The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 329, 12 September 1879, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12.

The election for Christchurch took place on Wednesday, and resulted in a great victory for the Liberal party. The numbers polled were as follows: —Grey, 1315; Andrews, 1250; Stevens, 1250; Richardson, 1227 ; Treadwell, 548. It will thus be seen that the two Ministerial candidates have been returned. The relative positions of Messrs Stevens and Richardson has surprised the knowing ones, as the latter was supposed to be certain of election, and it was considered that the contest would be between. Mr Stevens and Mr Andrews. Immense excitement prevailed during the evening. After the declaration of the poll Sir George Grey addressed the public from a window of Cokeys Hotel. A meeting was also held at the rooms of the Reform Association, at which the victory was duly celebrated.

The usual meeting of the Mutual Improvement Association took place on Tuesday last. In the absence of the Rev Mr Stockor, the Vice-president, Mr M'Gregor, occupied the chair. According to previous arrangement, the first part of Shakespear's " King Henry IV " was read by different members of the Association. Those taking part in the reading were —Messrs M'Gregor, Garwood, Nicholls, Sims, Woods Wiggins, Robertshaw, and M. Daly. The Vice-president explained, that the readers had not 'been able to meet together for rehearsal, and bespoke the indulgence of those present. Considering that it was a first attempt, the reading was very satisfactory. We hope that it is not the last occasion on which the members will attempt to familiarize themselves and their visitors with the works of the immortal dramatist. We would suggest in future that all those engaging to read should make themselves throughly familiar with the test beforehand, and not trust to having read it, perhaps, years before. The absence of this familiarity was noticable in a few instances on Tuesday, and one or two good points were lost in consequence. They should also manage to have a rehearsal. On next Tuesday Mr M-Gregor's long expected " Spinoza " is to make his appearance, and for the following evening Mr Wiggins has promised to open a discussion on " Representation." Mr S. Watkins will follow.

Mr C. W. Bridge will sell by auction tomorrow, at the Oddfellows' Hall, certain effects in the estate of J. J. Donovan, consisting of galvanized iron, timber, &c. Also, a double-barrelled breech-loading a;un. A terrible calamity has occurred in Dunedin during the past week, viz., a destructive fire, accompanied by the loss of several lives. The fire broke out about 2.30 a.m. on the morning of Monday last, in Waters' Cafe, situated in the Octagon. Next the cafe was a haberdashery shop and registry office kept by Mrs Wilson, wife of the editor of the Witness. The building was a perfect hive of bedrooms, especially the upper floor. There were 40 beds in the cafe, and it is conjectured that about 100 persons were sleeping on the premises, of these 12 are kuown to have lost their lives, others are unaccounted for, and six have sustained serious injuries. Amongst those whose bodies have been recovered are Mr and Mrs Wilson and three of their children. Two of their daughters have escaped, one by jumping from a window, by which she sustained serions injuries. The fire escapes were not available till too late. From the statement made by a person who escaped by lowering himself with a clothes line it would appear that a number of persons were lying in the passage through which he had to grope, apparently suffocated. Several persons jumped from the windows and in doing so one man was killed. Altogether the fire is the most disastrous in its destruction of life that has yet occurred in the colony. From a recent Gazelle we learn that Harold Hyde Fenton, Esq., of Akaroa, has been appointed an Interpreter under section 12 of " The Native Land Act, 1873." I

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, on Friday last, William Wood was charged with the larceny of £20 from the person of Frederick Aldridge. Both accused and prosecutor were residents of Le Bon's Bay, the former having been an inmate of the Akaroa Hospital for some time. Prosecutor stated that he was a farmer residing at Le Bon's Bay. He was in Christchnrch on August 30. On September 1 he received £50 from Messrs Acland, Campbell and Co. £7 17s 6d was paid to Mr Allen on Witness' account. Met accused at the City Hotel on the same day. Prisoner asked for ss, and witness gave him 2s 6d. Witness shouted for accused at the City, and the latter invited him to his place. Both parties then drove to Mr Noonan's house. Later on they returned to the City Hotel and had drinks, and witness lent accused another ss, and told him he had £40 on him, and was to go on toLyttelton. Witness cashed two £10 notes at the City Hotel, and one £10 at the White Hart. Subsequently he became/intoxicated, and was driven away in a cab with prisoner. When he recovered he tound himself in the house he had previously been taken to, and then found that there was a £10 note and the change of another missing from his pocket. The accused was not there, having made " a clean slope of it." Witness next saw accused coming out of an oyster saloon near the Theatre Royal, accompanied by a woman. Some further evidence was given, and the accused was committed for trial Moral—Don't go about "boozing" with £10 notes in your pocket.

The police have, after diligent search for George Ventiell, and after a most careful consideration of the various facts that have been discovered in the case, come to the conclusion that he has been undoubtedly murdered. Pieces of old blanket were found in the river near his late residence, and the result of analysis shows that they were stained with blood, believed to be human blood. A large stain of blood has been found on the sand hills about 150 yards from the house, and it presented the appearance of having been pressed into the sand as if a body had been laid down there. It has been fouud by analysis that this blood is human blood uJ: an age somewhat corresponding with the time of the disappearance of Vennell, and that about a quart of blood must have oozed out there. A piece of brown paper stained with blood has also been found in a gorse fence about a chain from the house, which appears to have been used in wiping a blood stain probably from the hands. The pieces of blanket found in the river were, it is believed, used by the person or persons concerned in the murder in clearing the house before the police were informed of Vennell's disappearance, and the small drops of blood subsequently discovered must have escaped the observation of the persons who cleansed the house. All the circumstances connected with Vennell's disappearance go to point to the fact that he has been murdered, and his body carefully concealed or disposed of in some manner. A systematic and diligent search is being made for his body in the Sandhills, hear his late residence.— Globe.

A correspondent informs us that on Tuesday'evening, the 2nd inst, Mr John Raddings gave a lecture in the old school house, Okain's Bay, on the subject of temperance, which, although the audience was scant, received the best attention throughout. The lecturer's aim seemed to be not so much to advocate any acknowledged temperance society, as to show that temperance in its widest sense is enjoined throughout the Scriptures. Doubtless some practical suggestions will follow from this gentleman, as to the best means of spreading the high principles advocated. Says the Timaru Herald: —The indictment prepared in the case of Charles Walkden Wood charged with fraudulent insolvency contained ten counts, and took about twenty minutes to read. The various articles which the prisoner was accused of concealing from his creditors were repeated in each count, and it would have appeared to an uninitiated listener that the Clerk was only practising reading by repeating the same thing over and over again. Mr Hamersley, who appeared for the defence, said that in order to expedite matters he would accept the indictment as read, but His Honor said ihat would be against all legal rules, and instructed the Clerk to proceed. The Clerk commenced reading shortly after 11 o'clock, and it took over half an hour to read it twice —once to the prisoner and once to the jury. It was so formidable an affair that the joke went round that it was sufficient to hang about 100 ordinary men, and still His Honor said that another count should have been inserted in it making the Clerk of the Court a trustee. The property, he said, was vested in the Clerk of the Court up to the time that a trustee was appointed, and a count referring to his trusteeship should have been inserted. The indictment was very near being bad owing to this. The celebrated pianiste, Mademoiselle Olga Duboin, will give a piano recital at the Oddfellows' Hall, Akaroa, on Thursday evening next. The criticisms which this lady's performances have evoked in other places are of the most flattering description, and there is no doubt that all lovers of first-class music have a rich treat in store by attending her concert, whtch is of a class which we Peninsula people seldom have an opportunity of listening to.

In a late GassetleytQ find the following description of the lighthouse in course of construction at Akaroa Heads:—" Akaroa Head Lighthouse—is situated in Akaroa Head, at the eastern side of the entrance to Akaroa Harbour, Banks Peninsula, East Coast of Middle Island. The light will be a second order flashing white light, visible all round seaward as far as the land admits, and will throw a flash every ten seconds." It is anticipated that the light will be ready for exhibition early in 1880. Of the exact date, due notice will be given. The Raphael troupe will make their last appearance at the Oddfellows' Hall, Akaroa, to-morrow. In the afternoon a performance wijl take place specially intended for the children, and in the evening the company appear on the same terms as before. On account of an accident to the Key. Mr Gissick, the services announced by that gentleman to be held at Little River and Pigeon Bay, on Sunday next, are unavoidably postponed.