IMMIGRATION AND CRIME.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 185, 12 January 1875, Page 4

IMMIGRATION AND CRIME.

(JVew Zealand Times.') k The colony certainly has reason to con grass tulate itself upon the criminal record which W has been presented on the various Supreme i Court circuits, as notified by telegraph in tof day’sissue. Everywhere the judges spoke of the absence of flagrant crime, and paid a high compliment tp the immigrants who have arrived in such large .numbers lately. If these had been even partially drafted from the ■ criminal classes, doubtless the result would have been very different; but their faults would appear to, have, been greatly magnified on arrival by,., local reporters, and undoubtedly in more . than _ one instance national and class prejudices were at the root of the unfavorable comments which appeared in certain newspapers, However, the police and gaol records are, in such matters, infallible guides to truth. To these records the immigrants may confidently appeal; and the Judges of the bnpreme Court, whose duty_ it is to take note of the state of crime in the colony, have now done them full justice. We are pleased, therefore, that reference was made to the Government immigrants by Judge Johnston yesterday, in his charge tb the Grand Jury, as well as by the Chief Justice at Auckland, and by Judges Richmond and Chapman in their respective Courts at Nelson and Dunedin, It was a generous recognition of a fact which some might be disposed, after reading depreciatory newspaper paragraphs from time to time, to doubt; and it was likewise due to the Agent-General, Dr Feather■ton, whose laxity of supervision has been made the very most of in the colony. If he had been as careless as one might reasonably suppose from all that has been said and written on the subject, a considerable sprinkling of the new arrivals would have been presented for trial at the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court before now. Their absence is a silent but significant protest against the detractions to which Dr Featherston has been subjected on their account. ; We cannot, however, conclude these general remarks without referring to quite another matter, arising out of what transpired at the Supreme Court yesterday. There was something like a general leave-taking by the Judges all over the colony. We shall say nothing of what took place elsewhere. In Wellington,ihowever, Judge Johnston bade “farewell,” and as might be expected from the circumstances of his long residence here, and bis discharge of the duties of Supreme Court Judge during the .whole of that period, he was considerably affected. He spoke with dignity and- feeling;-and we are certain that the Grand Jury, in their presentment expressing iregret that his Honor was about to remove . to. another part of the colony, was simply embodying the unanimous opinion of the public of the city and neighborhood. Mr Justice Johnston enjoys the confidence and respect of everyone, as a learned and humane judge, and a fearless and impartial administrator of the law. More we need not say; indeed, it would be almost superfluous to add,.that he enjoys the confidence of the public of Wellington, because he has earned it by the faithful and conscientious discharge of his duties for sixteen years amongst them. ", ; , - , ■ \ In conclusion, we have simply to express the hope that Mr Justice Johnston’s expectations regarding the future of Wellington may .be realised. The getting of money should, not be the sole or engrossing object of a free people. This community is undoubtr edly in a very prosperous state. . On all sides are {signs of progress. Wealth is accumulating, population is'increasing, and most fortunately for us, crime, in its most heinous forms;- does not exist. But these .circumstances,- so favorable in themselves,' should .induce caution. There are social duties and. .obligations of a weighty , nature which may r r nqt .f be ignored. Judge Johnston .indicated what those duties are, in his closing remarks to the Grand Jury, when he said, that he hoped to find, on revisiting., .Wellington,. fresh .evidences, not mereiy of . that material ’ prosperity in the enjoyment and prospect of which we are now .rejoicing, but also of such progress in education and general social culture as is indispensable lor the formation and development of public opinion;—of an intelligent, large.mimjedy far seeing, vigilant, vigorous, and honest public opinion,, without which the best contrived political institutions may degenerate into shams and snares, and without which even the wisest laws which can be devised cannot be wholesomely and effectively administered.” These words of the learned- judge leave nothing to be added. They .cover the whole ground of social and activity, and we trust they may be borne i$ mind, and acted upon by ourfellowpitizepf;..,,/; -