Sir George Grey's letter on the plan for abolishing convict
transportation develops the most striking and thoroughgoing measure yet promulgated by the existing Cabinet. Sir John Pakington's bill for amending the mode of trying juvenile offend- ers forms a pendant to it, and one which, in substance, ought not to be omitted. With one exception, the practice of convict trans- portion is to be ablished, totally and for ever. The exception ap- plies to females, in respect of whom the present system is not to be altered ; and the exception is comparatively unimportant. But the wholesale transportation of male prisoners to undergo sentence in the Colonies, and the penal settlements of Norfolk Island and Tasman's Peninsula, are to be wholly abandoned, as ineffective for their purpose, and fertile in evils that are equally inevitable and shocking. All this was pointed out by the Trans- portation Committee of 1837-8, and by the Chairman of that Committee, Sir William Molesworth, in the House of Commons in 1840: it was shown that the frightful results and the ineffi- ciency were inherent in the nature of the system and proved by practical experience. But it has taken seven years to make the Government understand the case : so dull of conviction is the official mind, so wedded to whatever is! Sir William Molesworth suggested the abandonment of trans- portation, and the substitution of the penitentiary system. That was seven years ago. In the interval, we have had much more experience of the penitentiary system : its results have not been thoroughly satisfactort;it has-notexhibitaksuch capabilities:as make us very sanguine that it will'suceeed, wholesale, as a substip tute for transportation. But in ; 184T;Government: has attained the stage occupied bp Ste-William, Mbleswortlf 11r:11340; andzire- are to have the penitentiary system. The change, however, will
• be an immense stride onward. If evils do arise, they will not be at the Antipodes, but under the eye of the Executive and the Legislature. If this reform be not final, it will not hinder, but prepare the way—will even accelerate the next move the complete revision of our whole system of prison-discipline.
on.e_branch,.. indeed, Ministers have gone beyond their own main policy—in the treatment of juvenile offenders. For young delinquents the system of retributive penalties is to give place to me of reformatory discipline, which has been found by experience to.
be more efficacious with youth. No ground for the assumption that it would be otherwise with adults is stated. But this fur- ther experiment with youth promises to enlighten the official mind on that branch of the subject also. We have seldom seen any measure more vigorous in itself, and more promising for ul- tenor results, than that set forth in Sir George Grey's letter.
