STUDENTS' "RAG."

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16723, 5 January 1920, Page 8

STUDENTS' "RAG."

WILD SCENES IN LONDON.

An exciting "rag" took place recently between tho students of St. Bartholomew's Hospital and University College, London. The contest centred round tho possession of tho German gun presented to Bart.'s last year by tho War Offieo, and tho result, so for as Bart.'s is concerned, was a complete triumph for tho hospital. They regained possession of their gun, and "bagged I '' other trophies, including a gate, two lengths of firo hose, and a marblo statue. About 400 students from University College took the initiative at 2.30 in the afternoon. , They marched in a body from Gower street to St. Bark's and "captured" tho gun. Thev mot with littio or no opposition till the assistant matron gavo the alarm. Then ovor 80 of tho St. Bart,'s men rusbed from the ''theatres," lecture rooms, and hospital in nn effort to rescue their trophy. But the gun was safelv lodged within tho gates of tho University Collego, tho gates were locked, and the entrances barred to all on-oomers. The medical students, however, rushed round to a 6ido entrance, and reached tho quadrangle, where Sir Gregory Foster, the Provost, appealed for order. "We want our gun," sang tho students in chorus, and tho oollegians rusbed at them, ten men collecting round ono opponent, carrying him to the gates, and putting him outsido. Even-, tually tho gato was wrenched off its hinges and taken as a trophy to St. Bart.'s.

The medical students returned to the hospital, held a meeting, and decided to rocapture tho gun at 7.30. Ovw 400 men "mobilised" for the second counter-attack. They marched to Gower street, and at tho entrance to tho college about 80 police, under an inspector, mot them and appealed for order. TJris tho students promised. They formed a "gun team," which mounted tbe steps to the main entranoo, and brought tho gun out to the cheering crowd. "With tho pride of victors tho students paraded Tottenham Court road, Piccadilly, Leicester Square, the Strand, and Holborn, displaying tho trophies.

The leader of "Bart.*B," a tall, qniet man with dishevelled hair and a scratched noso, and his clothes whitened from carrying a raided bust from the college, said to a 'Daily News" representative: "I have been nearly all over the college, and we hardly left a whole elootrio light bulb. Wo have taken tho gates leading to thejr courtyard; we nave the gun back. We have the bones out of thoir dissecting room. I have this littlo lady (the oust), and I am equipped with a Sikes outfit. On their notice board wo have left a message, 'Who called tho police?' "Guy|s, who wore going to join the University twelve months ago in taking tho gun from us, helped us to-night. "Wo don't liko to bo discourteous," added tho Bart.'s leader reflectively, I '"but wo are keeping our eyes on Guy's and on tho gun now." It appears that tho University, to tho number of some 400, visited "Bart's" at 2.30 in tho afternoon. Tho students and house surgeons were thon doing duty in tho wards, and tho University had an easy tasK. They just took the gun from its place near tho Pathological Laboratory and dragged it away, having posted two phalanxes on each sido of tho Henry VIII. gate in case of a surprise.

"Ten minutes later," ono of Bark's said, "Wo followed them, and caught them near the college. Wo had a big fight They fought with dissecting bones, and I had a smash with a spade. Their girl students joined in, but tho hospital nurses cheered us. We got the gun to tho gate, but wo were outnumbered 6 to 1, and had to retire.

"We regret that the University did not defend the pun tho second time. In the struggle Phineas, one of tho his: statues that stand each sido of the main entrance, was knocked down. He is their mascot, and they, will feci that keenly." A* "Daily News" representative found Phineas lying on his face on tho broad steps. He was surrounded fry smashed masonry, and a spade lay near. A skull played a prominent part in tho raid, hoing alternately at a missile and as a rallying "standard."

A Wellington contractor informed a "Post" reporter 011 Saturday that the serious shortaco of cement was net likely to be relieved until the end of February or the beginning of March next. He stated that ono company was not now in a j>osition to supply tho general public. All tho companies were experiencing great difficulty in securing coal. A consignment of cement from England was due in Wellington towards the end of February, hut tho landed cost would he at tho rate of 4s 2d per bag dearer than the New Zealand product and the quality was no better. It was useless to look to Australia for cement, as the shortage there was very pronounced, and cement companies decline! to for delivery in the Dominion. The position just now was a verv serious one, as many big eontract-s in the ritv were practically susponded. Mnnv men would find that their services wero net required when they returned to their jobs after the holidays.

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