Revietc of Reviews, IIB/OU. 



History of the Month. 



219 



tion of ill-paid wurk. is bting geiit-rally takt-n up. 

 Hithf rto the Anti-Sweating League has worked hard 

 ill the genera! interest without the support and re^ 

 cognition that it ought to have had, and this niove- 

 mont will greatly strengthen its hands. 



The ^Ir. Bent has introduced his Licen- 



Victorian sing Bill into the Victorian Parlia- 

 Licensing ment. It cannot, in ever)' detail, be 



^'"' considered satisfactory from a re- 



former's point of view, but it is certainly a step in 

 the right direction, and will, generally, have the sup- 

 port of reformers. Briefly, his proposal is to allow 

 the i)resent Local Option provision.s with, compen- 

 sation to remain for a period of ten years (compen- 

 sation during that time to be on the sliding scale), 

 Local Option only referring to districts with hotels 

 in excess of the statutory number, and beint; limited 

 to a reduction to the statuton,- number. After the 

 ten years have elapsed, complete Local Option will 

 come into force, without compensation. The Bill 

 is exciting a tremendous amount of interest. There 

 are some blemishes upon it. For instance, three 

 years' time .limit is quite sufficient. Ten years is 

 ridiculous. The proposal to establish \o-license 

 by a three-fifths majority is also a severe handicap. 

 Why should reform be burdened in this way, when 

 ever}- other question that is debated within His 

 Majesty's dominions is decided by a majority, no 

 matter how bare that majority may be ? Another 

 proposal in the Bill that will* have to be fought is 

 that which makes provision for the establishment of 

 roadside licenses at distances of five miles, in coun- 

 try districts. These licenses would not be subject 

 to Local Option ; so that if this clause goes through, 

 the Government will be taking away with one hand 

 something that it grants with the other. Seeing that 

 the whole tenor of the Bill is in favour of giving the 

 people a voice in the settlement of the question of 

 the number of liquor licenses, it is ridiculous to in- 

 troduce a new clause which provides for the granting 

 rif licenses, irrespective of the desires of the people. 

 Another clause that will need amendment is that 

 which provides for the lapse of licenses three years 

 after a district declares in favour of No-license. The 

 decisions of the people should be carried into effect 

 as soon as the annual license lapses. 



The Wellington division of the New 

 Necessary '^•"a'-ii'l .section of the British 

 Campaion. Medical .Association has taken an 



action which might he followed with 

 ver\^ great advantage by every division of the Medi- 

 cal Association throughout Australasia. It has ex- 

 pressed its sympathy with Mr. R. H. W. Bligh in 

 his crvrsade again.st impurity. One of Mr. Bligh's 

 chief objects of attack is some medical agencies pro- 

 fessing to deal with secret diseases, and proof is not 

 wanting of incalculable harm which ha.s been worked 

 to the community through the operations of some 



uf these agencies. Australasia may just as well, in 

 the beginning of her career, lay her hand upon some 

 of the evils that are going to throttle her if left 

 undisturbed. It will make work easier for reformers 

 in days to come. With this question is closely asso- 

 ciated that of indecent post-cards, huge quantities 

 of w'hich are circulated throughout Australasia in 

 spite of the postal prohibition. These are matters 

 which must be grappled with if Australia is going 

 to keep on a high level. It will never do for the 

 morals of the indecent part of the community to 

 swamp those of the better class. 



There is romance in figures. What 



New Zealand's labours, and hopes, and fears, and 



10 Years disappointments, and success lie 



within the ten years (i 895-1 905) of 

 New Zealand's history, which is sketched bv the 

 New Zealand Registrar-General. To deal with it 

 exten.si\'ely requires a vear book. In that ten years, 

 the population has increased by nearly 200,000. 

 The value of postal money orders has increased by 

 three-quarters of a million. The railways have 

 lengthened by very few miles, barely 400, but the 

 receipts are greater by a million pounds. Wool ex- 

 port has increased by one and three-quarter millions. 

 Grain export is just about equal. Frozen meat has 

 Increased by one and a-quarter millions. The total 

 exports of New Zealand produce have increased by 

 ^7,000,000, the value of the imports by ^^6. 000,000. 

 The amount to credit of depositors in Savings Banks 

 is nine and three-quarter millions in 1905, as against 

 four and a-half millions in 1895. Trulv this is a 

 remarkable growth, and the progressiveness during 

 the next ten vears will probably be in greater pro- 

 portion to that of the last ten. Tw'enty. and even 

 ten, years ago matters were comparatively stagnant 

 in New' Zealand, but now they are swinging along 

 at a fa.st pace. 



The New South Wales Parliament 

 Mr. Crick's has taken the extreme measure of 

 Suspension. suspending Mr. Crick pending his 

 clearing of himself in the Law 

 Courts of the charges made against him. In this 

 Parliament has acted wisely without the slightest 

 doubt, although at the same time there is no reason 

 why Parliament should not have dealt with the 

 scandals. Whilst so much nmiour is in the air. and 

 whik- he is fighting his battle out in the Law 

 Courts, it is most desirable that Parliament should 

 be kept clear of constant allusions to it. It will be 

 all the better able- to deal with the matter in any 

 wav that may be necessary after the Law Courts 

 have disposed of it. Now that it has made a start, 

 it is sinc<Telv to be hoped that this miserable Lands 

 Department business wil! be thoroughly probed. 

 The temper of the people to-dav is all in favour of 

 clean administntinn. To our credit be it said that 

 it is the rule, and \m<\ tlie exception ; but that is all 



