OTAGO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1195, 11 February 1864, Page 5

OTAGO.

(from our own correspondent.)

Dunedin, Saturday, Feb. 6. Since my last communication events of great moment have come to pass. How I shall be able to compress the whole within the compass of an ordinary correspondent's letter I scarcely know. A terrible storm of wind has broken over our city f doing an immense amount of mischief, Nothing equal to it for violence lias been experienced in the province for many years. This was followed by one of the most extensive and destructive conflagrations which has been recorded of the province. Thirty warehouses, stores, shops, restaurants, and private dwellings have been burned to the ground, and property destroyed which is estimated at over one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. So far as is at present known no lives have been sacrificed. A foul murder has been committed in the very heart of the city ; but the circumstances attending it is at present wrapped in mystery. In the midst of storm and fire and foul murder we have had to receive the All-England Eleven as befitted the importance of the occasion, and well we did it in despite of many depressing circumstances. They left for Canterbury yesterday evening by the City of Dunedin. But I proceed to give you in detail the occurrences of the last few days which partake largely of the sensational. About twelve o'clock on Sunday night a heavy squall of wind of some minutes duration burst over the city, shaking the buildings in the more exposed parts, to their foundations. Squall after squall followed, each succeeding gust increasing in intensity. This continued until daylight, when there was a comparative lull for about two hours. The gale which had up to this time blown from the northwest suddenly veered round to the south-east, and raged with fearful violence. Clouds of thick dust mingled with small pebbles dashed against windows, breaking panes of glass innumerable. Hoofs of houses, in part or whole, were blown down, and very great damage was sustained everywhere in the more exposed parts of the city. The owners and occupiers of business premises on the windward side of the streets were compelled to put up shutters and close doors. In short, business was brought to a stand still during the greater part of the day. # I never experienced such strong blasts of wind durine: my sojourn in this province. The ' Daily Telegraph' says:— " We greatly fear that it will fall within the province of our duties to detail the loss not only of a large amount of property, but, possibly, a sacrifice of human life. What has occurred inland, among our homesteads—how many hundreds of acres of cereals may have been laid prostrate, and destroyed by the overwhelming force of a furious gale—what catastrophes are to be chronicled on the goldfields settlements—what "accidents by flood and field" remain to be told, must be left to the intelligence which a few days will bring to hand. Fortunately for our mercantile marine arriving and departing, the wind has so far been favorable as not to make a lee-shore, or at this moment many a noble vessel would probably now be stranded on she New Zealand Coast with a vengeful ocean beating over the wrecks and claiming as hostages to the angry waves the lives of many of our courageous and hardy seamen. We may, and we sincerely trust we do, augur worse than subsequent facts may confirm; but assuredly a severer gale lias seldom broken on our shores, or spread inland with its devastating influence. On Sunday night, soon after eleven o'clock, 'the heavens, in a south-easterly direction, were illuminated by intermittent and fitful flashes of a peculiar description of lightning—not the lightning of a close, sultry, and oppressive summer night, which the discharge of electric fluid after a time aids in cooling down, but they were flashes which to the observant eye denoted a coining storm of no ordinary kind. Soon after twelve o'clock there was a soughing in tlie air, and then came the beginning of the outburst, an omen of what was to follow. All through the dark hours of the night until dawn the gale broke over the city in squalls of tremendous power, awakening sleepers and alarming many for thefsafety of their dwellings, numbers of which jshook to their foundations and quivered in every timber. About daylight the gale had somewhat abated, but only to commence again with renewed force and destructive violence. It continued throughout the whole day until about nine o'clock in the evening, when its fury had exhausted itself.

*' Tlie barometer stood at six o'clock yesterday morning at 28-8-tenths, which is lower, as wo are informed, than has been known for the last two years. The sky was clear, a white scud only intervening to intercept an unbroken firmament. I he wind all Sunday night and the early period of Monday morning was from the north-west, veering round occasionally to the south of west, and afterwards going all round the compass, when it settled dciwn, blowing in heavy squalls from the south-east. We have not, at the time of writing this, been able to ascertain the whole of the damage which has been done. Visiting the Recreation Grounds we found that nearly the whole of the iron root had been carried away. Opposite to the grand stand, 011 the rising ground facing Princes street south, the roofs of several houses were either wholly, or in part carried away, the shingles, paling, and corrugated iron sheets being distributed in all directions. In the upper part of Walker and Hope streets, many of the buildings had received serious damage. In Manse street, the plate-glass front of Messrs. Shaw and Harnett was blown in, as also one of the side windows of the Melbourne Hotel. The owners of shops in the windward side of the street found it necessary to put up the shutters, close shop doors, and during the greater part of the day suspend their business operations. The roof of Mr. Ham's private residence in High street was completely blown away. In George street, nearly the whole of the shops were

closed, and it avus found quite impossible to carry on business. The front shop of Mr. Williams, chemist and druggist, was blown in; a chimney, on the premises of Mr. Virtue, general storekeeper, 011 the opposite side of the road was thrown down, and several of the adjoining premises sustained much injury. In Moray Place, the roofs of four cottages were partially blown away, two water closets thrown down, and fencing destroyed.

" Between noon yesterday and eight o'clock last night, business in King and George streets was virtually suspended. In the neighborhood of the Water of Leith, cottnge property to a considerable extent was destroyed. Numbers of trees were uprooted or the trunks denuded of their branches and foliage. In this neighborhood much of the fencing was also injured, and a great many fruit trees totally destroyed."

During the height of the gale on Monday afternoon, a fire broke out in the large machine room of the ' Daily Telegraph' office. Immediately the fire bell rung out the alarm, and the consternation hecame general; for every body felt that a lire at a time when the wind was blowing with the force of a hurricane, once getting hold of a building the whole city would in all likelihood be reduced to ashes. Prompt assistance was rendered in extinguishing the flames, and after considerable trouble and some destruction of property, the fire Avas subdued before it had burned through the outside of the building. Nothing could have saved the whole block of buildings had this been the case. The Provincial Hotel must have gone, with its forty thousand pounds worth of property and buildings, including the Princess' Theatre, sale yard.*, and adjoining erections.

You have doubtless placed before your readers the account of the cricket matches at Dunedin to the end of the third day. On the morning of the fourth day the match between the All England Eleven and the United Eleven of Canterbury and Otago was continued. The play commenced by Grace and Carpenter going to the wickets, the field being disposed much as before. J. Mace bowled a maiden over to Grace to begin with. Wills then took the leather, and the very first ball sent to Carpenter was transferred to Jacomb's hands, and neatly caught. Three wickets were now down for 38 runs. Caffyn then presented himself, but had a short time of it, for the very first ball from his bat lodged in Tennant's hands, at mid-wicket. The United's prospects looked brighter, four wickets being down with no addition to the score. Grace now began with a cut for one, and a leg bit beyond the ropes for four. Loekyer drove a couple from Wills, and made another cut for a single. Grace got another hit to leg. After a maiden, Grace sent a ball to long field off, high in the air, but 110 one ventured to attempt it; on coming to earth it was picked up, and two were added to the score. Grace got another three, and Loekyer a single to leg. Grace now tried fortune too greatly, for on sending a skyer to midwicket Worthington caught it neatly. Grace's score was no less than 42, but, this inclusive, 5 wickets were down for 58 runs. Parr was the next man, and played a maiden to Mace. Loekyer made a one to midwicket. H. Mace took Powys place as wicket-keeper, and the changeappearedabeneficialone. Thenextover brought Parr to trouble, for he cut to point, and was well caught by Bennett. Six wickets for 59 runs. Ccesar accepted the vacant situation. Another catch at long field was missed, and Loekyer scored a couple in consequence. Cffisar drew one to leg, but in making a cut was cleverly caught at cover point by j M'Donald'. This was a good bit of fielding, and showed to greater advantage after the misses that had been made previously. 7 wickets, 61 runs. Clarke followed, but after receiving three balls from Mace, tipped one behind wicket. This was his notice to quit, for Fulton caught it admirably with one hand, running forward and only just being able to reach. Tinley was next, and went out without loss of time for a goose egg, J. Mace bowling a middle stump ball. Hayward was the last man, and made an attempt at a cut, but was prevented by good fielding. He was more fortunate with one to mid-wicket, and another three to long field. Loekyer now scored a single, and a leg bye was run for two. Hayward made a three, and this was the boundary point of the Eleven's good luck, for Loekyer was well caught by Rees directly after, and the innings were thus concluded. The score, including the runs on the previous day, stood as follows : — ALL-ENGLAND ELEVEN. —FIRST INNINGS. Grace, c Worthington, b Wills ... ... 42 Jackson, c Wilson, b Redfern ... ... 4 Tarrant, c Worthington, b Redfern ... ... 2 Carpenter, c Jaeomb, l> Wills ... ... 3 Caffyn, c Tennant, b Wills ... ... ... 0 Loekyer, c Itees, bJ. Mace-... ... ... 10 Parr, c Bennett,b Wills ... ... ... 0 Caesar, c M'Donald, bJ. Mace ... ... 1 Clarke, c Fulton, bJ. Mace... ... ... 0 Hayward, not out ... ... ... ... 6 Byes ... ... ... ... 1 Leg byes... ... ... ... 2 Wides ... ... ... ... 2 Total ... ... ... 73 The United Twenty-two were put in without loss of time for their second innings, Wilson and Dickinson first taking the bat to Tinley and Tarrant's bowling. The first chance, however, was llirown away upon Dickinson, inasmuch as Loekyer stumped him the second ball. C. Mace, who had third number 011 the list, made a drive for one in comingin, and an over from Tarrant proved maiden. The next was not so fortunate, for Loekyer stumped him from Tinley's drive. Two wickets down for two runs. Jacomb next tried Tinley, and made a drive for two, which was missed by Grace. lie then drew one to leg, but Tarrant scattered his stumps at the next over. Three wickets down for five runs. M'Donald joined Wilson, but the _ latter made a speedv exit in consequence of his being stumped by Loekyer. Sale was next, and after making six in good style Avas caught and bowled by Tarrant. M'Donald made a capital innings, having, however, a let off from Carpenter who missed a catch. Worthington also commenced well with two pairs. M'Donald was the victim of Tinley, with a slow ball which twisted right into the wickets, and Redfern was run out without a score. Worthington was not long in retiring, being capitally caught at point by Carpenter. Powys and liees now held possession, but the former lost his wicket in the most absurd style. He gave an easy catch to Carpenter, which lie concluded would be caught, and under this supposition walked away from his wicket towards the stand, the ball was, however, missed by Carpenter, but by this time Powys was a long way on his way to the stand, and it was therefore only necessary to throw the ball up and put him out. Eees was stumped almost directly afterwards by Loekyer off Tarrant, and Tennant Avas caught by Carpenter off the same bowler. Turton now came in and played a slashing innings for thirteen before his chances were extinguished by Carpenter catching him at point. The other players call for no particular comment, except J. Mace and Taylor, who made a score of four a-piece. The innings closed for 06, as follows:—

United Twenty Two.—Second Innings. Dickinson, st Loekyer, b Tinley 0 Wilson, st Loekyer, b Tinley 1 G. Mace, st Loekyer, b Tinley 1 Jacomb, b Tarrant ... ••• ••• 3 M'Donald, b Tinley 10 Sale, c and b Tarrant ... ... .... ... G Wortliington, c Carpenter, b Tinley ... ... 5 Red Hern, run out 0 Powys, walked out... ... ... ••• ••• 0 Rees, st Loekyer, b Tarrant 1 Tennant, c Carpenter, b Tarrant 4 Turton, c Carpenter, b Tinley 13 Fulton, hit wicket, b Tinley 1 J. Mace, c Carpenter, b Tinley 4 11. Mace, c Jackson, b Tinley 2 T. W. Wills, c Carpenter, b Tinley 1 Mytton, c Loekyer, b Tinley 0 Bennett, run out 3 E. C. Stevens, b Jackson ... 0 Winter, c and b Tinley ••• •• 0 J. W. Stevens, c Parr, b Tinley 0 Taylor, fiot out 4 Byes 4 Leg bves 2 No ball 1

There was no time to play the second iunings by the Eleven, and, as stated above, the game was necessarily a drawn one. The Eleven cricketers were then drawn to the Provincial in their coach and six, and after a short time were escorted, accompanied by a band of music, to the jetty. The Twenty-two went with them, the Canterburians to return home, and the Otagonians to see them off. An aquatic procession was formed, the Eleven and the Twentytwo being towed by the watermen of the port, und both being cheered heartily as they started, and as loudly returning the compliment. The cricketers were conveyed in the new boats, the Lady Gay Spanker and the Lola Montes, which were placed at their disposal by Mr. Liardet. On arriving on board the City more cheering and more health's drinking took place, and many hearty good wishes were exchanged, after which the steamer got under weigh and started without delay, The promised Maori war dance dwindled iuto a pas de deux between a native man and a woman, which was not much admired.