THE EXECUTION OF DEEMING

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 140, 23 May 1892, Page 2

THE EXECUTION OF DEEMING

THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE VISITS DEEMING. By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright [Plilt UNITED PRKSS ASSOCIATION | Melbourne, This Day. The Bishop of Melbourne visited Deeming yesterday at the latter's request. The convict expressed contrition, and stated he would not make a speech on the gallows, but would die protesting his innocence. Later. Deeming was hanged at 10 o'clock this morning, death being instantaneous. He made no statement, but merely said, " Lord receive my soul." DETAILS OF THE EXECUTION. PRISONER DIED PROTESTING HIS INNOCENCE. Melbourne, This Day. There were about 100 persons present at Deeming's execution, including the leading doctors and University professors, and the representatives of the English, Australian, and New Zealand press. At a few minutes to 10 the Deputy-Governor of the gaol entered, accompanied by the executioner, and proceeded to the convict's cell. After a prayer by the chaplain Deeming was pinioned, and punctually at 10 o'clock walked to the scaffold. He was slightly nervous, and twitched his head while the noose was being adjusted. In reply to the question whether he had anything to say, Deeming merely replied, " Lord receive my soul." His face was pale, but otherwise the doomed man seemed calm. After the drop fell there was not the slightest movement of the body. Deeming has left a statement with the governor of the gaol, but it is not believed to contain anything new. Up to an early hour this morning he continued to protest his innocence of the Kainhill murders. Judge Edward's Case HtS APPOINTMENT DISALLOWED. (P£R PRESS ASSOCIATION.) London, May 22. The decision in the Appeal case, Buckley v, Edwards, wasjgiven yesterday by Iho Judical Committee of the Privy Council. The case was brought by the Government of New Zealand to teat the validity of tho appointment of Mr Edwards as a Judgo of the Supreme Court, and the decision was in their favour. No costs allowed on either Bide.

Correspondence MODERATE AND SMALL HOLDINGS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAH. Sir — In taking up a small holding with any chance of success, first-class land is required. Secondly, the small holder must be near a local market, as ■ his business is on tod small a scale and ; he cannot afford time to wait for returns from the London market. Thirdly, the individual must be specially adapted for duties required, givup all !iis previous notions upon the eight hours system, and in most of his work his family, if he has one, must, in their spare time, assist As to villages, anyone who travels the country, with their eyes open, must have seen that they are getting out of date. It is well-known that the tendency of railway traffic is to centralise the short stages of coach and other traffic not being required. The Premier, in his speech here, might have pointed to other . deserted villages than Turakiua, where surrounding holdings are upon a i smaller scale than that village. The cause is easily seen. What chance ' has a small or moderate holder to improve his position, by producing butter and eggs, where every other one of his neighbours keeps a cow, and every householder keeps poultry ? The *cpense and loss of time in sending his limited amount of produce to a town and going their to transact his business, so deminishes his profits that he is obliged either to clear out or shift nearer a market. The working man has allowed almost the monopoly of the vegetable and fruit trade to fall into the hands of the Chinese, not because that business would not have paid him, but because he has no inclimation for the work. Life in a deserted village, if not absolutely demoralizing is very much like it. The saying that villages are neither town or country, and that things are more bearable and lively on a large station where individuals old and young have their daily occupation to attend to, is quiet true. In villages the boy and youth can have, with few exceptions, no aim in life, and in attending the State School they do so as if it were a task from which their inclination is to escape. This latter propensity they can indulge in to a full extent, a local policeman being thought too expensive forthepresentretrenchment policy. If a reading room, or library, be provided the tendency is to introduce cards or other sinful games. If the young view their education as a task to be avoided, any other occupation, whether physical or mental, will be viewed in the same light. Put a youth, brought up in this way, into a market garden ■o do light work for an hour or so, such as weeding, his nature would lead him either to distructiveness or to slum his work. Through men obtainin" work near their homes it is said that some the village settlt-ments have been successful, but if the only work going on in the country is sawmill and railway work, the former in time getting cut out, and railways requiring few permanent hands ; those villages, if far from a market, are bound to become deserted in course of time ; besides, unless extra work is provided the system must have the effect of depriving other working men of employment encamped in their tent or hut, especially so when the interloper is favored by State aid. Sir Robert Stout, who favors the scheme, and is looked upon by some as an oracle, is reported to have said that if village settlements had been more extensively gone into that the exodus to Australia might have been stopped. A statement of this sort might take in the thoughtless, or the working men of large towns who would favour this scheme and vote for it, but would almost as soon go to jail as to take up one of these small holdings, unless it was to obtain a rise for a time through aid from Government. Sir Robert Stout's proposal would have resulted in sowing broadcast villages all over the Colony, which were bound ultimately to become deserted, causing over competition in the labor market, and a consequent reduction of wages. Small holdings, I believe, will increase quite rapidly enough in this Colony, naturally. Any forcing against nature is a mistake. I am, etc., A Colonist.