AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 1, Issue 46, 28 September 1870, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

VICTORIA. Melbourne, Sept. 10. Heavy floods occurred on the Bth in almost all parts of the colony. Elizabeth and Swanstonstreets, Melbourne, were converted into channels,, for the escape of a very torrent of storm-water. All parts of the city were severely visited by the flood, and generally the damage done would appear to be much greater than that occasioned by any flood since that of sixty-three. The flat lying between- the south bank and Emerald-hill was converted into a lake. The Avoca river has not been so- high for the last ten years. All the low lands between the township of Avoca and Natty Yallock were covered with water, and the crops are all washed away. Between Winton and Glenrowaa the country is under water for the distance of five miles. The river Goul--burn was running through the township threefeet deep.. The greatest flood that ever was seen in Benalla occurred on the above day. Most of the- houses in the township on the west side of Broken Paver were vacant. The bridge was broken down, traffic stopped, and business suspended. All accounts agree that the floods are the highest ever known since the country was settled. The business of the late firm of D. Jones and Co., Ballarat, has- been- finally disposed of to Messrs L. S. Christie and (Jo., for £160,000. The stock is thought to be one of the finest out of Europe. Ballarat is henceforth a city. The proclamation constituting it such appears in the Gazette. A Chinaman at Avoca brutally murdered one of bis countrymen on the 4th inst. He has been arrested and committed for trial. At the fifteenth annual show and sale of draught horses in Melbourne on the 6th inst., the imported draught entire, Vanquisher-, was sold for £B76—the Lightest price ever obtained at an auction sale in Melbourne fora draught horse. Thane of Clyde, the property of Mr Hugh M’Lean, realised £250 ; Southome was bought in, though £4OO was offered, the highest bid made at the sale for any colonial bred entire. Some imported short-horn bulls were knocked dawn at 300 guineas, 205 guineas, and 200 guineas, respectively. The points reserved in the trial of the Queen v. Supple for the alleged murder of J. S. Walshe were argued in the Supreme Court on the Bth inst. Briefly stated they were, for the prisoner, that at the time the fatal shot was fired he had been diverted from his original intention on Mr Smith’s life, and for all that is known might have abandoned that intention, and therefore, that the killing of Walshe was merely a misadventure ; while for the Crown it was contended that the Court could not overlook the fact that at the time Walshe appeared on the scene Supple was in pursuit of Smith with a loaded and cocked pistol; that Walshe was justified in interfering either to stop a felony or to capture Supple ; and that at the time Supple still entertained a felonious design on Mr Smith’s life. The Court reserved its decision. NEW SOUTH WALES. Sydney, September 9. The Harriet Armytage, from Fiji, brings dates to the 16th August. She reports the wrecks of the schooners Lulu and Queen of the Isles, Both crows have been Saved. The natives stripped the Queen of the Isles. They also killed and ate two native laborers who were on board. The crew was rescued by the schooner Spunkio. The United States war steamer Jamestown was making inquiries into the circumstances connected with the disturbances between the natives and the American missionaries. The French war steamer Guichen, from New Caledonia, and the German barque Bonito entered the Heads together on the sth, when they exchanged ft iendly salutes, neither vessel being aware that war had been declared between their respective countries. Mr Joseph Dyer is propounding an important system of defence for the Sydney harbour. The idea is that of floating chains stretched across tho mouth and other parts of the bay. The chains are to he composed of railway bars fastened together through rivet holes, and attached to square iron water tanks for the purpose of floating them. On the Bth, a meeting of Germans was hold, at which a subscription list was opened for tho relief of the sufferers by tho Prussian war, and about £l5O was subscribed in the room. Campbell has been committed for trial by the Wagga Wagga beach for tho murder of the brothers Pohlman in 1868 at Naraudera.