DESPATCH FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND RESPECTING CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY FRENCH LAW ON THE RETURN OF CONVICTS TO FRANCE.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1889 Session I, A-01a

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1889. NEW ZEALAND.

DESPATCH FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEW ZEALAND RESPECTING CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY FRENCH LAW ON THE RETURN OF CONVICTS TO FRANCE.

Transmitted by Message from His Excellency the Governor.

(Circular.) Sir,— Downing Street, 27th February, 1888. I have the honour to transmit to you, for communication to your Government, a copy of a memorandum received at the Foreign Office from Her Majesty's Minister at Paris, respecting the conditions imposed by French law on the return of convicts to France. [ have, &c, KNUTSFOKD. The Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand.

Enclosure. Note sue lbs Conditions imposes pak la Loi Fkancaise au Betook en Fbance des Tkanspoktes, des Belegues, et des Depoktes. Les condamnes qui subissent leur peine dans les colonies peuvent se divisor en trois categories— (1) les condamnes en travaux forces, on transports; (2) les relegues on recidivistes; (3) les deportes proprements dits. La condition des "condamnes aux travaux forces, ou transports," est reglee par la loi du 30 Mai, 1854, qui a decide qu'a l'avenir la peine des travaux forces serait subie dans les etablissements crees par decret sur le territoire d'une ou de plusieurs possessions francaises autre que l'Algerie. Le retonr en France du condamne apres l'expiration de sa peine n'est autorise que si cette peine est de moins de huit annees; et encore faut-il que le condamne, avant de beneficier de cette disposition de la loi, reside dans la colonie, apres l'expiration de sa peine, pendant un temps egal a la duree de sa condamnation. L'Article 6 de la loi du 30 Mai, 1854, etant ainsi concu : " Art. 6. Tout individu condamne a moins de huit annees de travaux forces sera tenu, a l'expiration de sa peine, de resider dans la colonie pendant un temps egal ala duree de sa condamnation. Si la peine est de huit annees, il sera tenu d'y resider pendant toute sa vie. . . ." Le Gouverneur peut, il est vrai, accorder au libere l'autorisation de quitter momentanement la colonie ; mais en aucun cas il ne pourra etre autorise a rentrer en France avant l'expiration du delai fixe par I'Article 6. La loi du 28 Mai, 1885, " sur les recidivistes," qui a organise la relegation, decide, dans son Article 1, que cette peine doit etre perpetuelle au moins en principe. La question d'un re tour possible en France ne devrait done pas se poser pour les condamnes auxquels s'applique cette loi, si Ton n'envisageait que I'Article 1. Mais la loi elle-meme apporte un temperament au principe pose dans son article initial. L'Article 13, en effet, donne au Ministre seul, et sous sa responsabilite, le pouvoir de permettre au relegue le retour en France, mais pour six mois seulement. Enfin, FArticle 16 de la meme loi donne aux relegues les moyens d'obtenir une sorte de rehabilitation partielle, qui a pour effet de les relever de la relegation, et de leur permettre de rentrer en France. Voici comment s'exprime I'Article 16 : "Le relegue pourra, a partir de la sixieme annee de sa liberation, introduire devant le tribunal de la localite une demande tendant a se faire relever de la relegation, en justifiant de sa bonne conduite des services rendus a la colonisation et de moyens d'existen-ce. . . ." La peine de la " deportation " est une peine perpetuelle, qu'elle soit pure et simple, qu'elle soit subie dans une enceinte fortifiee (Article 17, Code Penal). Le caractere de perpetuito est absolu, et ne souffre aucune exception. Par consequent, les condamnes a la deportation nejpeuvent jamais esperer rentrer en France a moins d'une amnistie ou d'une grace. La deportation s'exerce actuellement dans la Nouvelle Caledonie. Le regime des deportes a ete organise par la loi du 25 Mars, 1873, qui n^a rien statue relativement au retour des deportes en France, a raison meme du caractere de perpetuite de la peine. Fait a Paris le 24 Dec., 1887. Ed. Ceunet, — Avocat ala Cour de Paris.

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[Translation.] Note on the Conditions imposed by the Fuench Law upon the Beturn to Feance of ,„ "Transported," "Belegated," and "Deported" Convicts. The prisoners undergoing punishment in the colonies may be divided into three classes — (1) those condemned to penal servitude, or "transported;" (2) those " relegated," or reconvicted ; (3) those properly called "deported." The condition of prisoners condemned to penal servitude, or " transported," is regulated by the law of the 30th May, 1854, which enacted that for the future the sentence of penal servitude should be carried out in establishments created by decree on the territory of one or more French possessions other than Algiers. The return of the convict to France after the expiration of his term is only authorised if the sentence was for less than eight years ; and, further, the convict, before obtaining the benefit of this provision, must reside in the colony after the expiration of his term for a period equal to the duration of his sentence. Article 6of the law of the 30th May, 1854, stands thus : " Art. 6. Every individual condemned to less than eight years of penal servitude will be obliged, after the expiration of his term, to reside in the colony for a period equal to the duration of his sentence. If the sentence is for eight years, he will be obliged to reside there for life. It is true that the Governor can grant a liberated prisoner license to leave the colony at once; but in no case can he be allowed to return to France before the lapse of time fixed by Article 6. The law of the 28th May, 1885, as to reconvicted prisoners, which established "relegation," decides, in its first article, that this sentence ought, at any rate in principle, to be for life. The question of a possible return to France ought not, therefore, to arise in the case of convicts to whom this law applies, if one considered Article 1 alone; but the law itself suggests a modification of the principle laid down in its initial article. Article 13, in fact, gives the Minister the power, alone, and on his own responsibility, to allow a " relegated " convict to return to France, but only for six months. Finally, Article 16 of the same law gives "relegated " convicts the means of obtaining a sort of partial rehabilitation, which has the effect of freeing them from their " relegation " and allowing them to return to France. Article 16 is thus worded :" A ' relegated ' convict may, at the end of five years from the time of his being set free, present before the local tribunal a request that he may be relieved from his 'relegation,' on showing good cause through his good behaviour, and the services rendered to the colonisation of the settlement, and the possession of the means of subsistence. . . ." The sentence of "deportation" is for life, whether it is of the ordinary kind or undergone in a fortified place. Lifelong sentence is of the essence of the system, and admits of no exception ; consequently, convicts sentenced to deportation can never hope to return to France except under an amnesty or a pardon. The sentence of " deportation " is carried out at the present time in New Caledonia. The regulations relating to " deported " convicts were laid down by the law of the 25th March, 1873, which, by reason of the lifelong nature of the sentence, contained no provisions referring to the return of " deported " convicts to France. Given at Paris the 24th December, 1887. Ed. Clunet, Advocate of the Supreme Court at Paris.

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