The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, 13th JULY, 1866

Dunstan Times, Issue 220, 13 July 1866, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, 13th JULY, 1866

‘Beneath the rule of men entirely just, thi pen is mightier than the swokd!”

The late diabolical murders at the West Coast, have created an immense sensation amongst the residents in the mining districts, of this Province. It was thought, and naturally so, that whatever disadvantages the New Zealand goldfields might labor under, at all events, there existed that security to life unattainable on the continent of Australia; it was also thought that the felon element was small within us, or at least, from the natural peculiarities of the country, and the strict police surveillience—that know bad characters from Australia—were under, would prevent any very serious offences against the security of life and property, But, alas, we have been greviously deceived, deeds of blood and acts of unheard of cruelty, have been perpetrated almost in the midst of a thronged population. On the high road between a goldfield and one of the chief Provincial cities; four men are deliberately butchered in broad daylight, and their bodies buried on the scene of their murder; at another place, a young man, in the very prime of his life, and..-V;ouVing an appom'tmeiur Tfs a Government surveyoi, whilst engaged in the performance of his duties in opening up tracks to the various mining localities, is also waylaid and murdered; not for the purpose of of any wealth that he might have had on his person, but apparently for the mere offence—if such it may called—of being mistaken for a well-known gold buyer; the villianous gang, now in custody, at Nelson, wantonly spilling his blood in vexatious disappointment At missing their intended victim. For the presence in New Zealand of such deeply dyed scoundrels as Burgess, Kelly, Sullivan, and Levy, we are indebted to that maudlin sympathy which of late has taken possession of most civilized communities. Giving the accused the benefit of any doubt, may be all very well for a class of criminals who may be on their trial for a first offence, or who there is a reasonable probability that, after incarnation, they will return again to the paths of virtue and propriety, but unfortunately there are few of such, and our experiences justify us in asserting, that there exists a class of men whose hand is constantly against their fel« lows, and whose sole purpose in life seems to be one continual war with society and mankind in general. Where it is impossible for the Government to afford that security to life and property as would be the case in old established countries, there is wanting something more than waiting for the actual commission of<a crime, before the offender can be arrested, we know very well that we have a large criminal class amongst us, and that upon the the first opportunity they will either murder or steal, we know equal'y well, that as the tiger thirsts for the blood of its innocent victim, so do such men as Burgess, Sullivan, Kelly, and Levy thirst for the blood of those whose worldly possessions they may desire to possess; and being fully alive to the fact, that there do exist such miscreants, and who are daily

jostling us in the streets, whyj should we not possess the power toj hold them as hostages for the better security of society'* everyone is aware that if a wild beast is let, loose from a cage, that it will seek , to f destroy, upon thejffirst oppor- i tunhy presenting itself; whilst,} unfortunately for us, in our very! midst there are be’ngs, in the form I of man, far more cruel and unre-1 lenting, and only lacking thej occasion to display their natural, ferocity. With such a state of j society, no one can say that his I life is worth a days purchase, and l we think that till a radical inprovetakes place, and the country is rid of the large criminal class now infesting it, that the Government would be perfectly justifiable in providing for the future good conduct and safe custody of all well well-known bad characters. An old saying has it that “ prevention is better than cure,” and with men of the Sullivan and Levy s'amp safe within the walls of our prisons there will be something like a state of security for life and property, while at the same time we shall be spared the horrifying accounts of any more diabolical occurences such as the late Nelson murders. We understand that an Auctioneer will shortly commence business in Clyde. Mr Cope, a well-known resident in the Dunstarrhas petitioned the’Snperintendent for a special meeting of tie Executive for the purpose of obtaining an auctioneer’s license. Mr Cope expects to be in a position to conduct sales in the course of a fortnight. A Court for the revision of the citizens roll of Clyde, was held at the Court House, Clyde, on Thursday last, by H. W. Eobertson, Esq., E.M. The names of) seven persons were objected to, but only I three were sustained, one name was added | to the roll. \J On Tuesday last, at tire Police Barracks,, Clyde, Constable Carrol was presented! with the Police order of merit to-j getherj with badge, also a gratuity of j ■Elh, in consideration dl'liis' gallant con duct in rescuing from a dangerous eddy in the i-iver Molyneux, the body of a lunatic prisoner. Constable Carrol is the second person in the police force who has been thus honored. A large number of persons were present on the occasion ancTloudly cheered the gallant constable. We are requested by the Secretary of the Alexandra School-Committee to state that the proceeds of the late ball at the Royal-Mail Hotel, in aid of the School funds, amount to the handsome sum of £53. The Committee of the’Dunstan Hospital would be glad to receive donations of books for the use of patients. Donations of such can be forwarded’ to the office of this paper.