DEALING WITH TRAMPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15521, 31 January 1914, Page 5 (Supplement)

DEALING WITH TRAMPS.

RIGOROUS" LAW ;IN FRANCE. 4 Since November 15 every tramp arid'va- : gabond found. wandering in; France has i been taken into the police-stations ito be; measured and photographed,'and sent out; with a document .giving all. particulars; regarding- their persons \ and ! past;;-record?; This paper they must 'produce at any;mo« merit. for, verification.. All this ic in accordance with a law passed,'in 1912 rmak-' ing'it compulsory for three classes■• who' habitually use the roads -to so., register, themselves. These "classes are itinerant dealers and pedlars at fairs and markets; and tramps and vagabonds. • ■;' ']'

Begarding the first two classes the law' is more protective than vexatious. Though they have to declare themselves, the; mere production of their papers will at once show i heir bona fides, and a. number which all must carry will allow headquarters!to learn at once the history of all the dering family. These two classes haye to obtain official books containing "proofs! of their identity, photograph, name, "nationality, date and place of birth,' last residence, and profession.

The measure is more severe for tramos,. who were described .by. a t senator when, the law was discussed as mostly'. vagabonds ; without house, home, or country, who, under the appearance .of"'a problematical. profession,., wander . the roads without caring ~- either ; r for the : laws of health or decency.or ' : the laws' of the land. From now .every-individual reputed to be a tramp mutt procure a book of, anthropometric identity, 'which; the authorities are free , to, refuse. '• ■ 'this book, besides having all, the indications common to the other two'classes, must have two photographs, face ; and * profile, finger-prints of both hands, and -all particulars of the person of the. .individual according to th* Bertillon method. < Heads ! of families must carry a' collective .'book in which particulars of each- member -of the family over two years ' old. must' be recorded, even' to finger-prints. v ■• Every' tramp, on making a stay■ of.even twentyfour hours in a commune, must present his book at the mairie to be endorsed. ■■•■

Of late years the number of undetected crimes and robberies, presumably : committed by nomads, has increased ■ to' an alarming extent in France, and as this class has no fixed abode it has been extremely difficult for the police to lay hold of the culprits. It is hoped that j, this compulsory registration will lead to a con: siderable diminution in crime. As to the number of tramps in France, it is impossible to give the exact figure, for registration is still going ' on, but 3500 have already been measured arid photographed. It is- estimated that the total' will reach over. 10.000.

It will be extremely interesting to see what effect this strict surveillance will have on the genus tramp in France. One authority suggests that the probable result will be an exodus into neighbouring countries, and that no doubt England, where tramps can wander unmolested and free, will possibly find before-long on its highways Weary Willies who,. instead .ot asking for the "traditional "copper," will whine out a request' for "un petit ' sou, s'il vous' plait! "