General News.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3891, 18 June 1881, Page 2

General News.

It has transpired that the, Victorian Gorernment not only, opened letters addressed to persons supposed to be in collusion with the Kelly gang, but.that in ! the case of a fugitive from justice letters addressed to him or his wife were frequently stopped in the interests of and at the instigation of the police. These pro* ceedings, done under the authority of an Order-in Council, are defended by the 'Age' on the ground that desperate diseases requiring desperate remedies, it would be mere hypercriticiuß to insist that the letter of the law shomd he kept with persons who deliberately choose, to make war upon; society. But during March last the Postal Department opened 131 letters or packages because they were suspected to hare been posted in riolation of the Customs Act. Duty was claimed on only twelre of these, the remainder being reseated and forwarded to tfeeir destinations. This procedare the ' Affe' condemns as wholly indefensible. Tie Victorian Postmaster-General, howerer, denies that -any letters'' 'of the last mentioned class were opened secretly or surreptitiously. Packets containing jewellery were detained, and opened in the presence of responsible officersJ '!

The proprietors of the London Morning "Post" have started a novelty in connection, with their journal in the-shape of a lady war correspondent. Lady Florence Dixie, whose literary, talents are well known and appreciated, will, it is said, go out to the Cape as a special reporter of the war incidents. With Miss Elizabeth Thompson (Mrs Sutler) as a paintress of battle scenes, and Lady Dixie as a descriptionist of the same line of business, there is no knowing,, in these days of liberty and independence, where our fair sisters will stop. Surely the most ardent lover of woman's rights will concede that the steps taken are in the right direction, though whether woman's happiness will be increased thereby 1 is Another matter. : ■■' ';■ ■"' ■'■- ■■; ..-;,.;. ;: - ; :r ,:, " My wife won't even hear of. my aping to the theatre with another lady, said Johnson. .Ragbag didn't Mm to construe Johnson's remark aright, for he said: "Won't eh ? Don't be too sure of it. I thought my wife wouldo?t, but toe did, and I had fearful time about it."