A “WEE” DOSE OF STATISTICS FOR PROEESSOR MACKENZIN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2164, 1 June 1914, Page 4

A “WEE” DOSE OF STATISTICS FOR PROEESSOR MACKENZIN.

' :gj r —Professor Mackenzie in his'advocacy 'quotes- 'only the first lino of tho, ,cpple;t—. "Tempora mutantur, .lijjs fit, niutairrar :' in" lilts;''' 1 • : •' ■'* ; Qtioinodo ? fit , semper., .tempore pejor r : homo." • ' _ '■ Had ho quoted -- tho whole,.couplet in .this connection ho would have followed, tho csamplo of tho student who, in spite of what he was trying to, say to the contrary, told us that the Church was going to be tho university, for thb couplet would mean that morality is, declining under tho change that introduced secularism as,tho compulsory principle of education. •Tho professor need .not ,go. far .afield with Sir Robert .Stqyt , to . dig up statistics. On Pago 280,0f tho fcar 'Book lie will find figures dealing with tho numbor of persons imprisoned after conviction year by year for twenty years' past. In each case for the purposo of comparison the' proportion.'of such,per-' soils per '10,00.0 'persons isj , calculated and given. Tho figures for the decade 1893-1902 are shown in ono column' and thoso for tho decado 1903-1912 arc given in', another, alopgsi.de.. A" glance.,will show that tho be3t year of tho second decade was worse than each of six years of tho first'decado and that tho worst year of tho'earlier decade was bot•tor than each , of seven, years . of tho second decado; also that the best year of tho earlier decado was not approached by any year of the second decado, and that the worst of,, the pecond decado was not touched by any years of the earlier. If the glance is not sufficient a simple computation will show that the average of tho yearly yields of the former decade is 28.<lti, whilst that of tho second rises to 32.23. Tho iu-crease-of- criminality- is -thoroforo-'ob-. vious. Tho figures cry aloud to tho professor and Sir Robert.Stout in opposition of their arguments in defence of secularism. ( It is useless'for'them to refor to New South Wales,.-., Here', Ave como across greater figures', "and it is rashly concluded that tho examploof New South Wales is to bo avoided. But Now South MaloS had a much m'oro .unfavourable start than Now Zealand had, Tho figures testify to this fact, but they also testify to tho fact of a grand improvement in comparison of which Now Zealand has nothing to offer, Starting from 189G and ending with 1900 the New ; South Walos proportions run:— 75.1, 67.5, GG.2, 59.7, 57.0, 58.1, 5.1.7 55.8, 50.6, 45.7, 42.4. Theso figures show during tho abovo years a most romarkablo and steady decrease of'crime. I am sorry tho figures after tho year 190fi arc not accossiblo to mo and should be, glad if you .could kindly supply thorn. At anyrate tho conclusion tho statistics point ; to is the fact that Now South Wales is rapidly emptying ■ prisons, Whilst New Zealand is slowly but surely filline them. Is ,it not wisn.

thoreforo, to tako a hint from NewSouth Wales? —I am. etc., NISI DOMINUS. 23rd May, 1914.