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Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 258, 7 September 1867, Page 2

The schooner Northern Light left Port Philip Heads on the '22ud, and thence to making the land had 1 heavy weather and strong winds, wind) at times reached the violerce of a gale. Made the land'on the Ist inst. off the Grey, and was towed in by the Dispatch on Thursdu}'. While being towed up the river," she took the ground on the sln'ngle bank opposite tbe Government township, and will not be moved until to-day. Steps have been taken to lighter her, and it is expected that no difficulty will be experienced in bringing her up to the quay to-day. J The schooner Hilander cleared Port Bhilip i Heads on Monday, the 19th ult, with moderate winds and hazy weather. During the - passage the same variable weather continued, ; which brought her within sight of the New Zealand Coast off Greymouth on Sunday, ! distance 25 miles. ■ Brought up in the road- : stead on Wednesday, and was towed in by . the p.s. Dispatch on Thursday. Although there was abundant depth of water on the bar, the channel inside the river had con siderably shallowed, she was obliged to bring up some distance down the wharf, and yesterday a portion of her cargo was lightered into the Jane Elkin. It is expected that she will be able to come up the river to the quay to-day. The s.s. Claud Hamilton leaves this port to-day for Sydney, and the s. s. Egmont for Melbourne. The s.s. Gothenburg leaves the Grey roadstead for Melbourne on Monday. The p.s. Dispatch, which left for the Northern .coast ports yesterday, did a good day's towage on Thursday. She took out tlie schooners William and Julia and the Brother.? and Sister, both coal laden and bound for Hokitika. She afterwards towed in the Melbourne schooners Hilander and Northern Light, as also the coasting ketch J.iue Elkin. There was a good bar, with plenty of water. The s.s. Halcyon, which has undergone so many vicissitudes during her career on the West Coast, is about to 'return to the Manukau to get a complete overhaul. It is the intention of her owner as soon as tbe necessary repairs have been effected to replace her on her present trade — which will .always afford occupation to such a convenient vessel as the Halcyon. During her stay on the coast the Halcyon has made herself a favorite, not only through her performances as a steamer, but through the uniform courtesy and ability of Lev commander. We trust that her absence rom this coast will not'be long, and that on her return she will find profitable employment. Indeed we may say that so long as there is any trade between the small ports of the West Coast, the Halcyon will always find work to do. It would interest a good many persons in Greymouth to know from whom the West Coast 'l%mes derives/its shipping reports from Greymonth, for certainly they are generally almost completely imaginative. Our Hokitika contemporary, in its issue of Thursday, had a sensational account of " the narrow escape of the cutter Eliz; b ;th from shipwreck on jihe Grey bar, " the said escape having only been accomplished by the timely services of thes.s. Kennedy. So circumstantial is our contemporary's account, that it makes the Persevere' tug hard to get the cutter off the gpit, and states that "her fate (the cutter's) was" well nigh sealed, when fortunately the s.s. Kennp.ly, just up from the Buller, ran in, hove the cutter a line as she passed, and, after a fow stiff pulls, got her afloit and towed her to the wharf." Now, the whole of £iis story is a pure invention. The cutter never was ashore at all, and still less did tlie Kennedy render her any assistance. The facts are as follows : — The cutter was coming in, towed by the Persevere, when the captain of the cutter, fancying that the tug had taken the" ground, cut the tow-line, there being plenty of wind to take him back to the offing, and he being unwilling to risk a collision with the Persevere. The cutter made the ofling alright, and the Persevere equally well entered the river. The p.s. Dispatch afterwards tugged the Elizabeth in, biitthe Kennedy was never near her. The cutter, which our contemporary says "was somewhat damaged," did not receive the least injury. The s.s. Wallabi, which arrived in the river yesterday, took on board a cargo of cattle and sheep at Wanganui, on Tuesday, the 27th ult., but owing to the strong gale blowing, had to put back to the Heads, aqd lay there until Monday last, when she lef »yat 10 a.m., with light winds but very he&vy S.W. and westerly sea running. Passed Cape Farewell at 4. 30 a.m. on Tuesday, and arrived at the Buller at 2.30 a.m. on Wednesday. Discharged 57 bullocks, and lef t again yesterday morning, and arrived off the Grey at noon She brings 150 sheep and two bullocks for this port. Captain Daniels reports that a rush has taken place to the liohilduui, and that the s.s. Murray left Westport with 80 passengers. Tlie brig Mountain Maid, fromNewcastle, N.S.W., laden with coal, is a total wreck at the Buller. She was aaiempting to sail in, but just got aground almost in mid-channel. The steamer Southland went to her assistance, but the tow-line parted, and i-o other being available, the brig was left to lier fate. She subsequently drifted in nearly over the bar, but got such a severe bumping as to knock her bottom in, and when the Wallabi left there were six feet of water in her.