The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1871.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 845, 3 August 1871, Page 2

The Westport Times. AND CHARLESTON ARGUS. In the cause of Truth and Justice we strive. THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1871.

The question of constructing one central penal settlement for the reception of our sentenced criminals is one that is likely to engage attention during ensuing session of the AssemblyOn the ground of economy such a change is desirable; and, for the pur pose of initiating a strict system of discipline, it is indispensable that there should he one or more properly organised prisons for the reception of all prisoners whose sentence is prolonged. A recent commission, reporting on the condition of prisoners, say that in none of the existing gaols is any system of punishment carried, which, to an appreciable extent, serves any of the real ends of the criminal law, except that of the safe custody of the prisoners ; that the punishments ordinarily inflicted therein are neither afflictive nor irksome, neither deterrent nor reformatory ; but that the ordinary effect of the present system is to harden old offenders; to demoralise, corrupt, and debase those who have recently become criminals and innocent pesons waiting for trial, so that every prison in the colony may well be considered as discharging the functions of a training-school for the creation and maintenance of regular criminal classes.

It is impossible in the small penal establishments possessed by the colony that anything approaching to an uni. form and rigorous system of discipline should prevail. In some we may find the defects less apparent, as the means available for classing the criminals are greater and the opportunities more abundant of turning their labour to beneficial account. It is in the last degree undesirable that the penalty paid by the criminal in completing his term of service should be restricted merely to the loss of liberty, yet for the most part this is the limit of the power of the law. Unless the moral degradation, under any circumstances associated with a prison life, is keenly felt by th» offender, there is no other means, under the present system, of inflicting punishment upon the criminal. A prison life is not repugnant to the loafer, and the criminal class generally. He certainly has to conform to certain rule?, and to adopt habits »f regularity; but in return for these he is'well house J, clad and fed, his physical condition beiDg altogether

superior to the majority of labouring man.

It is, however, in respect to the proper classification of offenders that a central general establishment especially commends itself. It is unjust alike to the criminal and to society that a young offender should be brought in contact with associates guilty of repeated and heinous offences, by whom he is liable to be influenced, and therefore likely at the expiration of his punishment to enter upon a career of crime.

In tlio Warden's Court, Westport, on lies day, the following applications wore granted • —John M'lntyre, extended claim, Hatter's Terrace; Peter Peterson, extended claim, German Terrace j George Williams, headrace and dam ; Edward Jones, head-race and dam; Alex. White, dam; Daniel Baylis, dam; R. M. Gill, tramway ; John M'lntyre, tunnel; Louis Thomas, tunnel. The following applications for special sites for dams at Caledonia Creek were adjourned to enable tho Warden to visit the ground:—A. Douthett, C. A. Rosenall, Joseph Jones, Robert Bingham.

Tenders have been accepted by the Buller Towing Track Company for the whole of the sections comprising the track between Westport and the Inangahua Junction. The work ■will be proceeded with immediately, and completed in a few weeks, when the track will be open for traffic. Wo regret to learn that the boat accident reported in our last issue, was attended with heavy loss to the owner Peter Williams. In addition to any loss accruing from cargo missing or damaged, the sum of £IOO, in one and five pound Bank of New Zealand notes, was missing after the accident, having been placed in the boat. An advertisement offering £lO reward for the recovery of the packet of money is published elsewhere, and we trust that the missing property may yet be found. Should it fall into dishonest hands the knowledge that the numbers of the notes are known, having been issued from the bank but a few hours previous, may influence the finder in restoring the property. Our Wanganui friends appear to have been strangely misinformed with respect to the Buller bar. We understand that the ss. Wanganui was to proceed to Westport with cattle and sheep, under charter to Seaton and Davidson, but the owners bearing that the bar here was dangerous, declined to run the vessel to Westport. So far from this being tho caso, the bar has not had such a depth of water at high tide for fully two years. The schooner Mary Van Every, from Dunedin, drawing seven feet, sailed in yesterday morning considerably before high water. A report spread yesterday that the ketch Rose had been seen on Tuesday outside Brighton, Tho rumour, we regret to state, was without foundation.

Tho schooner Maid of Erin, from Melbourne, missed an excellent opportunity of crossing the bar yesterday. There was smooth water and a favourable breeze from the southeast, but the schooner was too far to leeward, and consequently unable to make the entrance in time to take advantage of the tide.

The Reefton mail, weather permitting will leave Westport early on Saturday morning. The mail closes to-morrow evening, Mr Langdon is making the necessary preparations for woiking a punt on tho Buller river. A mast, to which the wire rope will be attached, has been fixed on this side of the river, and the other will be forthwith erected on the opposite bank. The punt will probably be in operation in ten days. The weather has greatly interfered with the progress of the work, the contractors having only had five working days during tho past month.

The schooner Three Friends arrived in port on Tuesday. She is now loading for Charleston, and will sail at the earliest opportunity. A boat crossed the bar on Tuesday, conveying water and provisions to the schooner Maid of Erin. The crew had run out of water several days previously, but obtained a temporary supply from a passing craft. It is three weeks since she was first seen off the bar.