AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14292, 11 February 1910, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

SWIMMER RE AU R A >'^-4' SAVES MAN FROM DROWfflftQ. Frank Beatjrkpaike, the champion, jumped off the pier at cliff (Vic.) last week, and saved the li£y: of a picnicker from the excursion steanWli Hygeia. A man lost- his hat overboard ' and foolishly, leapt in after it, ' although fully clad. In a few.. seconds he trouble, and it was while the crowds. the steamer and pier were searching f<»£i lifebuoys that Beaurepaire ; pushed'' through, and spoilt his holiday^. suit otfclothes. • _ - •/„ KILLED BY A LIVE SWITCHBOARD,}! Charles Shannon, aged 16, employed mill the Broken Hill Proprietary mine, viag-l' killed in the electric power-house on thop mine last week. By some means lie came? ? in contact with the switchboard, and ceived the full voltage of the plant. Death'*', was instantaneous. Deceased was ■%# nephew of Mr. J. S. Swainson, registr*'"! of the mine. . • -- - . . ——: . , • . ■ ■ : ■ AUSTRALIAN FOSSILS.' 1 %!'1 Mr. Ludwig Glauiet, F.G.S., who col« lasted thousands of fossil bones at Mammoth .* Cave, West Australia, early;! last ~ year, has now classified portion of them for the West Australian Museum, the animals represented ranging from the; huge Diprotodon Australis (marsupial elephant) to the diminutive :: bandicoot and still smaller mice. Although oply scanty traces have been recognised of the .greatest;if. all marsupials, many bones of somewhat smaller diprotodons have been identified. • Of the somewhat less bulky Nototherium which was about as large as the rhinoceros or hippopotamus of to-day, "two teeth of an upper jaw have been recorded. This is the first record of remains#of' this ancient animal having been found' in West _ Australia. Another relic of ,'pre. historic. times is a first cousin of the kangaroo, the Sthenurus. . It is only kn6wn by the West Australian form, and » distinct from any found in the eastern States. Examinations also show that 1 this Tasmanian wolf and the wombat, were pnca ' - denizens of West Australia, the latter 8$; ing distinct from forms both living",*and J extinct in the eastern States. The IMpS afford the museum a fine opportunity obtaining exchanges. . ~ i. ' ■ MONEY IN WHEAT. - , tr&WW-i' Last year a young man arrived in $>• Trundle (N.8.W.) district without iiW plant or capital, and . went share fawning The owner of the land found everything —horses, machinery, seed, and feed," salt took two-thirds of the crop. After aboial six months' actual work the young wtjgjgj' got for his share .of the wheat off "400% acres £400. WHOLE FAMILY POISONED. ' } A remarkable ; case of ptomaine poison.ing occurred last week at Avenel (Vic.Jf : when nine members of the family of John > Ewirig were severely attacked after partaking of wild duck. The ducks were shot and eaten # on Tuesday, and on Wednesday < morning several of the family exhibited typical symptoms of the malady in a, severe form. There are still four of the j patients in a critical condition. Some of • the ducks were carried in a belt for some hours in the sun. • . ■ A CHILD SHOT. • Two young children, son of Mr.. A. Lucas, of Coolamon (N.S.W.), last week got hold 1 , of an old pistol, Which was kept mainly, at a starting gun at the sports. ; They brotfght it to a relative, saying " Shoot me." Thinking the weapon was harmless he fired.' The", pistol was loaded unfortunately,: aaS the: younger boy, aged three; was shot through the shoulder. ; 4 - '•***'■ ' > 'WY Vv \ v"? 1 " 5 * ' _ PENSIONER'S VENTURE. I *. Strange applications" are made at timet to the old • age pensions registrar. -One*made; to Mr., P. Bartold, of Geelong (Vic.)y> is considered by him to be the best: so far-? •In; a letter .an old - man states that he '• Lsi over the statutory age and entitled to a"' pension, but as he is desirous of getting married, and is without• the 2s 6d fee : requin-d by the registrar of - marriages, ha asks the - registrar to advance him the necessary-half*, crown. , , , ' ; ' v'?.;

■\ A LADY'S ADVENTURE. A masked man secreted himself-" in the Westminster Hotel, Regent-street, Sydney, > last week, and, f after : closing time, attacked Miss • Adele . Schmitz % arid'.. Miss Du. Fuor, nieces ,of the proprietor, who had been left :•;! in charge of the house, and tried to wrest the day's takings from them. -' According to Miss Schmitz s story, she was left in charge ? ic. of the hotel,/ and had,a fairly busy night*. - At 11 o'clock she "closed up and counted the . .-' takings, which amounted to .£BO, in ; two bags, ? which she ( intended to take upstairs if and keep until Mr. Potter, the proprietor of i V! the hotel, ; came > home. t She and Miss. Du I Fuor went upstairs at; about ten minutes past; 11, and when on 'the first floor landing fi she : lit the gas. Immediately she "did' so a i man sprang from a.doorway,and seized her. | He was masked, and she saw the barrel of ;y;|| a revolver shining in his hand. -. He made a; ; grab , at, the : money; bags, and she shrieked 'IS as loudly as she could for help. 'She yelled |so loudly ; that. the man decamped - after r. I making another unsuccessful grab at f the i money. He dashed; down the, stairs,': and, ~ >,•; i unlocking a back door, -escaped. ;* f