NEW SOUTH WALES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 503, 29 August 1857, Page 4

NEW SOUTH WALES.

By the kindness of Capt. Flight of the Phoebe, we have been put in possession of two copies of the ' Sydney Morning Herald,' which were brought to Wellington by the Polly. The latest date is August 3rd. tlt seems that there had been another heavy flood at Maitland. We have not, of course, the earlier accounts ; but we find the follow-

ing particulars referring to the progress of the flood:

THE MAITLAND FLOODS,

The Mercury of Saturday (Aug. 1) has not arrived. But from our correspondent at Newcastle we learn that the floods had greatly increased. His letters are dated Friday morning, 11, and Saturday morning, 10 o'clock. They are as follows:-*—

Fbiday, 11 o'clock a.m.—The news this morning from Maitland as to the progress of the flood is of a very alarming nature; a gentleman arrived here from East Maitland, from Major Crammer, about two hours since, to request that boats might he sent up by special train, to aid in rescuing the inhabitants from portions of West Maitland not already submerged, and in which the inhabitants remain, but must be abandoned should the floods rise higher. The water was this morning three feet above the Victoria Bridge, and the lower parts of the town had been already deserted; but fortunately no loss of life was known to have occurred. Captain Lodge, the gentleman who brought the application for the boats, seemed to think there was ground for hope that the floods might have leached their highest: but should not this be the case, the consequences in West Maitland would be very serious indeed, and preparations were being made for the worst. Captain Livingston, the Harbour Master, some of the police, and several boatmen, have just left here, with five boats, by special train; a considerable number of the inhabitants of Newcastle has accompanied them—a sympathy, amounting to excitement, being felt here on behalf of the sufferers. '..,,..

Saturday, 10 o'clock, a.m.—The people who left here for Maitland yesterday, returned last evening, up to which time the waters continued to rise, although but slowly, the rise being confined to some three inches during the day. The appearance from the heights, near East Maitland, was one of wide spread desolation, the surface of the lowlands in every direction being covered many feet deep in water, above which the tops of houses were observable, on which signals of distress were flying, the inhabitants waiting their opportunities to be observed by those in boats, and rescued. The boats manned by New^stle volunteers, sent up yesterday from here by railway, were put into immediate requisition, and were kept at work during the day.i A gentleman, just arrived per train, says, that this morning the waters were fast subsiding, having fallen several feet during the night on the river itself, but more slowly at Wallis's Creek, and thereabouts, where the back water was forced back by the current, the water was then just above the level of the Victoria Bridge. Two persons were reported drowned, one of whom was. said to be the driver of the Singleton mail, at Glennie's Creek, and the other at Narrowgut/'by the upsetting of a boat, in rescuing others. At Fordwich, on the Wollombi Brook, the. flood was five feet higher than the late one, inundating all the land under cultivation, sweeping away many huts on the low lands. Mr.. Blackstone's boat rescued eighteen souls from the roofs of the bark huts there; no Hyps lost in that part, the needy labouring families sheltering in caves on the hills above the brook. Nearly all the late wheat and corn crop.* 'swept away; principal part of Mr. Blackstone's boiling establishment swept away, but boilers, &c, (in most part) were subsequently recovered; the water was at its highest there on Wednesday, at 3 o'clock, after which, until.yesterday morning, it had fallen 20 feet.

WESLEYAN COLLEGE IN SYDNEY,

Referring to the narrative of a meeting in aid of this college, reprinted in our last issue from the Sydney ' Empire,' we find that the subject had been first entertained at a public meeting on the Bth July ; and that tbe meeting first mentioned was the third of the series. The following paragraph from the ' Sydney Morning Herald' of July 17th, speaks for itself :—

A public meeting was held on Wednesday last, in the Centenary Chapel, York-street, for the purpose of considering the best mode of establishing a Wesleyan College, in affiliated connection with the Sydney University. The chair was first taken by Sir William Denison, but his Excellency, having an engagement, was compelled to leave before the termination of the proceedings, and the presidency of the meeting was then assumed by the Hon. George Allen. The establishment of the college was determined upon unanimously, and the following plan for raising subscriptions, devised by the provisional committee, was approved by the meeting. " 1. A general subscription throughout the colony, to be paid by annual, instalments or at once, as may be most convenient. But if by instalments, one-fourth, will be required immediately, and the other payments by promissory notes, of one, two, and three years. 2. Public collections in all our chapels on a Sabbath day; and, at least, one public meeting in each circuit, for the purpose of explaining and commending the work, and soliciting subscriptions. 3. We purpose to send a deputation to each circuit, to carry out the above plan, and we hope you will kindly afford your best influence to render it as successful as possible. In conclusion, we have only to add that the accomplishment of this work will cost a united and vigorous effort; but we believe its successful prosecution will redound to the honour of our Church, and promote the interests of the kingdom of Christ in a degi'ee far beyond the price of any sacrifice of time, or toil, or means, that we are now called to make."

A subscription list of £7329 was made up at once. Of this sum no less than £800 was collected in the chapel at the time of the meeting.