The Invercargill Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1863.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 43, 7 April 1863, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1863.

In the earlier days of New Zealand colonisation, the amount of crime vrhich came under the cognizance of the police was so small, and the offences for the most, part of so trivial a character, that there appeared to be no want of a thoroughly well organised system of convict discipline. Each petty settlement was fully able to deal with its evil-doers, and but little difficulty was experienced m preventing their escape from custody. Bushranging and murder and the heavier classes of crime were all but unknown. Unfortunately for the colony lhat phase of its existence is numbered among the things of the past. The great richness of the gold-fields, coupled with the proximity of the Australian colonies, which are still troubled with a considerable portion of the leaven of the old English transportation system, has caused the advent of a host of men of the worst class — men whose colonial career has been a continual and systematic defiance of the law. New Zealand will have to struggle with a far larger proportion of crima than would have been the case had the immigration to her

shores been merely the result of the natural and ordinary operation of the great law which urges the men of old and densely-populated countries to seek for fresh fields for the exercise of their industry. In dealing with this most important subject the first duty of a Government must always be the prevention of crime, and, secondly, speedy detection and prompt and effectual punishment after its perpetration. It is of the latter we wish to speak on the present occasion, and we do so with the full conviction that many will regard our ideas as Utopian and premature. Under the present system, a crime committed m any one Province must necessarily be punished m that Province, and the consequence is, that as gaol accommodation throughout the colony is defective m the extreme, and the rate of pay which circumstances render it necessary to give to warders, &c, very high, a far largerexpense is incurred, and much less security is obtained than need be the case. Let us see by what means a change for the better might be effected. "We contend that there should be a central State Prison (we desire to confine Our remarks to the Middle Island) to which all long-sentence men should be sent, and that the Provincial Gaols — those models of excellence m every way — should be kept for the reception of persons awaiting their trial, or for prisoners undergoing those shorter terms of punishment awarded to the more trivial offences. Up to the present time, Southland has fortunately had the custody ofj no long-sentence men, but there is no saying how soon she may be called upon to take charge of a man, say of the Gardener or Garrett class, and great as the advantages are which the new gaol will possess over the old, we venture to say that its accommodation and security would not be found equal to the occasion. Nor are our neighbours m much better plight: it is true Otago has a strong and wellventilated gaol, but the expense of supervision is infinitely greater than would be the case under the plan which we propose. There is, moreover, a sad want of classification iv these Provincial Gaols, and that necessarily involves a very great injustice to such prisoners a3 have been convicted and sentenced for minor offences. Besides less expense, Jess chance of escape, and a better classification of prisoners, there would be secured a further advantage, which, of itself, should go fatto recommend the scheme to the wellwishers of the colony. The Middle Island State Prison might be placed m i a position where sonre great public j woik was required. There are m New j Zealand no want of s'.ich situations where convict labour might be employed for many years to the advantage of the colony at large. Are there no ] harbours which want improving — does the natural conformation of the country show no spots at which convict labour might be made use of m road and bridge making ? Of course there are the old arguments that by employing convicts on public works a great injustice is done to the free laborer, and also i that convict labour has been proved the most expensive that can be obtained. | To a certain extent, we are willing to admit the objections. But ho*v esc.-ipe J from the difficulty ? The convict is a part of the population, and m some shape or form should earn his briad, ;iml the best method of employing him is on ! great works of public utility, which may benefit the colony m a permanent manner. We do see a great unfairness m employing convict labour m such easily accessible positions as offer superior attractions to the free laborer — as, for instance, on works near towns ; but the objection does not hold good as regards the remoter inland parts of the colony, or on such works as from their nature, involve a more than ordinary share of hardship and exposure. J'ire we bring this article to a conclusion, there is another branch of the subject which demands our attention. Most of our readers are ay are of the general dissatisfaction which lias been caused m England and the Australian colonies by the injudicious use of what is known as the ticket-of-leave system. To r-o great an extent has this evil grown, that at the last Winter Assizes held at Nottingham, the grand jury, through their foreman, the Speaker of the House of Commons, addressed the presiding judge on the subject, and the following are some few ot the remarks made: — " \ v e do not trouble your Lordship with details, but cases have been placed before us of criminals sentenced te a term of penal servitude, soon after at large, again convicted, and sentenced to a longer term of penal servitude; again, speedily at large, a^nd again convicted. These early remissions of penal sentences do not appear to us to be reconcilable with any principle which ought to guide the administration of justice. Daring and hardened criminals, thus let loose upon society, become the leaders m the worst cases of violence and outrage." To the class mentioned m the foregoing sentences belong a fair sprinkling of those who have come over to New Zealand during the last two years for the ostensible object of gold mining, for the real object of plundering those who may be so unfortunate as to fall into their hands. It is to be hoped that that system will never be allowed to come into operation m this colony, but that, where a man has incurred by his crimes a long sentence, he may be compelled m all cases to complete the term of his punishment before he is again liberated. We said that our views might be considered premature, but without doubt Spring will bring with it a large increase of the criminal population, not only to Otago, but unquestionably to Southland, and gradually but surely these rascals will find their way into all the settlements. The capture of criminals m this Island is not, we should imagine, so difficult a matter as it is in™ Australia ; but the question is, when you have secured your man and convicted him, how will you best keep him during the -terra of his sentence ?

The following paragraph taken from the letter of the Southland correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, and published m that journal on the 4th April, contains several deliberate and malicious falsehoods. No one knows better than the writer that his statements are untrue :— -" Most trades are represented now, some, perhaps, m too great numbers, though, there are capital openings yet, such as a good job printing establishment, connected with a book -binder. I understand the government cannot get its Ordinances printed fast enough, although, both the newspapers arc employed ; last session some of the bills had to be sent up to Dunedin to be printed ; while there is not a bookbinder m the town, everything requiring to | be bound being sent either to Dunedin or Australia, which is extremely inconvenient." All the Ordinances and other papers sent by the government to the Invehcabgill Tim es printing office, have been done m ample time ; upon one occasion, the Council papers received at this office at 11 a.m. vrere printed and delivered by 4 p.m. on same day, and m fact all the government work and three times as much could have been got through had the government chosen to send it to us. If any printing was sent a way to be done m Dunedin, we can only say that there was not the slightest occasion for such a course. As regards his statement about book-binding, the writer of the letter we are alluding to, is again taxing his Imagination to the utmost. We will not now make this gentleman's name public, but should ho again so far forget himself as to publish deliberately false statements about the capabilities of our office, he may expect a rap on tlie nuckles. The following is a list of persons confined m Her Majesty's Gaol, Tnvercargill, during the week ending 4th April, 1863 :—Discharged, 2 ; awaiting trial, 5; at present remaining, 10. The Lady Bird is, we understand, to be added to the list of steamers m the New Zealand coasting trade. There will be plenty for her to do. Information was received 3'estcrday Morning by the police, that a box belonging to Mr Lee, of the Provineinl Cafe, had been broken open and nearly LIOO m money, a chain an d two small nuggets stolen. It appears that on Sunday afternoon Mr Lc-e 'left' his ' preniesis at four o'clock, having a short time previously deposited the money m a box upstairs. On going to the chest yesterday morning, the money had been abstracted as related above. There is, up to the /present time, we believe, no clue to the thief. Captain Jarvcy of the Titania states that he was not permitted by the Postmaster to carry the mail to Dunedin as? he has usually done, that honor being reserved for the Lady Bird. The worthy Captain appeared much put out about it. Lake Wakritip is to have the advantage of a newspaper m a very short time ; judging fitmi tiie very extended field they have for their operation?, and their well-known pluck and business habits, %vo are pretty sure the proprietors will be successful m their undertaking. I The rain that has recently fallen has, up to the present time, done but -vittlc liana to ihe work 'going on m Tay-strect, but should it continue much Imicrer we fear the street will be almost impassable. We bc-j; to c.-ill the attention of the merchant.*, &c\. of Invcroargill, ,to the fact that we nre about to publish a Daily Mail Gazette, v/h-c'i will on tain, besides all necessary information regarding the Mails, the causelist of tlie 11. M. Courts, daily tides, arrivals and departures of shipping for Invercargill and for the 11 luff , when practicable. Last night Miss Harriet Gordon was to have given one of her entertainment*, but the we:it]icr totally prevented 0113" one stepping out of '100-'s ; consequently there was no concert. To-night, wo hope, will be more satisfactory to the public of Invercirgill and the fair songstress. At a.:i early hour on Saturday morning a prisoner, undergoing twelve months' imprisonment m the gaol, succeeded m making Ills ( scape, the only instruments used bc-in.cr two small gimlets. It -would appear that the prisoner must have made several small hol c m the floor of his cell with the gimlets, and afterwards pulled up the boards, which enabled him, by displacing the clay, to crawl under the joists until he reached the door and. by removing the foot-step, succeeded m effecting his escape. The Liverpool Post m a late issue, gives the following Macoronic versification : — Pocta nascitur— -non fit. — "Howe-." Beurrier ditto. — French. Pnmum lUitteyranum en no, i Qui visit m via Dawsoni, Sedit m pulpito suo Avec ses Barnacles super nasum "fit turndowibus coll aria so natty. Ibi ivcipit argentum et auruni, Atque nova coppcrcoina distribuit Ad costomeri gui emunt Buttyram iSuis, Tout le mondc purchase Son Beurre pee ct son heurre frais Ambo sunt capital. Melledulcior Hunt Buttyrii Kellii. Formosa^ sunt puellre quoe milkent Les belles vaches gui donnent dv lait Due queloe Buttyrii Kellii formatur. Buttcrus Ycllowus gum vendit. Octivorum pencium cst tres bon mache Sod Buttyrus optimus uni shillingc Excellentissimum cst ! O KELLIUS, mi puer tv os>trampus. Brickus concentratus sublimatus Xt nn mistakon. In "Loco " Buttery i Super longum counterums sunt all sorts displayed—Tempting veritabile appclitum Canamus ct Laudamus Kellii ' Uenefiictornm toto Liverpudeio. I Qui sells Butteryum cheap etbonnm, lit omnibus dat capital weight !