AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 651, 28 January 1869, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

SYDNEY.—DESTRUCTION BY EIRE OF ST. MARY’S TEMPORARY CATHEDRAL.

(Telegram in Melbourne Argus.)

About three o’clock on the morning of the sth inst. St. Mary’s Temporary Cathedral was discovered to be on fire, which spread through the building with great rapidity The fire brigades were soon at the scene of the disaster, but there was no water available until the whole building was en* veloped in flames. The church and hs contents were totally destroyed. The origin of the five is at present unknown, but on account of certain circumstances, there is a suspicion the fire is not altogether accidental. The loss is greater than at first anticipated, as some of the contents cannot easily be replaced, and were worth more than mere money value. The safes containing the splendid vestments presented by the Marchioness of Shrewsbuiw

proved unequal to tho devouring element, and they became a prey to the flames. The jewelled crozier, and the plate and vestments saved from the old cathedral, which were highly valued were this time destroyed. A meeting of the leading Catholics will be held to-night, to take steps to provide a temporary place of worship. The result of tho inquest on the above fire was as follows, in the verdict of the jury—“We find that the premises were consumed by fire on Tuesday, the sth inst.; but no evidence has been adduced to show how it originatedand a rider —“We consider it to have been injudicious that so responsible a trust as the care of the lights should have been confided to a boy as young as the person who had charge.” The subscriptions and offerings towards the fund for the erection of a temporary cathedral to rep 1 ace the one burned, continue to flow in rapidly, and over £IOOO has already been collected. This is about half the amount required. (From tiro Sydney Morning Herald, Jan. C.)

Yesterday morning, at about day-break, a calamitous lire broke out at St Mary’s Temporary Cathedral. So sudden was this most unhappy event, and so rapid the progress of the flames, that, in less than an hour, the building was entirely consumed, and a large amount of valuable property totally destroyed, .As stated in our brief notice of yesterday, the conflagration is believed to have originated in the northern portion of the building. Its immediate cause will of course be the subject of all due inquiry. In the meantime we lay before our readers some of the chiefi particulars of this disaster, so far as wo have as yet bden enabled to ascertain

them. It would appear that the first alarm of the fire was raised at a quarter-past three o’clock, on Tuesday morning, when a boy named Patrick O’Rourke—who was sleeping in a room behind the sacristy, at the south-eastern extremity of the church — was awoke by hearing a loud crackling noise. Rising hastily, the lad ran into the church, and there saw fire raging on the westers side of the edifice, at, or near to,

s the angle of the organ loft. On seeing this he ran immediately and rang the bell near the great door of the church, which ' was the first general alarm. At the same time that the fire was thus discovered—or a minute or two afterwards—a young man, named John Kiernan, the sacristan, was also awoke by the crackling of the flames, and on opening his eyes perceived a red glare on the walls of the room in which he slept. Starting out of bed, he at once (from the sound of the flames and the smell of the fire) became fully aware of what was the matter, and running up into the church, he saw the building all in a blaze on the north-west —burning fiercely; near the north-eastern corner of the organ gallery, No time was lost in the endeavor to arrest the progress of the devouring element, and in attempting to save something from the impending wreck. Little, however, could be done, for the wooden material of the building took fire like touchpaper, the flames being unfortunately fanned by a steady north-east wind. Some of thefurniture ot the clerk’s office and of the office of the Yicar-Gfeneral, however, was saved, and so, too, was an iron safe containing the church registers. Everything else —books, vestments, and church plate of the utmost value —perished in the general ruin. The loss to the church in vestments alone is estimated at

not less than 150). Amongst the vestments was the magnificent and invaluable suite presented to the cathedral by the late Countess of Shrewsbury. The cope of this suite, worked in cloth of gold and set in jewels, was worn by the Archbishop for the last time, a few days since, at the laying of the foundation stone of the new Cathedral. Thus the vestments and church plate which were saved from the burning of the old cathedral have now been destroyed. The church itself—remembered as the place in which the obsequies of the Princo do Oonde were celebrated—was a large and commodious, but

plain erection ; about 250 feet in length, and 45 feet in breadth. The building was entirely of wood, except the basement story, which was pretty solidly erected of stone, and so also was the south-eastern front. Three persons slept in the cathedral premises on Monday night, viz.: —Patrick O’Rourke, the cathedral cleaner; John Kiernan, the sacristan; and a groom, named James Ryan, in charge of the Archbishop's horses. These report that when they retired to bed on Monday night they left all the doors and windows fastened, the lights properly extinguished, and everything safe. The constable on the beat, and other parties, passing round by St Mary’s-road at about 3 o’clock, perceived no signs of fire whatever. The policeman (Edward Chapman) perceived the fire, however, before ho got further away than Dowling-street, and, running back to give the alarm, found the fire raging with great fury by the time that he reached St. Mary’s, On the alarm of fire being given many persons hastened to the spot, and gave what assistance they could: but from the first it was evidently impossible to save the building. The No, 2 Volunteer Company’s engines was brought down to the corner of the road at a quarter to four o’clock —about fifteen minutes after the alarm had been received at the station house. Then followed the not uncommon difficulties about the precise lo cality of the water plugs, the insufficient length of hose, and, worst of all, some accidental deficiency of water. It was not until about ten minutes past 4 that any water could be brought to bear upon the building, and then only a feeble jet on the south-eastern front. Yet the firemen worked hard, and did all they could. Mr Moore, of the No. 2 Volunteer Fire Company, and the groom, exerted themselves greatly for saving the Archbishop’s horses, which were in the stables on the western side of the church. The grass was all on fire between the stables and the church, and the poor animals were in imminent danger of being burnt to death. A young man named O’Neil likewise merited special commendation for his spirited efforts—

amongst several others, whose names could not be ascertained, Mr Oamb also, the superintendent of No. 2 Company, distinguished himself by his assistance in saving the church register safe. The Insurance Brigade engine was promptly on the spot, and was afterwards followed up by the No. 1. Although the church was burned down by half-past 4 o’clock, the ruins were, of course, one mass of fire for a long time afterwards. For many hours the firemen continued to throw water over the embers, which were not extinguished until an advanced hour in the afternoon. As might be expected, a large body of people collected at the ruins throughout the day. Amongst the ashes, at about midday, were found a portion of the jewelled crozier of the Archbishop, a silver thurible, and such like valuables, all wasted with the devouring heat, in one of the safes, which could not bo extricated from the building, were also found books and pa- • pers, all charred and destroyed. It is hoped that the two fire-proof safes in the body of the church may have preserved their contents uninjured. James Ryan, groom to the Archbishop, slept in the clerk’s office, in the stone buildj iug. He awoke about the same time as ( the other man and hoy, and exerted himL self, as we have said, to get out the property belonging to Dr Folding and the p Yicar-G-oneral. There were five horses in the stables, and these were all with great

j difficulty got out. As might readily be belived, tliis fresh , calamity has been a very heavy blow to ' Dr Folding, the Roman Catholic Arch- , bishop. The sorrow of that venerable pro * late when he learned that “ St Mary’s was a again on fire ” is described as having been of a most heartrending character.

It is thought that the fire broke out in or near the organ loft, and this has been considered by many to be rather a suspicious circumstance. That particular point is at a very considerable distance from Woolloomoolloo -st. to the south, or from St Mary’s hoad to the east. It is also a considerable distance from the gas meter, which was on the east side of the building —much nearer down to the altar. It is said that the gas was found by somebody to be turned full on when the fire V'as raging. This statement is, however, distinctly denied, and it is further stated that no gas had been turned on, or used, since last Sunday night. The cost of the fittings has been estimated at not less than £2 00.

Ryan and O’Rourke slept in tlie base* meat of the south-eastern front, and Kiernan (it is believed) in the sacristy, on the floor of the main building, A silver trowel was discovered yesterday at noon, under the high altar. It is one that was used at the laying of the foundation of St. John’s College, and has suffered considerable injury. The gold altar service, presented to the Cathedral by the ex-Q,ueen of Spain, was fortunately not in the building, The building was insured in the United and another office for £1,500.

INQUIRY INTO ALLEGED CONSPIRACY. (From the Sydney Mail, Jan. 9.) The select committee appointed on the motion of Mr Macleay to inquire into and report upon the “ existence of a conspiracy for the purposes of treason and assassination,” is sitting daily. On Monday it took tiie evidence of the Inspector-General of Police ; on Tuesday, Mr Fosbery (the secretary to the police department,) was under examinati n for about two hoars and a half; and on Wednesday Mr J. C. Eead (Governor of Darlinghurst Jail), and Mr Aaron (Visiting Surgeon to the Jail), and Mr Halloran (Principal Under-Secretary,) gave evidence. We are informed that there is no foundation for certain telegrams which have been sent to Melbourne, and various parts of this colony, to the effect that the Inspector-General’s evidence did not support the opinion that O’Farrell had criminal connections. On the contrary, it is said, that the evidence of the whole of the witnesses tends to the opposite conclusion. Nearly all the gentlemen examined aro said to have expressed their opinion, that O’Farrell was not alone and unaided, and that treasonable designs were entertained by others. The Inspector-General of Police, in the course of his examination, stated that before the arrival of the Prince ho had no knowledge of any plot to assassinate him ; but from information communicated to him personally, and by anonymous letters, he thought it his duty to take precautions to prevent any disturbance of the peace on the day of the Duke’s arrival, because he was led to believe that in the event of such disturb nice probably H. it. Highness’s life would have been endangered. The application for authority to employ 500 special constables was made with a view to the preservation of tho peace. Before he was informed on the subject by Mr Parkes lie was not convinced of the existence of a Fenian conspiracy, but lie was decidedly of opinion that a strong Fenian sympathy existed in the colony. Captain M‘Lerie was asked by the Lair man : “Were you ever in the possession of affidavits sufficient to convince you that tho attack on the Prince was the result of a conspiracy to take away his life?” Tho answer is “Yes.” As to a person in possession of the guilty secret having been murdered, ho could only form an opinion from O’FarreH’s diary. Once or twice a month bodies were found in the bush in the interior, and in the harbor, that were never identified. His report of the 10th August was written in compliance with the personal directions received by him from the Colonial Secretary, who called upon him to return papers and report as to his opinion of the whole circumstances. The papers

returned consisted of some French newspapers and private letters of no consequence, found in O’Farrell’s longings in Melbourne. The evidence ha had _ of “Fenian sympathisers and agents” existing in the country was furnished to him verbally by his own ofli ers. The property of a man named iieardon was searched on the eve of the owner’s departure for America. There was nothing found to justify his seizure, but his subsequent conduct between Sydney and Panama convinced him that his suspicions were correct as to his being a Fenian. In support of his opinion he produced communications from the Victorian police, and a note ad* dressed to one of his ofhcers by the purser of the Eakaia, and also an extract from the

log. He did not believe the dying declarations of O’Farrell were to be relied on. He founded that opinion on his knowledge of crime and He had known many malefactors who, in their last moments, had denied facts which he knew to exist. A number of questions were asked about Mac, Meyers, and .Benedict, but nothing was elicited beyond what is already known. It seems, from this evidence, that at Clontarf, when the attack was made on t he Prince, there were only twelve police present, and these were scut at the suggestion of the luspector-G-onerai, the committee not having applied for any police. After the matter of the processions had been settled, he received nothing to warrant the belief that there would be any attempt on the life of the Prince. He had no evidence to show that there was anything amounting to a regular Fenian organization. 'I he threatening letters be referred to in his letter, were received by the Governor, the Premier, and the (Jbiei Secretary. The gentleman ho referred to iu the teeth paragraph of

i he stated there was “ assassination of a gentleman whose principles were known, to be hostile to the extreme Irish party,’* was Mr Gray, Xiama. o’FarrelVa last statement was never officially communica* ted to him, and he never saw it until it appeared in the Herald. It seems that the nature of the information ghren by Meyers was, that there was a Fenian conspiracy at Bathurst, and that a member of Parlia* ment was mixed up in it. To prevent disturbance on the arrival of the Prince, and on the recommendation of the Inspector-General of Police, a picket of a hundred soldiers were placed in Hyde Park Pavilion. Mr M’Lorie also States that he had frequently remarked the indifference with which the Chief Secretary treated all threats of violence to himself.' The Inspector-General of Polieo was also asked questions concerning his allegations regarding the Freeman’s Journal. Ha knew the members of the Church whoso organ it was supposed to be disapproved, of the articles which appeared in that journal at tho time. For some weeks consecutively there was something, in his opinion, treasonable in each week’s paper. As the excitement subsided, the articles became less violent.

MISCELLANEOUS EXTRACTS.

Letters have been sent to the Mayor of Adelaide threatening to take his life if he continues to make reductions in tlje salaries of officers of the Corporation. The Drought throughout Australia still continues —some districts not having been visited by rain for ten months! It is reported that on the plains sheep, cattle* and horses are dying in thousands daily : and dysentery had attacked many of the station hands, both Europeans and blacks.

Death erom the Explosion op a Brandy Case. — A telegram in the Brisbane Courier states that a fatal accident occurred at the Criterion Hotel, Mackay, on the night of the sth inst. About eight o’clock John Y. O’Donnell, the landlord, was drawing some brandy out of a cask, when the spirit ignited and exploded. Ho was fearfully burnt, and a stave of the cask which struck him inflicted a severe wound. He died about 3.33 a.m. on the 6th.

Magisterial Humor.— During the hearing of a case at the Young Polico Office the other day (says the Bureau gong Argus), one of the witnesses —who had previously stated that he was “ not sober 11 when certain events took place —handed to the Police Magistrate a certificate or character which he had received from a previous employer, “This,” said his Worship, after having perused the document, “ says that your conduct has been uniform $ that may have been uniformly drunk.”

A Very Humane MAN.-*-The Brisbane Courier contains the following choice morsel:—On Tuesday morning we witnessed a sight at the foot of a hill on the road to Ithaca Creek, calculated to make an intelligent beholder proud of the age we live in, and the country we dwell in. An old mare had pulled up under the pressure of a load of firewood, aud refused to take the hill. The man in charge, who seemed in a peculiarly amiable frame of mind, was singing out to a lad who was a little distance oft; to “ hurry up wi’ then! ere sticks,” a pile of which he was trying to fire up under the mare. The flame not rising high enough was the cause of his solicitude for more sticks. But after the boy’s contribution had been added to the pile the mare still refused to budge, and, apparently to put an end to the goodnatured exertions being made to roast her, quietly lay down on the fire and put it out. The amiably-disposed man was debating with his young companion, when we left, the probable effect of “ touchiu’ her on the rump wi’ the cross-cut.”

A Valuable House Melbourne Argus reports that the champion Clydesdale draught horse Blackleg, owned by Mr W. T. Cox, of Joyce’s Creek, died on (Sunday last, and the post mortem examination made by the veterinary surgeon satisfied him that death was caused by poison. The animal was one of the most valuable draught horses in the colonies. Mr Cox bought him seven years ago for £3O J, and has since repeatedly refused £9OO and £IOOO for him. Blackleg had taken prizes m all the principal shows in the mother country, and was accounted by the North British Agriculturist the best horse in Scotland, lie has won no less than fifty-four prizes, his first victory in Victoria being achieved at the National Show in Melbourne seven years ago, and his last at the Smeaton Agricultural Show. Mr Cox offers a reward of £250 for information leading to the conviction of the guilty party. ■The Governorship oe Tasmania.— A farewell dinner was given to Colonel T. Gore Browne at Hobart Town on the 23rd December ; and on tho 29th* his .Excellency, accompanied by Mrs Browne, loft for Melbourne, en routs for England. On the 30th, Lieut.-Colonei Trevor was sworn in at the Supreme Court house, at Hobart Town, before his Honor Sir Valentine Morning, the Chief J ustice, as Actiug-Go-vernor of the Colony, pending the arrival of Mr Du Cane, the newly-appointed Goveruox*. Tho following Melbourne telegrams appear in the Sydney Herald:— January 4—Mr Du Cane, the new Grovernor of Tasmania, and Mr Gore Browne, ids predecessor, are guests of his Excellency Sir T. Manners button, at 100rak..,,., January 6-His Excellency the Governor, Sir Manners Sutton, entertained Ml DuOane and Mr Gore Browne at a select ■ party at Toorak January B—The late Governor Browne’s youngest daughS.es died to-day.