TERRIFIC GALE ENCOUNTERED BY SHIP MATAURA.

Auckland Star, Volume V, Issue 1488, 17 November 1874, Page 3

TERRIFIC GALE ENCOUNTERED BY SHIP MATAURA.

GRAPHIC ACCOUNT,

SPECIAL FROM THE PALMER

DIGGIiNGS

THE TIMES AND TBE NORTHERN

LAND FUND,

ASTOUNDING ASSERTION BY A CLERGYMAN IN DUNEDIN.

DUNEDIN".

(From our own Correspondent). This day,

The Mataura's passage was unusually stormy. On October 2G she <ncountered a hurricane, accompanied by a hail and snow storm, and terrific sea. The vessel at the time was under three lower topsails. At 2 a.m. a very heavy sea rolled on board over the port quarter, washing the man at the wheel on to the main deck, fracturing his leg and making a clean sweep of everything on the poop and flooding the cabin. The gale meanwhile increased in violence, the barometer falling rapidly. By noon it stood at the unprecedented low range of 27 90. 1 he fall, says Captain Keers, in a long experience was such as he had never seen. He says he npver heard of the mercury falling so low before The lower fore and. mizzen topsails, both nearly new sails, were blown clean away and only the ropes left, and the ship was scudding with nothing but the lower maintopsail, which, fortunately held on, the ship going between eleven and twelve knots, the aea rolling clean over t>ie vessel, filling the lifeboat on the starboard side and bending the davits double. A second gale was encountered, on the 3rd of November of almost equal force The passengers speak in the highest terms of the behaviour of the ship and captain. The deluded passengers by the Comet have carried out their intention of proceeding criminally against the person who sent them to Dunedin. Mcelroy will be charged at the Magistrate's Court for obtaining money under false pretences. What evidently is a clear case of incendiarism is now being investigated by the poiice, and to morrow or next day will form the subject of enquiry On the left hand side of DouliDg-street, nearly opposite Bell Tower, there is a large old wooden building now occupied as a boarding-bouse and registry-office by Mrs. Dick, who rents it from Mrs. Clayton, former occupier. On Wednesday evening Mrs. Dick went out, leaving in it her husband, Mrs Clayton, and two lodgers, one of the latter being confined to bed. On her return, after an hour's absence, she smelt fire, and a search led to the discovery of a fire between the walls of the kitchen and passage, but having obtained very slight hold, it. was easily.extinguished. Between the walls she found a quantity of burnt ashes, wood, and charcoal, which could only have been placed there by the inmates of the house. The furniture of the house belongs to Mrs. Clayton, and it was insured for £250 There has been ill-blood between Clayton and Dicks. The Star's Palmer correspondent discourages rushing there He does uot think there has been any gold fields where men, by easy work, could have made so much gold in a few days. He says: —"Sometimes it ia on surface of the ground, and four feet is considered deep, but the c aims are too small a claim holding out for four weeks is a thing not known of. Diggers have made one pound weight every day, but the claim was worked out in three days. Parties lam ac-

quam ted with made 300 2 g or more in a week, oX ™T T? 40°Z3 ' while a *ood =»»y only made tucker - one ounce a week Nearly all have been ill. A great number died. Fever and dysentry are the prevalent epidemic* Pity those who are without means ; fHeads are then no where." Ue Times today devotes a satirical editorial to Mr Holloway'a gushing, especially about the province of Taranaki. 'it touched upon the JSorth Island land question, and stigmatised the grand landed estate of the JNorth land fund as a delusion. It is sure that the best of the land is already monopolised by capitalists, and even that is utfHfc l°J %ain;growing. It thinks it high time the laofi fund balloon was punctured, before the bouth is ltd further astray by it. ' At a meetiDg of the recently established -fress Club, on Saturday evening, the rules were amended and added to. Judee Chapman was elected a life member. The Club is flourishing excellency, and liberally increasing ihe Rev. Mr Stack, Maori Missionary, preached at St Paul's church on .-un.iay night, and made the astounding assertion that during the two centuries following the day of Pentecost, all ( hristians were "alike gifted with supernatural, powers and prophecy, and healing. J.Morton, engineer of the steamer Wallabi, was drowned at the Molyneaux on Friday last. He fell whilst stepping from the steamer to the wharf, he leaves a wife and two children. He insured his life for £200 a few weeks ago. Captain Pa'tchell of the ship May Queen, was entertained at a banquet to-day by passengers and received an address and cold locket. Thp shearing is general. The new wool is coming in. All hopes of the safety of the missing schoouer Kaituna have been resigned. She left Akaroa on ihe lGth October for Oamaiu, and has not been heard of since.