AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5304, 26 March 1878, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

(PEK ALBION AT HOKITIKA.) A very heavy flood occurred in the Melbourne suburbs, by which considerable damage to property was occasioned. It rained heavily from Thursday to Saturday, during which time four inches fell. The Yarra rose so rapidly that in a few hours it had overflowed its banks, and all the low-lying lauds adjacent speedily were submerged. . Every' building,' mostly stores, on the'south bank of the Yarra was completely surrounded,' and communication was only obtainable by boat, and then only with difficulty, owing to the rapid current. The traffic on the south side of Prince’s Bridge was suspended for fourteen hours, in consequence of the water running over the St. Kilda Road. The whole stretch of land, as far as the eye could reach, was one expanse of water. Only one life was lost, that of a Chinaman, who was drowned in his hut on Diamond Oreekonthe'Upper Yarra. Theflood was not within four feet of the great flood of 1868, but the water rose much more rapidly—so much so that a number of persons had not time to save their goods, while many only escaped with their lives with great difficulty. On Sunday morning the flood began gradually to recede, and now has gone down altogether. The most serious accident connected with the floods was the carrying away of the bridge over the Plenty River, by which the flume conveys the Yan Yean water to Melbourne, together with five chains of the aqueduct. By this accident the water supply of the Melbourne suburbs was limited to the supply then in the service reservoirs at Preston. On Monday morning that was exhausted, and the large population of the city and suburbs is now dependent upon the Yarra River for water supply until the Yah Yean aqueduct can be repaired, which is expected to take only two or three days, as gangs of men are working day and night. A few nights ago the boys in the Reformatory School at Coburg mutinied, and for the period of an hour kept the large number of warders at bay. Blank cartridges were fired at them, but to no purpose. At length the door of the dormitory was smashed in with an axe, and entrance gained., Some rather ugly wounds were received on both sides. No cause is assigned for the outbreak. On Thursday night last a boat containing Robert Siggee, boatman, and Mr. W. Yuille jun., was run down in the bay by the steamer Rescue, both men being drowned. Yuille’s body has, not yet been recovered. The night was dark, and as they were both rowing they did not see the steamer. There have been two or three failures in the grain trade—S. House and Co., liabilities, £64,440 ; W. Rantird, miller, Kynetou, said to be £40,000. H. R. Carter, £12,000, an oldestablished firm at Mount Gambler, is spoken of. Sir John Ceode leaves for New Zealand, per Tararua, on Wednesday week. The building of the new Eastern Market has commenced. It will .cost £50,000 when completed. The steamer Easby ran down the schooner Northern Light inside the Heads. The schooner sank, but the crew were saved.