FRENCH CONVICTS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1765, 1 April 1874, Page 2

FRENCH CONVICTS.

The Argils of. a recent date says: — » " The i' ! announcement that the French Government has made arrangements ,for the .conyersion/of New Caledonia iniio a .convict settlement, and intends,transporting thither ■ the whole of ; the; criminals who are now, or may be hereafter, sentenced to long terms of imprisonment, is one which will with feefngs of alarm in all the- Avisiralian Colonies. It seems that the various prisons at Toulon and elsewhere to which the worst classes of offenders were formerly .consigned, have been abolished, and that for the time to come two depots will be, established for the temporary reception of persons condemned to penal servitude.- One of these is the citidal of Re, situated on ah island a few miles from Rochelle ;. andihe other that venerable fortress at' Ayiguon formerly; occupied ,by the , Inquisition, and once the prison of Rienzi. l In neither of these will the stay of the convicts exceed three months ; and fours times a year a vessel will be deßpajjbgg^ to New Caledonia laden with worst ruffianism of France. '■'„'/. ; ! ' '■[ v ' * When the project was; ? first moo'ted^of making New Caledonia the receptacle, of French men and women deported 'for political offences, we yenture'd to Question tho propriety of any' remonstrance by'the Imperial Government, because a'" hiau might be an excellent citizen, and yet fall under the.-ban.of the^r,u,ling m poj?.er Jn France. But the v nev£ phase which the question is assuming is'so'se'rious, that we should hope it has already engaged .the attention of the Secretary of State for 'the Colonies. ... If it; ;has jn.pt done so — ahd*a change oi Ministry naturally diverts men's minds from purely. official; topics— we .trust the Governors of- the various Colonies will recognise the .'. importance of promptly bringing the- whole subject under the notice of the Imperial authorities as ; one. affecting the safety and well-being of the entire group. .., • . „ .... „.i t