VICTORIA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3550, 27 August 1879, Page 3

VICTORIA.

The robbery of the Commercial Bnnk at Lanceflold was afc first attributed to tho Kelly gang, but this was afterwards found to be wrong. It was the act of two mon, escaped prisoners from Sandridge batteries. The robbers entered the;' Bank'- soon after it opened. One wont to the counter, and • fumbling for a foe&ot-book soon gave tho signal to his 'Comrade, who presented a revolver at tbe head of Morrison, tho • accountant, telling him to throw up hands os • the Kellys were tfeere. Morrison wjib thon gagged while fchoTufflans took £766 out of tho Hill, and £110 out of the safo. In reply to -questions, Morrison stated that that was all money ;in fhe bank. Ho thought there -was about £8009 more, whioh the robbers overlooked. The robbers wore about to retiro when Musty, a butcher, entered the Bank. • One man presented a pistol, and ordered him -to bail up. Thinking they .were joking, he twice refused, but realising the situation, complied,.and woslooked up in the manager's room. Hehad £2Goib hi*B pocket, but the robbers forgot They then ordered Morrison to give no alarm for half an hour, and quietly 'left the Batik and walked oufc of the village, -proceeding in the direction of Woodond. In ■- a few minutes Morrison released himself, and -gavethe aiaarra to the manager, who with four men was iin the garden at tho back of the Bank all the'timo during the robbery. He was in- • credulous when he first received Morrison's intelligence. Tho polico and somo Queensland •trackersfollowed up the trail of the two men, vanddato on Monday night, August 18, two men, dearly identical with the robbers were at Sandhurst. They reached the city ■on the previous Saturday, purohased now -auite'of clothes, hair dye, carpet bags, &c, •paying for the same in a manner calculated to ■>excite suspicion. Samuel Lowe, the elder man, has been identified as a ruffian who comemitted a murderous assault on an Italian rabout a fortnight ago, and who had since taken fco tho bush. He has already served a -sentence, of five years for highway robbery. He %ad £450 on his person when arrested. Charles ifiray, the other robbor was unknown to the police. £260 wero recovered from him. Both men were sufforing from drink whon captured. Mr' Gordon, Ohief Engineer of the Victorian water supply, who was dismissed on Black Wednesday, has petitioned the' Queen, who declines to interfere. It has transpired that the Government, while contending that Gordon was logally entitled to only £581 compensation, offered him £1440 on the condition that ho withdrew his petitions to the Queen. j Respeoting tho sohomo of the Colonial Museum, Western Australia iB willing to contribute." New South Wales is aho willing, provided the other Colonies join South Australia. Queensland is prepared to consider the matter if the Home Government initiates ' it. Tasmania declines, and Now Zealand has forwarded no roply. Yiotoria considors it inadvisable to contribute at presont. Dr Forbeß Watson has addressed Bir M. Hicks-Beach, asking him to take tho initiative in the New South Wales vend question, at Newcastle', whioh is becoming serious, as the Lambton miners won't'fall in with the vend -of the other miners in the district. An impression prevails that the Government is -willing to greatly modify the tariff proposals, if the supporters affirm their protective policy by agreeing to the first item submitted. 'Several hitherto faithful supporters are showing great discontent. ; The enrolled scholars in the State Schools •"last year were 231,002, and tha average -attendance; 116,599. .-';./' The Protestant clergy of Melbdnrno intend .■to ask the Government to modify the Education Aotj.iso'as to admirthe^ible being • taught in State Schools by teachers, Tno Age asserts thai the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company has insisted on charging tno old rates for press messages up to July 4, although the reductions should Slave taken effeot in May last. Professor Pearson sailed for Melbourne on July 8. The A9.N. steamer Wotanga caught fire, and was damaged to the extent of £700. The Rev W. J. Habens, Principal Government Sohool Inspeotor of New Zealand, has declined the appointment of Resident Warden of the Camden College. An extraordinary escape occurred at Forbes ty whioh an eartn-slip completely buried a mine?, named. Pryor, excepting his head. When dog oat, after some hours hard work,

he was found to be uninjured, excepting a crushed little finger. Victoria has been assigned 9000 ft of floor area in the exhibition. Nothing not entirely Victorian will be exhibited. The papulation of the Colony on Juno 30 was 712,000. . A young man named John Simpson has, been sentenced to five yearß for bigamy, for having married a girl ho had known from childhood fourteen days after his union with his first wife.