COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 139, 2 November 1844, Page 3

COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE.

We have been favoured with Sydney papers to the 21st of October.

B. Boyd, Esq., of Sydney, has been returned to the Legislative Council for Port Phillip, in place of Sir Thomas Mitchell, who had resigned. The writ of Mr. Boyd s return was contained in a mail which was lost on its way from Port Phillip ; and some difficulty arose in consequence about that gentleman taking Ms seat The matter was referred to a committee of the Council, who decided that Mr. Boyd was duly elected. Mr, Windeyer moved an adjournment of the Legislative Council on the 11th of October to the 27th of November, in order to allow members a short respite from public business. The motion, which was strongly opposed by the GoYtnunant, was carried by a majority of four.

The communication overland between Sydney and Port Phillip has been nearly suspended in consequence of the bad state of the roads and the overflowing of the rivers. The consequent irregularity of the mail has produced great inconvenience.

Sydney was visited on the 16th and 17th of October with the heaviest gale of wind and rain experienced since August, 1834. Most of the vessels in the stream drifted. The steamer James Watt was nearly ashore; and the steamers which ply between the Hunter and Sydney were unable to start. Considerable damage has been done to property, as will be seen by the annexed extracts : —

The heavy storm of wind and rain which has continued for the past two days, has tested thoroughly the water-proof qualities and strength of the Sydney houses ; and, from the complaints upon the subject which we hear on all sides, there appears to be but few of them that have fairly withstood the trial in the first particular. * * * * * * We regret to learn that a considerable quantity of property was destroyed at the Glenmore Distillery on Tuesday afternoon by the heavy fall of rain. The principal embankment of the upper dam, which is on an elevation above the roofs of the distillery and the adjoining building, gave way with a tremendous crash, burying and carrying away the buildings and stores that interrupted it. Fortunately, the workmen were in another part of the building at the time, and no loss of life ensued, although one man was carried away by the torrent, and was with difficulty rescued. Mr. Fisher's loss, we hear, will be upwards of £I,soo.— Sydney Herald, October 17.

The Weather. — The tempestuous weather which prevailed in the city and its neighbourhood throughout the whole of Tuesday and a part of yesterday— during which the rain that fell in torrents, accompanied by a strong southerly gale, was incessant — must have occasioned considerable damage, independently of the inconvenience felt by many parties inhabiting cottages and other tenements in localities not properly drained. — Australian, October 17.

A Hint to the City Council. — The effects of the late rains have been so ruinous, especially in buildings of a previously dilapidated state, that we would suggest to the City Council the propriety of instituting a survey on such buildings as afford cause for apprehension least they should have been undermined, or rendered unsafe to live in i and wherever buildings are found and reported to be in such a condition, measures ought be taken, forthwith, either to make them secure or else to remove them as a nusiance. — Australian.

Colonial Manufactures. — We are at all times anxious to notice the extension of colonial manufactures, and we have therefore much pleasure in announcing that by the St. George, Messrs. Fisher and Donaldson, of the Stockton Factory, Newcastle, have received a considerable addition to their machinery, consisting of two complete sets of carding engines, a set of mule jennies, a stubbing billy, and ten tons of dye stuffs ; and that by the July packet they expect still further additions. Instead of confining their attention to tweeds and other coarse descriptions of cfoth, Messrs. Fisher and Donaldson will be able to manufacture every kind of woollen cloth, and in quantities that we have no doubt will, in a very short time, cause the export of cloth to form no inconsiderable item in our custom-house returns. As a matter of prudence, however, we would suggest that the more closely the attention of colonial manufacturers is confined to common cloths, the more certain will be their success : first, because they will come less into competition with the English manufacturer; and, secondly, because the "times "are likely to render coarse cloths more fashionable than broadcloths. — Sydney Hetald.