CRIME DECLINING.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 2026, 16 September 1913, Page 4

CRIME DECLINING.

(Sir Robert Stout has published some very interesting figures relative to crime in New Zealand. He has

shown that the determinate sentence has apparently decreased crime. Not only has the prison population decreased relatively to population but serious crime has ab'olutely decreased. Since 1906 the year the Habitual Criminal Act

was passed, the long-sentence prisoners have been gradually decreasing in number. In 1906 they were 1152, in 1912 652. Tnis, Sir Robert suggests, shows the efficacy of our advanced reformatory legislation. Sir Robert Stout also adds a few interesting remarks relative to criminals born in New Zealand. He shows that the proportion of the criminals over 15 years of age

whe were born in New Z-a-'and is very small, and as a keen advocate of secular education he deduces from tbis that the present moral training of our young is not proved deficient. Be this as it raav, the figures and the remarks are certainly by themselves a refutation of the statements of those who come among us from oversea* that our

youths are inferior in moral calibre. Such statements we have always held to be unfounded and untrue.

I So far (sai-l the Post last eveiing referring to the stonewall) there are no indications of compromise, and it is quite on the car.is that the stonewall will go on until 2.30 today without a break. Even s ould t e op osition agree to a compromise then the Government will insist on a certain amount of business being done to make up for t e time tMpt has b?en taken up in t e present period of political trouble

' Co insel was fairly beaten by a female witness he was examining in the Magistrates Court, C irist church. The case was one in which a youth was charged with usin<* obscene language, and witness wr te d iwn the word she bad hear. nse i. Under cross-examinati n, she state» that she ha i never hear- the word bef re, an«i <ii n-t kn w what it meant. "H w did y: u kn'w, then, that it was an < bscene w n'"'

finally querieu the s licit - "Well." sai» the girl, "if it ha ; not teen an < bscece wrd, I sh t>l' have heard it bef ;ie, ami besi es I aske rather. am! s-:e tol i me it i was an awf 1 w ;r • " The bravery .lisplave* by two members of f e crew or the I id,a-1 barali, when the vessel was as ore

on t e Rangitikei beach, has been brought under the notice of the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, and according to latest a ivice from Home the men are to receive lecognition of their gallanfcy. To Mr A'.cock (secoo i offioHrj, for life saving, the societv has forwaded one of its' silver medals, a pair of binoculars, and an addreos of t anfcs engrossed on vellum, while Mr Earle, a seaman, is to receive a similar silver meal and an ad ress of thanks. The nature . f the incident for which the awards have been made, was to the effect that in order

to establish communication between the vessel and the shore, Seaman karle volunteeed t) try t ■ take a lineas'ure. A bat was I were , and, although a heavy sea was running at the time, Mr Earle started fnr the shore. When an near t t e shore as possible r.e jum ed from the boat an. began t» swim, but aftera time the un 'ercunent. carried him back and he was t see . abut

like a cork Those ■ n bard gave him up for 1-st, but M- Adc ck. t e second c-fficer, wht; was a member of the shore party, seeing the man's rlight, went to his assistance After an heroic struggle he succeeded in bringing his exhauste J Shumate to land, bith men being practically in a state of collapse.

Floral Poulards with dainty little designs in black and white striped backgrounds are becomingly effective and are showing at the Bon Marche in exclusive assortment at 1/11 yard. Alee with light saxe, dark saxe, and reseda backgrounds and floral designs iirblack and tangerine, most unique effect and undoubtedly magnificent value at 1/11 yard. Complete display of all the newest materials all this week.— C M. Ross and Co., The Boa Marche.*/

Sinoe the scale of pay has been advanced it is reporteJ that recruitimyovVd! eRN - 2A - hMmateriai^ The second inquiry into the wreok or the steamer Devon Jopens at WeiM/inV' I ?^ 3 ° 8m t0 da >. before Mr Justice Chapman. The third term at Palmerston ?„°w H Digh School will commence on Wednesday, Sept. 17. v^fh m v eting , of tbe p aJmerston North Young Men's Club was held £ lS3?*% wben Bte P ß were taken 9 ana Btren * then io T « 6 Nor^ ern Mail states that the labour problem is an acute one in the bush works as elsewhere. Good bushmen are hard to get The average skilled bushman gets £3 a week and found, working 58 hours a week and paid wet or dry, and even 5-J ~p nce bnsh managers find it diffioult to get good skillei bushmen. o Th / e JL oßtal offici alß of the Timaru rest Office are sometimes set curious problems in otbt to ascertain the correct destination of letters, says the Herald. On Wednesday last a letter, enclosed in a very bis? enve-

lope measurmg 15in one way and about 9in the other way, was drooped inti the letter box, and the only add; ess on it took t e form of life size picture of a man w om the officials were evidently expecte i to know. There was a penny stamp on the top corner of the envelope and the words New Zealand at the bottom corner With characteristic persoicacity the postal officials filled in the missing address as J. Vigor Brown M.P., Mayor of Napier, and subsequent enquiries indicated that the letter had been sent to the person for whom it was intended f

Unfortunately early last evening the sky became clouded and long before the hour of the eclipse the moon was completely bidden. At 10.23 o'clock the moon entered fe shadow of the earth an the total eclipse began at 11.31, from wic time until 1.5 am. complete - arkness reigned. Those who with Mr Salmon, gathered at the "bserv.tory had to retire disappointed. At about midnight slight rain fell, but the sky remainei ove cast.

Farmers in the Kairanga district will have an opportunity on Wednesday afternoon of seeing a practical oatdoor demonstratiou oq cow diseases generally. The Farmers' Union have arranged with Mr Primmer, Government veterinarian, to hold a meeting at Mr Oo k's farm opposite tie Kairanga School T e meeting should prove very interesting, especially to dairy farmers, for much useful information can be gathered from these demonstrations. At a similar gathering in South Wairarapa recently Mr Primmer had over 80 farmers present.

A fire early on Monday morning totally destroyed the Post Office lat Stoney Creek. Mrs H. Cook who »ad occ pied Hie store had justold out to Mr A. W. Gilchrist and in r er to allow the latter to take over the busines on Mon ay morning bad left on Saturday. Mrs Cook pairf a visit to the store on Sunday afternoon w en everything was in order an left about 2 pm. Mrs Cook besides losing the contents of the store, lost au organ valued at £4O, and sandry ot er articles of furniture. The building which was owned by Mr McPhail, ! of Wairoa was covered by insurance I in the South British office

J When two charges of obscene lan- | guage oame before Mr H. W. Bißhop, |S.M., in Christchuroh on Saturday, he reiterated is intention to put a stop to the use ■ f filt-y language in public places. "One oesnt require to have one's ears very wi-ieopen," he sai , "to hsar t'iis sort of thing on the streets. Son-e men seetu to think that t eir argument becomes more forcible if they use this shocking language If those men come bef >re me again I will sen them 11 gaol. "

«.?n annn »J meeting of the Political Keform League wilJ be ceJd ia t'>e supper room of the Opera Homo tomorrow evening. "■ Mr L. Hanlon secure i five firsfct , and the Sfr R.«?° eut 18bor ne ELtK?? 11 ,* 11 ! be Qnabl « to comSfliS tL e local com Petltions to be neid tins mont.'K

w- e ! oro ? hM11i L ake's level rat the floo^H° e . d fteen inoies Wo" aeo a tinJ eVel of twelve m °nt6a JS£> by arrai; Bement between the settleni around the lake and I Horohenoa County Council

The magnificent presentation of Lea Miserab es at Fuller', last eve - tag was quite one of the features of advanced kinematograpby. This film series which takes two nighto £ compete, cost an enonnoas Sum to produce.

" Th < ere ™ a heavy fall of gn w Trn^' 6 ,- hlgher levelg of th « Main Was fmm n V on . Sa , tarday - The oe P^ was from 3in to sin in the district ifnTS Karioi and and a ?i»ht + ? /i angarßr £ Thßre Waß aI «<» a light fall near Taihape. m^TnH? l^ 6116 : 8 oar f * m <>«» pies and fresh pot of tea. „ DCSTIN'S, Opposite southern end of Station.