attended with too much expense to be ever resorted
to. The two branches of the legal profession--Barristers and
Solicitors--are amalgamated, but in practice they are usually kept
distinct. A jury consists of seven, of whom a majority of five can
give a verdict.

Education is well endowed in Tasmania. There is as yet no
University, though attempts have been made to found one, but the
Council of Education confers the degree of Associate of Arts, and
every year two scholarships, called the "Tasmanian Scholarships,"
of the value of L200 per annum, each for four years, to be held at
any British university, are awarded if the candidates pass
satisfactorily the required examination. This is indeed a splendid
scholarship. There are various other scholarships for boys and
girls under the age of 12, and others for those under 15, so that
it is possible for a boy to rise "from the gutter to the
University." The recent success of girls has brought forward the
question whether they too should not be allowed to compete for the
Tasmanian Scholarship. Newspapers may be sent post free to Great
Britain or the other colonies, to promote, I presume, knowledge of
the country. The telephone is much more in use than in England, and
is frequently used in place of the telegraph. The cost of it is
only L6 per annum. Nor in railway communication is Tasmania behind.
I mean that there are enough railways to keep up with the
requirements of the country, but new lines are being made, and they
of course will create fresh requirements. The principal line is
that connecting Launceston with Hobart. It belongs to a private
company, but the Government guaranteed 5 per cent. on the cost of
construction up to L650,000. That sum was not sufficient, and
subsequently L100,000 and L50,000 had to be borrowed to complete
the line. The present income is about L70,000--a large amount for
the small population at each end and on the way. Therefore when the
chairman at the recent meeting of shareholders in London
anticipated an income of L150,000, he was rather in the clouds. The
line is 133 miles in length, and has a gauge of 3ft. 6in. It
passes through some beautiful scenery, especially towards the
Hobart end, and the numerous bends of the line give travellers an
excellent opportunity for seeing the country. To one not used to
it, however, the jolting is most unpleasant, and the pace kept up
round the curves is too great for safety. Indeed, there have lately
been