The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 1889. Our Prison System.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3211, 22 May 1889, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 1889. Our Prison System.

Mr John Gale, who has juat* resigned the governorship of Pentridge Gaol, in Victoria, has been interviewed by a reporter at Christchurch, and appears to have' expressed himself most unreservedly upon man) important points. From a telegram we learn that he is of opinion that gaols were positively valueless for I reformatory purposes. This effect he attributed to the want of olassifi-

cation and to thohereditary'character of criminals. He was also emphatic in his condemnation of mixing the children of. virtuous and vicious parents in our reformatories. Such systems made those institutions nurseries of crime. The worst. prisoners ever under his control at Pentridge were those educated at reformatories, It was a great mistake, in his opinion, to march prisoners through the public streets, as he saw was done at Lytlelton. That familiarised persons with crime,' and led the criminally-disposed to think that the gaol was not Buch a bad plaoo after all. On the question of classfication, he was most emphatic in denouncing the mixing of prisoners, as that was most certain to corrupt some of those who wore not already hardened. In this Mr Galo was certainly right, and the New Zealand Government might take a hint from him on the point. It is not so very long ago that a Wellington paper published a long notice of the Wellington gaols, and after describing the oare with which the hardened prisoners were mixed with those in whom some good was left, Baid that that was surely in the interests of the hardened class, as it gave them a ohance of being influenced for good. Not a word was. said about the influence of the bad over the less corrupted. As well might a butcher put a good piece pf meat beside' a bad one, and expect it to make it sweet. . The usual result of a sentence on a '. poraoninNew Zealand is that it is I not long after his liberation before he gets sentenced to.a Becond term; and this, we hold, is entirely the

result of a system of breeding criminals which prevails in New Zealand, Mr Gale proceeds to say: —" It is nearly impossible to keep prisoners separate, as it would cost a great deal, but still it is a question if it would not pay pot to put the prisoners to trades, and instead, to keep them separate and employed at some light occupation to keep their minds from going wrong, and tbon to turn them out at au_ earlier period than is the case now when4he association scheme exists, ■ To adopt this course means that the punishment sppijld be short and sharp. If a man, acts' wjt|) violence towards another man I would,*' meet with violence. If -o man commit; an assault and robbery, or offenoes of ,a serious Mud against women and

children I would moat .certainly, flog. him.wdl;VWif^Weral*p'oU : il?9 lflog;" Thereia a great; deal jri this tbat : ;Beemß vWjr/Monßbfo/, The. question, -of' putting to trades is perhaps of the greatest Importance ot all. Prisoners must, 30 doubt, be employed in some way, but we fail to Bee what right any government has to put itself. in jompettyon with any trade, especially yhenit has suoh a large stock of abor for which it pays nothing, ixoept, perhaps, four or five shillings jer week for board.- This matter ihouldbe taken np in Parliament, vhere, we feel, assured, it would be leartily supported, Mr Gale's ipinions should, at any rate, be careally coneidered'by the Government, ar they contain many hints that sight be adopted..

How cumbersome the machinery of the Resident Magistrate's Court really is, may very frequently be seen in our local temple of justice.' A very apt illustration was afforded on [Monday, when a man was charged with allowing a chimney to catch fire. There was first of all the com-

plainant, who had to go to the Clerk of the Court some days see the charge duly eutered, and the defendant its duly notified that the matter was to be heard on a given day. When the day arrived.a Justice of the Peace had to be found and taken- away from his business to take his seat-on the Bench, being preceded by the Clerk. The "complainant and defendant were both in attendance, aa was also the bailiff, and, we believe, a oonstablo. The result was that a fine of 8s was imposed. This being all the business, the Court adjourned, There are, of course, several of the things we have mentioned whioh cannot be dispersed with, but wo certainly think that it

is not necessary that six persons should be required to deal with one trivial case which it does not take two minutes to settle. Cases of this kind are not.of an urgent naturo, and might just as well be ee down for the ordinary sitting of the Resident Magistrate's Court.

Tlio R.M.S. Buapehu is expected to arrive in "Wollineton on Saturday. Tho 8.8, Centennial, which has been laid on to run between Sydney and New Zealand, is nothini! mow nut less than the old Albion, which ran in the Barae trade over twenty years ago. She has beon mado pretty nearly new. MrOhiis. Hainos, who once oonducted a Masterton branch of Mr F. H, Wood's Auction and Commißsion business with

zeal and ability, is about to undertake tho management of a similar branch at Carterton. ;

Eighty acres oi first-class landsituatod on (he Upper Plain, Masterton, is advertised for sale in our.columns. This property, which is highly improved, is at present occupied by Mr John Heasey, and lies hetwoen his property and Mr B. Meredith's. Particulars can be obtained on application to Mr D. Walton.

A rather curious seqnonce of names ocours in a catalogue ofoooks at a Sun-1 day School Library which has come under our notice. One of the books is called "Nothing to Nobody," and the very next one given in the catalogue'is "Pieces of Silver." The next pair are " Procrastination"and "Waitingtor a Crown." The compiler of the cataloguo evidently had a .very decided sense of humor about him.

One day, recently, atßlonheim, when a case which course of hoaring \m called after the mid-day adjournment, one of the jurymen, ".who had met some friends .dnviug tho interval, was not in a fit state torosume his duties. He was fined £5, and the hearing of the case waß continued with a jury of eleven, Says the Hawkes Bay Herald:—ln our tolegraphio columns will be found nowa relating.to a man discovered in a block of marble. And that innn, too,

bore traces of liavinp • boen scalped,

Now, the question is, did that man get into the marble when it was soft, or did the marble get round tho man while he was soft, or did the marble and the man (togothor get round the Press Association agent while he was suit)

Wilkesbarre.Pa., has produced a remarkable testator. In his will he expressed the wish that no hearse, crnpt-,

or sign of mourning be used at his funeral. In a plain woodun coffin he I waß to be laid on hisside and carried by his own horse and waggon to tho cemetery. There was to bo no religious service at the house, in any ohuroh, or at tho grave, and no minister was to be in attendance.

TheN.Z. Herald is responsible for this story:—A district- sheep inspector had been on a tour to a certain district, hunting after scab caßes, when lie re . ceived a twico-repeated urgent message from two sheep-owners inanotberdistriot that his presence was needed. Ho loft everything and hurried off, believing that an outbreak of scab must have occurred. On reaching the locality of tho sheepowners—one of whom owned 20 nndthe other7osheep—theylntormedt.be inspector what they wanted was two "forma' 1 to fill up their returns I The Inspector did not swear, he was past that, but he felt so had that he wanted too mon to swear for him,

Thuß the Sheffield Independent:— "Tho latest grievance from the Australasian colonies recall! the old days of 'Merrie England,'. We have heard much from Australia about the -kangaroo pWtie, and how Hie importation of rabbits has been followed by the multiplication of the specieß in a manner so alarming that it threatens to eclipso in deadly effect that plague of locusts of ancient days. And now, from the neighbouring colony of Now Zealand we have tidings, that tho swine have run wild and increased so abundantly that to-day they roam about in vast herds, destroying the crops, devouring the farmyard stock, and working havoc mote terrible than the wild boars which were huntod in the forests of England in the days of bluff King Hal.' Thus does histoiy ropeat itself, only in this instance the terror of the Bwine does not appear to be eurroi|nded With that halo of romance in hunting, which mado thepreaenoe of the boar not an unmitigated evil." His tory certainly does repeat itself in this way. European papers are vary frequently badly hoaxed on colonial subjects, and the latest that has formed a link in the history of suoh hoaxes is the Sheffield Independent.

In the Sydney Morning Herald of tho 2nd Instant a shipping announcement appeared to tho effect that a'reward had been offered by tho South British Insurance Company for information concern'' in? tho whereabouts of a barquo named the Wandering Minstrel,' The etoamer Zoalaudia, which arrived at Sydney on tho 3rd inst,, conveyed the news (which it is curious was not telegraphed from Auckland) that tho master and orow of this veßßel were cast away upon ■ an '.island called Midway Island, in the South Seas, and after a dreary Btay of fourteen months were rescued, .The chief officer, a Chinese boy, and a sailor, six months ago, or eight mpnths after they had taken refuge on 1 the Maud, started away in a boat to sards the Baudwioh Islands to seek for some one to tro to the resone of the remainder of the crew, In their absence a schooner named the Norinau, whioh, like the lost barque, was employed in shark-hunting,' called at Midway, and finding the people there, took them onboard, and thenco to Honolulu, where they arrived on the. 6th of last month. ' During the fourteen months four of their number died, An interesting item, in the story, adds the Sydney Mornin? Herald, is tho fact, that the cartways, included the captain's wife and four children, The British Consul at Hopojnii) was making arrangements for the disposal of; the, crew when the Zealardia lettthere on 'the Hth ultlm. o.

Two football matches arei.announced

to be played s oil the;.Workßop Bqad football, ground oitQueen's Birthday, between! : Wellington ;and 'Masterton;, Tho';fl(Bt "game wilt commenoe at 116, andthesecond at 2.45

The Rotomahaha arrived at Auckland

morning from Sydney.

Pearson's band will enliven proceed ings at tho Masterton Theatre Royal rink •to-night.. ....■■-.

Mr T,Warner, who has been estabished many years in Masterton. as a

tailor and habit-maker hair a new

announoement in our present issue,

There have been no less than fivo persons drowned recently through falling over the unprotected breastwork of Wellington Barbor. The Masterton Salvation Army invito the publio through our advertising columns to " come and see tho- great Scotch burst and musical battle on tho night of Friday, May. 24th." Furthor particulars are yven oleewhere, Our Greytown correspondent writes: -A grand Maori Mormon wedding is expected to take place to-day at Papwai. Great preparations are going on far the "Feto" to be held there to-morrow night-

The Masterton school picnic takes place in Messrs Lowss and lores' yards, Renall-strett, at 11.80 a.m, on Friday next, Queen's Birthday. Children are requeited to bring drinking cups. Adults will be admitted on payment of one shilling.

A meeting of St. Matthow's, • (Mastertoi)),'parißhioners is oonvened for; Monday eyening in the Bchoolroom to receive Commisioners appointed by the Standing Committee. MrF. .H. Wood' 4 Taratahi Stock

Sale takes place to-moraow. The catalogue is an extensive one, and contains a number of thoroughbred horses, A Press Association telepram says the

brigantine Olansman, which went ashore on the Gisborne beach on Aprir 4, was floated off successfully this morning by Nelson 13r05,, of Auckland, who bpuVht the veßael for- £tlO. ■

A dwelling house at Dreyertori, occupied by. Mr. ChrUtoplior Tait, hat a narrow escape from being destroyed by fire on Tuesday morninp last. A Bpark, it is aurmtsed.-from the kitchen fire, set fire to some clothing lyinj; on a sofa near hand, and before it was discovered the sofa and wall paper wero |alight, and the wood work had caught. It was promptly extinguished, but not before some ten pounds worth of damage was done, principally by the destruction of clothing, whioh was not covered by insurance. The following is a list of tenders for the Bishop's reserve'. -Joigm Hoffeins: section 1, 11b 3d per acre, 11717s 2d, accepted; section 2, lis 3d per acre, £l7 17s 2d, accepted; seo.ion 3, 14s 3d per aore, 122 12s (id, declined; section 4, 7s 3d per acre, £4l9s Bd, deolined; section 5, 20s 3d per sere, £33 5s 4n\ declined ; seotion 6, 26a 3d per aore, £4163 llrt, declined; section 7, 20s 3d per aore, £5 10s 2d, declined. Town-

sond and Cowper: section 7, £4 17s, declined; 'i'hos. Minogue, section 6, | 20b per acre, £42 lis Gd, section 3,10s per acre first two years, 11517s Gd, 20s remainder, £Bl 15s, declined; P. Wagland, section 8, 23s per acre, £36 10s 3d, declined; seotion 4, 24s per acre, .£l6 10s, accepted; P. Hourigah, section 7, £4 2 Cs, declined; M. Koiins, section 3, £3B 6s, declined; E, Tayler, section (i, £42 lGs, accepted; E. 0. Smith, section 5, £3O, declined ; W, Neill, section 6,- 23s per acre, £37 Ins, declined; F. Turner, section 7, £2 ss, declined; J. Ktagorald, section 7. £G 10s, accepted; J.' A. McKonzie, section 3, £42 4s BJ, accepted, '

It will be curloua (says the Pall Mall (jozotte) if French women, who are not supposed to bo by any means an-far ad< vancedns those in this country in all that constitutes the defence of the rights of their Bex, sbould But an example to our workinc; women in the matter of trade organisation. Ten thousand Parisian washerwomen havo formed a trades union, with a market of their own, a mirjimun wage and a counoil of adminis'tration, which is to be formed of six washerwoman of irreproachable morals, who are to be pledged to exclude all politics from their discussions and to organise balls and concerts.- Clearly our English women will have to look to their luurela, for we havo uothtnt: to approach such an enterprise on this Bide of tlio ohannel. A very learned, dog appeared in the Dublin police court the other day as a witness ana disputo as to his ownership. A Mr Burke olaimed to be his owner a« itgaiust a man named Smith,. who had had the animal since last August, when Mr Uurke said he loat him, Mr Burke who had boeu in India said ho taught the dog Hindustani and Tamil, and tho dog on being brought into oourt and addressed by biin in thesejanguages, immediately responded, did several thinpshewas desired to do, and was therefore restored to Mr Burke: . Kviflenoes ot ttio march ot progress are evinced in these days by tho attempt so worthily made to bring the great body of consumers into all but direct contaot with the noted manufacturers of Britain and the Coutinent, through the medium of the proprietor of the celebrated To Aro House, Wellington. Not oontent with having erected ono of Largest, moat Convenient and Magnificent Family Drapery Warehouses to be found this Bido of tho Equator, and whioh attracts as it sbould large concourses of Customers, ho seeks still further to influence the pub]io by sending his representative! through the various oountry distriotß, to niake known to the rosidonts the manifest advantages of dealing with Te Aro House, Wellington. All parcels will be sent, carriage paid, to any station on the Government and Manawatu Railway Company's Lines that maybe nearest to the customer's residence, and thus country purchasers will be placed on tho same footing as those resident in the City, and enjoy all the advantages connected with dealing direotly with tho Importer, James Smith, Te Aro House Wellington.-ADVT. . A representative is now in this district and will call upon all and sundry with patterns of Seasonable Dress and other Fabrics, Household, Drapery,'. Tweeds, Coating, <fcc, He will take orders of Dressmaking, Tailoring, and everything connected, with tho drapery trade, and the Proprietor trusts that every courtesy will be extended to him with large numbers of orders to bo osteonted at To Aro House,