The Berry Ministry died of ridicule.  A Conservative Government then enjoyed a short tenure of office, but committed suicide by bringing in an impracticable Reform Bill.  A second Berry Ministry came into office, but not into power.  It also lived a few months, but with its dying kick it passed a measure which, though it placed the Upper Chamber on a more liberal basis than any other in Australia, and effected most important changes in its constitution, was conservative in comparison with Mr. Berry’s first proposals.  Hitherto members of the Upper House had been elected for ten years, the qualification for the electorate being the possession of property of the rateable value of L50 a year.  Now the electoral qualification has been reduced to L10 house and L20 leaseholders, and the tenure is for six years.  The Lower House, or Assembly, has for years been elected by manhood suffrage throughout Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia.

Land reform has not yet advanced equally far, and will probably be reserved for the next burst of democratic energy.  The view of ‘the party’ is that land should be made to pay a tax proportionate to the increase which the State has, directly and indirectly, effected in its value by railways and otherwise.  The more advanced section point out that the greater part of the land was sold at ridiculously and dishonestly low prices to friends of the powers that were.  For this reason, and because the wealth of the colony would, they contend, be increased in the gross, as well as more equally distributed by the partition of the large freeholds, the tax should be progressive, i.e. increasing in percentage according to the value of the property, so as to compel the large owners to sell, and establish something answering to a peasant proprietary, or, more strictly speaking, a yeomanry tilling its own soil.  The Conservatives look upon such a tax as nothing better than legalized robbery, and hold the most pronounced views on the sacred rights of property.  A juste milieu will probably be found between the two courses, and the existing land-tax be increased; but unless recent legislation for Ireland inspire new views of property, I do not think a progressive tax is to be feared.  As regards the existing land laws, I shall say something further on upon this point in connection with those of New South Wales.

After a bout of rabid Radicalism, Victoria now owns, or is owned by, a half-and-half Ministry made up of the weakest members of both parties.  Its views are Liberal-Conservative, and wishy-washy; its principal concern to remain in office.  It serves as a sort of Aunt Sally for both parties to shy at.  But there is no coalition strong enough to replace it.  For nearly two years now it has pursued the even tenour of its way, harmless and unharmed, confessing where it has blundered, and dancing a sword-dance among small matters of administration.  So long as it occupies itself with nothing of importance, it seems