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Southland Times, Issue 695, 12 July 1867, Page 2

The meeting; held!, in the Council Hall on "Wednesday evening, the -10th July, "was wellrattended byc\ tizens : who evinced an; earnestness in the movement seldom, displayed in Invercargill. There r were about fifty persons 'present. James Harvey Esq., wassailed to the chair. The Chairman having explained the of the meeting, the following resolutions -were, submitted and adopted.- Ist. Moved by Mr J. Ham, seconded by Mr Rose.— " That it is, in the opinion of ' this meeting, desirable that an Invercargill Volunteer . Rifle Corps be now formed." 2nd. Moved by Mr Ham; seconded 'by Mr Dalgleisii — "That a list of. members be now opened, and a committee elected^ frojn_ it to_ obtain the. adhesionjof 'others,, and make such.- preliminary arrangements as maybe deemed desirable as the basis of the organisation." 3rd; Moved by ''Mr* Paul, seconaed by Mr That a' -committee - consisting of Messrs: D'algleish, James Blacklock, 3?. ■'■ffli;-sl Wade* : Moeiler,. Q-eisow, . and the" Chairman be appointed." Mr Q-eisow was appointed Hon. Secretary. The. Chairman then called - upon,, those? present ...who- . desired to subscribe their nanws -as - members of the projected roinpany {to:, come' forward 'iand sign'the book. Thirty-sis signatures, were at 7 once; air tached, and the meeting was adjourned- until Wednesday, the 17th inst., the Secretary having been . instructed to advertise the . same. It is seldom that" a public meeting, passes off with the some unanimity 'of sentiment as characterised 'this. ' Ml'present appeared desirous of advancing the object, and the known energy of most present bespeaks for it a success. We learn that during ; yesterday, there were many applicants' iov* enrolment, and that the muster-roll n,ofl? awocihei'a betw?§ft cists »Rd B«T?nty

We regret to'have to record a boat accident involving loss of life, at'the New^River Heads. From what we have learned, it would appear that Pilot Bray with a crew of three men had gone off from the Pilot Station, intending to board and bring in over the bar theT-brig Sir Isaac Newton, from Adelaide; -laden vtfth flour^ . The vessel however, was a long way off the land and the sea heavy. It was decided, therefore, to-niafee back t :for the river (Pilot Bray signalling the vessel the course to follow by „ waving a . flag.) While attempting to do , this a wave broke over, swamping or upsetting the boat on the instant. The disaster was observed from the chore by Hart, the signalman, who with a promptitude 'and courage worthy^ of the highest praise, at once put off in a dingy and succeeded in rescuing three of the four men in periL . The other seems to have been disabled from the first or to have been unable to swim,-r-at all events ho was only seen in the water a short time. His name is. James Sinclair ; he . leaves .a wife and young child to deplore his loss; Of those saved, one man we believe is suffering severely from bruises and injuries received in the struggle for life. The boat has since drifted ashore much damaged, but we have not been able to ascertain whether the body of Sinclair has been recovered. The subjoined petition to the Governor has been, we are informed, numerously signed both in town and country, 1 and as two days have yet to elapse before it must be sent off, an opportunity is still afforded to those who may.wish to attach 1 their names. We understand it' must be closed on Saturday (to-morrow) ;— "To His ; Excellency Sir George Grey, &c, &c. The Petition of the undersigned humbly sheweth — That the people ! of Southland are favorably impressed with the scheme proposed for the construction of Railways. That the system of "allocating blocks of land towards the construction of pVbfic works, enhancing as it necessarily will do the value of remainder of the public estate,' is .wise in principle, and meets the entire approbation of your Petitioners. That your Petitioners respectfully approach your Excellency in the firm belief that, the construction of a line of Railway to the Mataura-and the completion of the Oreti line would be for the best interests of the Province, and the Colony. The Mataura line forming part of what eventually would be the main colonial trunk line." That inthe country districts through which these Railways would pass a large agricultural population exists, but in consequence of the want r of cheap transit, their produce cannot find' a market. That your petitioners respectfully 'suggest that all railway works whichTmay be undertaken in tnfs province should have the direct supervision of an officer appointed by. the Genera! Government. _ That your petitioners most respectfully requeit your Excellency t0.,, cause the. necessary land to be set apart'fbr the immediate l tion of the proposed lines of railway. your ; petitioners, &C."--,,-,, ,. -, , .- ,, } - "We'are requested to "state that a subscription is being raised in aid- of the widow ; and- family of the young man Sinclair,- the particulars of whose untimely death 1 will be -found above. We understand-' a : number of gentlemen have taken the subject np, and' that . Subscription la^ts are opened at most of the stores and public places of business in. the town. ~lt is one of those cases that claims the sympathy of the benevolent, and doubtless the appeal will be liberally responded to by the public. . . > The colony of New South' Wales has recently been visited by very heavy' storms of wind and rain. We take the subjoined Sydney Telegrams rom the "Argus" (Melbourne), 24th- June : 21st* June.-^-The _rairi andvgal^jcon'i tmues. ( . The City of Adelaide .arrived lastr-night. She encountered fearful -^weather. -A purse of soverigns and an .addr_ess were .presented to Captain Walker, on his arrival fpr,his seamanship in reaching the port safely. "The steamer S'axpnia. arrived to-day from Newcastle, after a two days' psasage, in a sinking condition. . The water rose above the furnaces : and p'uf' L dut the fires.'' No vessel has been able to leave the porfc. The floods are the highes£ever known. The Nepean at Penrith is eight.miles.wide. ...The town'is' submerged. The new railway bridge is covered, and part of the approaches carried away. „T elegrams to the Government for boats have, beonlpifomptly responded to, Nine have been" despatched. Windsor is stibmerged. Numbers of persons have been taken off trees and houses. A special train has been despatched, and the Premier" a n "3 the Minister of Works have gone up' the All communication is stopped, the telegraph lineV being down". " Saturday 22nd June. — The rain and gale continue. The steamer Telegraph is still missing. The City of Adelaide goes in search of her to-day. The steam collier Wpnipra is missing. The Bulla Coal Company's pier has been washed away, and four men drowned.. More. boats. have been despatched to Penrith and" Windsor^. At the latter place the sheet of water is twenify 1 miles wide ; only the tops of a. few hills are visible*. There is no. cessation of the rain.. , Great, distress, prevails. Such weather was never knowji here before."; There is rib news from the' Hunter 'Eiver (Maitlahd and Newcastle)-." Fears are'enteriaaned for Penrith railway bridge." " \" '* l^^^t^'The "Age" (Melbourne), says: — "An Adelaide telegram reports that Duffieid"and Co/sold Victoria Mill, at^Gawler/ has been totaUy.destrby^edby fire. "Some ten thousand bushel|^oi wheat and one thousand tons of flour, beswet bran and pollard, wereTdestroyed. The property was insured for £12,000; the actual loss of .stockj machinery and buiidrngsi!