WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 39, 24 March 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

[From the Pirth Inquirer.'] The Legislative Council is summoned, We believe, merely for the purpose of apportioning the sum of £1000, placed on the Estimates at the late session for the purpose of increasing salaries. No Bills will be brought forward until the ordinary annual sitting, which will be about May next. At that time several important Legislative measures will be introduced —among them, the Friendly Benefit Society's Bill, a Bill enabling the settlers in the rural districts to assess themselves for the purpose of effecting local improvements, a Distillation Bill, an amended Trespass of Stock Bill, an amended volunteer force Bill, a Bill to amend the Coasters' Ordinance, &c, It is expected that the business for which the Council assembles to-day will be despatched in the course of a few hours. A Champion Bay correspondent, writing under date Jan. 6, has kindly furnished us with the following particulars respecting the loss of the African: —" On Thursday last, the Ist inst., the African sailed from this port bound for Fremantle, with ore and wool. After her leaving, a heavy gale set in very strong from the S.W., but all seemed fair for the vessel when we saw her in the western horizon late on that night. It, however, appears that after etting out she made water very fast, ■which compelled her crew to keep hard at the pumps. All went tolerably well till Sunday night, 4th inst, when at about 10.30 p.m. she struck on a reef about 50 miles south from this. Of course there was no chance but to run back. I boarded her when she came in. I never had the slightest conception of a mess on board ship before; everything looked so miserable. Captain comes out and shakes hands very coolly —men all tired out, after pumping all night—ropes and rigging in a mess everywhere. They brought her into harbor and ran her aground in about 15 feet water —nice sandy bottom — about 400 yards off shore. The ship ht»s about 500 tons copper ore, and 200 bales wool on board. She now has about four feet water in her hold — pumps hard at work by prisoners from depot; they never stop. When she same in she had six feet in the hold. They have sent for Lloyd's agent, Mr Bickley, who will deoide all matters connected with the ship. She is a noble craft, first class. All the ore is damaged, as also part of the wool —a great loss to the colony." In addition to the above we may state that the captain, or some one on his behalf, offered 6s per diem and rations to any one who would lend a hand at the pumps, the .crew being completely exhausted, but no one would work under 16s. In this emergenoy Mr Thomas Brown immediately placed a party of probation prisoners on board, and they were pumping the ship when our letters were despatched. According to recent advices from the Vnsse, Williams the bushranger was still at large. A small parcel of the " black sand " so often referred to h<*s been collected in the neighborhood of the timber station, for the purpose of being shipped for England.