The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 898, 12 February 1868, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1868.

It is acknowledged to be a hopeless task to attempt by light sentences and good feeding to reform the matured crimnal, and the chief object that is now sought to be obtained by legislators and philantrophists is to nip crime in the bud — to punish with increased severity the hardened criminal, while taking every possible means to reform those who at an early age manifest a tendency for crime. Eeformatories are looked upon as the means best adapted to lighten the criminal calendar which has yet been adopted or suggested. The reformation I system appears to be working well in England and the Australian Colonies, [ and its adoption in New Zealand is much required. The number of juvenile criminals in this town alone is surprisingly large, but not proportionately greater than in other provinces. It is matter for regret this subject did not sooner receive the attention from the G-eneral Government that its importance demands. It has at length taken it up, but has not dealt with it in the liberal colonial spirit displayed on other and less important subjects. In the last session of the Assembly a Bill was passed, providing for " the care and custody of neglected and criminal children." The principles upon which the Act is framed are sound, and the framework of the machinery to be employed well defined, but in its present shape it is of little value. It is a provincial and not a colonial measure. It permits the Superintendent of any province in New Zealand to establish Industurial Schools for the purpose of educating and training neglected or abandoned children, also, the establishment of Reformatory Schools for " criminal children." As far as it goes the Act may be deemed creditable to its framers, but it does not go far enough — it in fact would tend to foster the extravagant and inefficient system of keeping up nine petty establishments, that would cost respectively nearly as much as should be required for the work of one great and thoroughly organised colonial Reformatory. The juvenile offenders of the colony if collected would be sufficiently large to form one colonial institution, similar to those of England, Victoria, and other colonies, but if each province is to have its separate establishment, these reformatories will be foolish toys, things bought dearly, and abandoned almost as soon as got as useless and troublesome. A New Zealand reformatory is most urgently required, but to attempt to form provincial Industrial Schools and Eeformatories would be to waste money and effect no good. It has been found during the years the reformatory experiments have been under the process of test in England, to have proved a success in the large and central establishments. The pivot of the i eformatory creed is — Educate your Arab wanderers and youthful-minded criminals to learn right from wrong, and desire to do right from a sense of duty, in education and the creation of pn ambition to become skilful handicraftsmen. To do this a very large range of buildings and , staff of instructors must be maintained. In England the reformatory organisations are very complete. They have attached, navy instructors, drill masters, ironworkers, carpenters, workers in leather, and every other imaginable trade or calling, to teach the boys a trade after they have passed their school probation. Every boy is allowed to choose his own calling, and three months is allowed him as trial time ; and if he finds he has made a mistake, a second selection is allowed that must prove final. Every boy is thus learned to read and write, brought up to industrious habits, and prepared to earn

an honest living when he leaves the Reformatory. It is believed that the reformatories of Great Britain will materially aid in supplying sailors when required for the navy, and give tradesmen the opportunity of obtaining intelligent and partially -trained apprentices. Is ifc to be expected that any of the provinces could establish and maintain an institution of this description? No. Otago is entitled to every credit for haying in the Provincial Council discussed this subject, and through its government procured the passing of the bill on which we comment ; but if she attempts to establish a provincial reformatory, it will unmistakably prove a failure. It undoubtedly is true that in that province there are a large number of youthful, criminals and abandoned children, but not sufficient to justify such an expenditure as would be required to obtain the appliances for a local reformatory. Southland is in a similar position. "We have city Arabs with vicious instincts : day by day the evils arising from the depredations of neglected children and criminally educated youthful offenders are continually being brought to light. But it would be folly to attempt to erect a penitentiary of our own. Such an establishment is imperatively demanded ; but it should be a colonial and not a provincial undertaking. It is one of the institutions that should be classed with those of penal settlements, police forces, gaol management, &c, — institutions that to be efficient must be f'llly colonial. It is to be hoped that the General Government will give attention to this important subject, and early next session bring in a bill for the establishment of a New Zealand Reformatory. In the meantime, however, due provision should be made by the Provincial authorities for the care and maintenance of unfortunate children who, abandoned by parents, have no career except that of crime before them.