Local and General.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 528, 5 August 1881, Page 2

Local and General.

A fine seal, measuring nine feet in length was captured on Wednesday last in Barry's Buy, by the master of the Amateur. The captors secured a. large quantity of blubbei, and have also preserved the ukiu which be of some value. . Tun Unzeitc <>'' rli,: 231h July fotitu'ns a proclamation perm .nuiitly reserving ten acres in Akaruti lor cemetery purposes. Tliie probably includes nil the cemeteries in that locality, and v lidatcs what haa been done under the I'loviucial Government. The procliniintiun % is iasused under the " Land Aut, 1877."

Mr 11. G, Alport announces in another column that he will offer for salts by miction —land, cattle, dniiy uten>il«, etc., iiiiclt-r n bill of snle and \y order of the tiiist«?e in bankruptcy. The Kile will tiike pliioe on Ttusdtiy next at Liltle Akaloii.

The Aknroa nnrt Wairmi Road Board held a meeting last Sattwdiiy at which a cuiitiidtrubli! ninount of business w.ie transacted. We are unable to present our wadtre with a full report thin issue, owiiife tv the miscarringe of the MS., but hope to do ho next issue. Elsewhere appears a notification inviting tenders Cor laasing the property belonging to the estate of the late Mr iSt John. The convenient situation, and general good quality of the land will probably cause considerable competition for its possession. Tenders are to be forwarded to Messrs Harper and Co , , Solicitors, Christchurch. A meeting of the Akaroa Library Committee was held on Monday last. Present —Messrs Tosswill, Bruce, Westenra, C. Hunning, and Stacker. The secretary was instructed to communicate with neighboring Libraries, with a view to the exchiiliging of books for a term. An offer was mado of the Field, and accopted. It was resolved to get up an entertainment for tho benefit of the funds.

Among the appropriations set down in the estimates is the following :—Ellesmere Reclamation and Akaroa Kailway Irust, etc., at £21,2G6. We presume that this means that the portion of the Land Fund which has been devoted to the above purpose, and which has been accumulating in the Colonial Treasury is to bo released and applied to the extension of the line. This sum should be sufficient to bring the line on to Little River.

As will be seen by our Parliamentary intelligence, the lledistribution of Seats Bill has been introduced. In reply to a deputation of Otngo members Mr Hall stated that the number of members would be increased to 95. It Avas proposed to give Otago 24 members, being an increase of 3 ; Canterbury 21, being an increase of 7 , Marlborough would stand as it is, namely 3 ; Nelson would lose 3 members, reducing it to 6 ; Westland would loso one member, reducing it to 2. The North Island would get one more member*

A meeting of the Industrial and Horticultural Exhibition Committee was held at the Akaroa School on Thursday last. Present— Hey H. Stodker, Messrs Watkins, Garwood, Bickell, Penlington and Westenra. The Committee proceeded to revise the Schedule as follows:—In the vegetable and fruit classes where numbers are specified, the words are added "BestEshiliits, not less than." In the pastoral class the following additions were made : —Home made jams in quantities of not less than one pound. Fruits grown and bottled in the County of Akaroa. In the Industrial class—" Paintings Professional" —no prize given unless there be three competitors. Illuminating—Adults and boya or girls (open). Boys or girls resiin County of Akaron. Freehand Drawii>g—by pupils of Government Schools in County of Akaroa. Freehand drawing for boys or girls under 18, in the County of Akeroa. Map of Europe—by boya or girls under 12,14, 16, to be certified by inaiks as done in ordinary school work. Map, (South America) before judges. Ornamental lettering, struck out ; Copying Music, Btiuck out; Cardboard Model, struck out; Cutting out White Shirt, girls under 18 ; Working Book Markers, girls under 15. The Secretary was instructed to procure Schedules. A suggestion made as to prize cards was postponed.

A meeting of the Akaroa School Committee was held in the fchoolroom on Tuesday evening last. All the members were present with the exception of Mr Sims, and the Rev. 11. Stocker occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and during t. c month there had been no correspondence with the Board of Education. Tenders for cleaning the school for the coining twelve months were opened, and that of Mrs James Turner, at £23 10s, accepted. The other tenders were—Mrs Yewen £27, Mre Mitchell £22, and 11. Burke £28. The question of the acceptance or! a tender led to considerable discussion as to the work being properly performed in terms of the specification. The Chairman undertook to ccc that the work be attended to, and on any breach of tho conditions the contract to be cancelled. The Chairman reported that Mr Adams> who had been appointed at last meeting to superintend the erection of the new schoo fence, had declined to act, and that a present the fence was being erected without supervision. This was considered unsatisfactory, as the Board would no doubt require the certificate of an expert that tho work was properly done before paying the contractor. MrW. D. Wilkins was appointed to look after the works and report to the committee. A unanimous feeling , was expressed by the committee that the level ;>t which the fence was decided to lie erected was too low, and that whi'ii the stp et footway .came to be formed it would be partly buried. Mr Geo, Iluylnck's offer to s> iVt the school pump for .£B, he siif>j h ing all was accej ted, a few incidental accounts were pasml for payment, and the inciting , then adjourned.