AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 206, 28 February 1912, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

DOUBLE DROWNING FATALITY. At Launeeston on Saturday, February 10, Mr. W. W. Noake, harbormaster at Ulverstone, accompanied by a youth, Allen Horsham (20), left in a rowing boat for the bar of the Leven river to take soundings, ready for meeting the Harbor Trust the following Monday. The police found Noake's boat and two paddles washed up on the beach. Later a coat was found in the water, and also the harbormaster's cap, but no trace of the bodies. It is surmised that as there was a very high sea running, tTie boat turned turtle, and righted again.

A FATAL ARGUMENT. An argument about cricket ia said to have been the cause of a tragedy which occurred at Urall, New South Wales. Manny Poison (24) lost his life. Alexander Handcock is being sought for by the police. About nine o'clock on the night of February 10, Handcock was sitting in the parlor of the Royal Hotel with three or four young men when Poison came in. Poison had just returned from a walk with two girls, and upon his making his appearance in the parlor Handcoek said something to him. It is stated that Poison • immediately rushed at Handcock around the table, When the latter drew a revolver and pulled the trigger. The hammer of the weapon clicked, but no report followed. One man present started towards Handcock to wrest the revolver from him, but before he could succeed the hammer fell again. This time the charge exploded, and the bullet entered above Polson's left eye, causing a gaping wound. Poison fell to the floor and shortly afterwards died.

A PLUCKY WOMAN. A remarkable case, in which a desperI ade bailed up and called upon a woman to hand over her cash, occurred in broad daylight on Saturday, in the thicklypopulated suburb of Waterloo. About 11 a.m. Mrs. Curnoy, a grocer . in George street, Waterloo, was accosted by a young man, who suddenly drew from his pocket what appeared to be a toy revolver, and pointing it at the lady, he said, in a deep voice: "I want money, and I'll put this through you unless I get it." Mrs. Curnow, dumbfounded for the moment, hesitated. The young desperado repeated his demands and Mrs. Curnow, inspired with courage, suddenly sprang from behind the counter to the front of the shop, intending to grapple with the ruffian. Her actions caused the man's heart to fail, and his pluck to leave him. He evidently realised the determination of the woman as written on her face, and' he ran away. The revolver, or what appeared to be one, was quickly returned to his pocket, and the desperado was soon' tearing along the highways, in the direction of Sydney. Mrs. Curnow raised the alarm, and in a moment a number of people were in hot p»rsuit, /but the runaway was too fleet of foot, and was soon lost to view. Mrs. Curnow has been able to givo the police a very good description of the man.