A NECESSARY EVIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 90, 8 November 1879, Page 2

A NECESSARY EVIL.

i With the establishment of a District Court m the County, there are 1 other wauts consequent upon that institution, and one of those is the erection of a gaol. So far, certainly, there are no eases on the criminal calendar for hearing at the December sittings, but we nave little doubt before the time arrives there will be one if not more committals. In such case, then, we asfc— what is to be dpne with the prisoners ? Until a gaol is erected it will be necessary upon opmtnittal to send the prisoner to Wanganui to await his trial j next he has to be brought back to Palmerston to be tried ; aud thirdly if 'con vioted, he lias again to be traus.ported back to Wanganui to do his senteuce. Look at the loss of time and expense of those repeated journeys, and the absurdity of the arrangement will at once be apparent Then, again, tlie re is another phase to be considered. During the past six months there were no less than eight cases sent for trial from Palmerston alone, and if were added Feilding and Foxton, we may safely say that at least a dozen went from this district, which, had the Court been m operation, would have been tried here. Beside the trouble and expense of conveying, those twelve men sixty miles on three particular occasions, there would still be the difficult of lodgtneqt to be dealt with when they were returned here on the day of trial^ or rather on the evening previous. At the present there are two cells barely large enough for the accomodation of four, and where, we ask, would the remainder be stowed ? As the "District Engineer has received instructions to report upon the accommodation for! the District Court, it would be well that the Grovernmentshouldalsobeinformed of the absolute necessity for the erection of a gaol, otherwise the new Court will partake somewhat of the nature of a " White Elephant." ■