Justice.—The administration of justice is entrusted to the jus tices of the peace, four district courts, the Court of Appeals and the Senate. The judges cannot be dismissed from office. The old local Baltic provincial law is still in force ; and in Latgale the Russian law in part, pending codification. As the constitution pro vides only for a single legislative Chamber, the Saeima, the func tions of a second Chamber are to some extent fulfilled by various committees in the different departments, as, for example, the finan cial council attached to the Ministry of Finance, the Agricultural Council to the Ministry of Agriculture, special committees for music, theatres, etc., attached to the Ministry of Education, and so forth.
Vital Statistics.—The bulk of the population of Latvia are en gaged in agriculture, only 35% of the population being urban. 41,172 births and 28,399 deaths were registered in 1924.
Co-operation.—The co-operative system is widespread and both consumers' and agricultural societies are largely developed. The system of social clubs and unions is extensively adopted in rural districts, and is generously supported by the so-called "Culture Fund" created by levying a 3% tax on railway tickets. It has thus been possible to establish public libraries, co-operative houses, etc., in the country. Education is further promoted by an itinerant theatre, several provincial theatres, and an opera house in Libau ranking second to the national opera house in Riga.
Education and Culture.—The official language is Lettish, a branch of the Aestian or Baltic group of the Aryan language, closely related to Lithuanian and old Prussian. The name Livonia formerly given to part of the district was derived from the Rus sian name Live given to a people, calling themselves Lib, who were possibly a transition group between the Ugro-Finnish Estonians, and the Finnish Koreli. Their language is now extinct and they have become merged with the Letts. The Kurs, from whose folk name the place-name Courland was derived, are an admixture of Livs and Letts, whose language is Lettish. School attendance is compulsory in Latvia. In addition to the public elementary schools there are secondary schools, commercial colleges, several language institutes, and other advanced and specialized educational institu tions including the university at Riga, created in 1919. Illiterates form only 8.5% of the population, and for every 1 oo,000 of the population there are 30o university students. The study of Ger man or English is compulsory in the middle schools, German hold ing the first place ; French and Russian are optional. Due encour agement is also given to the elementary and middle schools of the national minorities in the form of state grants to German, Russian, Jewish and Polish schools. See also LITHUANIANS and LETTS ; LETTISH LITERATURE.