South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1882.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2976, 9 October 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1882.

When the public mind in New Zealand is being exercised continually upon this and that railway extension it may be worth while to notice what has been done in America in the way of railroad construction, and with what effect upon the national prosperity. Year by year construction to an enormous extent has gone on. The maximum mileage of years previous to last was attained in 1871, when 7,300 miles were constructed. In the years following, the mileage varied, until in 1881, more than 11,000 miles were laid, and the total at the end of the year, within the States was 105,000. During the first six months of the present year, 3700 miles additional were,laid. Railway extension on. so enormous a scale as this, is both a cause and effect of settlement, and the ihiraense agricultural development, and rapid settlement, especially in the West, have been brought about mainly by the boldness of the railway enterprise. America has set every new country an example, in her very daring policy of Public Works. Wherever there is country that is fit for settlement, a railway is forthwith laid down, and thus population is distributed and centres of industry are established. This, however, is auxiliary to the heneficient land laws which induce an industrial population to settle, and do not merely play into the bands of capitalists. America exhibits some traits of national character which English people do nob particularly appreciate or admire, but there can be no doubt that she has taken the lead in providing for the industrial classes both inducement and scope. We, too, have had a public works policy of some boldness ; but the tendency of our land-laws has always been to favor the interests of the capitalists, and to leave the small settler to take care of himself, and do bis best under the wing of monopoly. In the States, the settler of small means, the humble emigrant, may obtain.a position of independence by prudent and judicious investment—maintain it by carefulness, and improve if by skill and industry. No landholding monopolists there hold vast tracts of arable land against starving thousands to whom it would yield sustenance. The great Republic will ever be, for these colonies, a model in the matter of public works, land laws, and settlement.

Thebe, has just been concluded, in Wellington, one of the most extraordinary trials on the criminal records of this colony. In 1880, a young man named George Longburst was charged, in Wellington, with rape upon a little girl of six or seven years of age, found guilty, and sentenced to a long-term of penal servitude, with two floggings of 25 lashes each. For a crime so infamous, the punishment was a perfectly reasonable one,, and tbe public mind was satisfied that something like an adequate punishment had at-length been meted out to the perpetrator of a horrible offence, committed only too frequently in this colony. Two years have now passed away ; the condemned has undergone the unspeakably dreadful punishment of the cat, has received his two floggings and served part of bis sentence. But while the prisoner was thus helpless, be was not without friends outside who used -untiring efforts to bring additional light to bear on tbe matter, with tbe startling result that a month or two ago they were able to charge two presumably respectable persons, father and daughter, with conspiring to procure the conviction of this unfortunate man on a charge of which helwas absolutely innocent. The case, has just ended in a verdict of guilty against the prisoners, and the release of tbe prisoner will immediately follow. Gan anything be more deplorable than the position of the unhappy victim of this fearful conspiracy. An innocent man branded as a felon, consigned to the companionship of felons, and the horrors of a prison, his career in life prematurely cut short, and, above all, enduring that punishment (which to an innocent man must be far worse than death), the inflation of the cat-o’-ninetails t Oan anything be more terrible to Contemplate than such a fate 7 For those whose vile conspiracy has brought this about, what punishment can be imagined, that would fully meet the case 7 We have no desire to linger upon dreadful details, however, our object was to call attention to the extreme difficulty which besets the trial of a man for these shocking offences on tbe persons of little children. The only direct evidence available is often doubtful, and circumstantial evidence nearly always forms tbe basis of conviction. The saddest result of the late disclosures will probably be to make juries unduly chary about convicting anyone charged with this offence, which is one of the most dangerous to society, and doubtleso tbe ends of

justice will thus be often defeated. However, there is one lesson which all who have the care of children should learn : to exercise a closer supervision over the young people. Every case of this kind speaks with trumpet tongue to parents, and we would take the opportunity to again remind them of their obligation. We trust the punishment meted out to the man James Jonathan'Adams for this conspiracy will be such as will convey a terrible warning to unscrupulous persons. There exists some suspicion which people hardly dare to breathe that this case is not singular, and that conspiracy has done similar fearful work against the innocent before this occasion. The whole affair is truly lamentable, both in its consequences to the poor fellow who has been the innocent victim, and to the public at large.