AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2471, 8 April 1909, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

TRAGEDY IN QUEENSLAND. A shootingraffray occurred at Childers, Queensland, last week. A young man named Spencer, fired three shots at a girl named Swindall, who is said to have objected to his attentions. The three shots took effect. Spencer then walked away about a quarter of a mile and shot himself dead. He had -'a bottle of poison on him. It is feared that the shots fired at the girl will be fatal.' One bullet has been extracted, but the others are still in the body. Very little hope is. entertained fof the girl’s 'recovery.;: ' DIED IN THE RING. Athol Hollier and Frederick Fowler two youths, met in the Manchester Unity-hall, Penrith, in a boxing contest, which ended tragically in the fifth round, shortly after which Fowler collapsed and expired. Sergeant Thorncroft, officer-in-charge of the police, examined the gloves, and found them above tbd Goa in weight.. Blows, more of a light than a severe nature, were exchanged in the first round. lhe second, found was a repitition of the Arst. as were also the third and fourth. Fowler and Hollier then the fifth round, and before a blow was .struck the former suddenly reeled and fell on to the boards. It was at first thought that Fowler had fainted; but upon examination by Sergeant Thorncroft, he expressed an opinion that the collapse was something more than the ordinary ' faint. He had - medical aid summoned. - ' ’ • ,•, . . ■Dr. Elworthy, who was quickly in attendance,* pronounced life extinct.. The body was conveyed to the hospital morgue. Fowler was well known, and only 19 years of age. j *

PENSIONERS AS IMMIGRANTS

Referring to the inclusion by -Mr, , ~> Haldine, British Secretary of war, of £40,000 in the estimates in connection " with the scheme of sending naval and military pensioners >os immigrants to -over-sea dominions, the Minister : for Defence said Australia should now be bestirring herself to secure some of the immigrants. He had mentioned to ; the Cabinet'a scheme which a retired Indian officer liad put before him, .under which it was proposed to encourage - immigration of service pensionersi_frbm India- to Australia.; but they had not time to go into it fully yet. It seemecl to him that until the Commonwealth took over the' Northern .Territory,, the Government would be. able to do very little in this matter 'unless the States give them some control over the land to enable them to settle these immigrants.