SECOND EDITION. AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9066, 9 November 1909, Page 8

SECOND EDITION. AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

SHOT WITH A PEA RIFLE,

TRAGEDY AT A PRESENTATION.

A tragic event occurred at a social gathering last week at the country residence of Mr Ernest Mueller, jun., Ravenswood, near Bcndigo (Victoria). A party of mining managers and mining travellers to the* number of 13 visited Ravenswood in the morning to make Mr Mueller a presentation in commemoration of his recent marriage. The house is 13 miles from Bendigo, and some of the party noted and commented on the association of "13" with tho function. When the party sat down to dinner it was seen that there were 13 at table, and two of tho number retired, preferring to wait until tho others had finished. Dinner over, the majority went into tho front room. Mr Brown (traveller for Messrs Charles Montagu and Co., Melbourne) and Mr Ryan (manager of Lansell'e Concord mine, and secretary of the Bendigo Mining Managers' Association) rested in another room for about 25 minutes, and then, unobserved, went out to the kitchen, where the former had left a pea rifle that ho had brought with him. A few moments later Mr Vealo (manager of Johnson's Reef) and soveral others heard the report of a gun. Almost immediately afterwards Mr Ryan staggered to the front room, and said "Brown's shot." Several rushed out, and found Brown lying on tho floor in a dying condition. A bullet from tho gun had passed into his body under the right arm and was lying under the skin on tho chest. Ho was hurried off to a doctor, but on arrival life was extinct. Tho sad occurrence is explained in the following statement made by Mr Ryan. ''When we got into the kitchen I saw a pea riflo standing against the wall near the kitchen door. It was the property of deceased. I picked it up. Ho'' , said, "It's all right, Jack; it's not loaded. I've got no cartridges.' I went to open the breech and the rifle exploded. He said, 'Jack, I'm hit.' I said, 'Good gracious, Charlie, you're not hit, aro you?' JIo fell on tho floor, and I called out to tho others." Mr Brown was a single man, 32 years of age.-

DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED. At a mooting of the Now South Wales Exectuivo Council last week the death sentence passed upon Lambert Charles Seers, at the Newcastle Circuit Court last month, for wounding with intent to murder his wife, was commuted to 14 years' penal servitude. The prisoner was employed at the Sulphide Works, Cockle Creek. On March 4, when ho returned from his work, he found another man in his house with his wife. He flew into a rage and chased the woman into the yard. There lie picked up an axe and struck her on the head, causing a wound four or five inches long. Believing that he had killed her, he attempted to oomI mit suicide. In this, however, he fail- ' od. The woman was taken to the hospital and ultimately recovered. She, however, declined to give evidence at the trial, saying the prisoner had always treated her kindly. The jury, in finding a verdict of brought in a strong recommendation to mercy on the ground that the accused's mind might have been affected by an attack of sunstroke from which he had suffered some years ago.

FATALITY AT MOUNT MORGAN.

A sad fatality occurred at Mount Morgan mine, Queensland, last week, a young man, William Sullivan, 20, losing his life. Deceased and his mate, William Flamank, were trucking, from the shoot on the 69th floor of the cast stopes in No. 1 copper chamber, that is, between the 650 ft and 750 ft levels. About 6ft away from where the men were engaged there was a shoot connecting with the 750 ft floor. The men's duties comprised pushing the truck away, turning it on the flat sheet, and running it out. The shoot was securely covered w r ith slabs.. The two youths, in order to give more play in trucking operations, knocked the slabs out of their way too, quite unknowingly, just on the edge of the shoot. Flamank left to inspect other works, and, returning, missed his companion. Some men a short time after hoard moans on passing the shoot, and made investigation. They found deceased at the bottom of the shoot. From appearances deceased stepped on to the extreme edge of the slabs, which went in wit hhim. Deceased fell down the shoot, a distance of 48ft, Besides other injuries he broke his neck.

A MAN AND THIRTEEN HORSES KILLED.

Andrew Angus, a night watchman in .the employ of the Ballarat Tramway Company, who was injured in a. fire ; that occurred in the -sheds at Sebastopol three weeks ago, died in the Melbourne Hospital on the 23rd ult. Thirteen horses, valued at £30 each, were roasted m the fire, which also destroyed the sheds. Angus, in endeavouring to save the horses, was knocked down by one of them, and it wps with difficulty he was rescued from the flamrs, Pie waeseriously scorched, and also received: internal injuries, owing to being trampled on by frantic horses.

THE NEW COINAGE.,. . "No more British coin of anv sort is to be imported." announced Sir John Forrest in Melbourne. The Commonwealth Government has asked the British authorities to cease supplying silver coinage through the mints,, and arrangements are being made for'a rnil'ljon .florins, a million shillings, a- million six pences, and about two miilion

j threepenny pieces of the new Australian I coinage to arrive in Australia j beginning of next year. The total value lof this coin is £200,000. It hae bceri j arranged that when the coin reaches Australia £100,000 worth _ of old money will bo ready to be shipped back to England. It is not intended to circulate the whole of the new money at once— probably only £100,000 worth, to take the place of that which has been withdrawn from circulation. The British authorities are to attend to the insurance and other matters connected with the shipping of the money. They aro also to be instructed to purchase the necessary bullion for minting , the coin. Copper coinage has not been dealt with. FATAL ACCIDENTS. A deck hand named Herbert Howard (40) was washed overboard from the cutter Shamrock, near Capo Barren Is, land. Tho craft was bound from Laun , ceston to Straits Islands, ,and. a tremendous sea was running. Nothing,could be done to save him. Bridget McCabe (38), a domestic vervant, died at Adelaide as the result of tho bursting of a tin containing methylated spirits, which she had placed on a hot stove. When she nought to remove tho tin the bottom fell out, the spirit ignited, and her clothes caught fire. Mrs Williams, her employer, rolled her in a blanket, and smothered the flames, but .she was so badly burned about tho body and legs that she died from shock. I Lena Cleary, a young woman, died at the Sydney Hospital from phosphorus ! poisoning and a gashed throat, self-in-j flicted, at her late residence, Edwards street. Pyrmont. I William (17), of Livingstone ; Creek, was driving in a cart loaded i with wood in Guildford (Victoria), when the horse bolted. Carty was thrown off ' in front of tho cart, and one of the wheels passed over his chest, killing him inetantlr. The dead body of Roy Graves (17), son of Mr William Graves, road con-

tractor, was found under an overturned dray at Nymagee. The shafts were broken, and pieces of the harness scattered about. Tho horse has not been found.