AUSTRALIAN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 259, 12 November 1879, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN.

(Per Australia at Auckland.) Melbourne, Nov. 6. Two men attempted to stick up the Bank of Australia at Moa in Gippsland, The manager successfully resisted and grappled with tbe assailants, one of whom flred a shot from a revolver, but being afraid of the noise bringing assistance they decamped and took to the bush, the police pursuing. Small, a Government diver at Belfast, nearly lost his life throngh being seized by a octopus He was repeating his efforts to dislodge a rock when bis left side got clutched in a hole by the marine monster and he was unable to reach the life line, but be eventually got hold of an iron bar with one of his arms, but he could only deal blows oveshanded with his other arm iuto the hole, during which time the octopus increased its grip. Twenty minutes elapsed before Small could release himielf, and he was then in a very exhausted condition. He had great difficulty in keeping his feet down, as the air was pumped through the interior of his dress and inflated it, and if his feet got uppermost he would soon have become insensible. Even if he could have reached the life line it would have resulted in his arm being broken or pulled out of the socket. He describes bis agony as dreadful from the arms of the octopus pulling at him. The remains of the octopus measured eight feet across. On Monday three persons were arrested for gambling and forming totalisator companies. On one of the prisoners £1000 were seized. There was an unusual amount of gambling, &c, on tbe races, and one person handled £20,000.