CORRESPONDENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 165, 14 July 1874, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Evening M\ii.. Sir — I was a little surprised, on reading Saturday's Mail, to find < your correspondent "F," who is not ] usually wanting in acuteness or perception, so obtuse as he showed himself to be. He very justly satirises the appointment of a " clerical police- ' men," aod expresses astouisbment that such a step should have been taken by the Government, but he fails lo see \ that, in the following paragraph of his letter, he, unconsciously, furnishes the , key to the action of the Executive. If we are to have convict clerks, do not the public interests require that tbey should be .accompanied by detective colleagues ? The arrangements of the Executive appear to fit in one with the other most methodically. I am, &c, I Watch Dog. i

To the Editor of the Evening Mail. Sir— l think your correspondent " F." made a very serious blunder in the way he put the really useful suggestion which he asserts (and I believe correctly) was made by one of our present Executive; that is, of utilising the incarcerated talent which our gaols contain. Sir, when economy is so urgent, and when — as we daily have evidence of— our new Executive are economising in every possible way, such a suggestion aa your correspondent alludes to appears to be wonderfully fitting to the times; and I am ouly surprised the idea has not been expanded, and that the plan of employ iug persons under temporary seclusion in our penal establishments has not been carried a little further. Say that, instead of employing police constables to do the duty of Receivers of Gold Revenue and Wardens' Clerks on the Gold-fields, we utilise our felons and send as many as could write a good hand (we have a few forgers among them) to supersede the old and tried hands we are economising off. Perhaps, though, the General Government would be foolish enough to say that the sureties which they require officers holding such appointments to furnish, might not be satisfactory. I think thia addition to the Executive member's suggestion is a really good one, and all that was wanted to make this economy complete, as tbe services of the persons I bave mentioned would eot.il no additional cost to the Treasury, and as to the difficulty with the General Government, why, our Provincial Secretary and Treasurer, in his place in the House, could easily get it smoothed over. I am, &c, Economy.