SYDNEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 431, 3 March 1860, Page 3

SYDNEY.

The Weather. — During the last few days the weather has been remarkably severe, considering the season of the year. We have experienced little else than a succession, of violent thunder-storms, accompanied by heavy rains (perhaps unparalleled in the history of the country), which has continned with little intermission up to a late hour last evening. Many accidents have resulted from the lightning, but none of a fatal character so far as we can learn. A great many buildings in different parts of the city have been more or less damaged, and numbers of persons, in the lower localities were flooded out of their houses, and in. some instances, (where women and children were the victims) taken to the Benevolent Asylum. The instruments moreover at some of the telegraphic stations were partially fused, and for a considerable time all telegraphic communication was stopped. It is to be hoped however, that these rains will be productive of general good to the country,— Empire, Feb.

Wool.— Since the arrival of the. December mail, sales have been effected at Id. to 2d. per lb decline, according, to quality and conditiqn, and even at thia reduction p&rchasers are indifferent about operating, Tfhe prices that have ruled in Sydney, for some years past base, laft. little .or.no.profit to the purchasers equivalent to> the capital at stake, and should convjnee the grower that this is a better market for him than turning speculator, which he coes^hen shipping on his own account.

jfrjß Cbejdit System.— A letter in a London contemporary, .fronts-father of a family; advocates ready-money transactions in all dealings with shopkeepers. He complains; , however, .that shopkeeper^, will ,give reasy-nioney cuetomerq po advantage over., others. • He says— M Ecgqriot.find =that my tradesmen put me in any better position 'than -their other customers who take three; «ix, nine,, and even twelve months' credit; %heit prices, I presume, in all cases being the game, aod .only in. very few instances do I/eceive any discount, thus giving an inducement for me to use my money elsewhere, besides, charging nic with*the risk of bad debts, although they run no risk so far' as Tarn concerned.- Now, iCfjradjeapeopJe would make it wotyh, while to parties to pay ready money, jay by allowing ten. per ceut. discount, or charging an extra ten per cent, for booking, I think credit would v.ery'seldom be warited ; for,- if even if dUi not' .strike mothers and daugbte^jt. would Bu,r<;iy ( occur to father's of ianiilies how dearly, they were paying for the honour ofstanding in itheir shopkeepers' books."

The "Vienna journals state that two natives of New Zealand have been. brought to Austria by :the Novara, the frigate which has just made a voyage of circumnavigation; and at their own revest they, ere, aQer a time,, when they know, the. language,, to. be placed in the «npeflaLßrinting I .office.fit Vienna.