The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-17 00:00:00

'IAL PROBLnIS 1N AUSTRALIA,
____

Social questions have assumed no new phase, ex-
cept that we enjoy a temporary respite from the
fouler features of crime. In our last summary, as
in several preceding, we had to rec >rd a long list of
murders and of hes atrocious offences against the
person, and found it necessary to, vindicate our
general social reputation against the suspicion that
lawlessness was one of our ruling characteristics—
a suspicion which, in the strong tendency that dis-
plays itself to misjudge Australis, the* many re-
corded instances of lawlessness not unnaturally
engender. In reviewing the past month we might
find sufficient materials for a sombre story, but the
crinrs we should chronicle assume no dimensions
larger than those that commonly prevail in all
societies, and do not call, therefore, for special re-
cord. Such as they are, they are, to a great ex-
tent,social
ctroanedeiatbiolenso
tof thethe
cdorlionikvinugnflotarbtuitusatwely hicfhosttehre.
Hence it is one of our perwaneht problems how to
regulate and restrict the traffic in intoxicating
drinks without imposing undue restraints either
upon freedom of commerce or
upon
individual
liberty.
Many persons call for anen`laettneeLn.t oufoar
prohibitory measure similar to the Min
Law, but no demonstration has-yet ben madel of
such a generalnsti consent of public opinion as would
alone justify the adoption of that course. Some
considerable time since, however,the Legislature,
after mature deliberation, and rongly supported
by public sentiment, prohibited the traffic in spirits
under any circumstances on the Sunday. This law
has now been in operation for the last two or three
years, and although the publican interest have
throughout complained of it as an unjust inter-
ference with their trade, the agitation has not until
now reached a head. There are stilt no signs of any-
thing like a general dissatisfaction with the law as it
is, or, indeed, of any amount of dissatisfaction con-
siderable eneugh to justify any attempt to disturb
the present settlement. The publicans, how-
ever, have gained the ear of some of our public
men, and a measure is now before Parliament, in-
troduced by Mr. Haines, the late premier, legal-
isingpublic-houSes on the Sunday
duringthceerotpninaeinhg fouors. The bid has not yet been
read a second time, and the strong demonstration
that has been made against it by petitions pre-
apnted to Parliament ought to prevail with the
house to reject it. Among the coionial instituti, ns
which have been established for the promotion of
education and the general advancement of science,
are the University of Melbourne and the Philo-
sophical Institute of Victoria. In connection with
boils of tin se, incidents of interest have occurred
during the past week. At the University there has
been admis-Son to degrees. The InStitute has held
its anniversary, at which the new president, Sir
W. F. Stawell, chief justice, delivered his inaugu-
ral address, and the Governor spoke in dignified
and courageous rebuke of the too prevalent
ference to scientific pursuits and to
claims of
scientific men. Coloui 1 soci-ty is distinguished
by a singular combination of ceeasien 1 and fitful
prodigality in the establishment and support of the
institutions of learning, with a frequent disinclina-
tion to make even the slightest
sacrifices for scien-
tific ends. In our University we have erected a
costly establishment, the fruits of which it will be
many years before we shall reap, while our Legis-
i
ature manifested a strange reluctance to afford
even slight aid to Professor Neumayer, a Prussian
savant, who brought with him very complete in-
struments for the prosecution of magnetic obser-
vations. We may reasonably hope that these
caprices will prove to be nothing but the effects
of t'‘e waywardness of a strong undisciplined youth,
arid that as society becomes consolidated our sup-
port of the higher arts of learning will be more
consistent and uniform.—Melbourns Argus,

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