HABITUAL CRIMINALS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 186, 10 August 1869, Page 2

HABITUAL CRIMINALS.

??; f;i#e ; take from sin I&u¥tralian \ -paper' ttie 'following account 'of* ; a'; meeting:- called to = take io to consideration the subject of hat)ir :K : . tual ; crim?;^%hicl^ wie are : "will ;be'--"read with/ peculiar interest by (hose who' remember that this same question formed the bqrden of a charge lately delivered to 4 a grand jury by one of the Judges of bur Supreme '.Court.! Our lady' readers possibly think that they are not, interested in this- matter, but we undertake to say f that, after a perusal, of the following article* they will agree with us that it is, a subject in which 1 they "are more deeply concerned than they may at .present be disposed to' ..allow. We would direct their special attention, to the amendment mo.yed -by • Lady ; Propriety^, and? ask themKwhether they cannot devise some meaus .whereby the .injured party may be. compelled 4o give evidence against any person 'possessed of sufficient impudent assurance to be guilty of so flagrant a breach of propriety as that so feelingly alluded to by the lady speaker.. We will willingly undertake to v afford any assistance in our power towards the discovery and punishment of such depraved criminals. - The subject of the\ proper supervision to be exercised over those who habitually violate tHe laws, of society has lately engaged the attention of'the ladies/ An animated debate was opened ! the oth er- even ing by the Countess of Catchhim, who'statedi amid loud cheers, that as these disorderly persons waged war on society, society, in return, must wage war on , "them. Firsfcj there was a large class who- obtained their living by. false pretences. She had compiled statistics, the result of. long experience, which showed, that a majority of young men about town, between the age of 18 and 30," passed their time in providing their daily dinners and 1 their evening amusements, by, a series/of deceptions, disgraceful to themselves and ruinous to their victims. They affected an attachment to the young lady of the house, which so far from being real or lasting, was but a cloak for their desire to be offered a chair at dinner or a. seat at the opera. She moved that are- ' gister be keptof these. 1 persons, and that ' after any individual had been once convicted of such an offence, he should be liable to he called upon to give an account of his intentions, and the burden of "proof should rest W him to show that he had something better to recommend him than the mere vagrant trick of spooning. This was unanimously agreed to. Lady Lightside then rose and ; said, that violence was • much on the increase".^'She was sure that | all must lament it, but io lament it was not to find a remedy; She moved a clause to the effect that any person who was known to be in thiß^habit of pushing at supper, bumping indancing^ or otherwise molesting others by his rowdy manners, i should be placed under inspection, and,; if I found; to^be still 'persistent in ■ his conduct, be forbidden'jagaiii to enter any bail-room. Lady Propriety moved that. there be added to the clause the words," and; also aTiy individual > found guilty of: squeezing „ the hand of<any. other person with, whom he may be brought in contact." on-djscus-sibn^ however, this addition was rejected,' being difficult to be-enforced, as4t was almost impossible to find^anyone ip,< come forward and : giver x evidence of this offence havihg been" cbramiltedi -This secures im-~ Tpunity to the offenders; it was what they calculated upon^bu't-it could^^ not behelpedt ; JBfefbre the conclusion; of 'the "HomesWeet introduced '•& '; "directed against '" iu'e and?! "keepers of haunts" of these classes. She said [that these Ibcajities, under the namie of . c]lubs, .wgre^elLinowtf.^tlio' authVrities - or* sbciety,^ and were not for those resorts, the piersbnsw^ were 1 discussing^would] bb ; unable, .to;;con^ tinue ? ':tiie : ir;^preaent^courseßj~and would; be6oinpeil^;*tpimarry/andr settle^siid adopt' • i an hones^Xand: stf aightfdrward t^careeriv 1 ; -A- : 'c'omtni ttee^ to' '..inspect'actS^re'fior jfc r ; pn^^these^ (i.e^teMwhmenta'"^ ; .meetingjbrplce;up^>--i{n|-.^.^c:^^ "; ■•.