IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1122, 19 June 1867, Page 6

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT.

To the Editor of tho New Zealand Heeaid. Sik, —Til this day's issue, tho return of the inma.es of Mount Eden G-aol, as published, include debtor:-— males 15, females 2. From this I conclude that these unfortunates are incarcerated for not being able to fee a legal gentleman, in fact they have paid as long as they could, and have nothing left. While the streets of Auckland are crowded with swaggering insolvents, nearly all of them decorated with gold watches, chains, rings, and valuable trinkets, and who arc under the especial care and guardianship of tlio Supreme Court, through the management of their well-paid legal friends, paid with the money of creditors, better and honestcr men, and women too, are in gaol, merely for having given up their all to their creditors, and kept not tho wherawithall to satisfy the lawyers. The imprisonment of women for debt is a disgrace to the Government of the country, and tho bankruptcy laws now in force are simply to punish tho well-meaning, innocent, or thoughtless debtor, protect the knavish, dishonest debtor, and enrich a host of disreputable persons, styled lawyers, that infest tliia city, and prey o i unfortunate creditors and insolvent estates. —I am, &0., Meucatoe.