AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 3, Issue 73, 19 February 1883, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY.

DROWNING OF TWO YOONG LADIE&. DESTRUCTIVE FLOODS IN VICTORIA., H (Per b.h. Wakatipu.) Sydney. An inquest was held by the City Coroner at Rand wick, with respect to two sad drowning cases, by which two young ladies lost their lives while bathing m Ooogee Bay. The jury returned a verdict that the deceased Blanche Smedley Viles^ and Ida Helena ' Tiles, met with their deaths through being accMfntally drowned* A rider was added to the effect that Senior-constable Strachan and Constable Rodgers were deserving of great praise for the courage they 'displayed m recovering the bodies of the deceased m /such a rough sea. 5 During a heavy thunderstoim which, passed orer Liverpool j the lightning struck a hay-shed containing 20 tons of hay, the property of Mr JV. G. Bull j of i/abramata.PHrtvln a few miiutes the shed and contents r were reduced to ashes. The lost is estimated at £200.° *"■■'■ Melbourne. Very heavy rain fell on Thursday night aud early on Friday morning. In some parts of the Western district the storm was of a most violent character, the rain pouring down like a waterspout., At BalTan five inches of rain fell, arid m the valley of the Barwon, m the Bacchus Marsh district, the greatest flocd ever experienced m that locality occurred. Fences over an area of seven miles m length by half a 'mile m ' width were swept away. Bridges were destroyed, and houses and furniture damaged or destroyed. A family named Barry sought refuge over the rafters of their house, and one member of the family, a man 76 years of age,dropped—into - the - water,- and -war drowned. Collie's Bridge, where the ; ! flood waters were 30 feet high, was I swept clean away, as well as a large quantity of expensive rabbit-proof fencing, hajstacks, ' &c The total damage by the floods is estimated at £10,000. In other districts the weather was yery seyere.