NEW SOUTH WALES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 8221, 26 November 1888, Page 2

NEW SOUTH WALES.

(Rcoeivei November 24, 2.15 p.m. Sydney, Saturday. Stepß are beins taken to agitate for a separation of the Barrier districts from New South Wales. It is suggested that the boundaries of the new colony should be the 144 th meridan, thence along the Lachlan river to the Murray, following the latter to the South "Australian boundary. The Pukaki, from Fiji, brings news that a large quantity of wreckage was found at Lomaloraa, indicating the recent loss of a large vessel. At Hay to-day the temperature reached 104 in the shade. Six deaths have occurred from the heat in the last two days. The whole country is a mass of fires. In - some inland towns the smoke is so thick that the sun has not been seen for'days. Fourteen hundred bags of New Zealand wheat have been sold at 4s 8d to 5s Qd per bushel. Famine prices prevail in the - - ■ country districts. ' % - ■ (Received November 25, 10.25 a.m.) , The intercolonial eight-oared outrigger race between Victoria and New South Wales was rowed on the Parramatta river ' this afternoon; when the Victorian erew 5 " - " won with the greatest ease by twelve lengths. Time, 16min27se6. T el>e ; Large bush fires near Sydney have enveloped the whole place with rnnoke. and vessels bound to Port Jackson have : been unable to make the land. The -' : -> weather is very hot, and several cases of- ■ persons being struck down are reported One case to-day resulted fatally^ ± -;=.--., :.- (Received November26.a«s *.»;)'" ; ",-;-. One of the most disastrous ifife« which^^f hare occurred, in ti&cityfor

broke out at 10 o'clock last night. The building ia which the fire originated is a large four-storey one, situated in Marketstreet, and occupied by the Sydney Evening Neios, Town and Country Journal, Illustrated Neios, and several professional offices. The metropolitan fire brigade, as well as all the Volunteer brigades, were smartly on the scene, but were unable to prevent the destruction of the block of buildings, though their efforts were successful in preventing the spread of the fire to the adjacent premises, which escaped with alight damage. The origin of the fire is unknown, but it roust have had a good hold when first discovered, as it spread vita lightning rapidity, and in a few minutes there was nothing left to mark the fine block of offices but a pile of smouldering embers, &c. The sight while the fire was raging was one of ftrandeur, and it was quite two and a half hours before all danger to the adjacent premises was removed. The amount of the loss i 9 unknown, but the premises ware insured in the Australian Mutual insurance office for £32,000, of which, however, nine-tenths is re-insured in rations offices. The other insurances are unknown, but it is believed that they amount to fully £15,000. Tha whole of the machinery used in connection with the publication of the paper rheutioned ■was destroyed, but as the proprietors had taken the precaution to have a. duplicate plant erected in a separate building it is expected that the publication of the papers will not be long delayed.