The Globe. FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1298, 17 May 1878, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1878.

In yesterday’s telegrams it was stated that negotiations between the Vatican and England to establish diplomatic relations have boon suspended from a failure to agree upon a basis. In connection with this subject the following Paris telegram to the Times, dated March 25th, maybe interesting as showing the manner in which the Pope communicates with foreign powers:—“ The ALonde, the Papal Nuncio’s organ, states that the Pope notified his accession to Switzerland directly, to Germany through the Nuncio and the German Ambassador at Munich, and to Russia through the Nuncio and the Russian Ambassador at Vienna. The notification to England was either through Cardinal Manning or through the Nuncio and the British Ambassador at Paris. An English Minister or high functionary of the Court always replies through the same medium, a law still in force prohibiting any direct communication between the Sovereign and the Pope; and on this occasion the reply written on behalf of the Queen of England was very courteous, and even, perhaps, more cordial than the direct acknowledgments of other Sovereigns. To the Sultan the announcement was made without any special letter, the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople being commissioned to inform his Majesty.” In the Resident Magistrate’s Court the other day, a man was brought up charged with a criminal assault upon a little girl under most distressing circumstances. The girl deposed that she was only ten years of age, and was attending the Gloucester street school, of which the accused, J. Woodford, was till lately one of the masters. On the day named—last Saturday—she said that she was playing about the grounds with several other children, when the accused came from the street into the school, took her into one of the rooms and criminally assaulted her. After hearing the medical and other evidence, the Magistrate committed the accused for trial at the next criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, and fixed bail in two sureties in the sum of £IOO each, and the accused in £2OO, Our object in calling attention to such a case at all Is to direct public notice to the amount of bail the Magistrate has thought proper to fix. In deciding on the sum named, Mr Mellish must of course have thought that it was sufficient to ensure the appearance of the accused on the day of trial. It is not for us to say whether it is or not. We, nevertheless, cannot help expressing astonishment at the smallness of the bail in the case under notice. The prisoner stood accused of one of the most revolting crimes a man can commit —a crime which, unfortunately, is by no means uncommon in those colonies. If the accused is really guilty, the punishment which awaits him is of a character to strike terror into the most callous, and there are few who would not avoid such a fate if possible. Wo ask therefore has the Magistrate not laid himself open to the charge of giving facilities to evade the ends of justice ? If Woodford is guilty of the crime with which he stands charged, will he not be greatly tempted not to make his appearance when the day of trial comes ? A person admitted to bail is at liberty to go where he chooses till the day of trial. It is true that it is lawful for the Justice by whom ho shall have been held to bail if he shall see fit, upon the application of the prosecutor or of one of the sureties or either of the sureties of such person, and upon information being made in writing and upon oath by the prosecutor or sgroty, or some person on their behalf, that the person so bailed is about to abscond for the purpose of evading justice, to issue Ids warrant for the arrest of such person so bailed, and after being satisfied that the ends of justice would otherwise be defeated to commit such person to gaol till his trial. Infixing the bail at £2OO only, we are convinced that Mr. Mellish has shown great want of iudgmeut, and the effect upon the public blind cannot be other than injurious. When people SW heavy bail required iu

ono case, and a comparatively small sum in another, they naturally ask wherein consists the difference ? Why is it necessary that almost prohibitory bail should bo required in some cases, say of forgery or embezzlement, and cuch a small amount in the case under notice P The only answer, as far as we can see, which can bo given, is that the difference depends on the caprice of the Resident Magistrate himself. Wo search in vain for any other guiding principle. Nor is the case under notice a solitary ono. The public are continually being startled by the perplexing variety of the Magistrate's decisions. At ono time ho is unaccountably lenient in his judgments, at another ho strikes terror into the breasts of all who come into contract with him, by going to the opposite extreme. Wo do not for a moment, of course, charge the Resident Magistrate with doing an inteutional injustice to any one, but wo do hold that he has given ample proof since ho came to Christchurch of an utter want of judgment in some cases, and of an infirmity of temper in others. It is perhaps, therefore, his misfortune, not his fault, that ho is continually wounding the sense of justice in the public mind, and making people wonder why ho has not himself sought to be removed to some other sphere of usefulness, where he would bo less likely to do harm.

To show the spirit which actuates the volunteer force at home, it is stated by a London paper that one-fourth of tho Volunteer Engineers in Exotor at a meeting held there, gave in their names for foreign service, and the whole of tho remainder for duty in any part of England, oven without any threat of invasion. The Torquay Engineers and tho Lympstono Battery of Artillery have also placed their services at the disposal of the Government. The Admiralty have thanked the Liverpool Brigade of Naval Artillery Volunteers for placing their services at the disposal of tho Board in tho event of trading steamers being converted into armed cruisers. Another paper says : On its becoming known that an offer had been made by the Cuuard lino to place a steamer at tho disposal of the Admiralty to bo fitted as a cruiser for protection of commerce, the Liverpool Brigade of Naval Artillery Volunteers came forward and tendered thoir services, 130 having sent in their names as ready to serve. Southport, Bangor, and Carnarvon have all responded in proportion to their numbers, and such willingness to go afloat speaks well for tho spirit which pervades this branch of our auxiliary forces.”