New-York tribune., 1867-08-21
NEW SOUTH WALES.


THE QUEENS BIRTHDAY-GREAT DAMAGE AND
SUFFERING BY The FLOODS-THE POSTAL
CONFERENCE.
The Queens birthday was celebrated with all
the enthusiasm which its recurrence fails to evoke
In Sydney. The holiday was public and general Tho
railways and steamboats, thronged with excursion
ISIS ana the scene In the domain during the review has
Deen seldom surpassed The gathering or Volunteers was
unusually large, and the appearance aud discipline OF me
men deserved and obtained the cOmmendatiOn OF His Tx
cellency the Goyenorin-Chief:
New south Wales in connection with the storm OF wlnd
and rain, hurricane and Hoods OF unprecedented magu
tude which t ushered In When the Kak0ura left sgd
ney the LIST of june 1t was noted that the rain had
continued, almost without interinssion, for two months
but to That time great fears Of destructive floods
entertained though business interrupted by the
wet weather and the continuous fan OF water caused
general inconvenience The KakOura had severe weather
her voyage 10 Wellington, but left that place for
Panama ON the sth Of June with 65 passengers and 300
coast and Wednesday, the 9th OF June, eliminated
In storm which has been described a hurricane
entertained IN the City OF sydney that tho owlying
lands OF the country most exposed to floods by reason OF
and crcuOus of the outlet TO the
would be inundated but expected that this was the
beginning of the most disastrous food that had
CURED in New South Wales. and that the sympathes OF
the people OF the country would be tascd 10 degree be
yond anything that had been previously known. Yet
so has proved On Friday the 2st of june, accounts
reached sydney which startled and alarmed the whole OF
the inhabitants, but which, unhappy proved 20 be true
The whole OF the valley of the Hawksbury River had
been flooded 10 hight mhnOwn and unrccOrdod by the
Oldest inhabtant by history. The town Of Windsor
was surrounded by water and so sudden had tho
rush OF the flood from the high lands in consequence OF
the previous saturnon Of the ground the farmers and
their families had 10 flee for their lives. abandoning all
thoy possessed 10 the waters The incidents that
upon the roof OF his hOnse with his family for 20
hours holding his youngest child In his arms unti the In
faut died from the effects OF cold and exposure for the
rain was st pouring down In torrents and the whole
OF the surrounding land Wide Of water The
father then had TO throw his dead child into the flood and
take mp another in tho hope Of preserving IT, ON sltnr
day morning the 22i The house gave way and was swept
down with the food. drowning the mother and nine other
children The father and four others were saved
boats which had been sent of To these unfortunate
sufferers BY this time the whole of the valley iuun
dated aEd the fertile district Of Richmond presented the
town Of Windsor itself where at this time some thousands
Of persons CUugegated, would Doe involved IN tho
general devastation. but happily this did not occur The
flood sudden and So overwhelming that all means
OF escape seemed be cut of, and many families some
consisting OF weak mothers and young children. suf
feng from severe Ahess, had to remain for hours on
that has been known this coast until suCcOrCOud
be given As this said intelligence was known.
tho Government acted with the utmost Iromptitudr.
Boats and crows 70 man them, Wero dispatched by rd
way the nearest point to Windsor and although tie
flood still rushing down IN torrent and part OF the
railway WAS submerged, the brave men VINO manned
these boats succeeded at last Ia reaching the Of
desolation, and rescuing very many who had almost
given up all hope
II was decided by the late Postal Conference held at
Melbourne that the termination Of the three lines pro-
posed should be Ht sydney. This !. not ia harmony WIN
Mr. Vcren but t IA affirmed by the representatives Of
NewZcaluud The decision, however, iu the victorian
Legislature was not hiade on thls hhp1iuoh, ana ~
seems lRcy that this Is matter which VIII Do subject 20
further d.scu- sion aud adjustment.
Another rush has set iu 10 the Butler gold fields New
Zealand, notwithstanding the conflicting accounts which
OF the John Williams. mission bark, ON the north end ~
Savage Island, IA. bccu confirmed Capt. Miians aud
considering tho pIUpIcty ui SupprSug singing ahi
dancilE -alooEs attached to public houses