LOSS OF THE EUPHROSYNE.

Evening Star, Issue 3792, 20 April 1875, Page 2

LOSS OF THE EUPHROSYNE.

A meeting was held in the City Council Chambers yesterday of persons desirous of assisting to raise funds in aid of the wife and family of Captain Spence and the sufferers by the loss of the above vessel. His Worship the Mayor presided, and there were present Captains Bowman, Clark, Russell, niid Thomson, J, L. Gillies, R. Gillieb, R. B. Martin, A Mercer, Jam* s Mills, H. ougbton, J. M Indoe, A. Rennie, and a number of other gentlemen. The Mayor of Port Chalmers telegraphed that he was unable to attend that meeting, bub that he would heartilv'co-operate m its object. . The Chairman stated the object of the meetingi and in the discussion that ensued it was found that six persons are believed to have saiied in the Euphrosyne—viz., Capt. Spence, Shetland (mate), Whitehead, Brown, Falconer, and Shaw (seamen). The Chairman said none of those left any relations in Dunedin, with the exception of Captain Spence and the sealu&nShaw, The latter had a wife and two children, and his mother-in-law was also on her way out from the old ceuntry. Mr R. B. Martin spoke very highly of Mrs Spence, he having known her a number of years, and had every opportunity of noting her excellent qualities. He was sure any assistance given Mrs Spence would be devoted to a good purpose. Several gentlemen also spoke in the same * iv 0 ? 8 ! °i Spence, and it was stated tnat that lady had strenuously opposed any such movement as that the present meeting had undertaken j but it was absolutely necessary that something should be done, and Mrs Spence had 8 r P rev on to give, her consent. Mr J. Mills proposed that the following be appointed a committee for the purpose of raising scnptions to aid the sufferers by the Joss of the Euphrosyne:-The Mayors of Dunedin, Port Chalmers, and Oamaru; Captains Clark, RuaMl. Thomson, Bouman, and Sewell: Messrs R. B. Martin, J. M‘lndoe, and J. L. Gillies. Carried; and the Mayor of Dunedin was appointed treasurer. It was decided that the Mayor of Oamaru, Captain Sewell, and Mr Graves, owner of the vessel, be communicated with, in order that a subscription be started in Oamaru. One gen* tleman said he thought the owner of the Euphrosyne should himself head the list. When the steamer City of Dunedin was lost, it would he remembered that her owner, although a very heavy loser, was the first to subscribe, putting his name down for one hundred guineas. Mr R. B. Martin said there was a balance of Lls to the good of the old “ Wreck Fund,” u “ one of trustees of that fund, he should be gl&d to hand it over for this purpose* though it was not & very large sum. Mr R. GILLIBS said there was one thing he felt called on to mention. He had heard various reports as to the condition of the Euphrosyne when she sailed, and if only one half of these rumors were true it was a cryiug shame that vessels should be allowed to go to sea in an unseaworthy state, and British seaman (such as Captain Spence was) thereby lose their lives.

Capt, Clark said he had seen a good deal of Capt. Speuce . before he last sailed, and had been on board the Euphrosyne; but Capt. Spence had never said a bad word of the ship, and there could, therefore, be no slur thrown upon the ship or her owner. Captain Thomson said, as the person appointed to survey vessels trading to this port, that he could corroborate Capt. Clark’s words and certify to the seaworthiness of the Euphroayne. Probably she had run ashore somewhere on the coast in the night, arid this was another proof of the necessity for a light-house between fort Chalmers and Oamaru, ’ •