FROM THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." TUESDAY, JANUARY 28. 1862. Shipping Intelligence.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18465, 28 January 1922, Page 14

FROM THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam." TUESDAY, JANUARY 28. 1862. Shipping Intelligence.

DESTRUCTION OF THE “OCEAN CHIEF ” BY FIRE AT BLUFF HARBOUR. • TOTAL LOSS. (From (fie Southern Newt, Jan. 25J On Thursday morning a dense smoke was seen to arise from the Bluff Harbour. It continued throughout the day, and a resident observed to a friend, more in joke than in earnest “There’s a ship on fire at the Bluff” —little suspecting ho spoke but too truly. About ten p.m., M. Thompson (of the firm of Thompson and Crispe, for whom the Ocean Chief had brought to large a cargo of sheep) accompanied by Captain Howell, of Jacob’s River, arrived in Invercargill with the astounding intelligence that that noble vessel had _ been maliciously set on fire the previous night—that all efforts to extinguish the Haines had been unavailing—and that she was burnt down to her copper. That this was the act of an incendiary, or incendiaries — a deep-laid conspiracy—was proved by tbo manner in which the force and other pumps and hose had been bored and cut so as to render tnem useless. . . . TOWN BOARD. A meeting of the Town Board was- held yesterday afternoon, Dr Hulme in the chair. The members present were Messrs H. Jenkinson, Wm. Shand, H. F. Hardy, M. Graham, J. Switzer, and John Cargill. On the motion of Mr fcargill, it was resolved that the Chairman be requested to communicate with his Honor the Superintendent as to whether the Government consider the widening of the Cutting in Princes-stroet a Government work, or one to bo undertaken by the Town Board, to report at next meeting of the Board. It was resolved to, instruct the Clerk to order the police to make all occupiers of tents on street lines to remove them at once. DEFENCE MEETING. One of the largest meetings ever held, in this town took place in the Court House yesterday evening for the purpose of considering the means to place the Province in a position to resist any hostile attacks which might bo made upon it. His Honor the Superintendent occupied the chair, and having apologised for being in some degree unprepared to address them, owing to the haste with which the meeting had been got up, said they were all aware of the necessity which existed for their protecting their hearths and homes from a foreign invader. ... When in the time of Napoleon there was a probability of an invasion of England the Duke of Wellington had prayed that he might never be called on to take the command of an unorganised although military nation to oppose them against the serried ranks of trained soldiers, and, however willing wo might be to defend ourselves, ho was sure that without discipline an American Privateer with 2 gims and 20 riflemen might take our town and levy a heavy tax upon it. This was a most humiliating position to occupy, and he was ashamed to say that Otago was the only province in New Zealand which was without its volunteers. Were wo to continue in. this humiliating position? . ... ■’