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Green’s Dictionary of Slang

box n.²

[fig. use of farming jargon box, to mix up two herds or flocks by mistake; note also earlier in a box under box n.¹]

(Aus./US) a blunder, a mix-up, a mess; a predicament.

1906		implied in make a box of below.
1943		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl. (2nd edn).
1963		A.E. Farrell Vengeance 29: There was a bit of a box on with another X bar E Hereford that seemed to have an infected shoulder.

In phrases

make a box of (v.)

(Aus.) to make a mess of.

1906		Australian Star (Sydney) 5 Sept. 5/1: —Mr. Webster gave evidence also from memory? —Yes. And he made a box of it? —It seemed so from the papers. What he said at the Police Court was the opposite to what he told the Commission? —I believe so.
1941		Baker Popular Dict. Aus. Sl.
1945		Baker Aus. Lang. 65: To confuse or muddle something is to make a box of it.
1988		McGill Dict. of Kiwi Sl. 71/2: make a box of make a mess of.
2003		McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. [as cit. 1988].