HEROES OF BACK BLOCKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1224, 24 March 1914, Page 4

HEROES OF BACK BLOCKS.

SAVING A WOUNDED MAN

Sydney, March 9

A.story showing what men will do to save life in the sparsely settled stretches of the back blocks is contained in an official report which the administrator of the .'Tortaern Territory (Dr. Gilruth) has forwarded to the Federal Minister for External Affairs (Mr Glj an). “On January 13,” says the report, “Frederick Bolton, a young settler on the Daly River, preparatory to embarking in a native canoe, handed a loaded Winchester from the bank of the river to a black boy in the boat. Carelessly ha handed the gun, with the muzzle pointed towards himself. Tire gun was at full cock. The boy naturally grasped it in the usual way, and the result was that it was fired, the bullet passing through the lung of Bolton. The wounded man dragged himself to his residence, and the boy went for the nearest assistance, which happened to be Mr Love, the Protector of Aborigines. Mr Love hutried to the spot, and found the young man conscious but severely wounded. With the aid of the black boy he conveyed the wounded man to the canoe, on a rough stretcher made of galvanised iron. In spite of the difficulty 01 propelling the canoe, thus loaded, Mr Love and the boy succeeded in reaching the landing stage, five miles up the river, and managed to secure the wounded man attention immediately. “Thereafter, Mr Love commenced to ride to Brock’s Creek for medical assistance. He started the journey about half-past five o’clock on January 13, travelled all night with the exception of two hours, during which he rested, and covered the journey of 70 miles by nine o’clock next morning, He was able to get into communication with me on the 14th,

while I was at the Batchelor farm, and through the courtesy of the telegraph department (it being Sunday) I was able to reach Dr. Holmes. He left Darwin that night at six o’clock by railway and motor tricycle for Brock’s Creek, which was reached at midnight. Constable Johns, who had been advised, had bis horses ready for the journey to the Daly, and shortly before one o’clock Dr. Holmes and Constable Johns, accompanied by Mr Love left Brock’s Creek. They travelled until 3 p.m. that day, when, the horses being exhausted, it was necessary to rest. The journey was resumed at dusk, and continued until three o’clock in the morning, when all were exhausted. The final stage was commenced at six o’clock in the morning, and the Daly was reached at noon, or 36 hours from the time of leaving Brock’s Creek. Unforlunatey, Bolton died the day previous to their arrival.”