The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday November 21,1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1072, 21 November 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday November 21,1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Yesterday’s borough by-election resulted in a “ walk-over ” for Mr Richmond, who defeated Messrs Barber and Dittlejohn by a substantial majorities. We congratulate the candidate upon his success, we cannot however, understand a blind support being given to any candidate who does not express any views on municipalmatters either from the public platform or through the press. That he won by such a majority is prool that he had a backing who were prepared to work for him, and this was evidenced at the poll yesterday. Very little interest was taken in the election, which was evidenced by the lact that only 213 persons out of a roll number of 700 odd recorded their votes, and the successful candidate received a minority of the total votes recorded. The defeated candidates are both young men of enterprise and ability, and we hope this defeat will stimulate them to greater energy in the future than that displayed by them yesterday. If the honour is worth having it is surely worth fighting for, and it is not sufficient to say, “If the people want me they will vote for me.” We hope Cr Richmond, during his term of office, will more than justify the confidence reposed in him by his supporters at yesterday’s poll.

Mr. Bvron Brown’s statement at his Foxton meeting in respect to closer settlement in this district is attracting considerable attention. It has been pointed out to us that it would be detrimental to Foxton’s interest to interfere with the flax lands, which give employment to so many people, and that the hemp industry is of greater importance to Foxton than dairying. We agree that it would be unwise to hamper the flax industry in any way, but leaving the flax-growing areas outside the question, the fact remains that there are thousands 01 acres still eminently suitable for closer settlement. Even allowing that Mr Brown has over-estimated the area and its stock-carrying capacity, there is a pressing need lor closer j

settlement in this district, and the candidate who is prepared to make this plank the principal one in his platform is the man who is going to score.

This Levin Chamber o£ Commerce is taking action in respect to having the name of the Otaki electorate changed to Horowhenua, with headquarters at Levin. White we do not agree with the somewhat exaggerated importance of Levin as set forth by our contemporary, still it cannot be denied that Levin is the most centrally situated for such purpose. Our Otaki contemporary objects to any change. It heaves a brick at the Levin journal lor publishing wild statements about Otaki, and continues : “While such statements are only held up to ridicule in the district, the fact that same are published abroad through the press may do harm to Otaki, and prejudice the place in the outside world. As a matter of fact while not making the mushroom growth of Levin —thank goodness we have had an entire absence of booms here —Otaki has made, and continues to make, steady progress of the right sort, and is recognised as one of the most solid small towns of the province. Is this not preferable to Levin’s reputation ? As regards the headquarters of the electorate, as we pointed out in a previous issue, Otaki has proved a most convenient centre in the past, and will doutless continue to serve as such —despite the frantic envy ot Levin.”

Thr Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) made some interesting remarks Irom the Bench at Wellington on Saturday, when sentencing a prisoner who stole 175 bicycle tyres. Counsel said his client was quite unfit to transact business, owing to an injury to his head, although be could work under another. It was an exceedingly difficult case. His Honour said: —“You have committed a grievous offence, for you tempted a youth to be dishonest. To suggest you do not know that you were doing wrong is absurd, and the jury has so found. The jury, however, recognised that you had suffered a serious injury to your brain. The relationship between the physical and the mental is now admitted by most people. The jury had strongly recommended you to mercy. Nowadays, justice is recognised as human. We have in our evolution passed what I might call the wild animal stage, when the weak were put to death. I call it the wild animal stage because we know that if a wild animal meets with an injury it is generally attacked and killed by its fellows. It is rare to find amongst the wild animals the weak treated with kindness, and in e\ery community there is from time to time an outburst of this primeval instinct. Sometimes there may be demands made for punishment even if the punishment might end in death, and I suppose we are not much better than other communities. We are now recognising, and will m future still more recognise that kindness must he introduced into 'treatment 01 citizens who go astray. This is the origin of what is called prison reform. We must do what we can to make strong the weak in mind and in conduct. There is no doubt a danger of leading those with criminal instincts, and many have criminal instincts, just as some have the instincts ol wild animals, and believe that crime is a small matter, and that they commit wrongs with impunity. That danger has to be guarded against. It may help those with weakened wills to act right if they are made to feel that for every wrong the pay day, as limerson called it, comes round. A weakened will and a desire lor gain led you to commit your crime. You are even now suffering from your severe accident, and I 'eel that to send you to gaol might lead to further brain injury. Because I feel that and because of the jury’s recommendation I do not intend to send you to prison, and to grant you probation would not be suitable. 1 think a proper punishment under the circumstances is to fine you Of course, it you fail to pay the fine you must go to gaol for six months.”