The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1874.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1866, 26 December 1874, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1874.

lik Alhambra arrived'at Hokiftka from Melbourne,. ; yesterday, bringing later cablegrams and Australian 'news> The former contain 'nothing very new or startling. From Victoria we learn that Sullivan, the Maungatapu murderer; (who received a free pardon and a passage ti> England a year ago) has been arrested in Victoria and remanded by the Bench to this Colony. This is no more than we were . prepared to learn. Victoria has '.a' criminal population of, her own numerous * enough to give lots of trouble. She" has in the treatment of criminals set an .example to the rest of the colonies which they might follow with advantage. Where severity is required as a deterrent Victoria hasbeen severe ,* and in all cases the Government have brought considerable intelligence to bear in dealing with .criminals. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Victorians should be "disinclined to accept the responsibility of* such as Sullivan, although originally ho migrated from Victoria to New Zealand. In the action taken'the Victorian authorities are not doing what is strictly "correct. Sullivan was a convicted criminal, but he received a free pardon, and had tbus^ as it were, expiated his offence as much as a prisoner who puts in his full term for an ordinary crime. In New Zealand Sullivan will not be a criminal, but in Victoria he could have been dealt with, having by his presence there rendered himself amenable to a local statute. A difficulty will be created .by his presence in this colony, and it will fare ill with him if he be not I soon sent about his business. On the first rush for gold to Dunedin ticket-of-leave men and expires of bad character were encouraged to leave Victoria for New Zealand, and, had it not been for Mr Branigan and some of his officer?, who were mostly old Victorians, this colony would have been cursed by scores of the-Sullivan type. As it-was a good many successfully eluded the vigilant surveillance of the smartest police and detectives, and introduced bushranging "and sticking-up»-crimes previously unknown in the colony. It is therefore j rather hard that Victorians should return the only'notorious character we have given them; but it was no more than we expected. j:^ "■