HOWARD VINCENT ON THE RECIDIVISTE QUESTION AND FEDERATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 7279, 23 September 1884, Page 3

HOWARD VINCENT ON THE RECIDIVISTE QUESTION AND FEDERATION.

(united press association.) Auckland, September 22. Naturally, Mr Vincent takes an interest in the Kecidiviate question. During his occupancy of tbo office of Director of Criminal Investigation, ho was brought frequently into communication with the heads of the French detective system, and ho has talked over the matter with them. He quite sympathises with tho dislike of the English colonies in those seas at tho prospect of a largo criminal population being discharged on Now Caledonia and other islands. Ho rominds ns, however, that the position of French statesmen is somewhat delicate, as the people ace exceedingly sensitive as to any interference of outsiders with their actions as to their colonics. (To do anything which would look like yielding lo a clamor from Englisn colonists, would be fatal to any politician in France. There are, however, considerations which might be represented to Franco, and which would receive duo weight. Firstly, Mr Vincent says that tho criminal annals of England show that a strict penal system is greatly bettor for the Sapprcssion of serious crime than a lax system of transportation, by which tho criminal is simply sent abroad, and may, m New Caledonia or elsewhere, lead a much easier life than in a penal establishment at Home. Next, the French people are anxious to havo colonies for tho formation of trade, bat Mr Vincent believes, that it might be shown to them that to send convicts to New Caledonia in numbers would ruin any prospect of that island or any other French settlement in these seas becoming colonies of any value in a commercial point of view. Mr Vincent says that however ignorant tho British people may be as to the colonies, tho French are infinitely more so. CJood might bo done by showing them the nature and extent of these colonies. Outhe federation question-Mr Vincent has conversed with the leading politicians of Canada. He says Iho experience of the Canadian colonics is that they have not lost any of their autonomy by fnli-raliou, while iu many respects they have gained.