The Akaroa Mail FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1892.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XXII, Issue 1670, 15 July 1892, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1892.

Early Lambing.—One day early this week Mr G. Saxton had the first addition to his flock in the shape of a fine merino lamb. This is the first we have heard of in the district. Sale of Furniture.—lt will be noticed that Messrs Latter & Co. hold a sale of the furnishing and fittings at WagstalT's Hotel on Saturday. A clearance will, we understand, be made without reserve. Arbor Day.—The " Gazette " of the 7th inst. contains a nofice : — " That Thursday, the 4th day of August next, will be observed as a public holiday in the Government offices throughout New Zealand for the celebration of Arbor Day." Larrakinism.— A rather daring sample of this sort of thing was indulged in sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning, some persons, presumably some of the " young blood " of the place removing the gates at the entrance to the police station. After removal an evident attempt had been made to hoist them up Mr Daly's flagstaff, but the halyards proved too weak for the unusual strain upon them, and from the blood strains on the gates and ground, it is surmised some of the would be jokers must have been, in sporting phrase, hard hit. These silly proceedings of damag* ing property during the night are simply idiotic, and should be put down with a high hand. On several occasions recently we have heard of attempts at a revival of larrakinism here, but now that the war has been carried into the enemies' country, the police will, little doubt, be on their metaL We have no sympathy whatever with such goings on, and offenders on conviction should be severely punished. Whipping and the revival of the lash have been suggested as excellent deterents.

Political.—lt will be noticed from our Parliamentary report that the Hon. member for Akaron voted eor'y on Wednpeday morning in the minority of 14 for Mr J. W Kelly's amendment to clause 6 of the Electoral Bi'l in Committee, to strike out tbe freehold qualification to residence only.

At-Home Society.—This Society hnd a PiicGeeafnl meeting last night, when Mr G. Black read an excellent paper on 'The Early History of New Zmlnnd.' On the motion of Mr Nicholls a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr Black for his paper. Akauoa Hospital.—The report of the Inspector of Hospitals has just been presented to Parliament, and in reference to the local hospital he reports as follows : —That the patients nil cnme from the County of Akftroo, that the total oolleo live days in Hospital were 914, individn.il average days' ttays, 43 50. Daily average cofet per head, 6s 9|d. Outdoor patients, 15. The total revenue and expenditnre h £311 12s 10d. The Inspector remarks that this is a branch of the Christchurcli Hospital. He rioted it on the 12th of March and found everything in good order. The only pnlient was an old chronio case, who has been a sort ol nestegg for years. Got Wet.—Tho LyHelton Times , shipping correspondent under date of yesterdny B ay ß :_On Wednesday afternoon as the steamer John Anderson was coming alongside the steamers' wharf at Lyttelton, one of the frequenters of the wharves went to receive her mooring lines, and when in the act of reaching out to catch the rope a railway truck, which was being drawn along tho rails (ouched him, ani he went head-first into the sea below. As the temperature of the water was very low tbe bath was probably anything but acceptable.

Wagstaff's Hotel.—Our contemporary, the Lyttelton Times, is responsible for the following:—The favourite seaside resort known so long by the name of Wngstafl's Hotel at Akaroa, has been purchased by Mr Robert Noonan, well-known on the Peninsula, who will enter into possession at once, and purposes conducting the hotel in such a manner as to render it a comfortable borne for families, tourists and commercial travellers

Akaroa FooTiiit Club. — A general meeting whp held in side-room. Town Hall, on Saturday, 9th of July. PresentMr Thomson, Captain, in the chair and twenty-five member;*. The minutes of the prior meeting were read and confirmed. Correspondence was rend from agents b,s. John Anderson, end the meeting went into Committee. When the meeting resumed, it was decided that tho Club ndinit no liability in the matter. Two new members were elected. A vote of thanks was pußsrd to Messrs E. Lelievra and F. Potts for their liberal donations. The Hon. Sea. uas requested to arrange a match wi'h Kaikoura when on thoir tour south, and also arrange a match between Christo.liurch Roys' High School and the Club's second team. The meeting thon terminated.

New Koad Board Act.—lt is propose-J. during the present session to amend the 'Road Boards' Act. 1882,' that tho qunlifici lion of members mu&t bo occupation. Although a person may bo on owner and on tho Valuation Roll, residence is essential to his either being a member or voting. ' Occupier ' is more particularly defined iv the interpretation clause to the ' Rating Act, 1882.' Any ono making fulae claims to vote will bo subject to a heavy penalty. Tho same Bill nlso proposes to amend section four of the ' Ro»d Boards' Act, 1882.' by reqirringonly the signatures of the ratepayers for the area to be comprised in the proposed new district, and upon the presentation of this petition the County Council can forthwith proceed to constitute n new rowl district Tb« BilJ benrs the name of Mr Wright, M.11.R for the Anhburtofi district, nud sueins to u=) a useful rreaeurn.

FUNERAL.—The fun»ral of the youngest d:u.;hterof Mr Win. Penlington, ex Mayor of this borough, anil whoso e'riy death we no'ice.d in our last iatuo, took place on Wednesday afternoon. The colli o whs carried shoulder high by relays of young men to the chancel of St. Peter's Church, Iho young lady members of the choir, of which the deceased was one, acting &r pailbeaiert>, and carrying wreaths of flowers. The altar, reredos and lectern weredriped in black, and tho coffin on being placed in front of the alter steps was covered with a laige number of beautiful floral devices, the loving gifts of friends. Tho churob was filled by a large congregation, who were deeply moved by the touching nnd melancholy nature of the service. After the choir singing hymn 399 A. and M , the Reverend Incumbent, Jasper Smyth, read inoet imprespivoly tho Psalm and Lesson appointed for the burial of the dead. Tho choir then sang hymn 400, and the funeral cortege being formed, left the church, Miss Davidson, tho organist, playing the " Dead March in Saul." Tha large crowd of mourners then proceeded by way of the Esplanade and beach r >ad toChurca of England Cemetery, where just as the sun was setting behind the Weetern hills of the Peninsula, the burial service was concluded, and to the solemn strains of " Brief Life is Here Our Por'ion," all that was mortal of the deceased was laid to rest. Much sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Penlrn<rton and thoir relatives in tlieir severe uffliction.

Lake Ellesmere Flounders. —Mr Wright, the member for Ashburton, has introduced a Bill into the House, having for its object the prevention of selling undersized flounders caught in Lake Ellesmere. The Bill only consists of two clauses, the chief of which is the second, by which any person will be liable to a penalty of not less than a pound, or more than fifty pounds, " who takes within the waters of Lake Ellesmere, in the provincial district of Canterbury, any fish of the species known as flouuders of a size less than eleven inches in length, and omits to immediately return the said fish to the waters of the said Lake," and any person who buys, sells, or exposes for sale any of the above sort of fish less than eleven inches in length, knowing them to have been taken in the waters of the lake, will be liable to a like penalty. We understand that the above Bill is the result of a compromise amongst the fishermen fishing on the lake. It will not be a bad idea to extend the Bill to the whole of the Colony, as nine inches seems to be a rather variable quantity with fishermen, probably the result of many of them being Italians, and the measurement of that country not having been accurately reduced to English measurement. Since writing the above this Bill has been read a ' second time, and, on being referred to the Joint Committee on Bills, was found to be a private Bill. Our special Wellington correspondent wires still later that the necessary notices will be given and the Bill proceeded with this session.

Racing Club Meeting.—We have again to remind our readers of the meeting of this Club at 8 p.m., to-morrow, at the Somerset Hotel. The importance of the question, viz., the desirability of forming a race course in Mrs Shadbolt's paddock, is our excuse for again referring to the subject.

Native Birds.—A memorandum of more than usual importance was addressed last Christmas Day by His Excellency the late Governor, Lord Onslow, to the Premier on the subject of the preservation of the native birds of New Zealand. His Excellency makes out an excellent case in his well written memorandum, and strongly urges the reservation of the Little Barrier Island and Resolution Island for the purpose of their preservation. He thinks that the Norway rat is a large factor in the destruction of wingless birds, and deplores the introduction ol stoats and weasels as tending in the same direction. The paper is so portnnt and so interesting that we wish to return to it again when space permits.

Hotel Improvements. — Amongst the many improvements which Mr Morton, the present proprietor of the Bruce Hotel, has introduced since the commencement of his tenacy of this hotel, not the least important is the renovation of the billiard room. The room has been completely and literally swept and garnished. The whole of the roof has been tinted a delicate cream white, the cornices picked out in pink and blue, and the walls papered with a handsome paper of a rich, warm tint. Fresh matting has been laid down on the floor. The raised dias that runs round two sides of the room has been newly covered with silent floor-clothing, and the upholstering of the seats has also been carefully attended to. But what in a billiard room is most important of all—the table —has been covered with a heavy, new cloth, under the directions of an expert. The whole is now in perfect order, and it would be hard to find a more comfortable or a prettier room outside the larger cities of the Colony. We notice by advertisement elsewhere it is proposed to hold a grand billiard tournament in the room. The first prize is handsome enough to attract the lovers of the game of angles, and we are sure competitors and visitors will find everything in shipshape order. Late Cable News.—Eight hundred tons of cargo have been landed from the wreck of the Port Douglas at St. Vincent, but it is feared that there is no chance of saving any more.—A resolution disapproving of Sir G. Dilke as a candidate, on moral grounds, was carried by the electors of Dean Forest. Lady Dilke, who was present at the meeting, wept bitterly when the Chairman announced that the resolution was carried.—At Limerick the houses of Liberal Unionists were wrecked by a riotous mob.—Mr Chamberlain, in a speech on Saturday, said it was a sad thing to see Mr Gladstone degenerate into a mob orator.—The eruption of Mount Etna is assuming alarming proportions. The villages of Ricolosi and Belhaso are in danger from the lava flow, and earthquakes are frequent.—The total number of persons killed by the explosion on the steamer Mont Blanc was twentyteight, mv eluding the captain. The steam filled the saloon and caused a panic. All egress was blocked, and the cries of the sufferers who were immersed in the scalding vapour were fearful. — Two-thirds of St. John's, New« foundland, not New Brunswick as first cabled, has been destroyed by the fire. Six lives were lost. No single public building or mercantile house escaped. One vessel was burned in the harbour, but the rest steamed away to sea. The fiie originated through a match being dropped in a barn, and only stopped when there wa* nothing more to burn. The damage is estimated at four millions sterling. Warsh ps are conveying food from Halifax, and relief lunds have been opened in all the Canadian cities. The fire extended from the town to the neighbouring villages. Six persons were drowned and eight were bnrnt to death during the progress of the flames. No water was available.—One half of Christiana, the capital of Norway, has been burned down. The Bank of Norway, Savings Bank and Post Office were destroyed. The damage is esti, mated at seven million crowns. — The Yale University has declined the challenge sent by the Oxford University.—Machinery inspectors have reported that a crack existed in the Mont Blanc's boilers for a month past. Many of the passengers were severely scalded, and some of them implored the doctors to kill thorn and put an er.d to their agony. There were no Australian »ourii»fn on board the vessel.— The Daily Chronicle holieves that Mr Gladstone in not KUre of a majority outside the Irish members.—Mr GUidsionn appeals to the nmional conscienco to decide whether Ireland shall be a nation or not.—Eight thousand troops have been despatched from Hnine3tnad to Pittsburgh to as-siut in preserving order , —ln consequence of the employers in Idaho, United j States, insisting on engaging non-union men, a mine was wrecked by dynamite, I and four persons were killed.—The Welsh miners are proposing to abolish the Sliding Scde and join the Federation.—ln Iho Victorian Assembly, Sir Graham Berry announced that the incrjased duties on wines, beer And epirils are expected to realise £200,000 a your. He mentioned that it coat the country £880 to bring Deeming to justice.—Mr J. Munro (AgentGeneral in London) when in Victoria acted as trustee to the Li Rose estates, which he sold for £25 000. The estates were subsequently re-purcbased by the Real Estate limk for £64.000. There is a likelihood of Mr Munro being requested to return and explain his connection with the matter. —The opponents of tint United States Silver Bill are confident that they will be ablo to kill the measure.—Ravachol. the AnnrchiHt, left a letter behind him, urging tho Anarchists to avenge hie death.—Mount Etna is very active, and the lava has reached nebrly to Nicolso and Belbaso. Five craters have opened, and the villiage of Giarre is ruined.—M. Pasteur is recovering—The polling continues to be unusually heavy. The Conservatives and Unionists have attained 1,518 131 votes, find the Home Rulers and Labor candidates 1,598.237. The net gain of the Home Rulera is 36 seats. The Liberal Unionists have lost 15, including Greenock, and won 6. The Times expects a majority in favor of Home Rule of between 20 and 30. Orange demonstrations have been he'd all over Ulster to protest against Home Rule.—lt is believed that Mr Gladstone will have a large majority. The Times says there will have to be another election next year to a certainty, and the Unionists will have to prepare to battle for the integrity of the Empire. The Chronicle thinks the Liberal revival is due to the impulse given by Trade Unions. Spoculatiou is already rife as to the new Ministers. It is thought probable that Mr H 11. Fowler will bo Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Laboticbera Home Secretary, Lord Carrington Secretary for tbe Colonies, and Mr Shaw Lc-fevre Secretary for Ireland.—A hundred nnd fifty persons have been drowned by floods, or killed by a land-slip at St. Gervaie, in Switzerland. The catastrophe was caused by glacier ice falling in and diverting f> mountain torrent. Tbe accident, happened at two o'clock in the morning, and was so sudden that half the villago was demolished- Two other villinges were submerged, and seventy-fivo totiMHU wire killed.—The Freeident of. tho United : dtates has offered financial a^pi.■α-ince to j the Huittrbrs by tho lire at Rt, John'n.

Borough Council Election.—Burgesses are reminded that >n accoidance with a notice published some time ago in our advertising columns, nominations for a successor to the late Councillor Bruce close with the Returning Officer to-day at noon. One More Unfortunate.—lt is with regret that we observe a notice in this issue, that our genial friend, host Beecher, who has so energetically run WagstafFs Hotel here with the warm appreciation of the public for the past three years, hns been through courses over which he has no control, been compelled to "join the majority." The first meeting of creditors lakes place on Monday next, at 3 p.m., in Christchurch.