AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 78, 31 March 1908, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

m • J; SAB SOH2LS ?ATftT,TTy,

'. ! ' f A sad double drowning fatality toeSurred in the vicinity oi South. Greta coilicry on March 20, the victims being two little boys, Daniel and Frederick taitilL, aged 9 and 7 years respectively; imt the bodies were not recovered until yc-terday at midday. Ihe little fellows, Hvko ■ tamped with their father, Daniel iW__a__ Cahill, were last seen alive at S pjn. on Friday. They were then playing _£_r a creek and some waierholes Svdiich irad been filled with the recent Sains. As, they did not put in an appearsince later iv the afternoon, the matter >va_ reported to the police, and dragging cpera_____> were c__-rieu on throughout •End-ay night, but without success. At ■daylight .a cap belonging to one of the lids was; found in the water by the aa.hex, a_sd a search resulted in the two Cittle bodie.. being found lying alongside -each other at the bottom of a large liole ■a-out 10 leet deep, at the spot where Jhey were drowned. The water was tvery shallow for twenty or thirty yards, and then dropped suddenly into a deep loie. into which the little fellows evidently stumbled while paddling about. Both had their trousers tucked up, and, judging by the finger marks on the thigh, the elder lad had apparently, made a brave effort to save him.

A IiBY _________

While Mr. Maranta, coal merchant, accompanied by -Irs. Maranta, ami Mr. ana ilrs. Crameri and child, and a young lady friend, were driving along the main road ihrou-h Lob-t Gully (near Melbourne) one ot the clip belts" of the shafts broke, and the boggy swerved and capsized, throwing the occupants on to the tram _r-__k. Mrs. Maranta, who had fallen on 2_er head, had been rendered unconscious, land it was evident that her skull had been fractured. She was conveyed to the hospital in a cab, and died in the institution the- same evening. Mr iiaranta sustained a broken nose and other injuries.

, BUSXHSSS MAN BXL-S H__S__- .

' A suicide in pathetic circumstances occurred in Sydney on Wednesday. Mr. Samuel Horace Start, aged 42, manager for Messrs. Arthur and Co., shot himself in his office, Camden Buildings, Georgestreet. Mr. Stark, who resided at Hampjden- \ venue, Mosinan, had been seriously troubled in health, for a couple of years. •During the past nine months he had _.een practically unable to attend to his duties, though "he occasionally -visited the ofiice. Mr. Samuel Stark, the victim's father, came over from Balmain to visit Jdm. Walking down the corridor to7«_rds his son's room, he heard the report ef a firearm. He called out, "What's igssa, Home?" "It's all right, father!" lie latter responded. "Keep back!" A eecortd shot followed. Inside the room Mr. Stark was found in a corner with a bullet wound in Es right temple. He was -breathing. Constable Frost, of the Depart-cent, was summoned, and found a revolver. Two cases in the chamber seemed to have recently been discharged; a third cartridge appeared to Share missed fire. The injured man was taken by the Australian Ambulance to Sydney Hospital, but died soon after arrival there. fMr. Stark -was a man of considerable commercial ability, and held in high esteem in business circles in the ■B-V.

.DROWNED IN FiOOD "WATER.

__ drowning fatality occurred at the SBowen Bridge Sports Ground, Bris--1 bane, during the fioods. Constable Mur_agii had saved a couple of horses by swimming out with a rope to the animjals. He had just saved a foal. "With Constable CFarrell he then decided to assist the mother of the foaL They swam out to it. where it was treading water in a, depth of Sft. The mare, however, swam away from them towards the eur-a-ent, and the men then returned to the CampbeDrstreet entrance to the ground. _kib_eque_rtry Murtagh suggested that fhey shonld go in with the current. 0_ ! _r___, who was in the lead, said this jivould be dangerous, and both men . agreed to go on to CainpbeQ-streei. On looking around a little later, however, ' -OTFarrdl saw __Ca_tagh going through - ihe aperture in the fence with the curxent. He quickly swam ashore and ran a_;ou__ to the Campbell-street gate of ihe ground, thinking to intercept his •mate. "When he got there Rockett had . gone to Murtagh's assistance, and was close to him. CFarrell also gallantly ' swam into the current and reached his •■fcwo mates just 35 Rockett seized 31urtagh. The latter was exhausted, and he called out to OTarreli, "For God's sa___ help mc, Sam; I'm getting done." O'Farrefl. cried out encouragingly, "We'll stick to you, Jim; keep cool." CFarrell swam around on the other side of the .xbausted man, and held his head up by placing his hand under his chin. After struggling ior some time, however, M_xfcigii was snatched by the current irons his mates. o__rr_l_ got safely out after a terrible struggle, and Rockett .-was helped ashore by First-class Constable Claire. CFarrell had dived for __C_rtagi_ _i_*u_c______iy_ __d neith_rgsve "up ttti-iI tie case was hopeless. Murtagh was 23 years of age, and said to he the best-swimmer in the Brisbane 3>o__-_

_B____-_32C_____-S __5 T__nvn"__3____TS

I The ___rr_igr_±_on League of Australasia is being- from two quarters that a. movement to bring large 3n___hers of lads from the Old Conntry ±o Australia -wo__d be attended with great success. Prom every side there comes a d_____id from farmers for lads between the ages of 15-and IS years, to srork in ths _oun__y. If hundreds were available they could aQ be placed at oi_c« at fair wag__. On the other hand, evei-y mail brings a ninnEer of letters from lads in the British Isles, stating their desire, to follow a life on the land in Australia. Some of these have already farming experience, -while others have none. Even those without experience could be found places in the country, or sent for a month or two to_ the Pitt Town farm to learn the rudiments of agriculture. Dr. Arthur, the president of the league, will introduce a deputation to the Premier this week, at which this matter will be specially brought be_o_e Mm, and the suggestion made that reduced passages should be offered to such lads as are prepared to work on farms. It is believed that the shipping companies will be prepared to co-operate in this proposal.

CO_fSTAB__E'S ENORMOUS d-UM.

_LJS_3_re_a«_ .Court writ was issued in o_el_c__e by an ex-constable, named 1 Ch-i-lupher Sparling, directed against fhe State Gover_un_tt r.l aiming £25,000 *_» _« W ]

as damages for salary and, increment, which he alleges he has been deprived of through, being wrongfully compelled to resign his position, as constable in 1888. A SCHOOLBOYS CLAIM. \V_i_e a party of pupils from the Melbourne University High School were inspecting the Metropolitan- Gas Company's works, at Fitzroy, in June last year, a platform on which they were standing gave way, and threw them to the ground. One boy who was injured, Henry Bramble Makin, through his ■ father, demanded compensation, and the company agreed to pay £ 1300. The compromise was approved of condition-' ally by the. State Chief Justice.