LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Southland Times, Issue 1333, 8 November 1870, Page 3

LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Melbotjbne, Oct. 31. The storm which burst over the colony on Saturday morning, tbe 29th ult., was only partially experienced in Melbourne. The rain commenced to fall at an early hour, and was accompanied at intervals with thunder and lightning. Tbe atmosphere throughout the day appeared surcharged with moisture, and a flood was expected j but about noon a change took place, and therain having subsided, the city was spared the disasters that are reported to have taken place throughout the interior. The waters of tbe Yarra were considerably swollen, and portions of the southern bank between Emerald hill and Jolimont were flooded. The Ballarat Courier says: — "Unlike any of the former floods, there were no long-continued rains to herald the approach of a disaster ; a thunderstorm ef fearful violence was the sole cause of the

occurrence." On Thursday and Friday tbe weather bad been finer thau usual, but during the latter day the wind was changeable, blowing principally from the north. The great rainfall commenced during a severe thunderstorm, about 10 o'clock, and before midnight^ the lowlyiug houses were flooded. Bridge street became a sea ; the water rising right and left of the Alfred-hall higher than ever before. A few minutes before half-past 1 the city fire-bell tolled, and Lieut. Cranston, the firemen, and others arrived on the scene. The cabmen would nofc cross, but ifc soon became known that people were drowning. Boats were brought down on lorries ; one to Bridge street, the other to the Gnarr Creek Several bridges were carried away, and the waters spread rapidly. There were many hairbreadth escapes. About twenty minutes past 3 a.m. the flood began slowly to recede, and by 4 o'clock was going , down rapidly. Eeports were rife of lives being lost, but nothing positive was known. The destruction of property is expected to prove very great. The flooded-out families found refuge in the hotels, and some in the Benevolent Asylum. The telegraph instruments at tbe Western terminus have been destroyed by tbe force of the electric fluid. This occurred at about 10 o'clock at night, or when the thunderstorms were so severe. The operator says the electricity played about the room in tbe most alarming manner." The Evening Mail reports : — " While tbe flood was at its height, and tbe whole locality was one vast surface of water, Sergeant Lamer, wifch Constables Sheridan and Woods, J heard the screams of a man in the last agony of fear, as his body was swept away by the rushing torrent towards the bridge. The spot where the occurrence took place was the Gum Tree Flat, behind the lower portion of the Main road. A man named Morris had, with his family, cut through the roof of tbeir dwelling, and secured safety, and the unfortunate man, by name Falks, who is known as ; ** Bill the Fisherman,' was endeavoring in some way to reach this or a similar point of vantage, when he was caught by the current and swept away. Tbe constables did their best to save him by holding out sticks for him to grasp, but the current was too strong and bore bim away, Utter ing cries to God to help him in his extremity. He preached the bridge, and with a final cry was sucked into the vortex of water and never seen again. This morning Constable Darling, in the ordinary formal manner, reported that the dead body of a man, aged twentyfive or thirty, with sandy whiskers, regular features, and respectable appearance, had been found in the creek at Grano's paddock, Sebastopol, all covered with timber and debris, and that tbe corpse had been removed to the Hand of Friendship hotel, awaiting an inquest and the usual judicial inquiry. There can be np doubt that the corpse is that of the man ' Bill,' although we have not heard of. its identification. A second, life was lost — a Chinaman — whose mate (Ah Pon) told the police this morning that he saw himself, bis house, and his belongings swept away from the White Flat, behind the gaol, and that he had since seen no trace of him. The whole extent of the losses is not yet ascertained, but it is believed that it far exceeds tbat effected by the last October floods. On Saturday a telegram from our Beaufort, correspondent announced that the mail coach leaving Ballarat on Friday at midnight, with passengers and mails for Ararat and Pleasant Creek, was carried away at Trawalla Bridge. The mail, passengers, and horses were saved." The Bendigo Evening News says:— " There were heavy rains here on Bendigo last night and this morning. Last night there was a great deal of lightning, and altogether the weather is very unsettled." Similar accounts are to hand from many other districts. Prince Alfred meets with a very warm reception whenever he appears in public in Melbourne. He visited the Duke of Edinburgh Theatre, and, on being recognised, was greeted with applause, which was both continuous and enthusiastic. The jury in Supples last trial had to be discharged, owing to their not being j able to agree. A new jury will have to be empannelled, and the case commenced de novo. | Syditey, October 29. I H.I.M.S. Surcaeuf arrived this morning \ from New Caledonia, for the purpose of conveying thither the despatches brought by B.M.S. Avoca for the Governor of that dependency. The Assembly last night passed tbe second reading of the Governor's Salary Eeduction Bill by fifteen votes to nine. The E.M.S. Avoca arrived at 10 o'clock p.m. yesterday. When off Dawes' Point, just below ber anchorage, she came into collision with the coasting steamer Waimea, bound to Eichmond River, with passengers and cargo. The Waimea was ! struck on the port side, and sunk five minutes after the collision occurred, right ! under the bows of the Avoca. The Pilot boat, the cutter from H.M.S. Galatea and the Avoca's boats, went immediately to | the rescue, and, after great exertion, ! managed to save passengers and crew, j | Two ofthe female passengers had a very , narrow escape, having been rescued by I the hair just as they were sinking. They were afterwards taken to the Infirmary, where they were restored to consciousness. The Waimea is the property of Mr John Manning, cf this city, and is insured in Metcalf s-office for £600, and in the Australasian Insurance office for £1,400. It is reported that all the Germans resident at New Caledonia have been ordered to leave the island. Adelaide, October 29. The home Government has intimated by despatch that they will not interfere in the dispute between Judge Waring and the Executive CouncilHeavy floods are reported in various

directions. A waggon was upset crossing the Hut Eiver on the Kapunda road, and one woman and two horses were drowned. Nearly all tbe men who were employed on the labor test principle have been discharged by tbe Government. A parcel of several thousand bushels of wheat has been sold to-day at 5s 8d per bushel. Flour is quoted at £12 10s per ton. The Land Titles Commissioner for Gawler sailed for Melbourne on the 27th in the Eoyal Shepherd, en route for New Zealand, there to initiate for the Government a Eeal Property Act.