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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4173, 5 August 1874, Page 2

The revenue returns of Victoria for the financial year ending on the 30th of June were published in the course of July. The total amount of the income for the year -was £4,065,516, as compared with £3,747,170 in the previous year. The net increase was £318,345. Of this increase, not less than £145,436 was derived from the railways, and £21,538 from an accidental source of income—the duties on the estates of deceased persons. The rents for the pastoral occupation of land had decreased by £19,590 ; hut the rents aud licenses for the occupation of agricultural land had increased by not less than £46,057. In the returns from the duties on imported spirits the excess over the income of the previous year was £23,219 —not less than £501,058 having been paid under that head ; while the increase on sugar and molasses (much of which is used in breweries) was £I9,7SS, and. on tea only £2005. The ad valorem duties gave an increase of £34,507, and wharfage rates of £5528 ; but there was a decline in the revenue from goods classed as "all other articles" of not less than £19,912. The postages had improved by £4OOO, and there was a gain of £20,565 on the "interest on the public loan account." There was also a sum of £16,694 to be placed to credit as " mint subsidy—surplus returned," amounting to £16,694. The returns, altogether, show that Victoria is prospering, though the social circumstances of many of the people of the towns may not be improving. As for the Treasurer, he is in no position to say "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown," if ho other than financial difficulties troubled him. Medicax diplomas of a "bogus" character, it appears, are still issued by the members of an institution known as the American University of Philadelphia, the charter of which was revoked some years ago after the investigation of a charge of selling diplomas to .all and Bundry, in the course of which it was proved that for a very moderate sum in dollars the Medical College alluded to issued its diplomas

to parties the authorities of the College had never seen, and of course, in absolute ignorance as to whether or no the applicant for a diploma to entitle him to practise as a medical man, knew even as much as did Dr. Sangrado himself of the science of medicine. The sale of these diplomas, it seems, is conducted by regular advertising agents ; the larger number of customers are found in Germany ; and the price is from a five pound note upwards according to the means and the audacity of the applicant. .. It is not on the subject of whisky alone, it would appear, that some of the women of America are agitating at present. They are quite as anxious about their political lights as about the sobriety of their male relatives, and are taking much the same means to attain their end. They have managed to obtain a Joint Select Committee of the two Houses of Parliament to consider their wrongs, and have been urgent in their representations to the Committee on the subject. Some of the press men of New York, however, seem to hold the agitation in as much contempt as they do the whisky war. One of them deals with these politicaUyaspiring daughters of Eve in the following rather ungallant manner :—" The women are on the rampage in New Haven. The Joint Select Committee sat demurely in their seats, twirling their thumbs or tugging at their moustaches impatiently yesterday, while undergoing the torture of three set speeches by as many anxious women who cannot vote, but want to. It is as much as most of us can stand to hear a single feminine tongue when it is a little excited but three! When is the funeral of that joint committee to be ?" The debate on. the New Zealand Forests Bill has not been protracted. The measure was read a second time in the House of Representatives, last night, without a division, and the Bill ordered to be committed on Friday next. The Premier, however, consented to meet the difficulties which seemed to beset honorable members—especially those whose ideas had not risen to the level of the occasion —by volunteering to cut down the Bill to one of twelve clauses. In consideration of the interest of the debate, we give a summary .of the speeches over the leading column, and as much of the report otherwise as it was possible to overtake. In consequence of its length, we omit the report of the proceedings in the Legislative Council.