AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21213, 19 December 1930, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

BUILDING IN SYDNEY. STATISTICS FOR THE TEAR. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, December 18. The building statistics for 1930 are the lowest since 1920. During the year 5931 new buildings, of a total value of £9,201,109, were erected in the area served by the Water Board. FOUND INSIDE A SHARK. WRIST WATCH STILL GOING. SYDNEY, December 18. Charlie Messenger, a well-known shark fisherman, cut open a monster which he caught and found inside a lady’s handbag containing a wrist watch which was still going. RAIN IN NEW SOUTH WALES. BIG AREA UNDER WATER. SYDNEY, December 18. Nearly a week's tain has left a trail of damage in the western and southern areas of the State. The wheat crops are ruined or have suffered serious deterioration, and harvesting is delayed. Much land is under water, the rivers and creeks having overflowed their banks. Two railway washaways occurred. TORNADO AT TAMWORTH. ROOFS LIFTED BODILY. SYDNEY, December 18i A tornado of unparalleled fury struck Tamworth. The wind was over 60 miles an hour. Roofs were lifted bodily. The bulk store of Regan, Ltd., was blown down. Fences and trees were torn up. A flying corrugated iron roof struck the electric cables, depriving the town of light and power. ‘ A man who was sleeping on a veranda when the tornado struck the house was swept into the street, bed and all. A Mudgeo message states that a party of 18, including 12 children, which was touring the country in search of-work, was marooned on a strip of land between the Codgegong River and Lawson’s Creek by flood waters. The police effected a rescue in the nick of time. LIQUOR IN NEW SOUTH WALES. ■ A RECORD EXPENDITURE. SYDNEY, December 19, (Received Dec. 19, at 10 p.m.) The expenditure in New South Wales on intoxicating liquors for the year 1929-30 amounted to £14,500,000. This is a record and represents-£5 17 per head of population. ARMED ROBBER AT ROCKHAMPTON. CONSTABLES HELD AT BAY. BRISBANE, December 18. (Received Dec. 18, at 11.30 p.m.) At Rockhampton an armed robber held at bay two unarmed constables who found him hiding under a bridge. The. robber escaped, and he compelled a boy to hand over his pony, on which he rode into the bush, but returned at night and held up the landlady of a local hotel, who threw a bottle at him and screamed. The robber again escaped and changed into different clothes, since when he has not been seen. The incident is reminiscent of the bushranging days in Australia.