Australian News.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 28 January 1892, Page 2

Australian News.

The latest reports from the Tibooburra district New South Wales, state that the country is in a terrible state for want of rain, and if the present dry weather continues much longer it will be very serious. Babbits have laid the country quite bare, there not being a vestige of feed to be found on the town commons. The thermometer has been averag* ing 115 in the shade, and water for stock purposes is becoming very scarce. A number of stock- owners have been forced to leave the district, some going over the Queensland border.

Teamsters arriving from South Australia and Broken Hill report that the tracks are very bad owing to the lack of water and feed. One man lost 15 horses en route from Broken Hill.

Telegrams from Oobar district state that the weather is dry and gradually getting warmer. Babbits are still exceedingly numerous, and great numbers are being destroyed by means of poisoned water. The services ordinarily held in the Church of England and the Wesleyan Church are being held elsewhere, the stench from dead rabbits decaying under the buildings being unbearable. The sheep from the Lerida and Mulgoa towns are being cleared off, the feed having all disappeared off one station The manager states that on his holding of 90,000 acres he is unable to keep any sheep owing to the rabbits.

A terrific sandstorm occurred at Roeburn, Western Australia, on the 14th inst The whole town was enveloped in dense darkness for an hour, the dust penetrating all buildings. 'I he storm was preceded by heavy thunder and succeeded by a considerable fall of rain. No damage was done to property.