15

A.—2b

Enclosure 1 in No. 3. (A.) 1873-74. Legislative Assembly.—New South Wales. GARDINER ALIAS CHRISTIE (CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OF EXISTING SENTENCES). Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed, May 12, 1874. (No. 1.) Petition of Mesdames Geiffiths and Cale. To His Excellency Sir Heecules Geoege Eobeet Eobinson, Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of New South Wales and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same. The humble Petition of Aechina Geiffiths, wife of Henry Griffiths, York Street; and Chaelotte Deacon Cale, wife of Joseph Cale, King Street, Showeth, — That your petitioners' brother (Francis Christie) was apprehended in February, 1864, and tried at the Criminal Court of Sydney on the Bth July, before his Honor the Chief Justice, and convicted on the following charges : —For shooting and wounding Trooper Hosie he was sentenced to fifteen years (the first two in irons) with hard labour ; and for robbing Messrs. Hewett and Horsington he received two cumulative sentences, ten and seven years, making a total of thirty-two years of hard labour. Your petitioners humbly implore your Excellency's merciful consideration of their unfortunate brother's case, toward affording a remission of his terrible sentence, on the following grounds : — Ist. Previous to his apprehension he was obtaining his living as a storekeeper in Queensland for nearly two years, having abandoned his former career of wickedness, and had left the colony, fully determined to lead a life of honest industry. Proofs of the good character he had gained could have been produced at his trial; and it is well known that gold, both by escort and private individuals, has been placed under his care with confidence and safety during that time. 2nd. That only four months after his conviction there was a desperate outbreak of prisoners in the Gaol, in which he took no part whatever. His conduct on that occasion was so noticed by the Inspector-General of Police that he assured the prisoner that he would see the Colonial Secretary (Mr. Foster), and have a record of it made for the future benefit of the prisoner. To this record your petitioners would humbly refer your Excellency, the late Dr. West having told the prisoner that it had been made. 3rd. That the prisoner has assiduously endeavoured to make himself as useful as possible in the work appointed for him, and has invented a contrivance which has greatly improved the making of the selvage on the matting, which was previously very defective and much complained of. 4th. That the prisoner has always given every satisfaction to the Sheriff as well as the Governor of the gaol, and other officers and overseers, during the whole time, now the ninth year of his imprTsonment. sth. That your petitioners beg also humbly to direct your Excellency's attention to the fact that his Honor the Chief Justice has more than once publicly remarked that, although during the time there was so much bush-ranging he should always inflict the severest penalty of the law, nevertheless we might perhaps be permitted respectfully to suggest that your Excellency would not be unwilling to exercise your prerogative of mercy now the crime of bush-ranging has been happily and effectually suppressed. 6th. That the prisoner's health has already suffered so much from his long confinement as to cause him to be almost constantly under the hands of the doctor for disease of the heart and other serious symptoms, which have obliged him for a time to be placed in the hospital of the gaol, and have totally incapacitated him from continuous work. Lastly. That your petitioners feel certain that if your Excellency be pleased to grant him a pardon he will thus be afforded the opportunity of redeeming the past; and from your petitioners' knowledge of his character they confidently assure your Excellency that they believe he will never again commit himself; and from the very confident and feeling manner in which his Honor Sir Alfred Stephen has, on many occasions, addressed himself to your petitioners' brother, and remarked upon his reformation, they hope that he will recommend the prayer of this petition to the most favourable consideration of your Excellency. Praying the Lord may guide to a wise and judicious conclusion in disposing of this petition, your Excellency's petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c, &c. . Aechina Griffiths. Charlotte Deacon Cale. We, the undersigned, beg most respectfully to recommend the foregoing petition* to your Excellency's merciful consideration, the more especially from the desire to reform evidenced by the prisoner before capture, and his conduct since his incarceration; and trust that your Excellency may be pleased, under all the circumstances of the case, to deem the period of the sentence already expired sufficient for the ends of justice. William B. Dalley. Eichaed Driver. * This petition received about 400 signatures.