AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 28 December 1926, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

(Per Press Association—Copyright.) SYDNEY, Dec. 27. Soaking rain during the greater part of the day spoiled the holiday. Most sports were postponed. BRISBANE, December 25. The bodies of acting-Sergeant Cummings, a well-known police officer, and a young married woman, named Eileen Walsh, were found in a reserve near Bodda road gaol, both shot through the base of the skull. Cummings was a married man, with several children. He ended his shift at 10 o’clock last night, but failed to report off duty. The tragedy is wrapped in mystery. The police regard the Cumming tragedy as undoubtedly a double murder. Mrs Walsh was living apart from her husband. ADELAIDE, December 24. The Battersby’s were a happy family, but lately straitened circumstances apparently affected the man’s mind. Both Battersby and his wife are in a serious condition, but the child is expected to recover. Mrs Battershy states that she was awakened by the sound of a shot, and saw her husband in the bedroom. She went to the cot where the child was asleep, and found him shot. She then received a bullet wound in the face. Her husband went in'the direction ot the room where the other two sons were sleeping. They had been awakened by the shots, and ran to their parents. They entered the front room, and the mother followed and locked the door. Later they heard a shot, and then all was quiet. When the polite arrived they found Battersby cn the floor of the kitchen, with a revolver at his side. No reason is known for tha tragedy. SYDNEY. December 27. The turnover on the Svdnev Stock Exchange this year i$ easily a record. Shares in hanks and most well established romnanies are distinctly higher than they were a vear ago.