AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 January 1928, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

CROQUET. SYDNEY, Jan. 19. The English Croquet team defeated New South Vales at Mossman, winning three out of four matches. Miss Rett alack (England) beat Mrs Kindon 20-1-26-7; Richard (England) beat Dun 26-7-26-7; Dupre (England) beat Mrs Moore 26-1-26 8; Mrs Tayles (New South Wales )bcat Vctnyss 26-18. SYDNEY, Jan. 20. The English croquet team easily defeated New South Wales in two doubles matches, thus easily winning the rubber.

BENEFI Cl A L RAINS. SYDNEY, Jan. 19. Heavy rain continues in the outer south-western districts, and relieved many critical drought situations. It is also responsible for a.number of railway wash-outs. Rain is still falling in Victoria, where on the fringe of the Malee country, floods are occurring.

Bush fires in other districts have been extinguished by a downpour which the Weather Bureau classes as abnormally heavy.

.SOUTH AUSTRALIA BEAT QUEENSLAND. BRISBANE, Jan. 18. Queensland in their second innings made 351 (Thompson 93, O’Connor 133 not out). Rowling for South Australia, Scott took four wickets for 71 runs, Grimmett three for 98. South Australia won outright by an innings and eleven runs, The weather was fine and the wicket still good, hut the cricket was very dull, the rate of scoring being slower even than on the previous day. Towards the close of the innings, O’Conor livened up and made several good boundary shots. Otherwise the innings was colourless. [Queensland in their first innings made 1-13, and South Australia 505.] WOOL SALES. SYDNEY, Jan. 20. The wool sales market closed firm, with prices generally ruling quite equal to tho best point of the recent sales, and under keen competition very full and satisfactory clearances were made. Greasy merino sold to 33 pence. HIDE MARKET. MELBOURNE, Jan. 20. Hides were Jinn and active. Kips and lights advanced j(l to [d and others wore very firm.

TH UNDERSTORM MENACE. MELBOURNE, Jan. 20

A spectacular thunderstorm preceded by vivid lightning and loud claps of thunder was experienced in Melbourne. So intense was the downpour of rain, that the streets were inundated within a few minutes, and traffic was .suspended. Considerable damage was done to the contents of houses and shops in the low lying areas, where the water in places reached a level of more than two feet.

The storm passed in thirteen minutes but in that time 75 points of rain hi cl been recorded. The suburban electric train service was disorganised, owing to the overbead gear being struck by lightning.

A CYCLIST’S MOVEMENTS. SYDNEY. Jan. 20. Although the New Zealand Amateur

Athletic Association suggested that the cyclist, Standen, should leave Sydney to-day for New Zealand, this cannot be arranged as sanction has to he forthcoming from the controlling hotly which meets on Tuesday. It the necessary permission is given and Staricien is willing, he may leave for the Dominion on the? 27th.

IMPRESSIONS OK TOl'li. SYDNEY. .Jan. 20. Sir Alfred Meeks, a prominent business man. on bis return from England said business men with whom he had conversed in London, expressed surprise that Australia did not make letter known the fact that her savings banks’ deposits showed greater prosperity than any other country. Deposits aggregated about two hundred millions sterling in about four million accounts. That was a record, he said, which no nation in the world could equal. Dealing with Empire trade. Sir A .Meek said he observed there was a better feeling developing in regard to it throughout the British isles. He noticed people were becoming more prone to buy British goods. OBITUARY. „ HOBART, Jan. 20, Obituary.—Doctor Edgar Ravenswood Waite, formerly curator of the Canterbury museum, Christchurch, aged 62.