A RELIC OF EARLY VICTORIA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 10477, 30 November 1895, Page 2

A RELIC OF EARLY VICTORIA.

Thk Argus reports that operations have been commenced to remove the Hol>son's Day Floating Dock to the foreshore at Williamstown, where she will be broken up and sold for firewood. This dock has been so much identified with the shipping trade of tho port that its history may be read with interest. As far back as 1852, four of the leading merchants of that time, seeing the utter absence of facilities for tho repair of the great fleet of sailing vessels then frequenting Hobson's Bay, decided to build a floating dock able to accommodate ships of 1000 tons, and in accordance with their instructions tho dock was designed and built by Mr Thomas Scott, master shipwright. Tho dock answered all expectations, proving a genuine " gold mine " to the enterprising owners. It may give some idea of the profits attendant on such a speculation in the " good old times," when we state that the tariff for docking a large vessel was fixed at £750 for ten days' occupation of the dock. Tho dock oventually became the property of the Melbourne Shipping Company, under whose shipwright superintendent, Mr John Clark, it has been managed for the last quarter of a century. After more than forty years' hard work the dock has now been condemned, but its place in Hobson's Bay will bo taken by a new dock considerably larger than its predecessor, and onco forming tho hull of the ship Habitant, of 2500 tons capaoity, which vessel recoived injury by fire about twelve months ago whilst lying iv the river Yaira. The lower part of the hull of the Habitant was found on examination to have escaped damage, and as a rigid survey by experts satisfied the Melbourne Shipping Company that the vessel was in every way adapted for a floating dock, no time was lost ia executing the extensive works required for this purpose, necessitating a very large expenditure, with tho result that the ship Habitant of 18U4 is now a powerful woll-oquipped floating dock capablo of lifting vessels of large tonnage.

Mr Harris Ford, hon. secretary of the Recreation Grounds, begs to acknowledge a donation of £3 4s Gd from the Recroation Grounds Swimming Club.

A short time back cable advice was ro ceived from London to the effect that Mr H. Morris, of Wanganui, Now Zealand, had pissed first in the examination for admission to the Indian Civil Service, and that Mr Morris was 1000 marks ahead of the next candidate. A Sydney paper published the cable in thia form : *' In the examination of. candidates to fill vacancies in the Indian Civil Service, 16 Maoris from Wanganui, New Zealand, have past with first place honours. The Maoris were 1000 marks ahead of tho other candidates."

Miss Dolly Taylor, a young lady of Hawthorn, Victoria, was fatally injured recently whilst a party of ladies and gentlemen were riding to Yarra Glen. She was mounted on a very spirited horse, and at one portion of the journey was thrown by his making a raacl jump over a culvert. Nothing daunted she romonntsd, although urged to exohange horses with another of the party. Instead of keeping to the main road the party swept through a private estate, and when in the avenue Miss Taylor's horse bolted, and jumping a sft gate dashed off towards a famous willow tree growing on tho estate. When close to fhis tree ho suddenly "propped," and Miss Taylor was thrown. The brain was lacerated, aud death ensued soon ftftor,