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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIII, Issue 17, 21 August 1885, Page 13

A practical joke played upon a Croatian peasant has nearly caused the destruction of the chemical laboratory of the University of Agratn. The peasant, who was coming with his wife into Agram separated from her, agreeing to meet her a few hours later at a certain plttce. As she delayed her return, he expressed his anxiety to a bybtander, who told him in jest, that his wife had probably been kidnapped by the university vivisectors, who made it their business t j cut up women and children. The wife came up soon afterwards and went; home with her husband ; bat the latter repea'e 1 what he had beard, and the results have been most serious. On Whitsunday an infuriated mob of peasants attacked the laboratory, crying •' Down with the hell kitchen !" and had to be beaten off by soldiers. The university has since been watched every day by evil-disposed crowds, and a telegram announces that there was another attack on Sunday. All the servants of the university have left their situations, and the professors have had to ask for police protection, being in terror for their lives. Mr. Bright, Radio il though he is, is very severe upon those who find fault with the allowance of £6,000 a year to be bestowed upon Princess Beatrice at her marriage. Writing to the Liberal Association of Birmingham, which had protested against the grant, he declares that he himself would have voted for it had he been present in the House of Commons when, the vote was taken. It would, he remarks, be unjust on the part of the nation to show itself less generous towards the youngest daughter of the Queen than it has thown itself to the rest of her children. Besides, the expense to the nation is a mere trifle. There are seven million families in the United Kingdom, and the expense to each family on account of this grant does not amount to more th*n one farthing. Mr. Bright is further astonished that exception, should be taken to the raising' of so small a sum, while not a word is said against the vast sums speut upon useless wars which during the reign of Queen Victoria have cost the nation more than 3,000 millions of pounds sterling —Bombay Catholic Examiner* ' ~ .