THE PERILS OF THE PARKS.—STATE OF SOCIETY IN ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1055, 2 April 1867, Page 6

THE PERILS OF THE PARKS.—STATE OF SOCIETY IN ENGLAND.

(From Punch, January 20, ISG7.) Wi: read in that delightfully amusing old Gentleman's ilfayazinc how a hundred years ago, it was a common thing for persons to be stopped and purses to be filched, a little after nightfall, upon Hounslow Heath. How far we have advanced ill safety since those good old times, may be seen from this account of what took place the other morning in St. James's Park :— "Gangs of roughs and thieves assembled to the numbor of several hundreds at each end of the bridge, and at a given tig;.a], when the bridge was crowded with rrsfottably-drcsicd persons, they rushed on pell-mell, hustling and bonneting all who caino in their wav, watches, purses, and pins changing owners with extraordinary rapidity. This disgraceful scene was repeated about ever}' half-hour until it grew dark. Tho park-keepers did all they could to repr-its the diiorderly scene, but they were comparatively powerless. A dozen police-constables w.. uld luive been elTcctive for the purpose, but they were not there, und so the roughs had possession of the park until all respectable people Inul been chased away, there was no more pluuder to bo obUuaed, or people to bo hunted down."

Bold Turpin anil Lis crew but seldom showed their 1 blackened faces in the daj-light, but our modern highway robbers are far bolder than they. In llyde Park last summer there were several such secucs as this recorded in St. James's and probably this winter there will be several more. How many more acts of brutal violence must take place before an Act of Parliament; be passed to hand our parks to the care of the police 1 J It is too had oue cannot take a walk in St. James's without being maltreated by the roughdom of St. Giles'.