THE QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4574, 20 February 1893, Page 3

THE QUEENSLAND FLOODS.

£Spboial to Pbess AgsooiATiON.l i ... SYDNEY, Fbb- 19. : All the northern rivera are in a high state of flood, and communication with Groffcon and Liamore is suspended. When last heard from, the water waß rushing through the principal thoroughfares in the former place, while the whole of Lismore was flooded to the extent of several feet. ) The late3t intelligence from Queensland, via Burke, reports that Toowoomba is ia a fearful condition, and that the floods have surpassed the last one. The I Brisbane people are abandoning their residences and seeking the high ground. Feb. 20. It is anticipated that the bulk of the maize crop in the Clarence district will be j destroyed. The country for ten miles from ■ Grafton t ia an unbroken sheet of water. : No serious casualties have been reported. BBISBANE, Fbb. 20. [ The flood yesterday almost reached the level of the preceding one. Heavy rain, I accompanied by, ft terrible easterly gale, I fell all Saturday. Between eight and ten j inches were recorded in twenty-four hours. I Large portions of the city and suburbs [ are again under water. Most of the business places in South Brisbane are Buhmerged, and there is water in many warehouses on the north side. The town was in darkness at night. The defence force and the police combined to preserve life and property. Telegraphic communication is confined to a few stations. The railway coal supply ia almost exhausted. There is plenty on the south side of the river, but it is inaccessible. Most of the stations between Brisbane and Maryborough report five to. eleven inches of rain: The merchants mostly took ) precautions against another flood, and j their loss is not s heavy as before, but a large number of people who had made their houses habitable have again been driven out, and there will be much distress on

this score. Several cases of ; drowning ara ' ■-reported.;';^;— :i:; ; .;;.;■.;;■ ■■ ■ ■■ " { The gunboat Palunah and the other! vessels stranded in the Botanical Gardens j a fortnight ago were floated off. by yesterday's flood, and are now safely mo ( 6red. Ipswich is again inundated and the public buildings are crowded with refugees. The scenes of distress are most pitiable. The railway to Toowobmba is washed away. The starving people at Goodna, near Brisbane, were relieved by a boat-load of provisions sent from Ipswich. The flood at Toowomba is reported to be now. subsiding. A man named Cahill waa swept away, and his ekull was smashed by coming into contact ■with a bridge. Several large houses were washed down stream against Saddler's bridge at Ipswich. The Eclipse colliery is again inundated. I

[Per Pbkss Association.] AUCKLAND, Feb. 20. The Queensland Floods Relief Committee decided to-day to send by the Bank of New Zealand a further Bam of £650 to the sufferers in Brisbane, making i>looo so far forwarded. WELLINGTON, Fib. 19. Mr Duthie, M.H.8., has received trom Mr Shera, M.H.E., a telegram covering the resolution passed at the Queensland relief meeting •" in Auckland, that Government be asked to vote a sum fiom the Colonial revenue, if a majority of the members of Parliament coheent, and asking him to convey the message to other members in Wellington. Mr Duthie has communicated with the city members, and on hia own beh&lf wired to Mr Shera that the details to hand are nob sufficient to show that private benevolence will not meet all demands, and at present, or until further information iB received, tie does not feel [ warranted in supporting a grant from the ! public chest. The Queensland subscription list started by the Post amounts to je3oo. The City ; Council list, so far, is about half that • amount. ■ , Fbb. 20. The proprietors of the livening Post, to-day, cabled the first remittance of to the Premier of Queensland, subscribed by the public for the flood sufferers.

On Saturday afternoon the employees at the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company's Clothing Factory held a meeting, at which it was decided to open a sub* ecription list in aid of the Bufferers by the floods in Queensland. Mr Wilson, who presided, urged the necessity of immediate action, and subsequently a strong Committee was appointed to receive subscriptions. It was also resolved that all moneys collected should be spent in the purchase of Kaiapoi products, viz., blankets, flannels, clothing, shirts and hosiery, to be forwarded as early as possible. A meeting of members of the Christchurch Working Men's Club, to devise meanß of aiding in the relief measures, will be held at eight o'clock this evening. On Saturday night Mr.W. W. Collins addressed a masß meeting in Cathedral square on the subject of the distress in Queensland, and as a result the sum of JB7 4.3 was collected, to be added to the relief fund. A further Bum of £5 6s was collected at the Freethought picnic yesterday. At a meeting of railway employees held on Saturday night to consider the Railway Insurance Bill, a Committee was elected, with Mr Pilkington as Chairman, for the purpose of collecting subscriptions amongst railway men for the Queensland relief fund. It is intended .that a systematic canvass for this purpose shall be made over all the Canterbury seotion, and no doubt it will be heartily responded to. A meeting of executive officers of all Lodges, Courts, Tents, &c, in and around Christchurch, is called for to-morrow evening at the Oddfellows' Chambers, Lichfield street, to consider the best ways and means of dealing with the Queensland relief question. At yesterday's services at the Temple of Truth, Mr Worthington announced that he would deliver & lecture in the Temple on Friday evening nest, entitled " Public Men and Women of America," the total gross proceeds of which would be forwarded on behalf of the Queensland relief fund. Particulars will be advertised. Notice was given in all the churches within the Borough of Sydenham yesterday that the Mayor, Mr W. Jacqnes, had opened a subscription list towards the relief of the Queensland sufferers, and that he would attend in person at the Council Chambers this evening from seven to nine to receive subscriptions of any kind. The Bight Bey Dr Grimeß, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Christchnrch, announced at the pro-Cathedral yesterday that special offertories would be made at all the masues and at vespers next Sunday for the relief of the sufferers in Queensland. The same announcement -was made at St Mary's Church, and the Bishop has issued a ciroular to all the clergy in his diocese. Mr W. Mansell, Hon Secretary to the United Bands' Association, states that the city bands intend giving their services towards augmenting the fund for the relief of the Queensland sufferers by holding an open-air concert on the Band Eotunda on Friday night, at 8 p.m. Details as to the various pieces will be published on Wednesday. The members of the Fire Brigade will be asked 10 collect subscriptions. In response to the appeal of the Master Bakerß* Association of Christchurch for help on behalf of the sufferers by the floods in Queensland, Messrs Wood Bros, have given one ton of roller flour delivered to their agents in Queensland free of all charges. The Association sends its first instalment of two tons by to-day's Bteamer, consigned to the Mayor of Brisbane, with instructions to have it given in to a general relief fund. During the week the Working Committee will make a personal canvass of the master bakers, with & view of getting further subscriptions. 16 is desired that those who have not yet given anything would state what they can do, as prompt action is required so that the Association may be able to send a further instalment of flour at the earliest opportunity. The Tradeß Council on Saturday evening resolved that it would be inexpedient to take independent action in the matter of the Queensland floods, as a Central Committee had been formed ; but the varionß Unions are appealed to for co-operation with that Committee in any movement decided upon. Special collections were made by the Very Eev Father O'Connor and Messra M. Duncan and M. Lynskey, at the Eangiora and Kaiapoi Catholio churches yesterday. Although several members of the churches had previously subscribed to the relief fund, the Bpecial appeal met with a liberal response. The money collected ie to be forwarded to his Lordship Bishop Grimes, to be sent to Brisbane with the amount subscribed by the collections at the Christchurch and other churchea . in the diocese. Mr G. F. Tendall will- give an organ recital in the Cathedral on Friday evening, at eight o'clock, aid of the Brisbane relief fund. The Cathedral choir will, sing Mendelssohn's "Hear my Prayer," "Oh, for the Wings of a Dove," "I Waited for the Lord," and Bridge's setting" 1 of Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar." A movement ia on foot among the employees of the Addington Workshops, to aid the sufferers in Queensland. At a preliminary meeting held on Saturday at twelve o'clock; those present resolved to give one half-day's pay to the fund. The subscriptions collected at Eangiora ' for the relief of sufferers by the floods in > Queensland amount to J255. At a special 1 meeting of the Borough Council, hyeld on Friday night, the Mayor wan instructed to cable the money on Saturday morning to the Premier of. Queensland. 1 A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Queensland Belief Fund was held in , the City Council Chambers this morning. , Among those present were the Mayors of , Christchurcb, St Albane, Sydenham and Sumner, Councillor Wood, Messrs W. E. Mitchell, T. Crook, E.. Hi Harley and . Douglass.. The Mayor announced- that he

had received close on £50. Various offers, and suggestions were received, and it was resolved that subscription lists should be sent to the members of the Committee, and that the nameß of the clergymen in town should be added to the Committee. It was also decided to request the various ministers to make Sunday, March 5, Brisbane Sunday.