AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1927, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association. SERIOUS EXPLOSION. MELBOURNE. Dec. 27. Five men were severely burned in an explosion at the Australian Cement Company works near Geelong. The building and machinery used for crushing coal was wrecked. The supposed cause is spontaneous combustion of gas from tlio coal, or a spark accidentally lighting same. FLOODS IN QUEENSLAND. BRISBANE. Dee. 27. A message from f.ongreach says that tile wet season appears to have set in. The rivers and creeks are running hankers, and a record Hood is feared at Aramae. The . average fall for the district is four inches, hut places have received 10 to 12 inches of rain each day. If it extends further west, nearly all graziers are arranging to bring stock hack to home pastures. Serious floods are feared in parts of the southwest, where the rivers are rising rapidly.

HOLIDAY AfTiTiENTS. SYDNEY, Dee. 27. Dull, boisterous southerly weather prevails for the holidays, which were marked hv tile usual number of accidents throughout the Commonwealth. So far, eleven are reported killed, and many injured, several seriously. STEAMER ON FlllE. SUVA. Dec. 21. The steamer Clan Mncwilliam is on fire in Nos. 1 and 2 holds, at Vavau, in (he Tongan group. Her cargo consists of about 3900 tons of copra. There are no local fire-fighting appliance';. SUVA. Dec. 20. The Clan steamer Clan Macwilham. which caught fire at ( avail ’longa, on Saturday, is a total loss. Captain (V. Thompson and an engineer were drowned. The vessel was: completing copra loading for Home The Clan Macwilliam was built at Glasgow in 191 S for Cayzer. Irvine and Co.. Ltd. She is of 0086 tons.