iiaa consequently a groat /aany fiionde in the Colony.

Mr. Whitolaw Eeid, editor of the New York Tribune, and Miss Elizabeth Mills* daughter of D. 0. Mills, the Californian millionaire, were recently married in New York.

Tek only member of the House of Representatives who did not vote or pair on the Want of Confidence motion last week, besides the Speaker, was Mr Driver. A New York black-mailing journal, called Truth has beon mulcted in 2500 dollars for libel on a gentleman named W. F. G. Shanks. The snit was for 250,000 dollars. It is said that the best way to ensure having plenty of room in a Sydney tramcar is to have a brown paper parcel with you marked " From On Chong and Co. This side up with care." Wjb learn that a young women who applied at a certain Auckland hotel for the situation of barmaid, waa informed that her wages would be 10s a week with board, and what she could make. Further enquiries as to the precise nature and value of this vague source of income, elicited the explanation that the bar was frequently visited by intoxicated men, and that many opportunities were thus presented ot: doing them out of their change. The young person is said to have sought a situation elsewhere.

Two gentlemen (not classical scholars) in Cathedral square, the other evening* were discussing the questions of Christianity and Spiritualism. One of them was talking about the perfect bliss of the promised hereafter. " Well, Jnck," said the other, " I really don't know that going to Heaven is such a great catch after a 11 . ,' " Hovv'3 that," said Jack. " Well, you see , if there's any truth in Spiritualism, a fellow Plight possibly be sent down here to play a barrel-organ to a pack of jolly old women 1" They went away musing on this awkward proposition.

A man named Peter Virtue, a notorious street preacher, has been arrested in Melbourne for insulting behaviour. Anent the "saintly and venerable Peter," a writer in a southern contemporary says : —" I have often stood, in my beardless days, on the Queen's wharf, Melbourne, with open ears and mouth, listening to Peter's interpretation of the most difficult passages in Holy Writ, and on more than one occasion I have seen those unbelieving Philistines, the '• Tips," huddle the poor old man off the wharf for daring to expose the iniquities of the " scarlet woman." lam sorry for Peter, because I believo in my own heart that lie thinks lie is doing right. As Peter Deadeye s.iys oil Sir Joseph Porter, 'he means well, but he don't know.'"

A coRKEssroNDENT of the Ohio Farmer gives the resuts of a series of careful experiments as to oggn from various breeds of fowls, as follows:—"After repeated experiments with the different varieties of fowls, and comparisons with others who havo experimented in the same direction) I havo concluded that the hiying capabilities of the principal varieties are about as follows :—Light lirahmas and Partridge Cochins—eg»,«, 7 to the lb ; iay 130 per annum. Dark Brahmas—eggs, Bto the lb; lay 120 per annum. Black, White and Bufll Cochins—eggs, 8 to the lb ; lay 125 per annum. Plymouth Rooks—egga? Bto the lb ; lay 150 per annum, iloudans —eggs, Bto the lb ; lay 150 per annum. La Fleche —eggs, 7 to the ft ; lay 130 per annum. Black Spanish—eggs, '7 to tho It); Jay 140 per annum. Leghorns—eggs. 9to the To ; lay 160 per annum. Hamburgs—eggs, 9 to the lb; lay 150 per annum. Polish—eggs, 9 to the lb ; lay 125 per annum; Bantams—eggs, 16 to the lb ; lay 90 per annum. I regret very much that I did not keep acconnt of the cost of food consumed by each variety."