FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17,1880.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 182, 17 December 1880, Page 2

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17,1880.

Tut: absence of crimes of a serious nature is a characteristic of tin's district on which it may certainly he congratulated, and there can be no di(Terence of opinion as to the fact that this indicates that the population is on the whole a haopy and prosperous one. The old saying has a great deal of truth in it that with the majority of men if you till their pockets anil their stomachs crime will be absent from their hearts. There may ’ » some exceptions, hut the rule hold good. At the sittings of the Supremo Court before the Chief Justice yesterday there was only one criminal case, a charge of horse-steal-ing of ordinary character. In a country where horses are left to roam I about as they are here, it is a wonder i almost they are not more frequently ! stolen. The temptation is continually I open, but it is comparatively rarely j yielded to. Writers on criminalties I ay that opportunity alone in many instances induces crime.” Certainly the opportunities offered for horsestealing in New Zealand are ample, I and it speaks well for the Colony that offences of this nature are eomparaI tively few. That there should be j only one indictable oHence for trial I during a period of half a year in this j district is certainly most creditable to : the place, especially at a time when : we hear of more than one violent j crime, and the greatest of all crimes, : in other parts of the colony, although taking it altogether the Colony is probably as tree from oilences of any kind against persons or property as in any part of the British dominions. A. reference to home papers lately received presents a sad contrast to our experience here in this matter, and those whose lot has been east in these favored lands have, in this respect, certainly much to he thankful for. As regards litigation in civil matters the case appears to be somewhat different, people appearing rather fond of the expensive luxury of going to law, a practice which as a rule benefits nobody but the legal fraternity, of whom, as might naturally he expected under the circumstances, there it an almost countless host, and from the number of the rising generation which is being trained to the law in the various offices in the Colony there appears to he a prospect of the number of legally qualified practitioners exceeding the number of clients. Possibly the fostering of local industries of various kinds which seems to be a policy likely to be pursued in the future more than it has been in the past, will divert some of our young men into other paths than the one which so many of them appear anxious to travel, and the result may Ice advantageous both to themselves and the Colony. The comparative absence of crime here is, as we have said, a matter for congratulation. The fact of the propensity for litigation and the number of lawyers is hardly a matter for rejoicing.