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Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 41, 31 March 1863, Page 2

Owing to the arrival of the English mrtil, we arc compelled to hold over several articles of local interest. A portion of the English news is taken from the letter of the London Correspondent of the Argus. The late news from America, extracted from the Melbourne Leader, will be found in the supplement to this issue. | A shock of an earthquake has been felt in Dunedin and Fort Chalmers. The Daily i Times of the 24th inst. says : — " On the testimony of some dozen independent witnesses, a distinct shock of an earthquake was felt yeaterday morning, at about 7 o'clock. It was of very short duration, but sufficiently severeto cause a visible tremor in the houses in which our informants slept, and in the furniture. Our Port Chalmers reporter writing on the subject says, that a distinct trembling motion of the earth was felt by several old residents at Port Chalmers, who have had experience of earthquakes at Wellington and Nelson. As the shock is not not likely to have been confined to Dunedin and Port Chalmers, we should be glad to receive accounts of it in other places from correspondents who may have noticed it. Their letter should be brief and to the purpose.

During the evening a most furious gale prevailed, rising at times to the force of a totnado. Considerable damage lias been done in various parts of the town, and numbers of shop front 9 were blown in."

The Wakatip steamer Md 3 fair to " take the shine out of '' all her rivals on the Lake. This smart vessel has a length of keel of 60 feet, and 13 ft. beam. Her engines can work up to 18-horse power. Her tonnage is mere than 30, and she can also accommodate from 40 to 50 passengers. She can do her eight knots comfortably, and draws very little water. She is the property of Colia N. Campbell & Co.

The following Is a list of persons confined in Her Majesty's Gaol, Invercargill, during the week ending 28th March, 1863 :—Discharged, 8 ; sent for trial to Dunedin, 5 ; at present remaining, 12. Total, 25.

The Dunedin Regatta has not passed off without its "chapter of 'accidents." The Daily Times says that on Monday afternoon Mr Taggart's boat Echo, capsized off i Grassy Point. " She -was entered for both the sailing matches, and it was in attempting to take up her position for the first that the accident occurred. She had been beating about during the forenoon, under a heavy press of sail, despite the strong and squally wind, and she looked a likely winner of both races. She had been rounded abreast the flag ship and the anchor had been let go, but she dragged and got further in shore th vn was agreeable. Mr Taggart was at the helm, and ; to prevent her going ashore, he resolved to 'jibe" her off. He called to the man in fho bow, asking whether ihe anchor was in, and got a reply that it was. He therefore attemptedto "jibe,"butat the same instant that the boat felt the wind, as herhead came round she was, brought up with a violent jerk, the anchor not being home, and having caught in a rock. It was impossible to tight the boat and she filled and went down Mr B. lialliday who was on board, struck out for the shoie, but almost immediately returned to see if h ■ could aid any of the others there, there having been six on board. He found them all holding well on to the boat, and he consequently swam to the shore, which was from 150 to 200 yurds off. Mr Taggart also swam ashore, and the others were picked up by a whaleboat, none the worse for their ducking. It is believed that the boat can easily be raised without injury, so that the more serious part of the misfortune consisted in the prevention of the boat from having a chance of winning either of the prizes." ; The following interesting paragraph, from the Dimslan News, of the 17th instant, we commend to the special attention of our readers. No doubt it contains considerable information, but we confess ourselves unable to see the object the writer had in view: — "The SiioTovEit. ■- A great man}' are working here are almost without exception are doing handsomely the water fell this last week Miiich enables many to go to work who wore unable to do so before A lush took placelast Thursday 10 miles up the river above the township but its extent of richness is not us yet known' bvt is thought will turn out well the weather is gradually breaking into winter some snow has fallen net to an extent ro retard mining operations."