AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22779, 15 January 1936, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

CYCLONE IN THE WEST A TRAIL OF DEVASTATION CANBERRA, January 14. News has been received of the devastation caused by a cyclone which struck Frazier Down (Western Australia) some days ago. It is estimated that 15 inches of rain fell. All outbuildings, windmills the fences were demolished. For a width of five miles all trees were blown out of the ground, snapped off or completely combed of foliage. Steel telegraph poles were blown flat or broken off. The service was only restored by using forked sticks to keep the wires out of the water. Very heavy rain has' fallen in parts of Queensland. The Leichhardt River reached its highest level for 30 years. Two men ■were forced to take refuge in a tree in the centre of the current near Mount Isa. A constable and a storekeeper swam out to them, but as they could not swim the marooned men decided to remain in the tree until the waters subsided. STORMS AT LITHGOW SYDNEY, January 14. Steady rain over New South Wales assures farmers of a splendid season. The rain, however, caused heavy damage in some districts. Lithgow experienced violent thunder storms, resulting in many houses being flooded. Hundreds of rare books of war records, some of them irreplaceable, were damaged when flood waters swept into the new war memorial during Sunday night’s cloudburst. BITTEN BY TRAPDOOR SPIDER SYDNEY, January 13. Samuel Roberts, who was bitten by a trapdoor spider, is now out of danger. While working in his garden, Mr Roberts, aged 50, was bitten on the hand by a trapdoor spider, which suddenly sprang at him. After Mr Roberts had knocked the spider from his hand, it turned to make another attack, but he managed to kill it. Mr Roberts soon became very ill and -was admitted to hospital in a critical condition. WEATHER IMPROVING SYDNEY, January 14. (Received Jan. 14, at 11 p.m.) The weather conditions in the eastern States have now improved. The cyclone has left the coast, and fine weather is predicted. THE PARRAMATTA TRAGEDY SYDNEY, January 14. (Received Jan. 15, at 0.30 a.m.) At the inquest into the deaths of Mrs Thomson and Mrs Brown the coroner returned a finding that they were murdered by Percival Henry Thomson, whom he committed for trial. The bodies of Mrs Annie Thomson, aged about 35, and her mother, Mrs Harriet Brown, aged about 00, were found in a cottage in Parramatta with their throats cut. One woman’s head was practically severed. WOOL PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN MELBOURNE, January 14, (Received Jan. 15, at 0.15 a.m.) Lord Barnby states that he is more than ever convinced that unless a wool publicity campaign is undertaken throughout the Empire Australia will suffer seriously. He suggested that the imposition of a levy on every bale exported by dominion Governments -would be the only effective action. A committee should be appointed to control the funds thus, created. It should be independent of Government appointment and not subject to political interference. THE TROTTING CHAMPIONSHIPS PERTH, January 14. (Received Jan. 15, at 0.15 a.m.) The Inter-Dominion Trotting Championships have been postponed from February 1 to February 8 to give the owners of horses from other States and New Zealand a chance to get their charges fit. It has not yet been decided whether Roi L’or, Evicus, and Emilius Way will proceed to Perth by boat or train. If possible they will go by boat, because freight would then be roughly £3O, whereas the train freight would be in the vicinity of £l3O. If they go by train it has been arranged that they will use the Adelaide Trotting Club’s track one night for training under electric light. SYDNEY WOOL SALES SYDNEY, January 14. (Received Jan. 14, at 11.55 p.m.) At the woo! sales 11,283 bales were offered and 10,593 sold, while 1718 were disposed of privately. There was good general competition and prices wore firm at yesterday’s rates for all descriptions. Greasy merino sold to 20jd.