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New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 39, 24 September 1903, Page 30

On the 10th August, 1853, Van Dieman's Land cele- ' brated the official notification of the abolition of transportation, and medals v%ere struck in honor of the event. By a strange coincidence it was also the jubilee of the colony, and it was further marked by a change in the name of the island. Van Dieman's Land disappeared and was leplaced by Tasmania. The people passed out of Ihe darkness into the light of freedom and free institutions. We have no desire (says the ' Monitor ') to dwell upon the dark days of long, long ago, further than to recall to our readers the part the Catholic Church took in supressing inhumanity and improving the social condition of the people. The then Bishop of Hobart (Dr. Willson) made a personal investigation of the system, and as a result demanded reform. There can be little doubt lhat the opinions expressed by the Bishop carried great weight with the Imperial authorities and led to reform. Under the new constitution the destiny of the colonywas placed in the keeping of the people.