THE Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1875.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4028, 15 January 1875, Page 2

THE Otago Daily Times. FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 1875.

The Howard Association, which was instituted under the Presidency of the late Lord Brougham, has lately issued its annual report. With commendable prudence the managers have avoided anything like extremes—have, indeed, contented themselves with recommending remedies and improvements in criminal treatment, which are acceptable to all philanthropists. The past year has been remarkable at home for the outbreak of a peculiarly brutal and savage kind of crime. From one end of England to another the papers have been full of accounts of outrages perpetrated by semi-savage men upon women, children, and dumb animals. Of course such an outbreak as this was to be noted. If possible a cure must 7oe devised. Experimentalists in the field would be inclined to recommend some novel and exceptional punishment. So soon as ever a new crime breaks into existence a hundred voices are sure to declare that flogging is the cure. Not so with the Howard Association, which has learned by long years of practice the best methods of penal treatment and crime prevention. While amateurs in the art of crime extinction recommend sensational remedies, this association contents itself with suggesting that, " after fair warnings, the sentences upon determined offenders should gradually cumulate upon some such scale as three days, a week, a fortnight, a month, three, six, nine, eigh teen, to two years." An instance is given of a man at Liverpool, who was brought before the Magistrates for the 127 th time, and a woman at Bow street who had to answer a 56th time for her misdeeds. It must be plain to everyone that the frequency of the culprit's reappearance in these cases betokens an indifference to the punishment inflicted which requires correction.

Although we in Otago have not suffered from the graver disease, and have not had to lament an outbreak of brutalism as at home, and in some measure in Victoria, there is no doubt that there is room here for improvement in administering punishment to a certain class of offenders. Every week

—almost every day—old offenders, either drunkards or disorderly women, are brought up before the Magistrate, and fines, with their alternative, inflicted. It may seem a too stern punishment for a trivial offence; but we conceive it would prove effective and economical to inflict a sentence of a year or two's imprisonment upon some of those who are perpetually sin-

inner. The argument of the Ho ward Association report speaks of these x-ecurring plagues of our Police Courts thus :■— " A second class of offenders also require longer sentences—that large proportion, of the inmates of our borough and county Gaols who for slight offences persistently continued are committed dozens and scores of times in succession to prison—in and out—in and out, like water through the gills of a fish. These misdemeanants—sic—are neither deterred nor reformed, while their lax treatment produces incalculable mischief among those s-ctions of the population who frequent the borderland of crime." The impresI sion thus conveyed is—" We need not cherish any dread of either magistrates or prisons. All the costly parade of arrest and trial will only end in a few days or weeks in -gaol, and after a few committals we don't care for anything they can do to us." An association like this speaks with a great deal of authority upori: such a matter. More especially it is satisfactory to notice that although started with the notion that the deterrent element in punishment was of little or no value, and that reformation was the one thing worth seeking after, they have been obliged in deference to the imperious decrees of human nature to modify this view. In the very same report we notice a curious inconsistency which shows that there are on the Committee two parties, one of which does not even now believe in deterrent punishment. Treating of the crimes of violence and cruelty to women, children, and dumb animals, they speak of five shilling fines and a few months' imprisonment as miserably inadequate. They urge severer sentences upon these offenders, as not only demanded as a just retribution, but also on account of preventive efHcaey, and as a policy of mercy to the weak and unprotected. So far so good. No one who is not the victim of maudlin sentiment can doubt the excellence of such an argument. At the end of the report, however, speaking of the " punishing of the law," the Committee declare that the capital penalty does not diminish crime, and that the gallows has had very little effect except to stimulate crime — (italics our own). The absurdity of the argument is clear. If a year's imprisonment has an excellent deterrent effect, is it not reasonable to suppose that capital punishment would deter also 1 If loss of liberty on the part of a ruffian is a protection to the weak and unprotected, a Jortiori we should suppose that loss of life was a still greater protection. The Howard Association present some very excellent remarks upon the value of prison labour, not only as a saving to the public purse, but also as a help to prison discipline. Just in proportion, it seems, as the convicts in Bodmin and Devonport work hard, are the punishments inflicted by the gaol authorities few in number.

Upon this point we have reason to congratulate ourselves that we need no teaching. The Dunedin Gaol—thanks to the management of its Governor may teach rather than learn from Eugland. Whatever our difficulties maybe, owing to the inconvenient buildings we are compelled to use, in classing prisoners, a great deal has been done,

and a really progressive step has been made in dealing -with our convicts by keeping them at hard work.

It cannot be denied, however, ,ihat there is much still to be learned as to the best way of dealing with crime. Short sentences to old offenders, for-in-stance, are obviously and absurdly valueless,- the sooner we take to a more rational plan of dealing with such the better. It is plain that, both in England and Victoria, a strong reaction is taking place against that leniency of treatment which becwne fashionable some years since. No clearer evidence of this can be adduced than the report of this Society, which was organised when far other tendencies were abroad. ~

The Albion, with the Suez Mail on board, may be expected at the Bluff to-day.

The Rev. Mr Waters made a mis-state-ment of facts at the meeting of the Presbyterian Synod yesterday, during the discussion of some matters in connection with the appeal case Gillies v. Bannerman. He said that the reports in the daily papers did not contain all that was said at the meeting of the Clutha Presbytery, "as for a time the repot ters were absent making themselves comfortable, it being a cold night." The reports certainly did not contain all that was said, and newspaper-readers and the members of the Presbytery may congratulate themselves upon the fact. The statement that "the reporters were absent making themselves comfortable" is unture. Thefact of having sat for hours in a cold and cheerless building, and the unbusinesslike manner in which the proceedings were carried on, no doubt made the reporters anxious to absent themselves, but they only did so for a short time to enable them to send telegrams to Dunedin.

Our article of yesterday upon the burning of the Cospatrick contains one misstatement, which, however, does not in the slightest degree affect the argument advanced. In searching through the Passenger Act we missed the schedule containing the sizes of boats to be carried by vessels, and hence inferred that in accordance with the 27th section of the Act, the question of the boat's capacity was left to the decision of the inspecting officer. It is, however, otherwise, the sizes of the boats to be carried are clearly set forth amongst the schedule of the Merchant Shipping Act, whilst section 292 provides that of the boats carried by a passenger ship one must be a life-boat. At the same time the carrying capacity of the boats provided for by the Act falls short even of our estimated average in yesterday's article.

Yesterday morning the members of the Dunedin Volunteer Artillery competed for the Challenge Belt. The weather was not very favourable for good shooting, being rather dull, with a strong wind blowing across the range. Gunner Curie was the winner, with a score of 47.

The case of A. R. Hay v. Hogg and Hutton and Somervell, which has exclusively occupied the time and attention of the Su. preme Court for the last three days, was brought to a close yesterday. After a retirement of five hours, the Jury brought in answers to all the issues.

There has been much discussion among our local astronomers in regard to a portion of the speech delivered by Professor Peters at the dinner to the Transit of Venus parties by the Otago Institute. One who was at the dinner informs us that that portion of the speech, the accuracy of which has been disputed, was exactly as reported. Professor Peters said that "The angle which they had to ascertain, was equal to an angle formed by a hair extended at a distance of 8000 ft. They had to measure the thickness oi a Human hair at a distance of 8000 ft." Our informant tells us that it was remarked at the table at the time that Professor Peters made a mistake not through an erroneous conception of facts, because the matter was a simple one to him, but he was evidently thinking of some other calculation. The Professor quoted his statement from Herschel. Herschel's statement, which is made in his " Outlines of Astronomy," is that the angle to be ascertained is equal to an angle subtended by a human hair at a distance of about 125 feet. The distance has been calculated here lately at 172 feet, but the calculator must have had a thick hair or a thick head.

The Otago representatives go North today. They leave town by the 12.15 train. All those who have qualified will go, with the exception of Volunteer Nightingale. The Southland members arrived by coach last evening, and the representative of Oamaru is also in town j so that the Otago men go as a united body from Otago, under the command of Captain Goldie. The match takes place at the Thames on Monday, the 25th of the month. Our men will thus have very little time. It will be Friday, the 22nd, before they get to Auckland ; Saturday, the 23rd, before they get to the Thames ; so that they will have only Sunday to recover themselves from the sea voyage, and no time to practise or to accustom themselves to the peculiarities of climate. These things give the Northern men a great advantage over them.

There is now in the Lunatic Asylum a female patient 80 years old.

The General Government has declined to purchase the University Building.

Ideas as the powers of apprehension and comprehension of the mind of youth do not always appear to be exact. The Rev. Mr Gillies said at the Synod last evening that after he had given special services for young people, members of his youthful congregation told him that they understood his usual services better.

His Honour the Superintendent, the Provincial Secretary, and the Provincial Treasurer, with the architect, Mr Ross, lately inspected the concrete cottages at Hill Side being erected for immigration purposes by the Provincial Government on the railway reserve there. The gentlemen, we learn, expressed themselves as highly pleased with the buildings and arrangements. One of the cottages is now occupied, there are two others nearly completed, and the remainder, with one exception, are ready for roofing. They will all be finished in about a fortnight. Not only do these concrete cottages give satisfaction as to accommodation, but they compare most favourably with wooden cottages in point of cost, being not only more durable and less needing repair, but actually less expensive to erect. They are certainly to be classed under the head of reproductive works, as they, like the wooden cottages for immigrants at Kensington, will return a handsome percentage on the outlay. In regard to a letter signed "A Human! Being," which appeared in our issue of yesterday, we have ascertained the following.) facts. Both lying-in wards of the Hospital have been closed four or five weeks past. It was absolutely necessary to close them, not only that they might be put into a proper state of repair, but because fever had been brought into both wards by some not very clean female immigrants. The Hospital authorities having been compelled to close the lying-in wards, did so for as short a time as possible. The wards had to be exten. sively repaired, also cleaned and fumigated, and it waß not till Wednesday evening las* that they could be open ; and it was late on that evening, for the first time since they

had been closed, that the first patient was admitted. It was on Monday that the woman referred to in the letter of yesterday made application to be admitted. It was impossible then that she could be admitted, as the wards were in confusion, and tradesmen were at work in', them. There was no other part of the Hospital in which such a case could be accommodated. It would not do to admit such cases to the other female wards. The lying-in wards have now been repaired, thoroughly cleansed, fumigated, and ventilated, and are open to take in any who may apply. Instead of getting a gruff refusal, it was explained to the woman that, however urgent her case, she could not be admitted. The circumstances under which the Hospital authorities were placed were fully explained to her. Not only had admission to be declined in this case, but in others during the past four or five weeks. Of course, it fortunately rarely happens that the whole of the lyingin portion of the Hospital has to be closed at once, and this with the fact that there was no other part of the Hospital in which such cases could be accommodated, puts the matter in a very different light from that of "A Human Being."

The first hour of [meeting of the Presbyterian Synod yesterday was devoted to religious services. On the casting vote of the Moderator, Mr A. G. Boyd was allowed to continue his theological studies under the Clutha Presbytery. In the discussion on the printed document referring to the case Gillies v. Bannerman, the Eev. Mr Waters said the published reports of the Glutha Presbytery's proceedings should not be taken as correct, because the reporters - the night being cold—were away for a time making themselves "comfortable." The reports on Church Extension and Sabbath Schools were adopted. A report in extenso appears elsewhere.

Yesterday atternoon a disreputable woman named Kate Ryder, while sitting at the edge of a bank in Clark street, drunk, said something to a man passing by, ■whose name the police have not ascertained, and he, being annoyed, deliberately threw her over the bank, a depth of 12 feet. She fell on her head, and sustained such injuries as necessitated her removal to the Hospital.

A correspondent, informing us of the election of a School Committee for the Kaikorai educational district, the result of which we have already published, says : "The attendance was small, not more than twenty persons being present. The apathy evinced by the inhabitants of the district ought not be shown, on the ground of general satisfaction with the retiring Committee. When a Committee has faithfully discharged its duties, it has a right to expect that at the annual meeting the parents of the children will, by their attendance, show their appreciation of the services of those to whom they have entrusted the supervision of the education of their offspring. Mr Sheriff is the only new member. He occupies the place vacated by Mr Wales, M.H.R, who declined to be nominated in consequence of business engagements being likely to prevent his attendance at meetings during the ensuing year."

The Otago representatives who have qualified themselves to take part in the Colonial prize-firing at the Thames, which commences on the 29fch instant, are as follow:—Sub Lieutenant M'Kenzie, and Lieutenant Marshall, Wakari; Lieut. M'Laren, South District Rifles; Capt. Goldie, and Lieut. Wilson, P.C.N.8.; Vol. Richardson, North Dunedin; Vol. Nightingale, No. 1 ; Vol. Christie, East Taieri ; Lieut. Blatch, West Taieri; Sergt. Thoin3on, and Gunner Kingswell, Inv. Artillery; and Vol. Morris, Oamaru. They will proceed by the steamer Wellington, for the North, to-day ; and we trust they will be as successful as heretofore, last year, of course, excepted.

There is to be a cricket match between the Artillery Band and the Arhillm-y firnnnany on Saturday week, the 23rd inst. The match excites a good deal of interest on both sides, aad a stern combat for victory is anticipated.

Major Atkinson inspected the East Taieri Company on Wednesday evening. There were present:—Captain Andrew, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant, and 15 volunteers, out of a tota^ strength of 32. Most of those in the ranks being recruits, the drill was principally the ordinary squad drill.

The annual statutory meeting of ratepayers in Oamaru, for the election of a new School Committee, was held on Monday evening, in the Grammar School. The attendance was small as compared with previous years. The report and balance-sheet were unanimously adopted, both being satisfactory, the latter showing a credit balance of upwards of £120. Fifteen gentlemen were nominated to be members of Committee ; the following are the names of those elected :—Messrs Mainlind, G. Sumpter, H. Aitken, N. Fleming, T. Bee, A. T. S. Hendland, Thos. Hislop, J. Thomson, and R. Thompson.

A meeting of lumpers was held at Crickmore's Hotel, Port Chalmers, on Wednesday evening, for the purpose of co-operation, and. to establish a benefit society upon the same principle as that of the lumpers of Melbourne. The meeting was but sparsely attended, and Mr Purt being voted to the chair, opened the proceedings by briefly stating the objects in view, one of which was "to exclude the crews of vessels in which lumpers were employed from assisting at discharging or loading. The idea was very favourably received, as also was the proposition of a benefit society, so that" in case of accident or sickness members might receive substantial assistance. It was resolved to adopt the rules of the Melbourne Society, which, with a little alteration to meet local requirements, were pronounced very suitable. A committee of eight was appointed to arrange preliminaries and provide for the holding of another meeting early next week.

We lately received from Messrs Reith and Wilkie a sample of the " Inexhaustible Magic Inkstand." The peculiarity of this inkstand is that it manufactures its own ink —that is, a supply of water occasionally is all that is necessary to produce ink for any length of time. The ink appears to be of first-class quality, and it is claimed for it that it is indestructible by acids, and does not injure the pen. The stands are made of all sizes and patterns, and range in price from ninepence to thirty shillings. The invention is certainly a useful one, and besides being well adapted for ordinary use, the magic inkstand should be invaluable to travellers.

At the Port Chalmers Police Court yesterday the two seamen, Hans Nelson and Frank Hasman, remanded on a charge of deserting from the ship Janet Cewan, were each sentenced to 12 weeks' imprisonmeut with hard labour. John Baker, charged with drunkenness, was fined 10s, with the usual alternative.

The Arrow Observer gives the following account of an accident to the mail coach on Friday last:—" It seems that shortly after leaving Arrowtown one of the horses became restive, and ultimately bolted while going down Patterson's Hill. Mr Parsons strove hard to keep the team in hand, and when he saw there was a likelihood of danger, told the only passenger, Mr Sproule, of Mount Ida, who was on the box' to jump, which he did, fortunately without Bnstaining any injury. Mr Parsons still stuck to his horses, but, while crossing a little gully, one of the wheels ' bursb,' and the conveyance of course capsized, the driver with it. It is supposed one of the wheels struck him on the head, as when Mr Sproule

went np to him he was lying on his back covered with blood. Mr Parsons was quickly removed to Mr M'lntyre's, near whoße farm the accident happened, and from thence was conveyed in Mr Patterson's trap to the New Orleans Hotel, Arrow. Fortunately, no bones are broken, and a few days will probably see the sufferer about again. After the upset, which completely smashed the coach, the horses went off a couple of miles with the - fore-carriage, clearing three or four fences in their mad career. It is matter for congratulation the result is no worse, and we hope it will lead to only such horses being used in the mail coaches as can be thoroughly relied upon.

The Kennedy Family of Scottish vocalists have lately been giving their entertainment in Tasmania with great success.

We are pleased to be able to state that Miss Alice May has quite recovered from her indisposition, having benefited greatly by a week's residence at West Taieri. The Company will open in Danedin on Monday next, when " Martha" will be produced.