CHARGES TO GRAND JURIES.

Evening Star, Issue 3780, 6 April 1875, Page 2

CHARGES TO GRAND JURIES.

The Criminal Sessions commenced at Auokand yesterday, when Mr Justice Gillies took his seat on the Bench for the first time. Mr Whitaker, on behalf of the members of the bar, made a short speech congratulating his Honor upon his elevation to the Bench. The charge to the Grand Jury was a very short tme. His Honor congratulated them upon the fact that, although the cases were numerous,, they were all light, and there wae ho questipn of law on which he need direct them. It was a remarkable fact that among the prisoners for trial there was not one of the newly-arrived Immigrants. A large proportion <?f the prisoners wero educated men. Charges of larceny prepondemted, but, as usual, there were several cases of forgery and uttering. He thought it extraordinary that men should commit gross criminal offences to release themselves from debts which were so easily* cancelled. He noticed that several old effeuaers figured agkln, and this suggested a grave question to the -iiegislature. _

Mr Justice Williams, in his charge to the Grand Jury at ChriStehutSh; referring to the frequent occurrence of forgery, said that ignorance was the parent of many crimes. Frauds however, required a certain amount of education to perpetrate successfully. As education was more widely diffused it was reasonably to be expected that crimes of violence would diminish, but it was unfortunate if crimes of fraud increased. Noble efforts were being made to promote education, but education to be-oom-plete must develop, the moral sentiments as well as the intellectual powers.' Children should be taught to admire what is moblo and generous, and detest what is meqn. We must iu fact, look to the education of the emotions! ..S welt-as ItheT.mechanical rctmi'v-'nts ol knowledge, If we wish to reap the fuU benefits of education as a preventive of crime, i • A