INTENSE HEAT IN VICTORIA.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 207, 6 February 1875, Page 3

INTENSE HEAT IN VICTORIA.

The Melbourne papers to hand by the Otago, contain 'particulars of the recent intense heat in Victoria. We extract the following items :—The heat became extreme.'y unpleasant on Monday, the 18th inst, and from that time until near midday on Friday, the 22nd inst, it increased in force to such an extent as to be almost unbearable, while at the same time highly dangerous to young children and weakly adults. Tuesday, the 19th inst, was the hottest which had been experienced this season, the temperature in the shade at the Melbourne Observatory being 1068 deg, and in the sun 146 deg. According to the weather telegrams received in town on the same day the heat extended over all Victoria and the neighbouring colonies. On the next day the weather was more oppressive still, the temperature at the Melbourne Observatory being 110 4deg in the shade, and 148*2deg in the sun, or a little over one degree less than the highest register since the 14th January, 1862, when lll*2deg was recorded in the shade, and 160degin the sun. The intense heat had a disastrous effect on the orchards and gardens in the suburban districts around Melbourne, but the injury so done was trifling when compared with the accounts which were forwarded to town during the course of the week of the damages caused by bush fires in the interior of the colony. From Ballarat, Sandhurst, and Castlemaine came reports showing that there were numerous bush fires in the districts around these places. At leaßt half a dozen bush fires could be seen at one time on the Monday night from Scarsdale, while an extensive bush fire Bwept over the country between Steiglitz and Meredith, known as the Sheoak Ranges. At Maldon, on the Tuesday, the thermometer stood at 112 deg in the shade, aud the town was enveloped by the smoke from scores of surrounding bush fires. On Thursday, the 21st instant, the heat was only half a degree less in the shade than on the previous day, and a little over a degree less in the sun, and the accounts of catastrophes in the country districts from bush fires became more numerous. Six cases of death from Hunstroke occurred, one being in Melbourne, another in WilHamstown, and the rest in the country districts ; while at least a dozen other persons suffered from the same cause, though fortunately without fatal results. Particulars were forwarded to town of the death of Mrs Ellis, the wife of a farmer near Inglewood, while endeavoring to extinguish a fire in a paddock on the previous day. In the Inglewood district one fire burned a tract of country twenty miles in length, and several miles in breadth, The township

of Wedderbum was surrounded by fire, and communication almost cut off. On Torpitchen station everything but the bare dwelling house was desiroyed, including six miles of fencing. No less than seven bush fires were raging around Sandhurst on the Wednesday, and a great deal of damage was done to farms in the district, and on Wednesday night Mount Macedon was covered from base to summit with flames. The fire had then been raging two days, and was at its height when the nine o'clock passenger train went by on Wednesday evening. The appearance of the monntain on fire was described by the passengers as being grand in the extreme.

It is almost impossible to estimate the vast amount of injury done to property in the colony by the bush fires. The principal damage has been the burning of farmers' and squatters' grass lands, many huudrcds of miles of which must have been consumed, and the next is probably the destruction of wooden fencing, which appears to have been burnt wherever the fires reached it. The most direct and oppressive losses, however, are those of small settlers, who have had their farmhouses, or cattle, or stacked crops consumed, and they are many in number. Three selectors near Mount William were totally burnt out, and another at Jelluka lost his crop, homestead, and everything but his bare burnt land. By one fire in the Smyth esdale district the loss of different settlers was estimated at £3OOO. A line of flame 20 miles long lit up the Grampian hills. Several farmers in the Huntly shire lost everything they were possessed of. The Chinese camp in the direction of Five Flags, near Castlemaine, was wholly destroyed by fire, and the inhabitants rendered houseless or tentless. Nearly a mile of telegraph posts were burned down between Smvthesdale and Linton, and at Staffordshire Reef, near Smythesdale, the stables and piggeries of Mr Eymer, a storekeeper, were burnt down, twenty-eight pigs and one sheep being burned to death. On a small farm near Beaufort, 200 sheep were destroyed by fire, and a woman who attempted to save her house from flames was severely burnt. Mr John Wilson, of Trawalla, had 300 sheep burnt, and the run of Messrs Beggs was set fire to in three or four places by sparks from the railway engine. Mount Cole, in the same district, presented a grand spectacle, the flames appearing from a distance to completely envelope it. Extensive fires raged in the Plenty Ranges, about twenty-five miles from Melbourne, and came down from the ranges into the valleys, where they did considerable damage to the lands and fencing of the settlers. In the districts around Geelong the bush fires were very numerous, and many small farmers are said to have been ruined by them. On Thursday, the 21st instant, the thermometer registered 115 deg. in the shade in Geelong. Several farmers were burnt out in the Eilmore district; one. John Cronin, being burnt out of house and home, and left penniless with his wife and six children. Great losses were suffered in the Daylesford district. Mr J. H. Wheeler had three miles of tramway burned, and with difficulty saved his lower saw-mill from destruction. Mr L. Dyer lost at his farm, Larry's hill, the produce of seventy acres of oats, valued at £6OO. Mr Bromley, a neighbour, also had the whole crop of hay off a twentyacre paddock burned. He estimates his loss at £250. Mr Westicott, a farmer of the same place, lost all his fencing. On Monday a fire broke out three miles down Kangaroo Creek, and consumed the house, crop, and fencing of Mr Callaghan. He estimates the damage at £750, and is left destitute. Mr Cheers has also lost bis house, cultivating crop, &c, and is left destitute with a large family. Mr Gollan had all his outbuildings, feuces, crop, &c„ destroyed, and but for the gallant manner in which Mr Wheeler and his men battled with the flames, the house and stables would have been lost. He estimates his loss at £350. Mr Dinse, of the same neighborhood, has lost his stacks and everything else. All Mr Orr's outbuildings were burned, and also his crops and fencing. Mr Orr estimates his loss at £3OO. Mr Richardson had lost everything except his dwellinghouse. Between Steiglitz and Maude 50 miles of fencing were burnt. Near Buninyong, M'Kenzie Brothers had 140 sheep burnt to death. From King's Gully to the junction of Cargerie Creek, not a blade of grass is visible, not a fence to be seen. The Leigh Grand Junction Bridge, that cost about £I6OO, took fire several times, and was ouly saved by great exertions. Messrs Bingley, in the neighbourhood of Mount. Mercer, it is rumoured, had 1000 sheep burnt. On the Preston estate, Hamilton, Mrs Smyth saved the lives of her children with difficulty. On the Kilmany park run, Gipps Land, 15,000 acres were burnt. At Victoria Valley, near Hamilton, 17 selectors were burnt out. Iu Taylor's Forest a couple of bullocks were burnt alive. So extensive have been the disasters to residents in the country parts, that it is only possible to mention a few of them as examples of what has been of general occurence.