» To sucli a pitch have the outrages m Melbourne and its suburbs ar rived that a meeting was recently held to consider the alterations m the Jaw necessary to suppress the nuisance. A sub-Committee was appointed, and at a later meeting, at which 50 honorary justices were present, the following recommenda tions were brought up: — 1. That all male persons found guilty before two Justices of violent assault, or of wilful destruction of, or injury to property may, m addition to or m lieu of any punishment to which they are at present subject, be or dered to be whipped m the case of offenders from 10 to 15 years to the extent of 20 strokes of the birch rod, and m the case of offenders from 15 years of age and upwards, to the extent of 25 lashes with the cat-o'-niiie-taiis. 2. That offenders under 15 years of age ordered to be flogged shall receive the punish ment at the rising of the Court, and that offenders of 15 years of age and upwards shall be flogged within 24 hours after the rising of the Court, if practicable ; but m no case shall such punishment be de layed beyond one week. 3. That section 20 of the Police Offences Statute, relating to obscene, threat ening, or abusive language, &c, m public, be modified, so that either line or imprisonment, with or with out hard labor, may be imposed m lieu of fine and m default imprison ment, as tbo law now stanis. Al though some of those present con tended that the flogging should only be for a second conviction for of fences against property or for for offences .against the person, the re commendations were agreed to with out alteration.
THE PAPAL RESIDENCE.
