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Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 63, 16 June 1863, Page 2

The Grand Jury have found a "true bill" against Job Johnstone, for the murder of Yorkey. at Miller's Flat. The Daily Times, of the 9th, snys, that "one of the smartest boat races that have yet been pulled in. Port Otago took place to-dny at Port Chalmers, and was the source of no little excitement among the community. The race was between Charles Burton and Harry Bowie, watermen ; the boats, pair-oared skiffs ; and the stakes, £20 a-side ; Barton rowing a Dunedin boat, the Flirt, and Bowie a smart boat, named the Blue-tailed Fly, Both boats were well pulled, and came in almost neck and neck, amid great cheering from the crowd assembled on the shores, but Bowie had the advantage, though scarcely by half a boat's length, and consequently earned the stakes. The course lay round the hulk Thomas and Henry, and, during the race, both pulled very well, Bowie having apparently much the better of his adversary, until Barton, at the finish, put on his strength, and made the race (he close run which it proved to be # In addition to the stakes, a considerable amount of money changedjufiands on the occasion, both men being numerously and heavily backed." The Lyttelton Times says that a slight shock of earthquake was felt in Christchurch on the morning of the 30th May, a little before eight o'clock. William Marryatfc and Edmund Santy, tho two scoundrels charged with the murderous assault on a policeman in Dunedin, have been found guilty of " intent to do grievous bodily harm." Sentence was deferred.

The s 3. Edina sailed for Dunedin on Friday, and may be expected shortly, when she will proceed to Melbourne. . We, would suggest to the owners of this vessel the propriety of lowering the rate of freight* as 80s. is a most exorbitant charge for conveying goods to New River, from whence to the Jetty £1 lighterage is charged, making the freight from Melbourne to Invercargill Jetty, £5 per ton. Consignees (we speak feelingly) may be " taken in" once, but they are not likely to relish a repetition of the dose. The Lake District has been visited by a fearful gale, which has dealt destruction to everything in its path. At Queenstown nearly all the stores were unroofed, and the church, which has recently been erected, blown down. Several boats on the Lake were driven ashore, but we have not heard of any lives being lost. The Wakatip Mail -of the 10th inst., in speaking of the damage done at Kingstown, says : — "Mr Joyce's Royal Hotel) an entirely new building, was blown down ; McGeorge's store has scarcely a stick left ; the Criterion Restaurant was stripped, and considerable damage done ; the iron roof of the Post Office Hotel is partially stripped off ; a store belonging to Mr M'Kenna, was blown down ; Cobb & Co.'s stables were stripped, and a large quantity of oats and chaff damaged ; several others are only partially destroyed, among which we may n >tice Mr Campbell's Exchange Hotel. The waters of the Lake we* raised by the wind to perfect seas. Among the craft damaged, we may mention the Escort, beached, and partially split up; th 1 ; Arrow, smashed to atoms, and her cargo considerably injured ; the Pride of the Clutha was driven on shore, her cable having parted but very slightly hurt ; a whaleboat was driven up the beach a distance of between 20 and 30 yards. The s.s. Victoria was several times covered with water, it washing completely over her ; but with the aid of tarpaulins, and men. constantly baling, they man- \ aged to keep her afloat. The steamer EXpert lias had her after-cabin and funnel earned away, and part of her deck staved in, when she sank bodily, and now lies on the beach, with her stern just standing out of thl? water. The Wakatip, steamer, is uninjured. At Arthur's Point the gale was equally severethe wind blowing with such violence as to endanger every building in the neighboihood After the gale the rain descended in torrents, flooding the river and doing considerable damage to a number of claims at the Arrow. The wind blew a perfect hurricane. The Post Office Hotel was the first large building to give way, and is utterly destroyed. The Prince of Wales, Provincial, Olive Branch, Albert, and other hotels, are unroofed. MiRichmond's billiard -room at the New Orleans is destroyed, the hotel fortunately eicaped damage, and Brown's bakeries are completely ruined. The Government offices are all laid level with the ground— Post Office, Court, Camp, &c. Not a tent is left standing. The wind was followed by heavy rain, and the river rose several feet." The Dunstan Neios of the 6th inst. says that : — "The news from Black's continues to be of the most favorable character. Quite a township has sprung up in the neighborhood of the diggings, and wholesale storekeepers are beginning to look to this outlying district as a profitable market for their goods. The workings are extending into boggy ground, and it is feared that there will be considerable difficulty in keeping the shafts free from water. The workings on the Manuherikia still continue and are turning out well. So rich are some of the patches that twenty to thirty feet of stripping is thought nothing of, and there is every probability that a portion of the township will be undermined. The run of gold seems trending into the flat. The Nil Desperandum Cotrpany have broken up into separate parties, and we anticipate that from the prospects found in several of the claims first-rate returns will be obtained. The Molyneux, although falling, is not sufficiently low to admit of working the beaches known to be rich. The late sharp frosts appear to have frozen up the sources of supply, and should this kind of weather continue there is every probability that in a few days the miners will be able to resume work, and an increased escort will no doubt demonstrate the profitable nature of their labors." When the Edina made New River Heads on her trip from Melbourne, the bar was so rough that the captain had to run for the Bluff. While the vessel remained there, Mr. Bray, Chief Pilot, New River, heard he required a pilot. At midnight he started from New River Heads, and xoalked to the Bluff, a distance of about twelve miles, and brought the vessel in safety to the port. Is this not another proof that the number of pilots at New River Heads is insufficient ?