The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1882.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 630, 28 July 1882, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1882.

R.M. Court, Akaroa.—At this court on Tuesday, Mr S. Watkins, for lighting a hoap of rubbish within tlio town boundaries, without giving duo notice, was fi'ied Iα and osts 7s. In a civil case (Biavku. Ware) a eiaim for £9 10s waa allowed by default, thero being no nppoiir/mc9 of defendant. The Oamaru Murdek Case.—The in of Ilio against; Alexander DentUu for tho murder ol ! Sirali Adams wasconohulwl on tlui 24th. His Worship aai-.l that this was one; oi ! those cases in v/liidi there were so many eontrudietiona and tiiattt'rsrequirin!; further that iio felt buiimi to send Urn case to a higher Court. The prisuiier, through his counsel, reserved his defence, and was then fully committed to stand his trial nt the next sessions of the Supreme Court, Dunedin.,j

Benefit Entertainment.—At a meeting of those interested in getting up an eutertuimiH'nt in aid of MrTolley's family, held last night, ii was resolved to p'ny an excellent drnimi on the sth of September in aid of these poor people. Presbyterian Ghuru-i.—An appeal is made in another column to the Presbyterians of Little River. A public-spirited gentleman has offered to give £100 towards the erection of a Presbyterian Church at Little River, providing a Hke sum is raised elsewhere. Friends are requested to send subscriptions to the Rev. C. Gissick, Presbyterian Minister Pigeon IS ay, or to Mr Grant, Little River, Musical.- As will be seen by advertisement, Ilerr Felix lUing, the well known tuner of musical instruments, is in Akaroa. This gentleman's ability is now so well known that it is hardly necessary to say that those who have pianos out, of tune (and in taking our walks abroad we are often mournfully conscious of the fact) rlu.hl 1 tnkn this chance of getting them put to rights. The Lake Drainage.—Messrs Joblin and Bradley are having very pleasant times in tho Empire City, where they are doing their very utmost to have the sfheine fairly tried. Messrs Montgomery, Wynn Williams, O'Callaghan, and Sir John Hall, are specially spoken of as eparing no pains or trouble to have the scheme fully and fairly examined. No doubt at the Council meeting to-morrow the deputation, if returned, will report. Advance Akaroa.—One is glad to hear that Mr Noonan intends opening a new business in Akaroa on Tuesday next. As will be seen by advertisement, he has altered and improved his premises to make a part of them suitable for a confectionary establishment. T'lere seems to have been no trouble spared to make the place really suitable, and we are sure that the public will thoroughly appreciate the enterprise of Mr Noonan. Horticultural.—We have already alluded to the great number of trees that are being planted this year in Akaroa. and are glad to record that more and more are daily being put in. Mr S. Watkins beinc deeply impressed with tho capabilities of our climate and soil to • grow many different kinds of trees, that it is generally supposed require a warmer climate, has imported several sorts from Auckland, amongst which is the lemon. He has the authority ot several competent of judging, that this beautiful tree will flourish here in sheltered situations, and is determined to give it a good trial. Should he succeed, we do not doubt that next year many will be planted here. Apart altogether from the value of its fruit, the lemon tree is so beautiful as an ornamental shrub that it is well worthy of acclimalisation on that score alone. French Farm.—The annual meeting of parishioners in the French Farm district was held in the schoolroom, French Farm, on Wednesday evening last, the Rev. H. Btocker in the chair. The treasurer of the committee (Mr Knight) read a statement of accounts, which showed the contributors to the Btipend fund to havo been £31, and offertories £16 9s sd. During the past year tho committee had obtained, as authorised, an American organ, costing £40, for services at French Farm. Towards this amount they had paid out of their offertories account £15, and the balance had been kindly advanced by two gentlemen until they were in a position to repay it. The credit balance in hand at present wae £8. It was unanimously resolved that the accounts as read be adopted. The sum of £2 was voted for cleaning the school during the past year, and a unaniinoun vote of thanks was passed to Mr A. Hussey for his kindness in having the schoolroom always ieady for service. Tho balance of the amount in hand, viz. £6, was voted towards paying the debt due on the American organ. The following gentlemen were elected a committee for the ensuing year :—Messrs T. S. Baker, A. 0. Knight, A. Hussey, and E. S. Latter. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the meeting. Freezing of the Surface of Duvauchelle's Bay.—The Rev. J. W. Stack writes us as follows :—''July 25,1882. —Looking this morning from my verandah, which commands a view of the Bay, I was struck by the peculiar appearance of the water. It was a calm, still morning, and the sun was shining, but instead of the usual bright reflection from the surface of the Bay, it presented the appearance of being frozen. I drew the attention of my children to what seemed the best illustration they could get in this neighborhood of a large frozen surface. I thought what we saw was caused by the presence of scum, carried into the Bay by the late rains ; but the longer we looked, the more exact appeared the resemblance to ice. I resolved to set the question at rest, and went down to the beach, where, to my astonishment, I found that the whole surface of the Bay, which is nearly half a mile wide, was frozen right across, and for about a mile towards Akaroa Harbor. The ice was about the tenth of an inch thick a little way off shore, but seemed thinner near the beach. I carried a handful up to the house, that others might be witnesses of the fact that the surface of the Bay was actually frozen. The ice remained floating about till after twelve o'clock, when a breeze sprung up, and it all disappeared." The Rev. \V. Aylmer recollects the Bay being frozen once previously, some years ago. German Bay School Committee.—The usual monthly meeting was held on Wednesday last. Present—Messrs W. Jolly (chairman), W. Curry, E. S. Chappell, G. Udell, and J. Hammond. The minutes of the previous meeting being read and con firmed, it was proposed by Mr Chappell that the chairman take steps to procure a bell for the Side School, and to get the same erected without delay. Seconded by Mr Odell and carried. A letter was read from the Board of Education, recommending the committee to dig pits for the main aciiool closets, instead of procuring pans for the same. After some discussion it was proposed by Mr Chappell that the Chairman write to the Board of Education, and inform them that the committee consider pans would be far preferable to digging retaining holes for tho water cloacts. Seconded by Mr Hammond and j carried. The Chairman laid before the meeting a statement of money on hand for incidental expenses ; also a list of old out-' standing accounts. It was proposed by , Mr Curry, that the accounts, as read, bo ! paid ; what surplus money there wns, to bo spent on procuring requisites most required by the teachers. Seconded by Mr Udell and carried. Mr J. Hammond was instructed to procure lirewood for the main school. Tho n'eeting then adjourned till August 23.

The San Frisco Mail.—This mail wns delivered at mid -day yesterday. The Church Entertainbient.—lt has been decided to hold the Church entertainment on August 22nd. As before stated, a most attractive drama has been selected. Accident.—A youth of the name of Glii-itopher White, a son of Mr Alexander White, of Pigeon β-i}', while chopping firewood, cut his foot severely. The wound bled freely, but the foot being tightly bandaged, he was able to reach Akaroa by coach. He was carried to Mr Grange's Hotel, where he received medical assistance, and is now doing well. Football. —The match that was to have been played last Saturday, having been put off in consequence of bnd weather, footballers are reminded that arrangements have been made to play to-morrow on Mr Sunckell's ground. All players arc requested to meet at Bayley's Hotel at 2 p.m. sharp. Kara Avis.—The ancients spoke cf the Q/gnus niger, or black awan, as a fabulous animal, and so there is little wonder that some residents here are anxious to obtain one. A correspondent writes, informing us that for many years paat one of tho oldest inhabitants of the Peninsula has been possessed of one absorbing thought, viz., to shoot a black swan. Innumerable are tho walks he lias taken, and immense are the sums that have been spent on cartridges (according to our authority) in order that the coveted bird might be secured, but in vain. A vara avis it indeed proved in this instance, for though vast flocks were seen, they either would not come within shooting distance or else insolently refused to receive the shot that was fired at them. However, as Dumas remarks. " all things come to him who waits," and the other night our friend absolutely saw a swan fall after he had fired. It fell in deep water, i anil he had a dog, but the occasion was too great a one to trust to mere brute instinct; the dog might injure it, or not secure It properly, Accordingly our friond, disdaining aid, and thoroughly impressed with his mission, waded in, and, after a thorough soaking, secured thenob'o object of his dreams. Men like these, who steadily hold an object in view, and then attain it, are sure to get on in the world* Resuscitation of the Apparently Drowned. —Some time ago the Akaroa School Committee suggested that the Board of Education should furnish schools with a copy of the rules for the treatment of the apparently drowned, published by the Royal Humane Society. Tho Board has sent a copy of the rules, ordering them to be placed in the schoolroom, and in order that the mode of treatment may be clearly understood by the children, Dr Singleton has consented at the request of the committee to practically illustrate them. Tuesday next at 3 o'clock is the time fixed, but this must of course depend on Dr Singleton being at liberty. The Chairman requests us to state that any one interested will be welcomed. An Unnatural Parent.—On Tuesday the police received information from Mr Duncan Dewar of Le Bon's Bay, that a box of his that had been brought by the Antelope and left on the Le Bon's Bay vvharf had been broken and a number of clothes and some valuable papers taken out. He suspected a man named Andrew Pietersen, who lived dose to the wharf, of having taken the things, nnd asked Ih.it his house might be searched to see accordingly. Constable Scott was sent by Sergeant Willis with a search warrant to search Pietersen's house. On arrival there he met Pietersen, and told him what brought him, and that he suspected he had stolen the goods. Pietersen aaid he had some clothes which his girls told him they had found on the road. On going to the house and searching it they found a lot of the missing clothes in two old boxos, mixed with some other clothes belonging to Pietersen. Some of the things were missing, and on enquiry being made a daughter of Pietersen's said that most of them were in possession of their brother working at Waikerakikari. Pieterson himself was wearing a pnir of drawers that were identified by Dewar. The consequence was that constable Scott arrested tho father and two children. They were first brought up at the Court on Wednesday, and the eldest girl on being examined, stated that she saw the box on the wharf tied with ropes, which she cut in order to get at the things. Her father she stated had nothing to do with it. She had told him she had found them on the road. It appeared from statements made that the two daughters of prisoner had both been brought up without any idea that it was wrong to steal. The Bench remanded the case till yesterday as the younger child was not present, Yesterday the girls were again brought up before Mr Ay I trier and His Worship the Mayor, and charged with the larceny of the clothes. They acknowledged having taken the things, but without tneir father's knowledge. The girls are pleasant looking children, aged 10 years and 12 years respectively. The little girl said that she saw her sister take some things out of a box on the wharf and take them home. They were the snme as those in court. They had taken the things home to give some to their brother and father. Some papers that were with the clothe 3 had been "torn up, and a mark on one of the shirts had been picked out by her elder sister. She also acknowledged having taken other things before. Tne Bench said it was evident the children had been brought up in such a way that they scarcely knew *hat it was wrong to steal. They would take them from their father and send them to the Burnham Reformatory till they attained the age of fifteen years. They explained to the father that he would have to pay for their maintenance. The case of receiving stolen property was then heard. Andrew Pietersen being charged with receiving stolen property of the value of £5. Constable Scott, sworn, said that on Tuesday morning last he went to Lh Bon's, and, after searching, found the goods produced in prisoner's house. The children admitted taking the things, and the younger child said nho had taken somn thingd belonging a man working , for Mr Dalglish, but her father had made her return them, Duncan Dewar deposed to finding the clothes produced, which belonged to him, in certain hoses in the house of Andrew Pietersen. Prisoner had told him that if ho had known theco things were hi?, he would have given them to him. Prisoner was wearing a pair of drawers of his. The prisoner said ho dii! not know whore the clothes came i'roiu ; thes girls said they had picked them up on the roads. The Bench then sentenced prisoner to n month's imprisonment, severely censuring him for tho way in which he had brought tip his children