A census of women who were serving sentences in penal and reformatory institutions in New Jersey on the first of November last, including girls over sixteen years of age at the state home for girls at Trenton, numbered 336; the number between sixteen and thirty years of age was 210. * * * * * A definite move has been made in Michigan legislature looking to the treatment of habitual drunkenness on farms provided by the state. A bill directing the governor to appoint a commission of five to investigate the subject of farm colonies for inebriates and other minor offenders who at present are confined in jails has been introduced by Senator George G. Scott of Detroit. The commission is authorized to extend its investigations to methods in force in foreign countries as well as this. The report will be made to the next legislators. EVENTS IN BRIEF [Under this heading will appear each month numerous paragraphs of general interest, relating to the prison field and the treatment of the delinquent.] _Families of Prisoners Excite Discussion._—The subject of prisoner’s pay for work done during incarceration is receiving wide-spread discussion in this country. The note constantly struck is the need for support of those dependent on the imprisoned bread winner. In Rhode Island a bill has been introduced to the assembly increasing the wages of jail term offenders from 25 cents to one dollar a day. The members of the board of control of the prison at Jackson, Mich., favor a change in the method of paying the inmates employed in the binder twine plant of the institution. The present law gives the men 10 per cent of the net profits of the plant each year. Some of the evils of this arrangement are thought to be that the men have to wait too long for their pay, and that they are kept in unnecessary doubt as to the amount they shall receive. The plan of the prison board is that they shall be paid from 10 to 15 cents a day for their services. In Massachusetts the Springfield Republican, among other papers, has recently advocated the extension of the present law, providing that prisoners be paid nominal wages for the benefit of their families, to include the inmates of work houses and all places of detention. Says the Republican: “In the workhouse the convicted mis-doer is set to broom making. Why should not his family have the aid of part of such earnings? Why should not all prisoners, in all parts of the country, contribute, through state officials, to the support of their hapless families? Wife and children have not broken the law—they should not then be left to starve.” * * * * *