THE COMMONWEALTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13673, 14 February 1908, Page 7

THE COMMONWEALTH.

IMMIGRATION.

Tub moat interesting event which occurred la.* I quarter affecting emigration to Australia (reports the Emigrants' Information Office, London) -was the increased as* instance given to emigrants by Queensland. Not only have the rates for nominated passages been reduced and assisted pas-s-aged at- £5 a head continued for those with a little capital, but free passages are now given, to agricultural labourers where the prospective employer pays £5. and to the wives and children of all the above emigrant*, and to female domestic servants. New South Wales continues to giant assisted passages at £6 to £8 to person? skilled in rural pursuits, and to female servants at £3 to £6; hundreds of such persons hav* already gone out. on these terms. West Australia continues to grant cheap assisted and nominated passages to approved emigrants, besides free farms of 160 acre.". k

WEIGHT OF • LETTERS. "With reference to the failure of the Federal Government to give effect to the decision of the International Postal Convention at Rome last year, increasing the minimum weight of letters to and from Australia and Great Britain to'one ounce, Mr. Manger, the Postmaster-General, states that action is to bo taken when the whole question of postage rates is re'viewed in the Penny Posing© Bill. The Government could not equitably, lie says, raise the oversea weight of letters from half-au-oimce to an ounce, and allow the internal weight- to remain at half-an-ounce.

THE BUTTER MARKET. An evidence of the dominating influence which the London, markets exert on the Australian dairying industry is given by the increasing quantities of superfine unsalted butter which are being manufactured, although butter of this class has no place in the Australian retail trade. Many factory managers are so eager to cater for London that they leave the very primest of their output unsalted, and it sometimes happens that supplies of superfine butter suitable for the Australian market almost run out, while there is nevertheless an abundant quantity being turned out in a form suitable for London.

MUNICIPAL DISPENSARIES

The proposal of the Sydney City Council to establish municipal dispensaries in the city, though yet in a very nebulous stage, is likely to moot with the keenest opposition from the friendly societies, who would be most affected by the scheme. The view put forward by several prominent friendly society officials is that municipal dispensaries would aim directly at the societies, as they would remove in some degree the necessity for thrift, and negative one of the inducements held out to working men to join the friendly societies. "One of the main objects a man has in view when he becomes an Oddfellow or a member of any other friendly societies," said one, "is the medical benefits he will obtain, by reason of his membership, for himself and his family. If the City Council is prepared to appoint medical officers whose sendees will be at the disposal of the people free of charge, as is proposed, and dispense their prescriptions without cost, part of the usefulness, and, indued, one of the main objects of the friendly societies will have disappeared "

TREATMENT OF HABITUAL ....'... CRIMINALS. It is provided ill the regulations to be. observed it. places o.f confinement proclaimed under the Habitual Criminals Act in New South-Wales that the, treatment of prisoners during the second or intermediate portion of their (sentences shall so. far as is practicable bo in accordance with the following:—"The prisoners shall be dealt •with under a progressive stage system, by which they will practically determine their own treatment as regards the enjoyment of privileges, or the reverse. They will bo classified into three gradesthe lower, the intermediate, and the higher. The lower will be divided into two sub-grades—the penal and the ordinary. Prisoners in the intermediate and higher grades will bo competent to earn various privileges, for which those in the lower grades will not be eligible. Prisoners of each grade will, as far as practicable, be kept apart from those in the other • grades, and every prisoner will have a separate cell, in which ho will sleep, have hia meals, and keep his belongings. On completing the definite portion of his sentence, a prisoner will be placed in the intermediate grade. From this he can rise to' the higher grade by industry and good conduct, and can fall to either division of the lower grade as the result of idleness or any offence against good order."

OCCUPATION FOR INEBRIATES. Regulations recently' framed under the Inebriates Act of 1900 provide that each inmate of institutions established by the New.South Wales Government for the reception} control, and treatment of inebriates, will, if not under medical treatment, be required to perform some fixed daily task suited to his capacity and physical condition. "Wherever practicable," "it is enjoined, "he should .be placed at tho trade or occupation in which he k most proficient. Any punitive task, should, as far as possible, be of a reformative, productive, and educational character. The ordinary labour schedule will determine the value of the work, with such modifications as may from time to time be determined in general orders ; and where an inmate, for. physical or other sufficient reasons (apart from bad conduct), cannot be employed on manufactures, special consideration is to be extended, so that encouragement may be afforded Kim to be industrious in other occupations where it would be difficult to award payment on business principles. An inmate will be expected to contribute towards his maintenance according to his capacity, but this provision will be liberally interpreted by the Comptroller-General in deciding each case on it 6 merits, so that some cash payment may be made after release."

The last foreign mail brought a letter addressed " Senor Alcalde Presidente del Ayuntaimeuto do Timaru, Nueva Zealaadia." A postal official, perhaps after consultation with a Spanish dictionary, wrote the translation of "Alcalde" -'(Mayor) above the word, and endorsed the envelope " Try J. Craigie, Mayor." The letter was translated for Mr. Craigie. by one of the nuns in the Sacred Heart Convent.

Gradually the penny tramway coupons are informally becoming legal tender for copper in Wellington. There is at least one citizen who offers a coupon when he is buying a paper in the street, and gets the little slip accepted. Other cases in which the coupons, in small quantities, have been received as cash are recorded.

At Mr. J. Thornes' auction rooms, 83, Queen-street, at noon to-day, the following properties will bo submitted: —Two houses in Bradford-street, Farnell, in the estate of Dr. Wright; a residence and large area of ground in Lichfield Road, Paniell; a house of five rooms in Wellparlc A\*enue; and residence of six rooms in Campbell Road, Grey Lynn; a residence and one and a-quarter acres of land at Milford Road, Takapuna; and 40 acres of rich land at St. Heliers Bay, in lots of two to five acres. Full particular,! are advertised. ' Mr. T. Mandeno Jackson will offer by public auction at his rooms, Custom-street East, at 11 o'clock to-day, tho private hotel on the beach at Lake Takapuna, known as "Lake House," containing 23 rooms; a first-class, residence of six rooms and all conveniences in Buohanan-strect, Glenmore, standing on an allotment 40ft by fllft; a comfortable five-roomed villa in Ardmore Road, Ponsonby, on a section 40ft by 113 ft; four valuable building sites in Reinwrs Avenue, Mount Roskill; and a volcanic section on the Great South Road, One-tree Hill.