Australian Items.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 798, 23 June 1870, Page 3

Australian Items.

In the recent floods (says the Muswelbrook Monitor), a prisoner was in danger of being drowned in his cell. When the water reached the unfortunate man's waist, the lockup-keeper telegraphed to headquarters to know if he might liberate the prisoner in case he was overflowed.

The telegraphic report of Mr Michie's speech which appeared in the Argus of the 26th ult., was the longest press message ever transmitted in Victoria. It consisted of 7,440 words, and occupied two of the most skilful operators in the public service exactly four hours in the transmission This is precisely 31 words per minute, a rate of speed quits unprecedented in the experience of the Victorian Telegraph department.

An incident of the late Australian floods is thus related by the Sydney Mail: — When an entrance wa9 made into the Commercial Bank and the manager's residence, at Yass, the scene was a most desolate one. The floors were deeply covered with slimy mud, and in the bank, the water having covered everything that had been left, the papers, books, &c, were found in a terrible condition. Mr Eudd (the acting manager) and Master Brig stocke had a piece of work before them which they might well hesitate to under take. It had to be done, however, and they manfully set themselves to their unpleasant task. All day they were engaged in removing parcels of documents, washing off the slime, and laying them out to dry. On the safes being opened it was found that, however useful they might have been in the event of fire taking piece, they wert* not of much value as against water. An immense number of parchments belonging to Mr Laidlaw were found saturated, and in the course of the afternoon a cartload of these valuable documents were conveyed to Mr Laid'aw's private residence.