AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6, 7 January 1908, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAVINGS BANKS.

The inducements to practise thrift offered to school children of New South Wales Joy the Public Schools Savings Banks are best illustrated by the operations of these institutions. The latest figures available are those embodied in the annual report of the Director of Education, Mr. P. Board. They show that at the close of 1906 there were 668 of these banks at work throughout the State. The amount at the credit of the youthful depositors then was £8788, a decrease as compared with the previous year of £1989. The deposits and withdrawals during the year amounted to £18,519, and £20.508 respectively, the former showing a decrease on the previous year's transactions of £2376, and the latter an increase of £1514. The amount of accrued interest at the close of the year was £263, and the estimated number of depositors was 42,000. Since the establishment of these banks in 1887 the deposits have totalled £278,367, and the withdrawals £26D,579. Of this latter sum, £67,078 was withdrawn for the purpose of being placed to the credit of children's own accounts in the Government Savings Bank. KEEP THE BRITISH UNDER THE FLAG. Dr. Arthur, on behalf of the Immigration League of Australasia, has written a letter to every daily paper in the United Kingdom, pointing out the leakage of population from the British Isles to places outside the Empire, and the irreparable loss that is being occasioned by this drain. The world Powers of the future will be those that have the largest number of people, and unless some attempt is made to conserve these emigrants the British Empire will fall behind in the race. The writer states that Australia and New Zealand are prepared to receive thousands of these emigrants, and settle them on the land, and an appeal is made to all who are concerned with the future welfare of the Empire to assist the Immigration League of Australasia in seeking to keep these people under the Flag. A MAN DREADFULLY INJURED. A young man named Joseph M'Camish, of Simpson's Creek, near Inglewood (Victoria), was driving a dray loaded with bags of chaff, and as some of the bags began to slip he stopped the horse to replace them. The horse suddenly started, and M'Camish fell between the horse and the dray. The horse kicked him several times, causing fearful injuries to his head and one thigh. In his injured condition he crawled a quarter of a mile for assistance. He was brought to the Inglewood Hospital, where it was found there was a compound fracture of one thigh, the skull was fractured, with the brain protruding, and the left ear was almost torn off. Dr. Joel had to remove portion of the skull to replace as much of the brain as possible. He had also to stitch the ear on. M'Camish's condition is serious. A NURSE DROWNED. Another bathing fatality occurred in the surf behind the hospital, at Newcastle, on Sunday, the victim being Nurse Quayle, 20 years of age, daughter of Senior-constable Quayle, of Carringfcon. Nurse Quayle and Nurse Bertram, both employed at the hospital, were bathing together, when both were carried out into deep water. Their cries for help attracted attention, and a man in the ricinity hastened to their .assistance. He swam to the young women and found them both drowning. The rescuer succeeded in grabbing Nurse Bertram and swimming ashore with her, but before he and another would-be rescuer were able to reach Nurse Quayle, that young lady had been drowned. Her body was ultimately recovered. Nurse Bertram subsequently regained consciousness. A BOY PEACEMAKER'S DEATH: A child of eight years, Thomas Joseph O'Sullivan, living in Evans-street, Balmain, died at Sydney a few days ago in pathetic circumstances. Two other children were fighting near O'Sullivan's home, and the little chap intervened in an endeavour to separate them. In so doing he received a push which caused him to strike his head against the kerb and fracture his skull. He was taken home and became worse, until his death occurred as stated. FREETHINKER'S LEGACY INVALID. The Chief Justice delivered judgment in the Supreme Court in the matter of j the Will of William Jones, late of the Eagle-on-the-Hill Hotel, under which testator directed that the whole of his j estate (valued at £11,000) should go, after the death of his son and daughter, to the "Incorporated Body of Freethinkers of South Australia." His Honor mentioned when testator died , , in 1905, the Freethought Society had ceased to have any existence, according to the requirements of its own rules for nearly ten years, and its corporate existence under the Associations Incorporation Act of 185S was also extinguished. The trust in the will in favour of the incorporated body failed, and the remainder expectant on the determination of the life interests of the testator's son and daughter was undisposed of, and would go to them as the next of kin. A CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY. A boat containing Messrs. Organs and Simmons, of Adelaide, was swamped at Denial Bay, on the west coast, in a heavy squall on Christmas Night, and the men were washed overboard. Simmons swam ashore, but Organs could not swim, and perished, the body being washed ashore three hours later.