THE RECIDIVISTES BILL.

Colonist, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4122, 25 April 1885, Page 3

THE RECIDIVISTES BILL.

" (From the ' Post.') The Home papers ..received by the last mail enable us to understand more fully than -the scanty cable messages on the subject, the basis on which the Frenoh Legislative Chambers have passed the Eecidivistes Bill. On the final, division the Bill passed by 298 to 20, a decisive expression of opinion, which was considered surprising considering the strong protest which had been entered against the revival of transportation to the pestilential swamps of Cayenne and the outcry from the honest colonists of New Caledonia against the reception of any more convicts. " The truth is, however," says the Paris .correspondent of the ' Times,' ' that M. Waldeck Eousseau was studiously silent as to New Caledonia beyond half promising to restore to the colonists the territory assigned a few months ago for convict settlements. The demonstration of the want of ?pace and the hope of English consent to the annexation, of the New Hebrides, on condition of Australia being guaranteed against any danger from her new neighbors, appear to have brought about the abandonment, of the New Caledonia scheme. As to Cayenne, many who dislike the Bill hope it will prove a dead letter." It is evident from this that the Bill in "the shape in which it has been passed has been deprived of what we in this part of the world have considered its most objectionable features. Whether the elimination of the New Caledonia feature is due to the representations of the "honest colonists" of that island, or to;theprotests; of the^Eng'; lis'h colonists of Australasia, or to the expectation \\ of.- compensation i in ;the shape- of the , cession of the -New Hebrides, matters little. • It is satisfactory to learn that the Bill has been so". altered as to leave it, practically innocuous, as i far as these Colonies are concerned. This is what we have been'"/contending for, and although France has pretended to ignore our right to have a voice in-the matter, it is in the highest degree probablelhat our protest has had agood/effect. * It may be : asked^li^ the^ part of the scheme is cut out,^andisie Cayenne element is rlikely to prove a dead w how is the Act to be worked ? The answer to this is, that one clause provides that the first regulation, destined to prescribe the execution of the present law shall be promulgated- within six -months! at moat from the date of passing. This leaves it open;to the-Minister of the Department to decide in thai time what Colony shall be,;the destination >of the-convicts; and it is thought that if he shall not succeed-^-as is very likely—in. finding a suitable French [Colony or possession, or in framing (regulations on, the several difficult points which crop up, an amendment will be introduced allowing indefinite - detention in the French, Corsican, or Algerian penitentiaries. It is sincerely to be hoped i that this will be ithe course adopted.