My Note Book.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4254, 19 August 1882, Page 2

My Note Book.

(By a Ceiticai, Chabacteb.) Mr Hutchisoa brings a very important matter before tbe Parliament of Ne* Zealand, viz., " That the teaching of trades, and the employment of skilled I labor, in gaols are regarded by the Homse as inimical to an enlightened system of prison discipline, and prejudicial to the interest of free skilled labor in this country ; and that it is desirable that such teaching of trades, &c, should be discontinued as soon as possible." Now, to the free, hard-working colonist, at first sight this seems a great hardship. I hare do doubt that were those incarcerated in these large Government dwellings taught law, medicine, or some of the more genteel professions, long ere this the matter would have been looked into, and our legislators would have found a remedy of some sort. Sir " George Grey's Law Practitioners Bill furnishes ample proof of how keenly alire to their own interests these honorable gentlemen can be, and how quick to guard their peculiar preserves. I am carious to note if they take the same lively interest in their brothers' welfare; But is this matter an injustice ? If we view society as a human whole and remember some of the objects of prison discipline, avowedly one of these being the improvement of the prisoner, I very much fear Mr Hutchison's proposal must be answered in the negative; while on the other hand, if punishment alone be the object, then Mr Hutchison and those who think with him have a very strong argument against the occupation of prisoners in trades or professions that bring their productions into competition with the law abiding and industrious tradesman who is taxed out of his earnings for the support of these institutions. The best mode of dealing with the criminal classes has been a thome of speakers and writers times without num. ber and yet the matter appears as far from settlement as ever. Those favoring chartist opinions and the ultra liberals, have often advocated the taxation or leas* ing of land as the only fair method of providing money for ail purposes, and here methinks is a fair opportunity of putting a land tax in operation and avoiding any tax on the improvements effected by classing the land Jrating the acreage alone. Such a tax would come the nearest to a direct, and hence a just one, and most people admit the fairness of direct taxation in theory at least, tolerating the indirect on the expediency principle and the populace in paying it, willing only because of tbeir ignorance of the amount they are paying.

This district as usual is likely to come off but poorly out of the general scramble at Wellington, and who's to blame ? Yourselves, dear friends, you hare set your heart always ou sending a party man to represent you, and at an opportune time when your representative should be working in your behalf he must be loyal to his party, and the opportunity is gone until you be fortunate enough to get your side of the House in power ; even then, the party will require some maiceuvring to secure the doubtful ones, and liberties may be taken* with your interests, presuming that you may give way on some matters for the sake of your party. The districts which sent lical independent men have, and always will, come off best.

A very important law case to some of the parties has taken place during the week. Legally, the defendant has got off"scot free, thanks to the plaintiff. That police officer would act wisely in applying for removal to another district. The Thames High School is an expensiye luxury. I wonder if anyone has ever taken the trouble to estimate the cost per head of the few scholars who are in attendance. It would be an interesting exercise in arithmetic for some of the pupils. Mr Whitaker's Gaming and Lotteries Bill was made for law-breakers, but not for such genius as may be found in Thompson, of Dioramic fame. Oh, my! another half-crown call in the Thames Newspaper Company. The showman'sjdeseription of Bonaparte and Wellington—"You pays your money and takes your choice" is reversed— : " You have taken your choice, so now you pays your money!"