36 International Statistical Uniformity. 



No information of any practical use could be obtained, 

 because no table could be constructed which would include 

 similar figures from any two countries. In Victoria prisoners 

 are classified (according to age,) in decennial periods, com- 

 mencing at 20. Persons arrested are classified quinquenni- 

 ally from 10 years upwards. Therefore, under these heads 

 20 and 25 could be utilised as ages at which to institute a 

 comparison. Out of ten criminal and prison returns (ex- 

 clusive of industrial and reformatory schools,) hidden awa} 7 

 amongst the contents of some 56 volumes of Lords' Papers, 

 which had to be examined, only two possessed classifica- 

 tions at the age of 25, and three at the age of 20. For 

 those who are fond' of variety there is great amusement to 

 be extracted from these returns — after you have managed 

 to find them. The ages are classified in such a number 

 of ways as to satisfy the most exacting. One English, one 

 Irish, and two Scotch tables are subdivided as follows : — 

 Under 12, 12 to 16, 16 to 21, 21 to 30, &c. ; two as 

 under 16, 16 to 18, 18 to 21, 21 to 50 ; one 15 to 

 20, 20 to 25, 25 to 30, &c. ; one under 15, 15 to 24, 

 25 to 34 ; one under 20, 20 to 25, 25 to 30 ; one 

 under 20,20 to 30; two as under 16 and over 16; and, 

 finally, one convict return is differently classified for each 

 prison ! In the United States they omit such information 

 altogether. In a special prison report by Mr. C. H. Wines, 

 special agent, he states that "they have no criminal statistics 

 to be placed by the side of those of other countries." In 

 CanacTa a similar state of affairs obtains, though a census of 

 confmees under and over 16 is to be found in a special report 

 on the prisons of that countr} 7 . 



While any attempt to make a reliable comparison was 

 thus completely baffled, some general results could be 

 roughly estimated, but could not possibly be used statistically. 

 So far as they went, they showed that even as far as a com- 

 parison with Great Britain was concerned the statement of 

 the lecturer was incorrect, an inference afterwards confirmed 

 on referring to two of our most reliable authorities — Messrs. 

 H. H. Hayter, C.M.G., Government Statist, and A. J. Agg, 

 Esq., now Commissioner of Railways. 



One great benefit which young communities anxious to 

 gauge their progress may derive from statistics, lies in the 

 standard of comparison they are enabled to set up on 

 various matters affecting their welfare. In the discussion of 

 public questions, it is often of great moment that authentic 



