AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

Evening Star, Issue 4118, 9 May 1876, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN ITEMS.

The Walgett correspondent of the ‘ Maitland Mercury Tommy Doyle,” an aboriginal, was brought up at the Police Court, and charged by Constable Chadwick with murdering one “Tiger,” another aboriginal, at Gingi. The accused acknowledged his guilt by stating that “he killed Tiger because Tiger was going to kill him.” A medical man practising in Ballarat informs the ‘ Star ’ that since the officers of the local boards of health have exercised a vigilant supervision over the quality of the meat sold in the town, there has been an almost total disappearance of the disease known as hydatids. Before this watchfulness was exhibited the disease had become painfully prevalent in both the city and town.

THE STEVENSON EMBBOOLIO. The Commissioner of Customs at the close of last week, issued an order that the packages of goods detained in the Hobson’s Bay railway sheds, recently imported in the ship Hampshire and other vessels, should he broached and minutely examined, with a view ofi instituting a comparison between their contents and. the invoices. By this means the authorities will ascertain very speedily whether the firm is guilty of the system of fraud of which it has been suspected. Nothing definite is known as to the result of the search 7 indeed at such a preliminary stage it is scarcely to be expected that much information can have been obtained. The whole of the firm’s mail letters per Bangalore were delivered in the ordinary course of business The Attorney-General has received the report of the Crown Proseefitor relative to the outcome of the charge of resistance preferred against Mr George Stevenson, and his manager, Mr George Fred. Brand. • The extraordinary circumstances under which the proceedings lapsed were the subject of universal comment in town ; and the course adopted by Mr Sturt in refusing to commit the defendants, after expressing an opinion that a prima facie case had been made out the previous day, was rather severely criticised. Of course nothing definitely is known as to how the magistrates voted; but those opposed to a committal are generally supposed to have been Messrs S Cohen, Plummer, Maeks, Pilley, and ■ larke the Mayor, and Messrs Sturt, Wilton’ O’Brien, and Laurens, being in favor of send’ing Messrs Stevenson and Brind for triaJ* Mr Findaly abstained from voting. The Attorney-General will have a full fortnight to consider the course he will pursue. An information will probably be filed at the next sittings of the Central Criminal Court, which is set down for the middle of this month.

! ROWDYISM AT THE MELBOURNE UKIVERSITV* I The professorial board of the University .1 having held a special sitting to investigate ■ the circumstances surrounding the alleged | “ducking” of a student named Hackett. j Various statements reflecting upon the character of the medical students in parS ticular have been recently published, and the students were greatly exasperated at the representations that had been made, and were anxious to ascertain the names of the writers of the various letters. On Wednesday a letter appeared signed “Not a Medical Student, which Hackett admitted he had written, and voluntarily produced the draft of the document. He defended himself by stating that what he did was in a boyish 'freak, . Great indignation was expressed in the medical school, and he was threatened with a ducking, but escaped On the following morning another statement was publicly made, of which Hackett ad. mitted.himself to be the originator, and said that he made it in order to be revenged on the students for the ducking which he knew he would receive. The matter was referred to Professor Strong, who expressed his disapproval of the course taken by Hackett whom he recommended to apologise. Ultil mately an apology was drawn up, which also set forth that the statements he had made were untrue. The students then held a meeting, and the alternative was offered to Hackett of signing the apology and walking through the pond, or having the matter brought before the professorial hoard. He selected the former, and the document having been signed before Professor Strong, the unfortunate young man took off his boots coat, and socks, and walked thro igh the

lake. Mr Furlonge provided him with a change of clothing after he came out. There the matter ended.' Various speculations have been indulged in as to the upshot of the affair, and the general opinion is that every student against whom there is evidence that he joined in the assault upon Hackett will either be rusticated or heavily fined. Several of the professors feel very strongly on the matter, but it is also rumored that Professor Halford who sits at the table of the hoard, is the avowed champion of the medical students, and will do his best to secure the acquittal of the offenders. Indeed, there are not wanting some who say that Professor Halford himself was |the cause of the outrage, by suggesting to the medical students that Hackett should be “ stamped out.” Without doubt this is the most exciting episode that has taken place since the foundation of the University. The excitement amongst the students is intense, Studies have been completely suspended maiding the settlement of the question. During the whole of the day the in /estiga'tion was going on the quadrang e was fironged with groups of undergi aduates eagerly discussing the merits of the case. The prevalent opinion is that the medical school woittoo farin taking the lawinto their own hands/, and oven many of the medical themselves bxpi'efefced their regret that they had had anything to do with the unpleasant affair.