AUSTRALIAN NEWS

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5134, 28 November 1903, Page 16

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

M ELBOUUNE. November 1 L An eccentric individual named George 1 lonrickson. a resident of Kboola. endeavoured to commit suicide on S-'tiMU-dav morning by cutting bis throat with a "blunt knife. When discovered he said ho was trying, to “lot a little ventilation in.” JlcnncKsou was brought to tho Inglewood Hospital, ami bis injuries wore attended to by Dr. Voting. No serious resint is anticipated. A young man named Leslie Judge, aged 23, was found dead at Dercel. in flio Kokowcod district on Gbli November. Inquiries by the police shew that lie was driving a waggon laden with wood across a creek wiicn 1 1 e fell Loin tho seat am! the wheels of Iho vehicle passed over fcss body, crushing him to death. His father is a well-known farmer in tho district. Mr G. F. Hoi den. ALL. A., and Mrs Holden, Kev. J. S. Hoban, V.es’ley Church, Melbourne, and Airs Hoban wero driving from Air Holden’s residences at Wallace, when the- front a:-.le of tho vehicle broke, and thow the party out. Air Holden’s son was thrown on to tho pule, and the horses running away dragged him some distance before lie was released. The other occupants of the buggy escaped. A youth named William Lane, ’living in Ilaglan street, Ballarat West, mot with a peculiar accident at Lake Avoudourco on Monday. Ho was witnessing tho start of a yacht race at \ icw Point, w lien ho suddenly stopped in front of tho signal gun as it was fired. Portion of tho charge entered bis right le", inflicting an ugly wound. Lane, who suffered 0 severely from tho effects of tho accident, was convoyed to tho hospital for surgical treatment. A fatal accident has occurred at Appoilo nay to Kay, the youngest son of Mr A. K. Stanton!, the mail contractor. Ho fell from a horso and broke his neck. The children wore riding tiro mail horses from tho paddock to° tho stable. Kay was cantering, whom tho horse went over a slight rise and into a soft sand hollow. Tho child was thrown heavily on his shoulder and ■neck, death boiug instantaneous. The day of bis death ho was eight years of ago. : , Considerable undasinoss is felt at Rushwortb by the friends of Mr S. Cooke, chemist, at bis prolonged absence from his business. Ho was of a peiouliarly quiet disposition, and did not tell anyone of his intention of going away. Ha was last eorai about 10.45 p.m. on Sunday, Ist November, when ho was leading a bicycle in Esmond street, Kusliworth. Tho police arc making inquiries. His friends in Alelbourne have been communicated with, but they are at a loss to account for his absence.

A daughter of AXi- W. Mater, licensee of tho Commercial Hotel, Elmore, had a very narrow escape from drowning at tho ann,ual picnic of the Church of England Sunday school. She was playing on a leg with some other children, and fell off into the river Campaspc. Mr Lon. Gordon, a youth of about nineteen years, on being told of the mishap rushed down to tho river, plunged in. and seized tho child, who who on the point of going down for the third time. The river is twelve feet deep at this spot, and is very treacherous. being infested with snags. Several hoys were bathing in tho Catherine Beef United Company’s dam, at Eaglehawk, on Saturday, when one of them, named John H. Kuddick, was cither pushed' into or foil in the water, and sank, almost immediately. His companions raised an alarm, and S. Bull, who resides in the locality, was attracted by their cries. He dived into tho water, and after some difficulty recovered tho body and it to tho bank. Attempts -were made for some time to resoro animation, hut without avail. Tho lad’s father, Mr W. Buddiek, sharebroker, was in Melbourne at the time, and was notified of the sad occurrence by telegram. On Saturday, at Ecliuca, ,a pair of horses attached to a buggy belonging to Mr I’ankhurst, farmer, of Tongala,, bolted from near tho railway station right through the busiest portion of tho town. They eventually crossed tho bridge over the Campaspe in Warren street and went full tilt into a mob of cattle being driven in for sale. A heifer was struck by the pole of tho vahlloie and was lifted bodily, being deposited at tho rear cf tho buggy. However, tho reins became entangled in tho horns of tho animal, and tho ■weight tipis placed upon the flying ponies proved enough to stop then - wild career sufficiently to allow a spectator to secure their heads. No daniago was done.

Tho charges mado by Monel Buck, of Eaglo Point, against tho management of tho State school there havo totally broken down. Buck alleged in court as an excuse for not sending his children to school that ho had withdrawn thorn owing to the immorality of the scholars and the apathetic disregard there of tho teacher, Mr MTdride. Tho chargee have been investigated by tho department, with tho result that they havo boon reported to be quit© unfounded. The officer who conducted the inquiry states that ho is unablo to discover tho slightest evidence to'substantiate Buck’s allegations. Buck .has now boon 'fined for non-compliance with tho compulsory provisions of tho act. A man named Joseph Holding committed suicide at Torang in a very determined manner on 6th November. Holding, who had been engaged for some time stripping wattle bark in M’Pherson’s paddock, near Towt’s, about fivo miles from Yarra Glen, on Thursday received a letter from his v.pfe, who is living in Collingwood, which it is surmised, contained some .bad nows which drove him to take .liis life. On Friday morning ho rase early and was not soon again until found by Mr M’Phorson (who had instituted a search) on Monday morning in ttio paddock in which he nad been stripping bark. Deceased was hanging by the neck from a tree, and scattered beside him were found pieces of the letter which ho had received from his wife. A sad case of drowning occurred at Bairnsdalo on Sunday afternoon. Three little boys, whilst, walking along tho river bank below Riverine street, tried to cross an open cemented drain which descends from tho street to tho river almost perpendicularly. Ono hoy jumped over tho drain safely. ■ The second, a little fellow named Frank Oattran, eight yeans of age, essayed to follow him, but being somewhat of a cripple, missed his footing and fell into tho drain. Ho was instantly carried into tho river. His companions ran down tho bank to tho water’s edge, hnt could do nothing to save tho helpless lad, who was carried down stream about 30 yards before sinking. Tho other boys gave tho alarm, and a young man named -Murphy dived in several tunes for the body, hut failed to find it. Ultimately it was recovered by tho polico with drags.