AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14300, 21 February 1910, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

BATHING FATALITIES. GIRL DROWNED SAVING ANOTHER. Two young ladies, about 16 or 17 years of age, were drowned last week in Mangrove Creek, near (N.S.W.). One of the victims was Miss Pemberton, a granddaughter of Mr. Pemberton, and the other Miss McNamara, a visitor from Sydney. They were' bathing from a boat, when the young lady from Sydney got into difficulties; arid" Miss Pemberton, Who was a good swimmer, went to her assistance. She, however, failed to effect a rescue, and was herself drowned in the attempt. : A surf fatality occurred on ' the Lorne (Vic.) beach last week. Mounted-Constable Martin J. Dwyer, of Winchelsea, Mr. Cecil Stewart, and Mr. Albert Vassy, were bathing in the breakers. Constable Dwyer and Mr. Stewart were caught in a strong undertow and swept out. Mr. Stewart, who had gone to the help of Dwyer, managed to reach the second line of breakers in an exhausted condition. He was rescued, but Constable Dwyer was taken out to sea and drowned. ■ TWO MEN SHOT. A sensational shooting affray occurred at Geraldton . (W.A.) on Saturday week, when a Malay cook at the Shamrock Hotel, known as Tommy Williams, interrupted a supper party with a revolver. A visitor from the goldfields was entertaining his friends at a supper provided by the restaurant-keeper in the Shamrock kitchen, when "Tommy," who is very particular with respect to the cleanliness and tidiness of the kitchen, suddenly appeared, swept off the tablecloth, and scattered the viands on the floor. The supper party "was indignant, but the Malay produced 'a revolver, and in the ensuing scuffle Mr. Leix, manager of the Olympic picture show, was shot in the breast, and Mr. A. R. Morrison, engineer, got a bullet through the hand. The Malay was disarmed, and handed over to the police. The bullet which wounded Leix missed the .vital organs, but- has not been extracted. SURVIVES SNAKEBITE TO DIE. . Last Wednesday the son of Mr. Wheatley, of Coolatai (N.S.W.), aged five years, was bitten by a death-adder. His mother scarified and sucked the wound, and applied ligatures. Upon Dr. Holmes' arrival the child was apparently out of danger, but was found to be suffering from diphtheria, from which he died next day. LOST IN THE BUSHLavinia Jones (23) left Svenson's Hotel, at -Aberfeldy, 26 miles north of Walhalla, Victoria; on horseback on the morning of Thursday week, en route for Walhalla, and it was not until inquiries were made by telephone on Saturday evening lor the return of the hor*e that it- was discovered that the girl was missing. The horse was picked up on the dividing range, between the Thompson arid Aberfcldy Rivers, about three' miles from Beardmore's. A systematic search of this range to the junction of the rivers was then began. Mr. Fred. Collins eventually found the girl sitting on a log on the range near the junction on the following Sunday. Beyond the exposure and long fasting, she seemed to be little the worse.- When found she was calling out, "Tm lost; Ym lost." It is a wild and lonely spot, frequented only by a few fishermen "at tSe week-end. The girl Bad crossed Thompson River oh horseback. The horse fell" both going and coming. The second time the girl sank. losing her bundle of clothes and her hat. Before she reached the bank she was wet- through. Some of the places she descended and ascended on horseback were almost perpendicular, and the tracks show that she travelled many miles up and down the jrullies and around the sidings, always getting backX to the knob which; is known tw the Low Saddle, Her horse broke its bridle on Friday night-, and she spent half a day chasing him. The occurrence has given..rise to grave fears for the safety of Jame.* Moore, 80 years of age, who left Woods .Point before Christmas for Sale, via Walhalla, where he has some relatives. .- FIRE IN ADELAIDE. * On Saturday week a- fire occurred-in a block of buildings on the southern side of Grenfell-street.. Adelaide; occupied by Messrs- James Robin ;; and Co., , wholesale merchants. 1 The fire started in the centre of the building, and it was- soon apparent that the firemen had a difficult task to fight the flames. The building was gutted Irom end to end. The iiffiffiramtes amount tto £6250. Superintendent Rickwood | stated subsequently that he. could 1 form no idea bow the outbreak originated. The fire had evidently been bnraing some time before the alarm was given. CURFEW ACT ADVOCATED. In an address at a service-far men in -St. Saviour's Cathedral, G«albura?:'{N-S,W.), on Sunday week, the Rev. Canon Sevan, whoso subject was "The Decay of Home Life," suggested the adoption of a Curfew Act by Parliament, giving the police power to take charge of all children under a certain age found wandering in the streets at ; night. ■'■ ■•; ._!_" ' /-■