Waite most people are willing to admit the truth of the axiom " Pre. vention is batter than cure" there are comparatively few who care to carry it out in practice. Nevertheless, when they have swallowed the bane they are ready enough to ery out for the antidote—the antidote which only too often is not to be had at a moment's notice, in some cusses not atoll, Asan instance of this we may refer to a complaint which is continually being made about the increase of crime and Pauperism in this settlement. Day after day offenders receive summary punishment in the various courts of ice, and means are adopted to relieve the de te, Yot the evil still goes on; crime is not unknown in our midst, and pauperism by no means an uunccustomed sight. All remedios having proved more or less ineffectual, it remains to be tried what can be done in the way of prevention, Wo may safely assert thatit is after all only a matter of cause and effect: remove the one and the other will at once appear. Let us, however, not be isuuderstood. In using the expression cause and effect' we do so to imply, not that certain individuals develope into criminals or paupers by the force of ciroumstances—that may be taken for granted—but that they are pre. sent amongst us in n great measure through neglect of proper precautions, Criminals or paupers, be they natives or foreigners, consist of two classes, as fur as this settlement is concerned, udigenous and imported. With respect to the former we y little or nothing, as their case is being taken in band. We have plenty of gaol accommodation for the more hardened and incorrigible, where they are securely kept from mischief for periods of longer or shorter duration, and deportation, in many instances, can always be used asa Inst resource, The schools and orphanages which have been or may hereafter be established will no doubt prove an effectual means of keeping the waifs and strays of our rising generation in the right path, or will at all events prevent them from becoming any very great source of anxiety to the ratepayers hereafter, The latter claim special attention, as it is with them that the principle of prevention can be specially exercised.
Firat and foremost where do they come from, and how are they imported? The answer is plain and simple, They come from east, west, north, and south, If we look at the liste of passengers in the daily papers, in addition to the names of those in the cabin we find the numbers of foreigners and Chinese travelled in the steerage.
the former there need be no uncertainty. They are either old residents returning to the settlement or else are new comers whose friends are on the look-out for them. Now and again there may be isolated exceptions, bnt they are so few and far between
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.