CESSATION OF TRANSPORTATION. [From the Dally News, December 16.]

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 105, 2 June 1847, Page 3

CESSATION OF TRANSPORTATION. [From the Dally News, December 16.]

Considerable anxiety and doubt have prevailed both at home and in the colonies a.s to the intention of the Government in respect to the great question of transportation, convict discipline, and the entile system of secondary punishments. From the known opinions, indeed> of those of the ministers who have paid most attention to the subject, and who, from their positions aie called upon to examine and to weigh, and form a decision respecting it, a pretty certain inference might have been drawn that the whole system of tiansportation would be suspended, and a broad experiment made, which might serve as a guide to iU total abolition. Thus much, indeed, might have been inferred from a ie|»ly of Sir Geoige Grey's, lute in last session of Parliament. Such a measuie was in complete accordance with the recommendations of ttie committee of 1838. That committee, however, limited its recommendations to prohibiting transportation to districts already settled,— A mixed experiment was therefore made, after abolishing the system of assignment, of sending convicts to isolated epots, from whence they might be emplojed

either in probation gangs or later with tickets-of-leave, to improve or furnish labour to no very distant settlement. With this was coupled n doubly penal colony for the refractory convicts of Norfolk Island. We need not say how both portions of this experiment utterly failed. The horrors of Norfolk Island aie too shocking to bo ci edited, or even recorded. The evils brought on the unfortunate free colonists of Van Diemen's Land are told in their peiilions, and in their condition. The failure of all the ends ol transportation, with respect to convicts themselves, has been equally manifest; and the enotmily of the failure, proceeding from the utter impossibility of finding profitable work, has absolutel) necessitated some bold and decisive measures. Such measures we are glad to learn, and from undoubted authority, have been taken. They are— lirst, the suspension of all transportation for male convicts during two yeais. Female convicts are to be transported as before. The ne- ! cessity of diminishing the mass of convicts in Van 1 Dicmen's Land, in older cither to effect their reform, or to rendci their la!>our profitable, is too obvious to need proof. There arts at present about 30,000 convicts in Van Dicmen's Land, who may be classed as follows :— On ticket-of-leave 7,250 Passnolders 12,250 Probation gangs 10,000 Instead of allowing them to be recruited by 4,000 new convicts annually, as would be the case did transposition continue, the above numbeis will be allowed to thin by the usual com fie, the ticket-of-leave men in cettaiu numbers obtaining conditional pardon, and piobably S,OOO of the other clabses obtaining ticketb-of- leave. The diminished nimiheis "ill be found in employment partly by individuals, and the rest by the goverment. As the s)stem of road -making has not been found efficient, those who cannot be emplojed on either colonial or government work, i will be engaged in the building of villages, ami the cultivation of ground around them, two acres being allotted to each cottage, and the industri- | ous having the privilege oi purchasing a cottage and garden at ten years' purchase of half of the rent. Such is the plan for finding work for the mass of convicts already transported. And we need scarcely add that, coupled with it, and the suspension of transportation, is the abandonment of the proposed colony of Noith Australia. A moie important and difficult consideration has been to fit upon that s)stem of secondary punishment which will at once have the effect of deterring crime, without debruting the convict, and of giving fair opportunity for reform, without at the same time rendering him a pet, and thus making his condition and prospects an invidious contrast with those of our moral and domestic population. The first } ear after conviction is to be spent by the criminal in seclusion, as practised at Pentonville. A second term is then to be passed under discipline of the silent S)stem. It is only after having passed through these, that the convict enters on the probation system, a portion of which is based upon the ideas of Captain Maconichie. The system of this gallant humanitarian is, however, by no means fully adopted. Punishment is not to be lost sight of by a governing power, even for the sake of lefoiming the guilty. I\ cither could it be hoped that any sort or system of marks for good conduct could suffice to keep in the path of duty the criminals who had been sentenced by our courts. Captain Moconochie would govern his convict establishment by hope. Practical men insist on mingling with it the salutary ingredient oi'J'ear. The s\btem of marks is, however, to be largely adopted, especially in the meeting of industrial exertion. In order to this, the work of the convict establishments is to be task work, the amount of which for a definite period is to be calculated in marks, so that the active ina>,in a certain degree accelerate the completion of their tusk, and accumulate those claims, which coupled with good conduct in other respects, may accelerate their advance and final liberation. The convicts on Norfolk Island are instantly to be withdrawn to Tasman's Peninsular. It has been publicly announced to be the intention of government not to send out any more convicts to Australia, but to make Portland a penal settlement, and to employ the convicts on the breakwater, and other public works in contemplation, such as constructing a citadel, and runing up fortifications entirely round the island. — Further, that the straggling town is completely to be removed, to give way to a uniform fortified city ; in a word. Portland is to be made another Gibratter. That such a stronghold is much needed no one can deny; this place with its natural ramparts could be tendered impregnable; and no spot in England allbrds greater facilities for the undertaking, from the immense quantity of material lying in heaps around the quarries. Stones of all sizes, from the brickbat to the colossal masseu of Slonehenge, are reposing iit the valleys, which resemble the Valley of Rocks on the north shore. We should, however, decidedly object to this being converted into a permanent penal settlement. We could do the work without the aid of convicts. The railroad we construct by free labour, and why not this ? Why not send them to clear the forests of Upper Canada, or to the Oregon territory , ,