Of all the professions, medicine certainly is the best remunerated.  It is not merely that a certain Melbourne surgeon—­a man, however, who would have made his mark in London—­is making from L8,000 to L10,000 a Year, and several other leading doctors from L4,000 to L6,000; but that the general average income is about L2,000 a year, and an unknown M.R.C.S. can within a month of his landing walk into a practice of L600 for the asking.  Exceptions of course there are to the prevailing high rate of income; but they proceed mostly, not from incapacity—­for there is plenty of that at L2,000 a year and of drunkenness also—­but from an unwillingness to begin with the hardships of a bush life.  To start well from the first in town is possible, as has been proved, but only under exceptional conditions; whereas the most mediocre medico, with a mere license from Apothecaries’ Hall, can land himself in a good country practice.  Provided he can stand that life for three or four years without becoming a drunkard or breaking down in health, his fortune is made.  At the end of that time he either takes an opportunity to buy a town practice for a small sum, which, if he has either friends or ability, is his best course, or if he has neither, he stays up in the country, and equally obtains a fortune, though with much harder work.  Bush fees are large, but bush work is hard.  The bush doctor may at any moment be called upon to ride fifty miles to see a patient.  In town he would only get a half-guinea fee, or in Adelaide only five shillings; but the circle is circumscribed, and it is astonishing how many five shillings can be obtained in a day.

In Melbourne and Sydney the bar still exists as a distinct institution.  In Adelaide, solicitors, attorneys, conveyancers, proctors, barristers, are all united, and this reform, which works admirably, will probably soon be extended to the other colonies.  What generally happens is, that one man with a penchant for the forum goes into partnership with another whose forte lies in the office; and thus, though all lawyers meet on an equality, the two branches of the profession practically remain apart.  But the new regime offers great advantages to juniors, who are thus no longer dependent upon attorneys, but are brought face to face with their clients.  The latter, in whose interest the reform was chiefly made, have thus, also, far more freedom of choice as regards their advocates.  Comparatively easy as it is for a junior to get a fair practice, the bar has too few prizes to make it worth the while of the best men to stay out in Melbourne and Sydney.  There are a few exceptions, but very few, who make over L4,000 a year, and in New South Wales the Chief Justice only gets L3,000 a year.  Hence a marked weakness in the colonial bench of every colony, except Victoria, where the salaries are higher.  Here and there you see a first-rate judge, but for the most part judges are ex-attorney-generals of the administration which happened to be in office when the judgeships fell vacant.  Political distinction has become a sine qua non for a candidate for the bench.  The leading counsel often would not accept the office if it were offered them, and thus the just-above-the-averages form the majority of judges.