Monmouthshire Merlin

THE INDIAN MUTINIES RELIEF FUND. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] gIBj Will you kindly allow me to circulate through your valuable medium some suggestions with reference to this fund, which, if generally adopted, must afford effectual relief and equally distribute the burden. On the coming day of humiliation, October 7th (Wed- nesday), let the Queen and all her subjects subscribe conscientiously one day's income. Of course, all right- minded, loyal people will regard the day in obedience to the command of their Sovereign, as set apart for religious exercises, and more especially for the exercise of that greatest gift of Charity." The necessity for this Charity is acknowledged to be urgent,andl trust the effort will be equal to the emergency. To further this end in the most effectual manner should be the desire of all, and with this in view, we, the Isca foundry Company, at the Old Barracks Works, have proposed to the agents and workmen in our employ, that as on the day of humilition we should close our works (except for this purpose), instead of losing a day's pay, and, as many might probably do, spending the earnings of a cay or two, they should work that day, and give their day's pay to the Relief Fund. On putting this to a show of hai.ds, I am happy to say we had not a dissen- tient on the contrary, I believe the men all felt glad of the opportunity for showing their sympathy and affording some relief in this way. I was happy to find at the committee meeting on Wednesday last, that we had been anticipated in this by Mr. Laybourne, the locomotive superintendent of the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company, who had made a similar proposition to the hands employed in his department, and with a similar result. What the results of a general adoption of this plan would be are sufficiently obvious. I trust whatever may be done in other towns, that the example of these generous sons of toil will be followed in Newport in every possible case. We propose to furnish each person so devoting the day with a ticket to be presented to the house collec- tors, showing that their subscription will be paid at the works. In conclusion, I have only to suggest further-that should any scruples arise in the minds of any, that we are sinning against the Queen's commands, let them rest assured that such charity, in the sympathizing and generous mind of Her Majesty, will cover a multitude of sins. I am, sir, yours obediently, R. M. TOOGOOD. Stow-hill, Newport, Oct. 1st, 1857.

THE INDIAN MUTINY. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] SIR,I have thought a little on this subject, and heard much for if we happen to mix in company with the mo- derate or extreme circle of politicians, we find them specu- lating upon the cause of the Indian mutiny, and the press delivering the opinion of mostcritioa, leading one to believe that the cause was made accountable and intelligible. A popular editor expresses himself thus :_The mildness of our rule in India has produced themwchi«f • that our philanthropic measures hfive bee ri u ed to our sense of weakness, our justice to the natives to our Urror of their numbers, and our benevolence to cowardice; but there must have existed within them a spirit of revenge which has traced their achievements in innocent blood, and is still shrouded and wrapped in mystery bllt now. ever formidable and imposing that mutinous army may appear (for that crime), destruction yawns beneath them, and by one energetic effort their horrible doom is sealed for ever. But after all, as Christians, what example have the Europeans set before the native population ? It is to be feared but little to exemplify the real Christian charac- ter. They may have gained a partial and mean triumph over them by dogmatising, instead of meeting fairly and kindly the doubts they have expressed by the more intel- ligent of those professing Mabometanism. It is true there is an unbelief which their agencies cannot reach, hence the difficulty of the Christian's position. Never- theless, those professing the Mahometan creed should not be lightly tampered with. The Mahometan faith is not new but old, and will be lost in the light of a brighter dispensation, whatever may be the fate of those that have so long sustained it. It is said that Cromwell, on a battle field, pointing his sword to the rising son, ex- claimed, Arise, 0 God, and let thine enemies be scat- tered, and lead thy soldiers to victory." Lei the comman- ders of the British army in India breathfe the same prayer, that the devouring sword may be once more sheathed in India. How the mighty have fallen is apparent from the low of three of our ablest Generals-names to be enrolled in the history of India-Law-reoee, Anson, and Barnard. I am, Sir, yours truly, t Raenaron, Sept. 15th, 1857. SAUL, DEAKiy.

« HIGHWAYS AND BYEWAYS." [TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] SIB,-As an old traveller, I hope you will allow me to make a few remarks upon a subject which is not alto- gether unworthy of attention. I allude to the wanton and grievous destruction of wood which has been and is ever going on in this district, once so celebrated as con- taining the finest woods and the most splendid speci- mens of trees in the whole of Great Britain. It is now more than thirty years since I recollect admiring the well-clothed knolls, the wooded hills, the umbrageous dells, and the verdant hedges of Gwent-land. But, alas! what a change has come over the aspect of this once beautiful country there is hardly a timber tree left uncut from Newport to Abergavenny, except in the grounds of one or two neighbouring gentlemen, and those at a distance of many miles. The same extermi- nating principle has been applied to the coppice woods not content with the septennial cutting, they have been rooted up and destroyed wholesale; and even the hedges are now diverted from their natural use, and are no longer a high barrier affording shelter from the piercing winds and drifting snows of winter, and screens for the weary traveller from the oppressive heat of the sun, when pursuing his journey along a dusty road. For- merly standard trees were carefully preserved in hedge- rows, and, indeed, were planted at regular distances when not of natural growth; and this was done not merely for ornament, but for use as the trimming off the lower boughs, when they overhung the turnpike road, produced a very valuable supply of material for repairing dead hedges. It is a complete mistake to suppose that roads are benefitted by keeping hedges low; the only injury a road can sustain is when the boughs on the roadside of the hedge are allowed to pro- trude as far over the way as to prevent vehicles from keeping close to the side without inconvenience when passing other carriages. Hedges should therefore be kept neatly clipped by the road-side, but not cut down in height, in the absurd manner they now are. It is painful in these days to observe the ignorant and reck- less way in which hedges are now hacked and hewed almost every month of the year in January, the poor naked white-thorns and black-thorns (though leafless) are not always safe from mutilation and when full of sap in early spring or in the full luxuriance of summer, the knife or the hacker is always at work, and a foreigner might well exclaim — Where are the I May blossoms' and the flowery hedgerows' of which I have heard so much ?" for standard thorns are now very scarce, and no twig seems to be allowed to live in a hedge long enough to bear a blossom. Extremes are very dangerous, and the spirit of improvement which was once beneficial and commendable in promoting pro- per attention to reducing inconvenient luxuriance, has now become a mania for destruction. Hedges are de- prived of the very appearance of a hedge; they are scarcely high enough to prevent a pig from leaping over them, and instead of the tops being left high and thin, by which means snow cannot rest upon the sprays, they are cut down and made as flat and as thick as if it was in- tended to travel upon the hedges instead of upon the road; the consequence of which is, that the snow and frost has greatpower upon the already exhausted bushes, which having been first bled to exhaustion by cutting, are afterwards frozen to extinction, and, in fact, many of the hedgerow bushes are actually killed by this treat- ment, and at best, all lose their strength and luxuriance and partially wither away. I will not longer trespass upon your attention on the present occasion, than to say that should this letter meet with attention, I shall have much pleasnre in adding a few remarks upon the value of hollies in hedgerows or elsewhere. The holly tree is of slow growth and of invaluable service, as a shelter and a barrier. Landed proprietors should set an example to their tenants of care and protection to the holly tree and farmers should be induced to encourage the growth of hollies, and never to head them down under the mis- taken idea that the boughs of the '.holly will be very useful for repairing dead hedges, whereas, it is the most perishable material for that purpose, although the most impenetrable fence when alive and as it is the slowest growing of all trees except the yew, it should be totally exempt from the merciless cutting which is now devas- tating so many highways and hedges Hoping that the above remarks may be of some ser- vice, and attract attentioa to the dangerous destruction of wood which has so completely changed the aspect of the county of Monmouth, and which, if not speedily looked to, will have very bad results in more serious points than the comfort of the traveller or the pleasure of the artist, I remain, sir, your obedient humble servant, A RATIONAL AGRICULTURIST. September 29th, 1857.

MR. JOHN FROST AND HIS CHAIRMAN. [TO THB BDTTOIL OF THE MEaLIN AND SILUKIA.N,] SIR,—-In your last week's paper you have published-a letter from the Mayor on the above subject, which im- putes to us the liberty of using his name as chairman in connection with Mr. Frost's Lectures without his con- sent. We think Mr. Lyne's letter gives too much impor- tance to so small a matter, for such it appeared to us it was, before he brought it before the public. When Mr. Lyne communicated his refusal to us, although we were surprised, as all who read our statement will conclude that we might reasonably be, we nevertheless accepted it without 'reproaching him, and found a substitute. If Mr. Lyne had prudently left it there, without anxiously seeking, by his letter in question, to restore himself to the good opinion of the public, who probably never gave the subject a second thought, we should not notice it, as, for our part, we have had a pretty long experience of the faithless coldness of the times," and of the muta- ble disposition and mind of man. But now, under pre- sent circumstances, we are forced to say that we are very sensitive of our honour, and would like to be scrupu- lously fair and just to all men, no matter what may be their condition. We have heard it said that truth is that statement which has the balance of facts on its side. The facts of the matter in question are, we beg to say, the following :-In answer to an invitation sent to him, Mr. Frost agreed to come to Newport to deliver two lectures. His committee appointed us to wait on the Mayor, to ask for the use of the Town-hall for him at a reduced price. Mr. Lyne suggested that he should have it for nothing, but did not himself feel at liberty to grant it without first consulting the Council, adding further that he thought Mr. Frost, being an old inhabi- tant of the town, ought to have it for nothing. We therefore consented for him to take it before the Coun- cil, and to wait for their decision, believing the matter was in good hands, and that the result would be fa- vourable to Mr. Frost. We waited on the Mayor for an answer, which we received, and which was, as is well known, that the hall must be paid for to the full amount. The hall was accordingly engaged, and four guineas were paid down for two nights. We then, at this our last interview, as we had been requested, very respect- fully invited Mr. Lyne to take the chair. His reply to this invitation we give in his own words :— I have not the slightest objection to do so, but 1 have numerous engagements to meet, which may possibly prevent me." We then said that we would have the lectures on any evenings to suit him. Very well," he replied, if you will do that, I have what is called the I Mayor's holiday' for a fortnight, which will commence on the 31st (ult.), at the expiration of which I shall be free to meet you." Now, whether, from this, we were not only justified but even encouraged to announce that Mr. Lyne would pre- side at Mr. Frost's lectures, we leave it to all who have any interest in the matter to decide. [We have omitted a paragraph which followed here, as being an admitted, and not very courteous amplifica- tion of the foregoing.—Ed. M. M.] We are, Sir, yours very respectfully, J. WILLIAMS, Sept. 30th. SAML. LLOYD, jun.

PUBLIC-HOUSES AND THE SABBATH. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] SIR,-In your paper I read a letter of S. D. on public-houses in this locality. I was struck by one of his remarks on the duty of magistrates to suppress licenses in cases of misdemeanour, &e. -Permit me to trouble you with a question or two on public-houses, and the practices of some of them in this neighbourhood. Does the law allow playing pitch-and-toss on the public thoroughfare, and particularly in front of public-houses, a practice that is quite common in this place lately ? Again, does the law allow pitch-and-toss, bowling, &c., on the premises on Sunday, while the landlord often looks on, enjoying the sport ? If such practices are illegal, whose duty is it to put them down ? They are quite new in this locality, and have been carried on often even at the time people go and come from church and chapels. And is it sufferable for a bowling alley to be made so near a place of worship as frequently to disturb e congregation at their devotions ? Your answer to e °regoing questions will oblige many besides Blaenavon. Yours r«spoctfuliy, RRRU A CONSTANT READER. [ e po ice authorities would, doubtless, remove the nuisance of which our correspondent complains, if the subject were brought before them.]

OBSTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC ROADS. TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN. SIR -Allow me, through the medium of your columns, to point out to the attention of the town authorities, what I and others consider a piece of great neglect on their part. The members of the town council have been chosen by their fellow-townsmen, not only to represent the various interests of the borough, but also to look after the public safety, but this duty has been entirely overlooked in the case of the extensive cuttings for a new railway bridge, at the end of Crockherbtown. On Sun- day night last two lanterns, dimly burning," were the only precautions for preventing crowd" of females and children, returning from places of worship, from falling over a cutting of three or four feet deep, or stumbling over blocks of stone and iron girders. Why not compel the railway company to replace the lamp poet that they took down by a temporary gas light ? Since then the footpath itself has been cut away, and ladies have to pick their way over rough stones and between vehicles of every description passing over a narrow roadway. If the town surveyor rosided so far distant as to require the services of the steed kept for him in the town stables, I should not have been so much surprised at the apparent absence of supervision but when it is considered that there is not only a large population of considerable rate- payers on the Newport road, but also the county gaol, the infirmary, and a large establishment for the education of young ladies, I think that a little attention might be directed to keeping the footway at least passable without danger. I remain, Your obedient servant, A DWELLER IN THE EAST. Cardiff, 16th Sept., 1857.

REFORMATORY TREATMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE MERLIN AND SILURIAN.] SIR,-A full report was given in a former number of your paper of the meeting held at Newport for the pro- motion of a Reformatory School. The address given by Mr. T. Barwick Baker suggested to those concerned in the administration of justice in this county, a course of proceeding with respect to juvenile offenders which has been acted upon with the most distinct success in the county of Gloucestershire, and which, there is every reason to hope, if adopted in Monmouthshire, might be equally successful. Having, therefore, obtained from Mr. Barwick Baker a revision of his address, I am in- duced to request its reproduction in your columns in a form which may be relied upon for its accuracy in figures and details. I beg also to observe that, under certain arrangements which I hope soon to be enabled to state, Mr. Baker will, till our own reformatory is opened, receive boys from this county at Hardwicke, and (while there is room) admission may be gained for them to Kingswood and other Schools, as well as for girls (under 13) to Red Lodge, Bristol. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, STEPHEN CATTLEY BAKER. Usk, September 15th, 1857. In the address of Mr. T. Barwick Lloyd Baker, after a few observations of a preliminary nature, he said there were two or three points referred to by Mr. Bosanquet (the previous speaker) which he would touch upon and call still further attention to. Perhaps the principal point was that of making the parents pay. Now he must explain to them the features of that plan. Having for some time worked the plan, he could more practically than Mr. Bosanquet speak as to the great advantages of the system of compelling parents to pay. The law has given very peculiar power-a much greater power, to magistrates than at first sight appeared. The law ordered that when a child was sent to a reformatory school, the parent may be brought forward by any person appointed by Government. (Mr. Sidney Turner was that person now, but the law would probably put the work into the hauds of the county police), and the parent may be taken before a neighbouring magistrate, who will decide how much he is able to pay. If the parent refuse to pay, the police are to bring him up again before the magistrates, and the magistrates have the power to send the parent to prison for ten days. That seemed a very short and slight punishment; but it must be re- membered that ten days was more than at first sight ap- peared If a man were only sent for ten days, he was allowed nothing but bread and water, while if sent for a month, he had gruel in addition, so that at the end of ten days he comes out without having had the opportu- nity of becoming accustomed to prison and those cer- tain little comforts which are necessarily given to those who are in gaol for a long period. Consequently, the parent left the gaol with a strong impression that it is a remarkably uncomfortable place. After he leaves prison the policeman again visits him, and desires him to pay his weekly shilling or two shillings towards the support of his child; and if he again refuse, and the magistrate choose to carry it on, they have the power to give a mild succession of ten days' imprisonment, which, he must say, he thought was a remarkably good thing in those very strong cases which were occasionally found. He did not mean to recommend such a course in those very numerous cases that he was aware existed, where the parent was all day at his work, and was doing his best to earn a subsistence for himself and family, and was unable to look after his children, and the boy would get into trouble. He would beg for a great degree of leniency towards parents who made an effort to pay a trifle, though it was little more than what the child would have cost them had he been in the house with the family instead of in the reformatory school. But there were certain cases of wilful neglect, and other cases yet far worse, where the parents make a deliberate trade in the crime of their children; in these cases, it was absolutely necessary that there should be a mild repeti- tion of the ten days' imprisonment. There was another pjint that he would still more wish to call their attention to—the different systems and different views held as to reformatories. A great many people said the object ought nottobe to reform, butto prevent. Now hebelieved -and he thanked God that he believed he was nearly in a position to show-that reformatory schools were preventives in the most powerful degree. They must consider what was meant by crime. He confessed he took a rather different view of it than many people did. Many people considered that human nature was divisible into only two classes—criminal and non-criminal. The non-criminal were perfect angels, whilst the criminal were housebreakers, and all those other bad men, who came under the designation of ticket-of-leave men," for that, now-a-days, was the name given to the worst degree of crime. Now the fact was, that mankind were not precisely divisible into these two classes. There was every shade between them but the great thing to be considered was this-he was afraid, if the question was looked at very closely, there was scarcely one of them who could thoroughly say that he was out of all fear that his children might not be criminal, if by criminal was meant the occasional taking of something which did not belong to them. There were many who had gone on without falling into that state but who could say that any of their children were perfectly safe from falling ? Now, what he deduced from this, was the earnest call upon them to consider that there is a difference between a person who once yields to a temporary temptation and takes a thing which does not belong to him, and the hardened criminal. Not one-half, nor one twentieth part of mankind, weigh the distinction which there is between a boy who commits a single offence and a boy who is in the regular habit of committing thefts. If, by greatly diminishing crime, they meant greatly diminishing the first ofÍÈmces-the cases of boys yielding to sudden temptation-he did not believe that refor- matory schools would to a very great extent (they would to some extent), diminish first offences. But he did believe that reformatory schools would enable them to do great good, and if they would adopt a new system of sentencing, such as they had not hitherto been able to use, bnt such as would be suited to the school when opened, he fully believed they might diminish second and third offences almost to nothing. He considered that the first offender-the boy with the first offence- ought not to be called criminal. He did not mean to say he ought not to be punished. He thought decidedly that he ought. He thought the boy had done wrong in taking that which did not belong to him, and he believed that every boy knew when he stole something, that he was doing wrong but the punishment should be a very slight one—it should not be one to blast his character-it ought not to be considered by the world as blasting his character. (Cheers.) Now the system which he had tried, with the aid of their country- man, Mr Bengough, was, in point of time, the first experiment of the kind (not the first as a school-for the Philanthropic, thanks to Mr. Bosanquet's father among others, had existed long before, but had not con- fined its exertions to one particular district-while the excellent reformatory in Warwickshire had been unhappily allowed to die the very year before the Act passed which would have given it fresh life.) But the reformatory for Gloucestershire was the first which had confined itself to a certain district, with the crime of which it was able to cope, and therefore in this point they had more experience than others. They had gone upon this principle—when- ever a boy was sentenced for his first offence, unless there was strong reason to believe that he was in the regular habit of crime, he (Mr. Baker) begged the magis- trates that they would not send him to the reformatory school, but that they would commit him to prison for one week. He believed that a SINGLE WEEK would be the very best punishment they could give a boy FOR His FIRST OFFENCE. For the SECOND OFFENCE, send him to the REFORMATORY SCHOOL; on his third offence give him a good sentence of penal servitude; and on his fourth offence a considerably longer sentence of penal servitude. Now let them mark the effect produced by this. It was not the reformation of individuals to which he alluded: out of 145 boys who had passed through his hands, the greater part had done well, some had gone on steadily for a time and then fallen. Some of those who had fallen had since recovered themselves and were doing well, but he would by no means say that any were reformed, meaning thereby, that they were perfect and would never relapse again, though he had good hope that all were the better for the school; but he could say this-they used to have somewhere about, of late years, fifteen or sixteen boys in the county of Gloucester, con- victed for the second, third, or fourth time. He had been doing the best he could to get hold of all these old offenders, and last Christmas he gave notice to the magistrates that they had caught, as he hoped, all the regular offenders. He then could not help boasting (though he was doubtful how it might turn out) that if his theory was correct, crime ought considerably to diminish among boys under 16. He confessed, he said it with fear and trembling, as he could not tell how an unlucky half year might altogether alter the state of things; but the fact was, that since the 12th of November last there was only one boy in the whole county of Gloucester convicted for a second offence, and that was such a thing as had never happened before. (Applause.) It might be too short a period from which to assume a theory, or to boast of a statistical fact." In truth, he did not believe very much in statistical facts, unless they were very closely looked at. On going into the statisti- cal facts of one county, the real result may differ very much from the first apparent result. He did not mean to say that they were always to go on with only one boy for every nine months; but let them take the case pro tanto, and it was satisfactory that they had now gone on for that time with only one case of a second conviction in a county like Gloucester, which had always borne, for its population, rather a bad character, particularly with regard to juvenile crime. (Hear, hear.) Be would beg of the Monmouthshire magistrates to consider whether they might not, when they got their reformatory into action, have very short imprisonments for first offences, the re- formatory school for second offences, and when any boys relapsed after the reformatory school, he would not ask for mercy on them. His own belief was, they would find a very rapid decrease in crime amongst boys under 16 to follow this system. There is another reason why he would ask them to look at the matter in this light. A great many people said that out of the 12,000 juvenile criminals, 30 per cent. were convictedforsecondoffences and, therefore, in this county they would say it must always be considered there would be 30 per cent. second convictions. Now, if they pleased, he would say to them they were not to consider any such thing, because one county differs from another in such an extiaordinary degree, that a conclusion like that could not be safely arrived at. He looked at the five last years of com- mitments in Gloucestershire-and there he really could look into them, and know how far they could be depended on—he could tell every boy who had been committed, and knew pretty well what he was doing. He took the town of Cheltenham, which has always been very bad for boy thieves, as he knew from 25 years experience, as a magistrate; and taking one hundred boys who were there committed for the first time, twenty-eight and a fraction of these were afterwards re-committed. In the town of Gloucester,-a large, poor town, compared with Cheltenham, out of one hundred boys committed for the first time, only nine were committed for a second time. In the rest of the county, including the manufacturing district of Stroud and the mining districts of the Forest of Dean, he could show a list of all the convictions, by which it appeared that in every 100 boys committed a first time, only four were re-committed. This showed how little a calculation of the average results of the kingdom would enable one to adapt a system to a parti- cular district. Each set of magistrates must examine their own district, and act accordingly. If it were found that in Newport, of 100 committed, 40 were re-committed, it would be desirable to send both these and some first com- mittals to the school; while in the country districts, where the number of re-committals is probably very small, only second or even third committals should be sent there. He would urge the magistrates to consider, each for their own neighbourhood, who should be sent and how many -if any—on their first conviction. If they adopted the system of sending numbers to gaol for only one week the first time, the tlumber of convictions would increase very largely indeed but, at the same time, crime would de- crease. Many prosecutors, who did not like to have a boy sent to gaol for a month, would endeavour to check his course if they had reason to believe the magistrates would send him to gaol for a week only. When a boy came out of gaol at the end of a month, his muscles were soft, his hands, were soft, and he was hardly fit to go to work again but in all probability, if sent only for a week, he would go out at the end of that week without feeling his hands much softer, and find his master ready to employ him again and having had only a short, sharp, punishment, would go to his work with an inclination to stick to it in future. Without over- tasking their excellent chaplain, the system of short imprisonments would enable them to receive a much larger number in the gaol than at present. If they came a second time-and very possibly the number of second offences would increase in the outset-the children must be sent to the reformatory. Till they got a little used to it, the parents would hardly understand that they actually would be driven to pay for their boys at school; and the boys themselves, when they were sent to school, would think they would have nothing to do but learn but whe-l they found they were set to work—right hard work-every day for eight hours, they would begin to look at the school differently. Some would say eight hours a day was short enough but it should be remem- bered that to be kept hard at work for that period was quite as much as a. boy could bear. Boys on farms were employed ten and a half hours but all that time was not actually spent in hard work, and it would not do at a reformatory to encourage anything like idleness. Well, then, at first boys would be likely to think the re- formatory school a pleasant place, and parents would thinjt the magistrates would never have the cruelty to make them pay for the maintence of the boy. But when the parents found that it did not pay to let their children be sent to the reformatory, and that they certainly were sent there on a second conviction, it would be found that the number of second convictions would very materially diminish, and that the school would be of inestimable advantage, because it would entirely do away with fourth and fifth convictions. Those fourth and fifth convictions were the means by which we had been manufacturing criminals at a fearful expense to ourselves for years and years. It might sound very much like an absurd hope, but he had one hope for a good many years. He was perfectly convinced that in this country we had been manufacturing, not our petty thieves, but our regular hardened criminals, at an enormous expense but he believed we could give up the ma- nufacture precisely whenever we pleased. He did not mean to say that human nature would not yield to temptation. There would be second and third time offenders-there would be those who were too weak in mind to resist any temptation, and they must be kept in restraint. Care for the public safety re- quired that it should be so, and they would have cases of that kind. But the regular hardened habitual offenders would be decreased. There would be Robsons and Redpaths, and terrible offenders of that kind, but the regular systematic housebreakers, the regular pro- fessional thieves-the moment the country ceased to make them such by the constant system of short impri- sonments—they would cease to exist, and we should be clear of them. As he could not now find boys in Glou- cestershire to fill his reformatory, he had asked the Mayor of Bristol to allow him to sport upon his manor having shot all the game upon his own. He had met there with the case of one boy, who had been sent to prison a great number of times, and the history of that boy showed only too truly the effect of sending a boy to gaol time after time. Some time before Christmas, 1854, the boy's father ran away, and he lived with his step-mother. He began to steal, and was sent the first time to gaol for fourteen days. After he came out, the police took him to his mother, who would have nothing to do with him, and then he went to lodge in the worst part of Bristol, where he met with a man (since trans- ported) who instructed him. He then went on stealing, and was sent to prison eight times, for various terms, and last of all he had been sent to the Hardwicke Re- formatory. Now when a boy got to that system of using the gaol time after time, how could he be expected to do anything but to go to gaol again ? They must never allow a boy to become an habitue of a gaol. That was the very advantage of having a reformatory school. If they had a reformatory school, let them use it in the way he had spoken of, not by sending every boy whose mother is untidy, as one boy was sent to his (Mr. Baker's) school. He would say to the friends before him, let them not fill up their school with little trifling things of that kind. Send only boys they believed to be at all approaching the condition of regular offenders. For a time deal very sharply, but shortly, with first offenders—for there would thus be room in the gaol for a much larger number of them-so as to stop the com- mencement of crime more readily. If they would do that they would have the power to say, whatever might be said on the question of reforming this or that particu- lar boy, that no one boy in their county can become an habitual criminal under the age of sixteen years and he did hold that being able to say that was one of the proudest things a county could have to say. Thank God, they could say it in his county, and every county in England where provision was made would be able to take every second conviction into a reformatory within two years. He had nothing to do with the financial part of the question as affecting Monmouthshire, but he did urge upon them the desirableness of being able to say with confidence that not one boy in the county shall have the physical opportunity of becoming a regular ha- bitual criminal under the age of sixteen years.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE. BANKRUPTS. FRIDAY.—D. Nazer, Dover, hatter.—I. Roberson, Upper Sydenham Kent, bootmaker. — T. J. Dore, Stour Provost, Dorsetshire, innkeeper. M. Moss, Borough-market, fruiterer.—W. Savage, Winchester, Berlin wool dealer.-J. Wooliscreft, Leek, Stafford- shire, corn denier.—R. S. Lambert, Bristol, dealer in manure.—E. Davies, Swansea, linendraper.-W. Rees, Glastonbury, Somersetshire, bookseller. T. Wright, Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, wine merchant—T. Garniss, Great Grimsby, tailor. TuESDAY.-J. F. Hookham. Eyre-street-iiitl, Leather- lane, Holborn, licensed victuaDer.-R. Batley, Gifford- street, Caledonian-road, timber merchant and coal dealer.- W. Freeman, Fleet-street. bookseller, — E. Passmore. King-street, West Smithfield, licensed vic- tualler.-F. R. P. Böõke, Newman-street, Oxford-street, jitoldsmith. J. Harrison, Epsom, corn chandler.-C. Hall, Alberraarle-street, Piccadilly, poulterer.—J. Hall, Dudley, and Oldswinford, Worcestershire, mill maker. -W.GIovert Liverpool, innkeeper.-B. W. Gabriel, Stookport, cotton spinner. Sir R. W. Carden has been elected Lord Mayor of London for the ensuing year; He was opposed, but gained the majority.

INQUEST ON THE BODY OF MR. GEORGE MASTERS. On Saturday last, W. Brewer, Esq., the coroner, held an inquiry into the cause of the death of Mr. George Masters, as reported in our last publication. The jury assembled at the Crown Inn, and after viewing the body, the following witnesses were examined :— James Ball, who appeared to be suffering from the injuries he had received, said he was an assistant in the spirit shop of the deceased. Last Monday he drove Mr. Masters to Caerleon in the dog-cart, and at about eight eight o'clock at night drove him back, Mr. Hope, the publican, and Tbos. Norton, the porter, being on the back part of the trap. They arrived at the Rope Walk, near the old road going up to Maindee, when he saw something a-head, and as he was hoarse, he told the por- ter to sing out; he did, loudly, but there was no answer. They came nearer, and saw a coal-laden cart and horse, with two men riding on the cart. He was not driving fast, but their horse was young, and hard in the mouth. A collision took place when he had no power to get out of the way. A Juror He knew the horse. It did not appear to be properly broke in. Witness: It was very dark, and they had no lights. He saw no one walking along by the cart or horse. When the collision took place, the wheels being locked, their horse fell, and Mr. Masters and himself were thrown out—Mr. Masters into the hedge, and he near the cart! The two riding on the dog-cart were not thrown off. There was a man at the head of the coal- cart horse when he got up, and he said to him (witness), When saw room on the other side, why didn't you go there ?" He said to him it was too late to do so when he met his cart. Two men were then lifting up Mr. Mas- ters, who appeared senseless. He was placed in the dog-cart, and supported by the porter and another. When they got to the turnpike-gate, Mr. Masters be- came conscious, aud took the reins from him, saying, It is all right now," and drove home to the door. He complained of his left shoulder, spying he feit a slight pain there. He advised witness to go home, as he thought he was much hurt. lie saw nothing more of him until next morning. Levi Leonard said he was a haulier, living at Caerleota. He was going home with some coal on Monday, near nine o'clock in the evening, and when just past the rail- way bridge, and off the middle of the road, on the near side, a trap came by, and he thought the footstep of the trf p caught his wheel, where there was a mark of it on the spokes. He drove on, and did not stop, until a man collared him, and stopped him. He had heard somebody calling out before the collision, but he did not know what it meant. He didn't tell the driver he should have driven on his (witness's) side of the road. He hid a pint of beer at White's, in Market-street, before he left town, and had been drinking before, but he was not drunk- only a little" fresh." The indifference of this witness on the night of the oc- currence, was strongly commented upon. Leonard said, in reply to a juror, that there were no men at all riding on his cart at the time of the collision. Mr. James Hawkins, surgeon, said that on Tuesday morning he attended Mr. George Masters professionally. He found him suffering from apoplexy, and in an insen- sible state. Could find no external mark of injury on the head; the collar bone he found to be fractured he never rallied the only mark of injury was the collar bone; his opinion was that sickness ensued during the night, and that a vessel gave way, and there was evident compression of the brain one pupil of the eye was dilated and the other contracted he was a likely subject for apoplexy. Thomas Norton, a porter in the employ of deceased, was with his employer on the day of the accident; saw the cart coming towards them, and a man leading the horse there were two men on the cart; he called out but the driver did not attempt to draw up or turn aside' and cursed in reply to their expostulations. Mr. Ball pulled up, and stopped before the collision; their horse did not fall; their wheel was knocked back the horse was steady he jumped down when Mr. Masters fell, and ,r,' Hope jumped off after. Mr. Masters came to him- self, and drove home, where he leaned on the counter, and asked if the trap was hurt. He (the witness) was not tipsy; bad only drank two glasses of peppermint and a glass of beer Mr. Ball was also perfectly sober; t4ey had not experienced any difficulty before on that day. Mr. Hawkins recalled I think it likely that the colli- sion was the cause of the apoplectic fit. The Coroner siid the evidence was most conflicting, and nothing could well be arrived at from what had been said, except that deceased died of apoplexy, after an ac- cident on the road. Verdict—" That the deceased died from apoplexy, oc- casioned by injuries received through a collision between his carriage and a cart on the Caerleon road." Levi Leonard, the driver of the cart, on the expressed desire of the jury, was severely reprimanded by the Coroner on the inhumanity he displayed both before and after the accident. The bGdy was interred on Tuesday last, and many of the neighbouring tradesmen closed their shops as a mark of their sympathy.

TOWN HALL, NEWPORT.—SATURDAY. [Magistrates present: The Rev. Thomas Pope and John James, Esq.] AFFILIATION CASE.—Susannah Attwall charged James Stephens with being the father of her illegitimate child. —The case was d smissed. A FRIVOLOUS CHARGE.—William Livans was charged with having on Sunday week, in the parish of Redwick, stolen a shirt belonging to Jonathan Reynolds, a fellow- labourer. It however turned out that Reynolds owed Livans money, which he could not get from him, and he at last took away his shirt.—Discharged. POTATO STEALING.—Henry Cooper and Thomas Sharpe were charged with stealing lOlbs. weight of pota- toes from the grounds of the Rev. Thomas Pope (who on the charge being called on, left the Bench.) P.s! Jonathan Beswick gave evidence in support of the charge. He said that on Monday last he saw the pri- soners near a potato-field belonging to the Rev. Thomas Pope; he crossed the hedge, and on coming up with Sharpe, he searched him, and found potatoes in a hand- kerchief, evidently just dug from the ground he said his companion had bought them for 6J.; took him in charge, and compared the footmarks in the field with Sharpe's shoes, and found them to correspond.-P.C. Henry Ingram said that they acknowledged their guilt to him.—Committed for 14 days, with hard labour. AN hIPOSTER.-Sarah Smith was brought up on a charge of vagrancy, and with pretending to be deaf and dumb, for the purpose of exciting sympathy.-P.C. Trewartha saw prisoner at Tredegar Park, making signs that she was in distress; he told her that he would take her to a medical man for examination could elicit no reply at that time, but at Ebbw-Bridge she spoke; she said that was the first time she had tried on that dodge."—Committed to the House of Correction for one month. A number of jury lists were sworn to by the overseers as being correct. A large number of persons were summoned for neglect- ing to pay the poor-rates. In some cases orders for pay- ment were made, whilst some were excused on the plea of poverty. MONDAY. [Before C. Lyne, Esq., Mayor, and G. Gething, Esq.] DRUNK AND DISORDERLY.—Chas. Collier was charged with being drunk on Saturday. Fined 5s. and costs.- John O'Brien was fined 5a and costs, for being drunk and disorderly on Sunday night, at Pill. ASSAULT.—William Williams, a seaman, was charged with assaulting Sarah Nicholas, beerhouse keeper. He pleaded guilty, and excused himself on the score of drunkenness. Fined 10s. and costs, or one month's im- prisonment. Matthew Francis, was charged by Sarah Francis, his wife, with assaulting her. They have been married only six months. On Friday he did not attend to his work, and his wife sent after him, and found him in a ques- tionable house. He struck her with a poker, and threatened to take her life. Defendant prayed for mercy, and promised he would not do so agtin, when his Wor- ship told him he should not have the opportunity for some time, and sentenced him to one month's hard la- bour, and afterwards to be bound over to keep the peace. Henry Ray, jun., pilot, was charged with assaulting William Reed, a bailiff. Mr. John Cathcart defended the accused. It appeared from Reed's evidence that he was instructed by Messrs. C. Evans & Son, to serve a notice from the Bristol Court of Bankruptcy in the house of Ray, the elder; he got in the bouse, and was pushed outside, and the door was fastened on him. Reed again got in, and then defendant and his mother were there. Defendant then kicked Reed. Ray had since offered compensation. This was denied by the opposite party. -John Stacey, another bailiff, corroborated the evidence of Reed.—William Wheatcroff, a tailor, residing at Pill, said he witnessed the fray, and heatd Reed say that he I would force an entrance into the house; was under the impression that both bailiffs were drunk, and unfit for duty after Reed went in, a noise ensued, glass was broken, a mob congregated, and witness said to Ray, Why don't you go in and protect your father's pro- perty ?" Ray refused to go in a" navvy" went in and brought out both bailiffs; Ray did not touch either of them.-Samuel Boyd proved that Ray did not go into the house at all; he likewise proved that the "navvy" had gone in and brought out both the bailiffs by the hair of the head.—-Joseph Williams gave similar evidence to last witness.—Case dismissed. Daniel Neal, brought up on a warrant for assaulting Ellen Wallace, in August last, was, on the prayer of the prosecutrix, discharged on payment of costs. Caroline Lewis and Frances Grady were brought up on a charge of stealing a coat, at Pillgwenlly, from off one of the trucks. P.S. Wilcox proved the charge. They begged to be forgiven, alleging that they had never before been guilty.-Committed for fourteen days' hard labour.

———MM he T NEWPORT TOWN COUNCIL AND BOARD OF HEALTH. d the I A meeting of the corporation of this town took plitog the Town-hall on Tuesday morning last, at which rA dep following members were present —The Mayor, Chtfjw her< Lyne, Esq. (chairman) Aldermen Homfray, Evans, *fcined 1 Edwards, Mr. John Davies, Mr. John Lewis, Mr. to Mr. Morgan, Mr. Williams, Mr. H. J. Davis, yough, Townsend, Mr. Jones, and the Town Clerk, Mr. WoolJyasing The minutes of the preceding meeting having fe read, j lamps The Town-Clerk, with reference to the Magistratfp-ke £ Clerk question, said the papers had been forwardedrShboi Mr. Pashley's office, and that he had since receivedr*Ln» 81 letter from the learned counsel's clerk, stating (Mr. Pashley) was very ill, and little hopes of bis refi™D as very were entertained. It was now left for the Corpo^j* 0w' tion to decide as to who should be appointed as Jf Pashley's junior. atter f Mr. John Davies proposed that the matter stand over for consideration till the expiration of a .e night, and this suggestion was unanimously adopted- THE WEIGHING MACHINE.. EJ The Chairman said that the weighing machine would expire on the 15th of October, and it cessary to decide upon the terms of its renewal. Mr. Edmund, who has held the contract during present year, here entered the room, and complained'SEFTE the high terms at which the machine had been let. mai had paid £ 22 a year, and he thought this too much, on ] hoped the gentlemen present would sympathise one, and let him have it on lower terms. "telf Up The Chairman Upon what terms ? fel Mr. Edmund: For £ 11 a year. m0'r The Chairman said that if he proposed that, the ^pearan poration would have to put the contract up for teum o'cloc and after some conversation it was agreed to defer "Ow pr, matter for future discussion. *nge n A CORPORATION PRIZE FOR THE AGRICULTURAL SHO^'IS The Chairman read a letter, signed R. K. Jones, t ferring to a suggestion thrown out by the Mayor, rela^lgrem- to the Corporation of Newport founding a prize fof jfiiculai Charles Morgan's Agricultural Show. The letter Tbear a quested a definite proposal on the subject, on the parJjpeersc ISir Charles Morgan. The Mayor said the subject Wrthe prj d arisen at a meeting of the Association, at which Iders i health was kindly drank, and in the course of his r«P ice, aft he adverted to the fact of there being no prize giveO t great the Corporation, and expressed a wish that one should m ni0r given for the future. He certainly thought it strs bple. 1 a that in a large town like this a prize of some sort e askl not given by the municipal body, and he thougbl at a twenty guinea cup would be a becoming addition W* thing rewards. He would himself give five guineas to^ le, a t it. (Hear, hear.) tiful Mr. H. J. Davis said the subject had been discussed » rievei I previous ocoasions, and he then stated that the Cor, Aberg e tion had no power to do anything in the matter ouji Pters w their funds. It might be managed as a private i a gr, and he would be happy to join in towards it himself, d. 'j1)- Mr. Latch observed that he hid subscribed to the 0 "hioh from the first. He believed it to be a beneficial f cwt. lishment for the county, and had achieved good effect'' Fson wi Mr. Townsend thought it would not hurt the ists ai of the corporation to subscribe to a twenty guinea' 'ning between them. ft. Al Mr. Evans suggested whether it would not be de^ Unken ble for the corporation, instead of subscribing to ft' Feat m to subscribe towards the cup at once ? ( tot 0f The Chairman and other members pointed out ofy' fee of n tions to this plan, and j Mr. H. J. Davis said there could be no doubt that^ show was the means of improving the town. Itrajjiefore t the position of farmers and agriculturists, and the this was done, the more money would be spent ia chari town. Jtne of After a few other remarks, it was agreed to prOTf and a the cup by private subscription among the member *r, at 1 the corporation. Inch, t] THE RAILWAY CROSSING IN THOMAS-STREET. IHER ho The report of the Committee appointed to enquire JyA they this subject was read. It expressed a decided dify man proval of the proposed additional line, but offered to -4> take immediate attention to any other plan which mig&* »pute a offered by the South Wales Company. passion Mr. W. Evans I suppose, Mr. Chairman, there cup 8 limit to the inconvenience suffered by the publio thr<>Tl4 this crossing. Mr. Wood threatens, or tells us, tb'JPftuN] the additional line asked for is not laid down, mofPjfoellin; convenience will be caused than at present. Th? Cc is now delayed to the extent of thirty minutes, and *J|turl>ar can be certified by affidavit if you like. They haffr'ji 23I c adopted a novel style of annoyance an engine is the middle of the road, and the steam is turned o+Jfc con full twenty minutes. Now, I ask any of you who are in the habit of driving, what horse could ryQ coat £ that ? It is really a very serious matter. (Hear, The Chairman remarked that when he saw the ? „,Tf? t tor of the Board of Trada, he was decidedly dtr understand there was a limit to the mconYeflP^ E he intimated that if it became excessive he wou^ *vvn> fere. tedtb fere..»jftedthi Mr. Evans said it was since the last meeting oj.lr'ough Board that the engine had been placed in the midd' the tl the road, as described. it Mr. Latch: Mr. Wood is in waiting, and I hops ^thout Mayor will lay it before him. jtaed 2o| The Chairman The South Wales Railway ComJ* are Asking a favour of this Board, but they offer it °fgan.- inducement to grant it. He proceeded to state th8» l>ng th< had written a letter relative to the express traia »v Jd, wb London, which stopped half an hour at Gloucester, causing the passengers to arrive in Newport too pigs catch the express train to Hereford. This detention fce, and often a very serious matter. (Hear, hear.) ^?ears f It was agreed to send the letter alluded to b/'ft on t Mayor in the name of the entire corporation. J^&ses Mr. Townsend, Mr. Homfray, and Mr. Jones V similar instances of this kind of inconvenience. Mr. Wood (agent of the South Wales Company)^HE ] tered the room, and the report of the Committee mem read to him. In reply, Mr. Wood said he was ajjfd thei they had come to a wrong conclusion, as the Cofflpy* Tl have power to place a siding. He was sure the pand would be more inconvenienced by the CorporatioDjr'ch th fusing the Company's request than they are at pre8jp°rated He asked whether the Board would agree to let theJflr&er W) it for six months ? gr The Chairman said this would be unadvis ble it Mrs be getting the wedge in, and although the privilege On. H. not be abused at first, there would be no securitj^he act any future period. Jjbj am Various suggestions were made which might r«flnP w&s the difficulty—such as shifting the level crossing, Svty Mr. to avoid the road being blocked up by shunting-jP sarig nothing definite was decided upon. With regard t<ypcipa] Evans's complaint about the engine, Mr. Wood ( lay the matter before the Secretary. He waa oon*l*»toi,ia, it was the result of accident, and not of design. jfarks, The Chairman then stated that since his 1 ist repoHr Wg€ Collector had gathered in £ 120, making £ 547 altog0TP&bers For the drainage £ 640 had still to be collected, j "Jost Chairman also announced that the whol* Corpor^ft it8 n had agreed to join the Indian Relief Fund Commilte^p* whe Mr. Townsend censured the conduct of the Gro^rtheir ment for not having made the subssription a tlp affair. He expressed himself notwithstanding re contribute his donation towards the fund. f?eiU Mr. Jones thanked the Mayor, on behalf owjch teachers of the Wesleyan Sunday School, for his kindTOtning in allowing them the free use of the Town-hall oft and previous day. 1 high THE SURVEYOB'8 REPORT "DIAILY Was then read as under0 Gentlemen, — The sewer works are progrre3sinO>0ndecl Commercial-ro xd, Albion-street, Dock-streat, and happ street. The Dock-street sewer will shortly be compleJfbfc,{ g The Tredegar Wharf Company have commenced the nexious of their new sewers with the Commercial" sewer. Having been requested by the Public Work3 mittee to stlect a street on the Llanarth estate to mence repaving, &c., and to recommend to the Board vf1 e tow the owners be served with notices to put the street ei a state as may render it fit to be taken to by the Su^ I beg to say that I have selected the portion of Caysive ( parade between Grenville-street and Lower Gaorge-atyrn- which is now in a bad state, and will not be iuter»^dition with by the new aewers. rtber Mr. Senior's contract for scavenging has nearly exp1^ "I beg to lay before you the following: -An applio3*^ from Thomas Kundle, for permission to build two h"T 8 in York-street. From William Evans, for permissi^T11 nc'd. build one house in Baldwin-street. An application ^Fi'eAI Jones Brothers for leave to put up a projecting their premises now building in the street leading the eastern entrance of the Cattle Market to Dook-str^Torjty "ALFRED WiLLiA^'ate N, Town-hall, Newport, 29th Sept., 1857." Jpplica The only discussion this report occasioned was^Jto.Nr reference to the conduct of Mr. J. Phillips, the dra^ a]g0 contractor, in publishing a letter of complaint, insteqpraUj^ sending it to the Bjard. It was also stated that ho < deft; asked higher prices than the schedule authorised^ofmei this was contradicted by the Town Surveyor, Mr. e liams. REPAIRING STREETS. pfore ( The Chairman referred to the complaints whic^^tAvix constantly being made by ratepayers relative to the. cha of the public thoroughfares. They were complayir em, that, notwithstanding the rates were regularly p9lAidant! was impossible to get the streets repaired. He ad^E the adoption of the plan proposed at a previous we^'jght of calling upon the proprietors and landlords to d Mticg work, and in the event of their refusing, the Cous. x it in their power to execute it and charge them wt V die expenses. In the first disputed case, the Obe the offered to defray the expenses of a prosecution hi ea. Mr. W. Evans thought that if legal proceeditJjfta^oke resorted to, it would be advisable to take tbeaMf i County Court. The Judge was admitted on all be a very impartial man-(hear, hear)—and as t magistrates were in some way connected with there would be a greater show of justice :tJ r « aotions from their jurisdiction. Justice, *■ Vjgjjl them, should be, like 0»sax's wife, beyou,i6tt8P"^ S