SOUTHLAND.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 45, 29 December 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

SOUTHLAND.

It will be extremely satisfactory to all who manifested an interest in the establishment of a Savings Bank in Invercargill, to learn that on the evening when the bank was first opened for deposit, no less than £34 was placed to the credit of sixteen depositors. The highest sum paid in, we understand, was £3, and the lowest 2s, the generality of the deposits ranging between that sum and a pound. Considering the times, this is surely a most satisfactory and encouraging commencement of the new Institution. An arrangement has been made with the Bank of Otago for keeping the Savings Bunk account. We have to chronicle a Southland gold escort, which lately took down to the Bluff about 2200 ounces of gold for shipment by the Gothenburg for Melbourne. The escort consisted of Mr Henderson, of the firm of Henderson, Bonar and Co., the agents for the Gothenburg, and two gentlemen representing the shipping banks (Otago and New Zealand.). Each gentleman had a revolver, counting in all twenty-four shots, as a security against any emergency ; and doubtless if any local Gilbert or Ben Hall had turned up on the road, they would have met a warm reception. The party, however, encountered no mishap, and the gold was safely lodged in the counting house awaiting the arrival of the Gothenburg from Dunedin. The export duty on the parcel amounts to about £260. The Bazaar in aid of the Wesleyan Church and Parsonage Fund will, we learn, be opened on the 28th inst.,the Wednesday after Christmas Day. A large and valuable assortment of contributions has already been received, and the committee of management still ask for gifts. One novel feature of the bazaar will be a museum of curiosities, to which visitors will be admitted on the payment of an extra fee. ■ The inquest on the late fire resulted in an open verdict, nothing having transpired calculated to throw any light upon the origin of the catastrophe. That it was the result of an accident cannot however be doubted, from the evidence; and whilst on this, as on other occasions, the Insurance offices have suffered heavily, the inhabitants of Invereargill have had another severe lesson read to them upon the constant danger to life and property to which they are exposed, and the necessity of caution. It is the adoption of preventive measures only that can save the town from a repetition of these destructive conflagrations. The fire brigade can only arrest the progress of the flames within certain limits. With the most effective appliances placed at the service of the most disciplined body of men, it would be an impossibility to prevent a certain and large destruction of property, when tance the fire has broken out in a block of SLooden buildings. To prevent the first ignitJ»n, whether from a match, a cigar end, a ejjjjjlle carelessly left alight, or any other M1 E. should be the earnest and watchful r»nnM|f every householder. As we have once aeains^en in this instance, we are all at the mercy \f our neighbors, and no precaution we can t&ke for our own protection will avail us agamst\an accident from our next-door neighbor. cannot too urgently urge what we said N long ago, that every keeper of a house is responsible for assuring himself Wore he retires to rest, of the perfeGt safety of his premises.-~Soutb.land News.

Late Failures in Great Britain.— The following is the list of failures during the month :— Messrs Paul Joske and Co., Australian merchants, liabilities L40.000 ; Brown, Buckley and Co., produce merchants, L16.O0O; Early and Smith, clothiers, 80,000 ; Hall and Jones, sugar brokers, Liverpool, 500,000; A. Teak and Co., woollen merchants, Leeds, Jj10U,WU; Julius Mendal and Co., West India merchants, L4S),000; Walker, Cottsworth and Powell, of Liverpool, L50.000 ; John Gladstone and Co., London, L2OO.O0O ; Edward Coombo, Mincing-lane, 10,000 ; E. Gazard, Moorgatestreet L200,000 ; Bu-lge, Morrison, Brothers, and Co., Brazilian merchants, L1<;0,000 , Crosby and Co., L138,000 ; Manning a»d Collier, hempbrokers, L100,000 5 A. Legard, woollen warehousemen, L25,000; William Paterson, iMpbuilder, v Bristol, L40,000 ; Bullock and Fernyoirr, brokersMn colonial trade, L33.000 ; Bendes and Co., Mark-lanV L20.000; Louis SpetB, cotton dealer jMo ; % N Domettos export coal trade, L325.000 ; three\London Greek houses, liabUities L60.000 ; Maund audfeOlman watch manufloturers, L100.000; Aaron SoloW L40,0p0j W««till Bros., L100,000}*ndJHimerou»>tliewi id leu degree. ' \