On the first part if you have instructed the ANZ Bank to transfer funds to CBA the bank would have filled out internal forms to withdraw the funds from your account and send to CBA and not written out a cheque. Reading between the lines IMHO when the form was completed to deposit the funds into your wifes account the account number may have been incorrect by the staff transposing the figures or being given the incorrect figures. As a result the money is either lost in the system having been returned from CBA because the account numbers are wrong and their ANZ data centre then have to pour through thousand of transactions to find the money.
Otherwise it could be still with CBA and ANZ are waiting for information from them.
One way or the other the transaction is traceable.
Check to make sure the the account number for your wifes account that you provided to ANZ is correct and if so the ANZ will be liable if there are any problems. Make sure you advise them of the fees involved so they can reimburse you. They should also ring your solicitor and real estate agent and apologise provided they are at fault.
Because of the seriousness of the matter and if there is no action from the local manager progress the matter higher by ringing their Regional Office.
