Peninsula News.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 659, 7 November 1882, Page 2

Peninsula News.

Dr. Singleton.—This gentleman went yesterday morning on a visit to his friends in Adelaide, and we hope he will heartily enjoy \\h pleasure trip. During his absence Dr. White is looking after his practice.

The Regatta.—The Kai.ipoi tradesmen propose to visit Akaroa on the occasion of their annual picnic on Anniversary Day, if they can make arrangements with the Railway authorities.

Mkntal Sciexck.—Professor Frazer wi!l give a lecture on " How to read like open books," in tbeOddr'e lows' Mall, on Friday night. There will be lantern and cartoon illustration?. The lecture is said by somu of our contemporaries to be very amusing.

Barry's Bay Library.—-At a meeting of the Board of Education on Thursday last, the application of the Barry's Bay School Committee for permission to build a room to be attached to the school, for the purpose of a library, was considered. It was agreed to grant permission to erect a separate building in the school gmut.d for the purpose.

The Extension of the Little River Railway.—We understood some time ago that the plans and specifications of another contract on this railway had been prepared and that the work would be speedily commenced. Month after month is passing away, and tlrjre is no sign. Unless something is done speedily, we should advise the calling of a meeting to discuss this all-important question.

Belfast Refrigerating Company.— The progress made recently with the works of the Canterbury Refrigerating Company at Belfast (says t!io Times) has been most satisfactory. The house for the accornodation of the manager is on the point ot" completion, and the other buildings are also in a forward state. The boi'ers have been placed in position, and the work of unpacking the other machinery is to be commenced at once.

Cricket.—Owing to the inclemency of the weather the A.C.C. match " Married v. Single." fjxed for Saturday last, was postponed to Saturday next. The following eleven hsive been finally selected to uphold '.he A CO. honors with Barry's Bay :—Messrs W. B. Tosawill (captain), V. Masefield. A. Munro, A. G. Hamilton, 11. Billons, E. Collett. J. Hayward. A. Tosswill, W. Parsons, A. Spurr, Keats. Emergencies—W. Watkins, T. 11. Giles, and W. Penlington. Play will commence at 11 a.m. to the minute, at French Farm. The secretary requests us to notice that Blr Tosswill has kindly offered a seat in his boat to any of the team that may desire it. His boat will leave tiie wharf at 9 a.m. sharp.

Building in Akaroa. —T!:<3 contractor for Bayley's Hotel is progressing with the work rapidly. The foundation and cellar are complete. The stones for fauing the front and back arrived per Amateur the other clay ; they consist of the celebrated Oamaru white stone, and were brought in blocks averaging 2k tons each. This is the first Oamaru stone imported into Akaroa, Ihe cos f of procuring thn stone being very great. The contractor for Mr Citron's si'op has completed the concrete foundations, and the building is carried up to the first floor, and the second floor is now in course of erection. In a very few weeks it is expected the roof will be complete. The concrete foundations are very substantial, and th? timber of most excellent quality. Mr Wilkins speaks highly of the rapid manner in which the building has, been erected, so far.

Presbyterian Cucncu. —A musical and diainatic entertainment in aid of the funds of Ihe Presbyterian Church will be held in the Oddfellows' Hall on Friday Nov. 24th. A great many Indies and gentlemen have promised to assist, and the programme, which will be advertised shortly, promises to be a very varied and entertaining one.

The Holidays.—Owing to the Agricultural Show day being on Thursday this year, the bank, telegraph and post offices will be closed on that day, so that it would be impossible to present our readers with the latest news on Friday morning. To obviate this diffi -ully. and give all hands a holiday, wo have therefore deferred our publication this week from Friday morning to Saturday morning. AcCDENT. —Mr Wrn. Smith, poundkeeper at Pigi-on 3.iy, broke bis leg on Friday last, at the Head of the Bay. The horse he was riding was a quiet animal, and he was gently cantering round the hotel fence corner, when the horse suddenly turned up the road home to Pigeon Bay. Mr Smith was in a moment thrown to the ground, »nd sustained a compound fracture of the leg. Mr Lee sent his trap in to Akaroa with the patient, and Drs. Singleton and White set the limb. Mr Smith is now doing as well as can be expected.

Little Akaloa. — A correspondent writes :—'' A grand entertainment and ball will be given in the Schoolroom on the night of October 26th." Such was the announcement which appeared on a post, a short time ago here, and for once the post did not lie, (by the bye posts, pure and simple, do not generally lie do they?) Nevertheless, in the course of the entortainment, it almost appeared as if some of the promises of help which had been received, were not worth the breath expended in making them. But Smellfuugus who is ever abont. notwithstanding to the contrary, the evening's proceedings were a success. A very crowded room faced the Chairman, Mr J. B. Barker, when he opened the meeting at 8 o'clock. We must premise that the programme provided for the evening contained four parts —1, G-mcert ; 2. Interlude ; 3, Farce ; 4, the inevitable dance. We will take these seriatim, but as briefly as possible. The concert opened with a piano forte solo, very nicely played by Miss Cooper. Then followed Weiss's setting of the "Village blacksmith" by a gentleman, whom the auctioneer of the Peninsula designated as " The Great Mr Cox." " Johnny Sands," an old English ballad, and " The babies on our block," were both very well sung by Mr J. B. Barker, jun., indeed the first seemed the only encore of the evening. Mr Turner very well recited " The bashful man.' . Here followed the announcements of several omissions from the programme and explanations had been made that in most cases those confounded " colds" were the cause. A well known and admired vocal duet between Mrs T. Mclntosh and Mr Spurr followed. Then Mrs Mclntosh sang very sweetly " Thy voice is near me," and Mr Spurr rendered with his accustomed skill Wallace's '"In Happy Moments." Mrs Barker sang in her usual finished manner two ballads, the last of which (•' Maggie's Secret ") was not only new to the audience, but was given in a style not often heard in such small places as is. Nor must a cordial word of praise be wiihheld from Mrs A. 11. Mulntosh, who sang in her best taste a delicious morcea.ux of Franz Abt's, entitled '• Forget Me Not." Miss E. Waghorn in " Tlih Blue Alsitian Mountains ;" Mrs A. Waghorn in "The Gipsy's Refusal ;" Mr A. Waghorn in Bloikley's " Hβ irta and homes;" and Mr J. Barker in the merry cunic song ;t It's all the same to Sam." all won, and deservedly, golden opinions. Miss Cooper, who is quite a juvenile, sang " Belle Mahone" very nicely; and the same young lady, in coinpmy with Miss Barker, played a sparkling pianoforte duet, which was greeted With well earned praise. This, with one or two small items, completed the concert. Then the Chairman called on the audience to join with him in presenting the accompanying purse of sovereigns to Mr Cox, in recognition of his ability as a teacher, as shown during the time he had been in Little Akaloa. He regretted very much that little local jealousies had made them lose the services of a man so well esteemed as Mr Cox was, and he only hoped the School Committee might secure the services of as good a man as the schoolmaster who was leaving them ; but he (Mr Barker; knew that the ground he was treading on was somewhat delicate, and for that reason he would present the purse, etc., and wish Mr Cox in their name every success. (Applause.) Mr Cox received the purse and contents, and thanked those present for the kindness of feeling shown by them. His natural modesty,' he said, prevented him from blowing I:is own trumpet, he would therefore abstain from all self-laudation and point on', to them, as one who had taken an active interest in fretting up their Cricket Club, that in that day's match they had provided a most indigestable feed of " ducks eggs," and that in the future it would bo well for them if they practised more regularly and earnestly, He supposed that the tapping of dainty heels on the floor was only intended to remind him that the ladies present had not forgotten the promised danco The iadies' impatience notwithstanding would not prevent him from directing their attention to the farce '• liaising the Wind," which was to follow. That farce had been got up by a few among them, and he thought that the example once set should not be forgotten. Why not make "An Amateur Dramatic Club," one of the moans of bringing them together. Looked at in what light they pleased, it was better to do that once a week than to meet on the bridge and talk bovine nnd dairy matters, smoke pipes, and spit in the creek. Mr Spurr and his son then gave a capital rendering of an amusing interlule, called "Tho troublesome servant." Then followed the farce. Were it not that your correspondent feels that he has trespassed enough on your space, he would dilate on the good acting of most of those present, but he summarises thus -.—Stage manager and Carpenter, E. Turner—All duty well done ; Diddler, capitally played, Mr E. Turner ; Sam, (Yorkshire) very well played, Mr J. B. Barker, Jim ; Fain would to the life, Mr J. Hunter; Plaimvay, very plain, Mr Cox ; charmingly done by Mrs A. H. MolnUi >>-h : Miss Durable, very trua to the character, Mrs Barker ; Footmen and Servants, well played by Messrs Mclntosh and Henry Barker. Miss Barker .ilayed an arrangement of Scoich airs on the piano between the scenes. After this, the "hop," at which Mr J. B Barker, Jun., performed the onerous duiien of M.C. with his accustomed ability.

The Prince of Wales' Birthday.— There are great facilities offered this year to the residents in the Peninsula to be present in Christchurch on the great holiday of the year. The s.a. Akaroa will leave Pigeon Bay at 7 a.m. on the Show day, returning from Lyttelton at 6 p.m., thus giving ample time to see Show and the crowd. The railway authorities advertise that on the 7th the train from Christchurch will start for Birdling's Flat at 9.30 a.m., and run 20 minutes late throughout the journey there and back ; and on the 9th, in lieu cf the ordinary train, a special will leave Birdling's Flat at 8.15 a.m., and leave Christchurch again at 5.5 p.m., getting back to Birdling's Flat at 7.15 p.m. Mr O'Reilly will run a trap to meet the Akaroa at Pigeon Bay. No doubt a great many people will take advantage of these opportunities of being in Christ '.-hurch during the jubilee week. The steam launch will run across the harbor to Tekau Bay and French Farm, for the convenience of picnic parties.

The Late Rain.—The heavy rain that commenced falling on Friday ni»;ht and continued with hardly any intermission until noon on Sunday has undoubtedly been of much benefit to the Peninsula generally, end though the creeks were very full, but little damige has resulte.l. The culvert at the Mail office was very severely tested, being altogether unable to cany off the water, which was knee deep on the road. The Balguerie street creek was very high indeed, but there were luckily no great obstructions in the way of heavy logs or bad slips, and no great harm was done. Messrs Billens and Munro had what the French call a bad quarter of an hour, for they were frightened that a clump of timber just at the bend above Lavaud street would come down and block the Lavaud street culvert, which was taxed to its uttermost capacity. They managed, however, to make the larger one of the big trees fast to the bank by means of chains, and to turn a big log end on, that threatened to block t >.q culvert, and they escaped all damage. The creek by Waeckerle's did no considerable damfige. The roads are not much injured, the coach coming in in excellent time on Saturday in spite of the bad weather. The principal damage was done on those places where shearing had commenced, and the shorn sheep had no shelter from the driving cold rain. Wo have been informed th't Mr Charles Haylock has been unfortunate enough to lose over a hundred, Mr Birdling is said to have lost far more, and Mr S. Robertson is another unlucky one, and no doubt there are other sufferer . Some of the gardens are much injured, Mr Garwood having beon peculiarly unfortunate, the vegetable garden at the back of the house having been partly flooded. No doubt, however, a spell of fine weather will soon set this to rights, and the good wetting the ground has received must, taking everything into consideration, have more than compensated for the harm inflicted in a few instances, though we heartily sympathise witli the sufferers.