HEAT IN AUSTRALIA

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 29 January 1908, Page 26

HEAT IN AUSTRALIA

WIDESPREAD DISASTER.

RELIEF AT LAST.

SYDNEY, January 22. The heat wave has been broken by a cool change in which the greater part of the State is participating.

January 23. The south coast farmers are in dira straits through want of rain.

Sydney's milk supply is threatened, and the price has been raised to 6d per quart. ADELAIDE, January 24. Six hundred miles of country was ewepti by bush fires. An unknown man waa burnt in the scrub. MELBOURNE, January 22. Forty settlers were burned out ia South Gippsland.

In the Lenthorpe district over 150,000 acres of grass and 10,000 sheep and miles of fencing were destroyed. At Rivernook many large dairy farma were almost completely swept away. Lome- is" threatened, and the inhabitants are removing their effects./' A' party visiting Phantom Falls were surrounded by fire, and rescued witk tho greatest difficulty."

Two men were burned to death a 6 Wangerip, and a child at Mount Sabin. A House in which an infant was sleeping caught fire near Stawell. A woman rushed to its rescue, but dropped dead 1 at the door, and the infant perished.

During the six successive days of heat 58 patients suffering from its effects have been admitted to the hospital, of whom 15 have died. The total deaths in the State from the heat is 100.

!A great bush fire is raging in the Colao district. The town narrowly escaped! being swept.

The Anglican Church, a store, and a dwelling were destroyed.

Two men named Power and Lucas rode through a veritable 6ea of fire amd rescued! a woman named Clapham and three children, all of whom were more or lesa burned.

Nearly 100 persons at Beech Forest were temporarily .blind through the effects ofi

the smoke.

The seaside town of 'Anglesea, 26 miles from Geelong, was partially destroyed by; a fire which started in the ranges.

The church, post office, and several private residences and boarding-housea \rer a "burned '

.c, The flames leaped the river and partly destroyed the bridge. HOBABT-5 January 23.

Bush fires have isolate*! the west coast for some days past. A number of' mining camps round Zteehan have" been destroyed 1 , -LONDON', January 23. Mr Taverner, [ the Victorian Agentgeneral, states that a cablegram published in thft^Djyly Chronicle announcing that hundredsSHl thousands of Australians are seriously ill from heat has caused many anxious inquiries to be made and much, trouble to some intending emigrants.