THE LATEST.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 879, 4 January 1889, Page 17

THE LATEST.

(per press association.) (Received January 3, 12.30 p.m.) Melbourne, January 3. As the steamer Hanroto, from Fiji, was coming up Hobson’s Bay in a blinding squall yesterday she collided with the ship King Arthur. The ship was cut down to the water’s edge, but was immediately taken in charge by the steamer and towed to a place of safety and lightened. The Hauroto sustained no damage from the collision.

The floods have been very heavy throughout most country districts. Castlemaine is a picture of desolation. At the digging township of Vaughan, about twelve miles from Castlemaine, a Chinese camp was swept away. Three Chinese were drowned, and two are missing. At Guildford, an agricultural and mining district between Caßtlemsine and Vaughan, the loss is estimated at L 150.000 Town Nhill, in the Wimmera district, also suffered severely. A block of buildings owned by Mr Dowell was entirely demolished by the gale. It i 3 still raining heavily. Sailed —Tarawera, for Bluff. Adelaide, January 3.

Sixty miles of railway line in course of construction to connect this city with the Broken Hill mines is extensively dumaged by floods. Great damage also has been done to the overland telegraph line at Beltana. The line was completely washed away, and the wire in many places is under water.

Brisbane, January 3. In consequence of the heat the death-rate at Croydon is very heavy, and life insurance companies are refusing to insure residents. (Received January 3, 2.30 p.m.) Sydney, January 3.

Maize, 3s 6d to 3s 9d ; oats, milling 3s lOd to 4s 3d; bran, lid to Is; pollard, lid to Is ; wheat, chick feed 38 7d to 4s, milling 4s 9d to 5s ; potatoes are scarce, sound samples are quoted at Ll 5, inferior sorts much less; onions, Llo ; butter, locally made Is 3d, with market quiet and downward tendency, best imported lid to is, separator butter, is id to Is 2d, market is glutted; cheese, 6d to . 7-Jd, declining ; bacon, 9d to 9£d ; Cape barley, 3s 9d to 3s lid; flour, roller made* Ll2 10s to Ll 3 15s, stone-made Lll 10a to Ll2 ; New Zealand chaff, L 6. Adelaide, January 3. The wheat market is quiet, but prices remain firm for farmers’ lots. At Port Adelaide 4s 6d is realised, for outports 4s 2d to 4s 3d. Flour, stone made, Lll 5s ; roller made, Ll2. Bran, Is 2d ; pollard, Is Id to Is T§fl; New Zealand oats, 4s 6d to 4a 8d; new potatoes, Ll2 ; Tasmanian (1883) hops, 2s 3gd per lb. Melbourne, January 3.

New wheat, 4s 7-|d; barley, malting, 5s 9d to 6s ; Cape barley, 3s 6d ; oats, 3s 9d to 3s lOd ; New Zealand peas, 4s.