AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9182, 5 April 1910, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

FATAL ADVENTURE WITH A SNAKE. MELBOURNE, March 21. At an inquest at Castcrton_ to-day into the circumstances attending the death of William Alex McCabe (13), of Sand ford, it was stated that McCabe, with two other boys, was out rabbitting on Saturday afternoon. McCabe put his right hand in a burrow, and felt a snake. Shortly afterwards he became ill and vomited. Presently he satisfied himself and his companions that his illness was ijhe result of a touch of sunstroke. His companions went away, leaving McCabe resting under a tree. When they returned, McCabe was still ill, and vomiting blood. He declared that he had not been bitten by the snake, and his companions returned home. McCabe refused to accompany them, saying he would go later. At 6.30 he was found by another boy, whose father drove him homo. He persisted he had not been bitten. A doctor arrived at 8.30, and found symptoms of snake-poisoning, but no mark of a snake's fangs among the numerous scratches and punctures on the boy's arm. Strychnine was injected, and the lad showed a slight recovery. The doctor was again summoned at 10 a.m. on Sunday, and found the boy unconscious. Remedies were applied, but proved ineffective, and the boy died less than a minute after the doctor's departure. Though young McCabe admitted to his father that he had seen the snake, he declared he had not been bitten. ANOTHER VICTIM. A fatal case of snake-bite occurred at Leongatha on Saturday. A six-year-old boy, of Mr Vear, of Ruby, was bitten on Thursday while in a group of maize. He did not tell his father till several minutes had elapsed, when the wound was at once scarified, and the lad sent for_ medical treatment. The . boy remained conscious till Friday morning, and then fell into a stupor from which he never rallied, and died next morning. WIRELESS ON THE R.M.S. MAKURA*. Interesting experiments with the wireless apparatus were made by the operator on the R.M.S. Makura, of the Union Company's line, on the voyage across the Pacific from Vancouver, says the Sydney Daily Telegraph. The mailboat was in communication with the mainland for two weeks after leaving Vancouver, and it was remarked on board that had Suva and Brisbane possessed wireless stations the ship would have been in touch with Canada or Australia all the way across the Pacific. Passengers by' the Makura had their morning newspaper—"The Makura Wireless Tribune," —each day for a fortnight after leaving Vancouver. It contained a budget of the very latest news from the United States, covering the actual news contained in the shore newspapers. All the messages were received by "wireless" and the results of the races ashore were even included, whilst negotiations for the Jeff-ries-Johnson fight figured on the sheet. When the Makura was a long way this side of Honolulu, she spoke the big Pacific liner Korea, bound for San Francisco. The two vessels were steaming in opposite directions, but messages were exchanged over a distance "of 2177 miltes by wireless, the Makura herself being 1624 miles this side of Honolulu. She actually spoke to the Cape Flattery station, too, when 1800 miles off. SHOOTING AFFRAY IN VICTORIA MELBOURNE, March 18. Ernest Bishop (48), who lives at Duke Street, East Brunswick, was late last night shot in two places by Frederick Frey, who lives at the same address. Police Sergeant Bennett found Bishop in a collapsed state, shot through the abdomen and through the wrist. Bishop was not in a fit condition to give any information, and the sergeant sent him to the hospital, where he was admitted and operated upon. He is now in a very serious condition. Frey went to the house in Duke Street in which Bishop, his wife, and four children also live. Bishop, according to Frey'£ statement, was quarrelsome, and strife was frequent between the two men. Late last night Frey said that Bishop arrived at the house drunk and fightable. He (Frev) refused to admit him, and told him to go away. Bishop insisted upon being admitted, and Frey told him that if he came in he would shoot him. In spite of this threat,. Bishop tried to force his way in. "I then shot him twice," said Frey. "He fell, and as I- could see that lie was seriously wounded, I thought best course was to go for the police."-, Frey was arrested, and locked v.i: on a charge of shooting, with intent.