LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 29, 17 July 1902, Page 6

LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

One thousand fuot warmers have bcoa imported, and will be provided for wound olab> carriages on the South Island lines without oharpe. In hifi rt'pjrt pm-ented to the House the Commissioner of Police saya with regard to persons who have been rep atedly convicted of drunkenne-H : ' I submit it hrn become a moot question whether the time has not a; rived when these persona ought to be treated as suffering from a diseasp, instead of vainly endeavoring to coerce them into sobriety by the imposition of a monetary penalty or

temporary loss of liberty, ns at present. Dealing with these "old drunks " under tho present system takes up a very eonsidernbla portion of tho tinio of the police, magistrates, and prison cfficiala, and is a very considerable expense to the community, with no good result.' During the year ending March last thero were 148 prosecutions for sly grog-sellinjr, resulting in 82 coi.vicrionn, against 169 prosecutions ni.d 107 convictions in lUOO Tun aggregate amount of fines imposed waa £1164 ss, against £1,351 4s in the preceding year. The police force is evidently becoming popular with a large number of young men, as the applicants for admission last year were 111,23 of whom were taken on. The nationalities, religions and occupations of these 23 men were :— Nationalities— New Zealandborn 17, English 3, Scotch 2, and Australian 1. Religions— Church of England 9, Presbyterian 6, Roman Catholic 5, Wesleyan 1, Lutheran 1, Congregational 1. Occupations— Laborers 8, miners S, farmers 3, grocer's assistant 1, cooper 1, blacksmith 1, survey linesman 1, clerk 1, tanner 1, station hand 1, asylum warder 1, and engine-driver 1, On March 31 last the strength of the force was 604 of all ranks, being an increase of 13 during the past 12 months. The total comprises 7 inspectors, 5 snb-inßpectors, 2 sergeants-major, 56 sergeants, 514 constables, and 20 detectiveß. There are besides 4 police surgeons, 4 matrons, 22 district constables, and 7 native constables. During the year there were 23 casualties, being 6 less than during the previous year ; 11 retired under the Police Provident Fund Act, 9 resigned, aud 3 died. New Zealaud has one policeman to 1375 of her population at a cost of 2s 10£ d per inhabitant, Victoria, one to 815 of her population at a cost of 4s s£d ; New South Wales, one to 640 of her population, at a cost of 5s 9fd ; South Australia, one to 1013 of her population at a cost of 4s 2£d ; Queensland, one to 518 of her population, at a cost of 6s 9£d ; Western Australia, one to 353 of her population, at a cost of 13s llfd ; Tasmania, one to 735 of her population at a cost of 4s 4|d. In reply to a question in the House it was stated the other night that a year must elapse before coal would be available from the State coal mine for public or other uses. The Hon. W. C. Smith hae been elected Chairman of Committees in the Legislative Council. In the discussion on the State Fire Insurance Bill a southern member stated that last year there were 230 fireß in the North Island costing £231,797, whereas in the South there were only 99 fires costing £101.277. He hoped that some explanation of the disparity would be forthcoming, but none of the members offered to account for it.