AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2826, 15 April 1882, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Per s.s. Alhambra at Dunedin.) [By Telegraph.] Melbourne, April 8. As the outcome of the evidence taken on the Ford Enquiry Board, it is stated that a change will shortly be made in the department of the Engineer-in-Chief of Railways, and that Air Elsdon will retire and he replaced by Mr Watson, who formerly held the office. The department is. said to be in a state of disorganisation. The weather is fine for the holidays. The Volunteers are encamped at Dandenong and Queensbliffe. where a course of instruction is being gone through. Government -have decided that there, are no grounds for the release of Thorpe, the Bank of Victoria defaulter. . The Leui'u, hence to Sydney, encountered a terrific gale, and the length of the voyage, which occupied four day's, caused some apprehension, James Dixon, tanner, has failed, showing a deficiency of £12,000, Sydney. On the 6th inst.- extraordinary heavy rain fell, no Jess.than nearly six inches being registered in Sydney, of which two inches fell in half an hour. The rain fell in torrents, and the low-lying portions of the district were speedily inundated. Parramatta street was converted into a river. The storm wat'Of was dammed up in the streets, an'd shops were flooded and traffic partly suspended. The water in some places was knee-deep, and some of tho tramways stopped running. Belmoro Park was converted into a lake, and the torrent on the Rand wick road was so terrific that a tram motor fell over,, and was precipitated into the swamp ; fortunately the passengers had alighted. A telegram in the Melbourne “ Ago” runs as follows:—“ A well-known New Zealand sportsman offers to hack four men in New Zealand to row any four in Australia in 1 four oared outriggers;: for' £SOO a side. He will take £l5O to £IOO and match Hearn, the champion sculler of Now Zealand to row’ either of the brothers Edwards'of 'Victoria in the best boats. .. Adelaide. The University was opened on the 6th, with some ceremony, by the Governor, and six degrees were conferred by. Vice-Chancellor Way.