1. There should be a site-packages directory   
in /usr/local,   
probably /usr/local/lib/python/site-packages.  Just   
like in /usr, it'll need the appropriate symlinks.    
x86_64 bit issues also need to be taken into account,   
so /usr/local/lib64/python2.4/site-packages should be   
the local site-packages directory for Python 2.4.x on   
a x86_64 machine.   
   
The reasons for these are numerous.  $PATH   
contains /usr/local/bin, $GTK_PATH   
contains /usr/local, $MANPATH   
contains /usr/local/share/man, and $PKG_CONFIG_PATH   
contains /usr/local/lib/pkgconfig.  Adding a   
site-packages directory in /usr/local will simply   
fill in the hole in the Python configuration.   
   
As the FHS points out, /usr may very well be mounted   
read-only for security purposes.  /usr/local should   
be used instead, especially for non-system / testing   
software.   
   
2. Distutils should install, by default, in   
the site-packages directory in /usr/local described  
in part (1).  This will simply mimic the auto(conf| 
make|etc.) default installation path (isn't the  
default installation path for Python  
itself /usr/local?).  
  
For simplicity and consistency's sake, the default  
installation path for distutils should be the 
site-packages directory in /usr/local.