tion in the other colonies. And it will be seen that the antipodean wages-man and his wife, given a free hand, lose no time in securing, through the action of their paid Parliamentary delegates, their economic position; while, with equal decision, they agree to leave the burden of taxation on the employer.
Last year the Legislature of New Zealand passed a statute entituled "The Divorce Act, 1898," which was assented to by Her Majesty in April 1899. The new Act places persons of either sex practically on an equality as regards petitions for dissolution of marriage; the same grounds, in substance, for a decree of divorce applying to man or woman.
Besides this important alteration of the law, the grounds for divorce are extended as under:—
1. Adultery, on either side.
2. Wilful desertion continuously during five years or more.
3. Habitual drunkenness on the part of husband, along with failing to support wife; or drunkenness and neglect, with unfitness to discharge household duties on the part of the wife.
4. Conviction, with sentence of imprisonment or penal servitude for seven years or upwards, for attempting to take life of petitioner.
An Act of similar tenor was passed in New South Wales several years ago, and one is now, or was lately, before the Legislature of Western Australia.
Finally, it will be interesting to consider the operation of a Local Option Poll.
Under "The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act, 1893," each electoral district constituted for the election of a member of Parliament is a licensing district, and
