DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1076, 9 January 1872, Page 2

D U NE D I N.

[from our ow>- correspondent.] December 30. [Some of the incidents mentioned in the following letter have been referred to in our telegrams, but as fuller particulars are contained in the letter,* we are sure it will be read with interest.] One of the heaviest sou- westerly gales which has blown here for several yeara back came on early .on Saturday morning last. The previous evening was warm, with a stiff puffy wind from nor'-west, which died away towards midnight, wheir it remained calm for some time. As the morning drew on the gale started, and it kept increasing till noon, when it blow a fair hurricane, doing a great deal of damage both in: town and country. Chimneys, roofs, windows, fencing, and all loose things exposed, were blown about terribly. The destruction of window glass in the shops in : town was very great, and signboards, verandahs, flagstaffs, &c, suffered severely. The trees and bushes in the gardens, now loaded with fruit, were whipped and stripped until the ground was covered with fruit and leaves, while the crops in the fields had an equally hard time of it. Perhaps the most serious piece of damage which was done was the blowing down of one of the four turrets on the tower of the new First Church: These turrets resemble miniature spires, are 30ft high, and constructed of solid masonry, adding not a little to the beauty of the erection. The one on the windward side of the town was observed to vibrate slightly about noon, and then came down with a great crash, two men working near having a very narrow escape. In the Bay, at various places, boats and other floating affairs went adrift, and sustained damage, more or less. In the bush, smouldering fires were fanned into activity, and spread widely, particularly on Pine Hill, where a large quantity of cut and stacked firewood was burnt ; and at Sawyer's Bay, near Port Chalmers, a house was burnt, and several others endangered, with large quantities of fencinsr, &c.\ On the Taieri Plain, at Tokomairiro, .Lawrence, and other places, great damage was done, the crops being quite ruined, and numbers of houses blown down, fencing levelled, &c. ;. while on the roads all locomotion was stopped for the day. During the afternoon, the gale gradually moderated, and next morn, ing was quite oalm, great clouds of smoke rising at various points on the hills testifying to the extent of the damage done. These fires burned till Monday morning, when a smart shower put them nearly all out ; Monday, Christmas ' Day, opened very dull and threatening, and the various steamers advertised for excursions were in consequence rather long in , filling up. Nevertheless, they filled up well ; the day turned out a very fine one, and the crowds of people who went down the. harbor enjoyed themselves very much. On returniug home, which most of the boats did between six aud seven o'clock, the jollity of the excursionists was completely dispelled by the quickly spreading news that a most deplorable accident had occurred in the bay, by which not fewer than seven fine young fellows had lost their lives. It appeared they had engaged a boat at the Jetty steps during the afternoon for a sail, an 4 had stood over to Pelichet Jetty, where some more embarked, and then started away down the harbor. When off Macandrew's Jetty, about four miles down, the boat was seen to go under, and all were thrown into the water. Before assistance could reach the spot they had all disappeared, their hats and caps only floating on the water. The s.s. Maori came up shortly after, and raised the boat, aud on examination the sliieet was found to be fast, evidently the cause of the accident. Search was, immediately made for the bodies, but nqne' were found till Wednesday, when five were recovered, and a sixth on Thursday morning. An inquest was held at the \Vhite Horse Hotel, on Thursday, but little evidence was brought forward tending to throw light qn tljie matter. The jury returned a verdiqt of accidentally drowned, and added a rider to the effect that, in their opinion, the means of saving life in the harbor was defective, and that passenger boats ought to be fitted with some means of keeping them afloat in case of accident. The following are the names of the deceased i— John, Peter, and William Sorymgeour ; William and James Drew ; John Bruce, and Alfred Prictor. Four of them were in the employ of Messrs A. and "T.Burtp as plumbers and .brassfoiinders ; and all were respectable well-conducted youug men. The sad event has a most profound sensation all over Dun&din. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon, and was largely attended by al' classes, most of. the shops and places of business being closed. There were four hearses — one • containing Prictor's body, another that of Bruce, the two Scrymgeoura, the fourth the two Drews; and there were four graves, and a different clergyman officiated at each. The body of the other Scrymgeour is still missing. Boxing Day,' notwithstanding the above unfortunate affair^ was observed as gaily as ever. A number of trips to various places were advertised, arid several pic-nics took place at some of the more beautiful spots in our neighborhood ; but the principal scene of merry-making and enjoyment was the Oddfellows' Fete on the North Recreation Ground. The Juvenile Sports Committee coalesced with the Order, and the result was the issuing of a capital programme.- The BataUion Band played on the ground throughout th^ day, and ihere could not have been less Hhan 4000 people present most of the afternoon. The entries were pretty numerous for some of the events, and very great interest was taken by the public, in some of the boys' races, some of which were very keenly contested.* The Two Mile Handicap Walking Match was, as usual, watched: very closely, though' it only brought to- \ getherthewell-knownathletes^-M'Greger, Edie, and Bowan. The latter received nearly half a round sfopt,' and walked very gamely to ttie finish.' IBdie walked three or ' four ' rounds pretty ' well, but, then suddenly withdrew, alleging the heaf ,of the day as an excuse. The other ts6, continued their rounds, M'Gregor passing Bowden easily before half the dis% tance was done, and coming in winner by| about 50 yards. A novelty in the shape* of a pig hunt was got up, and provoked immense amusement. The pig— a : black, ugly, long-legged brute— was let loose in jthe ring, aiid. fairly handicapped with a good start. ; It started pff |o\v^rds the crowd, -arljfoA oT\b6ys 111 piiraujt ' and broke through the ring, and Where

a group were playing kiss-in-the-ring, sending them flying in all directions, the ladien squealing, the men laughing, until it was eventually run down in a cojfner against the fence, and carried ofj^in triumph by one of its pursuers. TBflfep was very fine, and everything wfe§£off successfully. : :-. 'i"s>i* .i^r: The ninth Interprovincial Cricket Match between Canterbury and Otago came off on Thursday and Friday this week. IJhe ' Otago club were only able to turn ow&f very weak team,' and one. that had littler practice together, on account of the match coming off so much earlier in the season than usual. The first day was a very fine one, warm, with a light N. E. breeze, but the second day was cold, with a gale from S. W. blowing ; some rain which fell in the morning, however, greatly improved the ground, which had been re-turfed f for the occasion j and was not in first-rate order. Otago went first W this wickets] and were all out for the small score of 118. In their first innings the Canterbury men ran up a score of 161 by some very fair play, two of the team— -Savile and Fowler— contributing no fewer' than 98 to the total. The Otago men then resumed the willow, but were very unfortu 7 nate, one of their best players only scoring single numbers, and the innings terminated for the small amount Df. 43. As the game stood, this was a tie, and Canterbury, on going to the wickets, soon made 1, which, finished the match. Ai, good deal of' interest was taken in the match, and the ground was crowded daily during the play. The victorious eleven are to play eighteen of the Citizens' CluJ> to-day. ■■• ■■■'■ ••■■■•■ : :■" •'" •■.•■■■■■•■■' ;;:j:l "'' : The Choral Society perfdrtned'Handers oratoria " The Messiah;" in a very creditable way on Thursday evening, to a crowded house, in University Hall. Both the theatre, to the Minstrels, and the Masonic Hall, to the Diorama of the ll American War, have had good houses during the week. \\ __ This concludes my weekly epistles for the year 1871. And I wish you and your readers all the compliments of the season j> a happy New Year and many of them.