THE POWELL CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 293, 15 December 1892, Page 5

THE POWELL CASE.

(To the Editor,)

Stß,—l feel. Impelled tothnnk you for your sub-lender 'OU tho Powell case in last evening.'s.STAi-:., and to bog of you to continue to use your iniUienca to tho utmost to counteract tho wretieh'ed, morbid sympathy for criino andoritninals, which i? bHcouiing a characteristic of the present, time;. The moro abominable the crime and consequent, nofioriefiy, especially in cases bearing upon sflrunl intercourse, tho mora certain it is thar. strong ofd'orts will bo made to sot aside the law in favewr of the criminal. Who are tho. jp/eoplo ■who would desire to. nee the crime for which this man was "justly sentey.iced, made eae<y and commonplace? Arc , f.hoy the fathers . and mothers •'of {.■■ iir!<w v and do they dosire to see their m% sink to die level of beasts, for this '■■• .• inevitably be the rssnlt. Roligion i? jpoiri •, m,u«b ihoralicy follow? If *o, God help i.hfj f:o.vt generation,—l am, etc., "'■■■■ ■ - c.p.

: (To tho Editor.) Sir,—ln yaw- report of this meeting, without a few vorcis of explanation, which possibly J. did not. give, my meaning would be misunderstood!. Jn speaking of such meetings I deprecated the necessity of them bc'Cnuae they might lead to either Lynch law, or fcho'breaking of prison doors in the lumds of a hob-Jiuaded and dissfttislied bociy of men, but I said, " A.s we are the gov arnunenfc of New Zealand (meaning thereby we were all responsible and jiarb of tfio seli-jjovorning whole) if wo see things are unsatisfactory lor, us remember we are responsible, and straightway set to wnrk to am.aivd them, the. law should be .co complete as to work without this outside interference; if it is not right, right it, we make the laws." I pur. Ib this way because tliero seems a disposition to call on the Government, to do this, and t!iab as •if tho Government were : fiometiiing nob the people themselves. This might apply, say, in England, much more so on the Continent, but wounds strange here. 1 trust now that we have practically universal sutirag'o, we shall also have com' pulsory voting, a very much lessened number of representatives, if, indeed, any are needocl, and direct; voting by the people once yearly (or more often.if ib bo neces-. ssiry) on all matters of legislation and governmena.—lam, etc., John (not James) Clark.