The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 95, 15 June 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1877.

The libel case of .Mr. Reed, of the Otago Guardian, against Sherrin, for writing, and EC.W. Cuming for publishing defamatory statements against him in the Waitangi Tribune, was heard at Tima.ru, on Wednesday last, before His Honor Judge Johnston. Sherrin was found guilty and sentenced to three months' imprisonment, and Cuming, who pleaded guilty, was fined £100, or be imprisoned till the fine was paid. The amount was paid at once by his friends. The Judge, in his remarks, was very severe on any portion of the Press that inflicted wounds out of mere malice. Mr. Willirm Kenny has been singularly unfortunate in the purchase of Jibe horse ' Volunteer." The animal was suddenly (attacked by some complaint on Thursday last, and only rallied till the following morning, when he died, notwithstanding restoratives were applied. The horse was by Peer, and bred by Mr. Redwood. Volunteer, though a plucky horse, had not been credited with first place in any race of importance, his principal performances being confined to the Peninsula. At the last Head of the Bay races he ran very game. Volunteer was formerly owned by Mr J. B. Barker, of Little Akaloa. Tenders for the erection of a church at Little River will close at Mr. Mountford's office, Christchurch, this day. A meeting of the ratepayers of the Akaroa and Wainui district will be held at the Road Board office to-morrow, at noon, for the purpose of electing one member to fill the seat lately vacated by the resignation of Mr. Houghton. A public meeting of the householders in the French Farm Education District, will be held in the schoolroom on Monday next, the 18th June, at 7 p.m., for the purpose of electing a person to serve on the School Committee. The usual weekly the Akaroa Mutual Improvement Association was held in the schoolroom on Tuesday, -June 12th. The President being unavoidably absent, the chair was taken by the vicepresident, Mr. J. D. Garwood. Readings and recitations were given by the following gentlemen : — Messrs. H. Billens, Nicholls, P. Berland, G. Black, and C. Watkins, which were criticised by the members. It must be very gratifying to the members to notice the increasing interest the public are taking in their proceedings, which is certainly acting as a stimulus to their exertions. " The Akaroa Amateur Ethiopian Club announce that their first performance will take place about Tuesday, the 2lst June, at the Town Hall. The programme, which appears in another column, will be found to be of a most attractive character. We wish the new Club every success in their efforts to provide amusement s during the winter evenings. A public meeting of all persons interested jn the welfare of the Banks Peninsula Pastoral Association will be held at the Somerset Hotel, Head of the Bay, on Monday next, at noon, to enrol members and elect officers for the present year. We trust to see a large attendance and hope that an earnest and active committee of: management may be appointed. We have been given to understand, on what we consider reliable authority, that the extensive preemptive rights of a large landed proprietor on the Peninsula, have been challenged for purchase. • Ths preemptive rights in'question include some of the finest grazing land in this district. A correspondent complains to us of the imperfect manner in .which the shipping report at the telegraph .office is filled up. As it is now, he says, it is not of the slightest' use , "to" the pnblic who may require to know the movements of the different coastal steamers. Often of late we have had our attention drawn to the difference made regarding the landing of goods on the Akaroa jetties. Goods, &c, landed on the Church-street jetty have to pay wharfage, according to a scale passed by. the late Provincial Government, whilst articles landed on the other jetty no charges whatever are made. Importers and others who have timber, firewood, &c, landed at the former jetty, complain strongly of these charges, more especially of the charge made upon furniture and small parcels."

An art-union of a varied character is announced to be held in the Town Hall, Akarpa, on Saturday,the 23rd instant. The property to be drawn for is owned by Mr. George Wascoe, and consists of nets, fishing gear, horse, trap, &c. There are to be 150 members at £1 each, and thirty prizes. We learn that the tickets are going off well, and ifc is almost certain that the drawing will take place on the date adverised.

Among the many additions to our business places in Akaroa is Windermere House, which henceforth will be conducted as a private boarding-house.. The building itself is a very handsome structure,' being situated-at the Akaroa, and contains very superior accommodation for the business which it is intended to serve. On the ground floor are two parlors, a drawing-room, a spacious dining-room and hall, a kitchen, fitted with a very superior cooking range, pantry, kc. On the second storey are 12 bedrooms, which are exceedingly well ventilated, and furnished in a style that would not reflect discredit on any house in the metropolis of Canterbury. There is also a private sitting-room. At the rear is a six-stall stable, and taking the house altogether its addition has proved a most decided acquisition to our town, and we sincerely wish its enterprising owner— Mr John Sunckell—every success in the new venture lie has just enbarked in. The management of the house will, of course, Ibe under the supervision of Mrs Sunckell, and that lady's name will be a sufficient guarantee to ensure all the comforts of a quiet and comfortable home to all who may be in search of the same. Mr J. Prince, builder, was the architect and contractor, and the work bears evident testimony to his skill as a first-class tradesman. We have to acknowledge the receipt of the first number of a new journal, published at Ashburton, called the Ashburton Mail. It is a double demy newspaper, its get-up being very similar in appearance to this journal, and is owned by the same proprietor. Our new contemporary promises to decided success, as its adveitising columns indicate a healthy speculation for its proprietor, Mr. Ivess. As considerable doubt exists in the minds of many as to the right of an owner or occupier of land to shoot upon his own property, or grant permission to others, during the season, we have taken the trouble to make the necessary inquiries in the proper, quarter on the subject. The owner or occupier is entitled to the priviledge of one gun, without the payment of a license. He can either fire it himself, or delegate his right to a friend or servant; but the owner, after once parting with the privilege, cannot fire a second gun without the issue of a license, nor can he grant permission to any other person to shoot during the season, except the one first authorised, without a license. His Worship the Mayor is still engaged inspecting land for the endowment of the Borough of Akaroa. He is at present in the Ashburton district, and it is probable that his report will be submitted to the next meeting of the Council. The Sydney Herald states that when Captain Steven and his crew were cast on Cabbagetree Island, near Port Stevens, starvation stared them in the face. In this terrible predicament, a careful search was made on the island for some edible plant that could sustain life until help was forthcoming. After rejecting one thing after another as unfit for food, at length was found a plant bearing pods resembling broad beans, containing numerous seeds having the appearance of large peas. These were eaten by the men, who found them palatable, and for about nine days they lived on no other food. Captain Stevens took some of the pods to Sydney* but owing to the absence of flowers or leaves, the specific nature of the plant cannot possibly be known, but it is supposed to be the Canavalia obtusifolio. So interesting a plant should be more widely known, for its existence oh Cabbagetree Island.undoubtedly'jsaved the captain and his crew from perishing. A knowledge of this vegetable may not only save other shipwrecked crews from starvation, but may also become a valuable article of food in our gardens. .As the Royal procession was wending its way to St. Stephen's, on the opening day, a kilted Highlander reclining in one of the Royal carriages attracted the notice of the crowd. " Hooray," cried the manyheaded ; " 'ere's John Brown." The Highlander thrust his head out of the window in a rage—" I'm not John Brown," he cried ; " I'm Cameron of Lochiel."

There is a skeleton in the cupboard even of a Premier from Taranaki, says the Auckland flerald, and Major Atkinson would have to confess to his colleagues that even when addressing his constituents at I New Plymouth lately—when he was being banqueted by them—when, to all the world he appeared to be at the summit of earthly felicity—when he was declaring that the present was the happiest moment of his life—he was looking with apprehension dire , at the returns from the Customhouses, and summing up how much they would fall short of the estimate he made.

"Atlas," in the World., says :- " Practically Mr. Hollingshead lias followed up his researches into the statistics of loss of life from fires in theatres by "making arrangements, which will shortly be made public, for gratuitously insuring the lives of his. audience. Thus every visitor to the Gaiety, from the back row of the gallery down to the front row of the orchestra stalls, will be able to console himself with the reflection that if he is burnt to death his representatives will receive a sum of £10,000. Such is the inviting douceur which Mr. Hollingshead is about to present to all his patrons. I understand that the cost of the management will, after all, be ludicrously small; for the actuaries declare that though 150 millions of people have visited the London theatres during the last fifty years and a few have lost their lives by foolish panic only one haa actually perished by fire.

A few days ago (says the Civilian) an engraver who carries on his business in Broadmead, Bristol, happened to look through his shop window, when he ob'_ served an elderly gentleman, whom he recognised as an Excise officer, attentively scanning the outside of his premises. After satisfying his curiosity, by an outward inspection, he entered the shop, note book and pencil in hand, and opened conversation with the proprietor. " Mr. J. I believe." "Yes, I. am Mr. J." "You keep a trap, I understand." "Yes., ' Have you a license for that trap ?' ? '" No." Down goes an entry of this candid admission in the note book. " Did you' have a license last year?" "No." Another entry in the book. ' " Why did you not take out a license ?" " I did not think it was necessary." " How many does your trap hold?" "Five." Another memo- ' How many wheels has it?" " None.' ' None!" why what sort of a trap is it ? A mousetrap is it ?" " A mousetrap Tableau : Mr. J. splitting his sides behind the counter, an elderly officer rushing out of the shop without the customary salutation, or even waiting to return the note book to the official pocket. . . .. _~ For quiet humour and native coolne the following advertisement is not to be easily surpassed :—"A capital country public for immediate disposal. Going to Australia in May. Must be sold. Contain four bed-rooms, bar, bar parlour and tap, stables, and good draw-up. Fittings, fixtures, and furniture (all good) £200." So this country public is going to Australia in May. In that case, who would be fool ish enough to pay £200 for the " fittings fixtures, and furniture" "charming alliteration !) unless he arranged to go with his purchase ? What would be the use of buying either a " public" or anything els if the property were to be spirited thous ands of miles away as soon as it was bought ? Then, how is the " public" to be removed from its present position ? Is it to be taken to pieces before it goes, or is it to be dug out of its foundations and taken whole ? Is the good " draw-up" intended to lift the entire building ? More, over, how is the " public" to be got across the ocean ? Whose ship is it going in ? These are solemn questions, and any answers tending to throw light on the subJect will be Avelcome.

A fearful mistake was made here by two doctors, and endorsed by a chemist, a few days ago. A fine infant boy belonging to a friend of mine had a severe attack of bronchitis. Two doctors were called in and wrote a prescription for a liniment, which was made up by one of our leading chemists. It was to be applied on a felt pad. The father, when putting the liniment on the pad, noticed that it was very strong, but the, nurse-girl remarking, " That smells like the embrocation," any suspicions he might have had were lulled. The stuff was applied, and the child began to cry. The mother endeavoured to hush it in her arms, but the more she pressed it to her bosom the worse the child cried. At length the poor little thing fainted, and thinking something was wrong, the father cut open the bandages and took of£ the pad, ivhen the whole of the shin from the collar-bone to the stomach came off with it } and a fearful site there was. In. extreme haste the doctors were called in, when it was discovered that the liniment was nitric acid pure and simple. The doctors were horrified, and the chemist sent for, but he produced the prescription. When asked why he sent it out of his shop, he said he had only followed the prescription. I am glad to say that the infant is now believed to be out of danger, but for some time his life was despaired of. If death had ensued, what then? Certainly Dunedin has reason to be proud of its medical men. . According to the ' Evangelist,' Professor Salmond's proposal to add to the religious literature of Dunedih has met with very cordial support. Already 3,000 copies of ' The Missionary Becord' have been ordered and if a circulation of 5,000 a month can be secured a periodical of sixteen pages octavo will be issued for one penny. A shocking trapeze accident is reported from Manchester. Two Americans, a man and a woman, were performing in a con-cert-hall there to an. audience described as " immense," the display being upon a bar 30 feet from the ground, just over the orchestra. The gymnasts had previouslycreated a sensation by a particular performance, the principal point of which seems to have been the execution of a successful somersault on the bar; the two first, sitting across it, face to face, then throwing themselves backwards, and hanging from the bar by their feet, interlocked. Like all attempts- which depend for success on the exact concert of different people at a most critical moment, this exploit was specially and no description is needed to show the multi- ! plicity of chances against long immunity from accident. Still, it had been done, and the crowd, not over-fastidious as to its excitements, wanted it done again. When, however, the performers threw themselves backwards a second time, their feet failed to catch together, and both fell to the floor. The man descended on the head of a vio linist in the orchestra, the woman landed on her back across the barricade which surrounded the musicians. They were taken up apparently lifeless, removed be. hind the scenes, and then carried to the nfirmary, when it was found their injurie were not of serious character.- ' So Ui

the better for the luckless gymnasts, who might easily;-have been killed on the spot; and it is to be expected that they will not tempt danger again, at. least by the special feat which roused the enthusiasm of Cottonopolis. But it is needful to repeat a protest against such displays, and to urge, that where manifestly hazardous to life, they should |be nnnsuiy

well aware that it is difficult to draw the line as to risk. To a raw beginner, the simplest form^of ; circus horsemanship is more dangerous on a first'perforrriance than the most ticklish rope-dancing is to a seasoned acrobat; but it is possible to lay down certain rules which should also minimise the risk, even though they should lessen that element of attraction which danger itself provolves to a popnlar audi- ' ence. In the case at Manchester peril to life would have been almost removed had the bar been at a lower height from the ground, and had it also not been fixed above the orchestra, which was a gratuitous provision of double danger. Precautions of so simple a nature as these speak for themselves, and no less should be enforced if trapeze performances are to be allowed at a 11.,.. . ; ,1, -■■■-■■ ■>■■■ I.- • ■