Untitled

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1581, 14 December 1885, Page 4

The Railway Department will issue tickets at Saturday return fares, commencing December 19th up to January 2nd, and available for return "to 16th January. The convict system of; Western Australia will soon be a thing of the past. While m England last year Governor Browne arranged for the complete transfer to the colonial Government ot the Imperial convict establishment. This arrangement comes into effoct on Jan. !■■ ne-vt, and by it only about 40 or 50 imperial prisoners m the colony, irrespective of a small number of ticket >of -leave men, remain, the last convict having been sent to Western Australia some 20 years ago. The colony will not now be distinguished from any other colonies of the Australian group by its penal establishment. The reports from tho country districts arid around Hobarl. show that a great deal of damage lias betMi done by the recent heavy rains, wliich only •'■cetfSed about 2 o'clock on Saturday. Oitha?ds have been swamped, gardens destroyed hop poles carried away, and generally a great deal of loss - has been incurred. At tlobart a number of small houses near the wharf were flooded, and great distress was accasionod thereby. The Union mails were brought back this morning, as eighty feet of the road had beun carried away, and they will have to be sent by sea. Two more lives are reported to be lost. The fall of rain amounted to 3.70 inches m 24 hours.