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Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 411, 1 September 1868, Page 2

The continual downpour of rain yesterday ' put a stop to all shipping business at this port, and towards evening caused a heavy fresh in the river. The vessels at the wharf were all properly secured by hawsers and chains in expectation of a flood. What effect j the late warm rains may have had on the masses of snow now lying on' the back ranges, or whether they have extended go far inland, is not yet known, bu% a large flood may be looked for whenever the snow melts. The p.s. Charles Edward sailed on Saturday evening for Auckland via Westport. She took from here ten passengers, and from Hokitika fifty, bound for the Auckland gold fields. The Lady Darling, from Melbourne, was reported off the bar yesterday. Should the fresh now running in the river go down during the night, she will probably be brought in this morning. The s.s. Wallabi, Captain Daniel, arrived on Saturday morning from Wanganni via Westport. She Jef(i the former port with a large cargo of cattle and produce, most of which she'Uniled at WestpbVt, aud came on here for a 1 cargo of coaL thiririg the day forty tons of coal were shipped, ami in the evening the good old boat took her departure for Wangaflui direct, • The p.s. Persevere was cleared at the Customs on Saturday in order to proceed to Hokitika to tender the Egmont there, as she seems tq be the only tug boat which is at present of any service in woridng that bar. But she did not leave her moorings, as the condition of that bar made it highly improbable that she could enter safely. It is therefore almost certain that the Egmont has not ' yet been tendered. The Panama Company's as Egmont arrived off this port from Wellington on Saturday morning, and was at once tendered by the p.s. Dispatch, whioh was out in the roadstead waiting for her. She left Wellington at 4 p.m. on the 27th ult, and expe* nenced fine weather on the run round to this ] port, Her passengers and cargo were transhipped to the Dißpatoh, which returned to | port in the afternoon. The Egmont passed on in the morning for Hokitika, but she could not be tendered there either on Satur* day or Sunday, owing to the bad state of the bar. Captain George Mundle, late master of the N.Z.S.N. Co.'s steamer Wonga Yvcnga, has received the command of the steamer Go-a-Head, about to leave Wellington for Auckland, with the ultimate view of trading at the Thames Gold Fields from the latter place. The Go-a-Head has been for some time past lying in the harbor, aftetf having undergone considerable repairs by the order pf Messrs A. P. Stuart and Co.— Poet.' The Panama Mail Company is rivalling the Peninsular and Oriental in punctuality, and patting to shame those who have persistently decried it, and who were loud in their declaration that it "never could" be of any postal value to Victoria, It is now admitted that with a better adjustment of the times of arrival and departure, it would afford not exactly a fortnigbtJy service, but an alternate one of great value. The European news by the mail just arrived is not of much importance, but that, from California and the west coast of South America is of great com-, mereial value, and the outgoing mail really afforded an excellent opportunity for corresponding not only with thoso parts but with England. It has ever been the practice of the sham free-trade party to refuse fair play to the Panama Company, and to insist on its rival the P. and O. Company having secured to it the monopoly of a fortnightly contract. It is clearly the duty of a community to recognise every service, .that affords increased means of communication, and,- much as we are in favour of the Cape route, we would

willingly accord to the Panama Company support to the extent to which the route is found available. The sinister influence of a party has hitherto prevented justice being dove to the other colonies at whose sole expense the Panama line is maintained, and this has led to the adoption of a policy of reprisals carried to such an absurd extreme that Victorian newspapers are chargeable with a postage rate varying from two to ten shillings while on the other hand merchants who object to the line being recognised do not scruple to send parcels of letters to Sydney to be there postpl for transmission by it. The sooner this ridiculous warfare is ended the better, especially as there is a prospect of the line becoming the most expeditious of all. When the great Atlantic and Pacifig Railway across North America is finished, and it is in rapid progress, the mails from Melbourne to London,wiU be carried in about forty days. The calculations vary from thirtymiue to forty-four. There is room for all the competing lines, and no favour should be shown to either. Victoria should be abja to take the whole responsibility of the Cape route, and yet not deprive the other lines of a single shilling that they can fairly demonstrate their capability of giving value for. — Melbourne Leader.