The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-21 00:00:00

cover-y.

LAW AND POLICE

THE BRADFORD NAVIGATION COMPANY.—A petition for
winding up the Bradford Navigation Company has been
heard in Vice-Chancellor Malins's Court. The company
having been prevented by an injunction of the court from
obtaining a supply of water from a stream polluted
by manufactories, had been compelled to leave its canal
disused for three years. The petition was opposed by the
Town Council of Bradford, and by the Air and Calder
Canal Company. After a long discussion it was arranged
that the petition should stand over till February, with a
view to an arrangement being made for the abandonment
of part of the canal.
A RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—At the Secondaries Court,
Guildhall, the damages have teen assessed in an action
brought by a young man named May against the London
and Brighton Company. The plaintiff was in a horse-box,
with two valuable horses, attached to a train, on the 12th
of May. When near the Victoria Station an engine ran into
the train, and the plaintiff sustained a fracture of the skull.
The injuries were proved to be of such a nature as to
incapacitate him from ever again holding an active or
responsible situation, and the jury e-,..rdcd him .-0009.
REFUSAL TO RECEIVE PALTERS.—Tho magistrate, at the
Highgate Police-court, has called attention to a refusal of
the authorities at Edmonton Workhouse to receive a des-
titute cripple and his two children, who had been sent
there from that court. The excuse was that the house
was full. The clerk was instructed to write to the
Guardians for an explanation. Some charitable parsons
had given the paupers shelter.
A BRAVE CONVICT.—A singular story was heard at the
Liverpool Assizes respecting Thomas Gregory, alias Edward
Abel, aged 35 a tailor. The prisoner had been transported
for felony in 1854, for fourteen years and was charged
with being at large before the expirrtion of his
sentence. When in Australia ho was allowed to be
free on condition that he did not come to the)
United Kingdom. He went on board an American whaling
ship, and went to New York. When there he was made
drunk, and taken on board a ship sailing to England.
Since he has been in this ccuntry he has been earn-
ing his living honestly. The magistrate, in referring
to the story, sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned until
the 18th cf April, when his original sentence would expire,
and remarked that he was a brave man having on four
different cceasions saved human life from drowning.

AN OBLIGING SHEILIFF.—An American paper de-
fends the humanity shewn by the civil authority to culprits
condemned to death. It frequently happens that the
judge or sheriff chooses the day most convenient to the
victim. "Will Thursday suit you ?"--" No, it is the 13th.
I fear it may bring me ill-luck." "Well, then, the follow-.
ing day P-17cur Honour forgets that it's Friday."
" That's so ; but cn Saturday I have business, and Sun-
day won't do, so we must put it off till Monday."—
"Very well, Monday will suit me perfectly.' Even after
this the culprit, who took part in the foregoing conversa-
tion, made some difficulties. He had but one more request
to make. He was a musician. Might he be allowed to
spend his last hours in singing a few quartets with some
friends? His recincst was granted, and when the Sheriff
came he observed, " Music generally accompanies a dance,
this time it has preceded it.

DOG LICENSES.—On and after the let January,
1870, dog licenses will be issued to the public at all money
order offices in Great DI itain. The following are the
principal regulations of the Inland Revenue Office on the
subject :—The duty payable for each dog, of whatever
description, is five shillings. Dogs under the age of six
months are, however, exempted from duty. The license
terminates on the 31st December following the date of
issue, and no license can be granted for a less sum than
the duty for a whole year. The penalty for keeping a dog
without a license is £5. Licenses for packs of hounds
can be granted only by the collectors of Inland Revenue.
Licenses issued under this arrangement must bear the
undermentioned stamps :-1. A stamp of the Inland
Revenue Office. 2. The dated stamp of the Post Office
from which the license is issued. Persons obtaining
licenses from a Post Office should see that they bear these
stair p 3. These licenses will not be issued from the Post
Office during the month of December in any year. All
licenses required during that month will be issued by the
officers of Inland Revenue.

WAKEFIELD MODEL PIIISON.—The annual report
of the Howard Association mentions that amongst the
prisons lately visited by the secretary, is that of Wake-
field, the admirable model of discipline afforded by which
is comparatively little known. It is the only British
prison which, by the use of steam-pomer and machinery,
approximates in its nature to the large manufacturing
prisons of the United States and the Continent,
where the industrial capacities of the inmates
are called out to such an extent as, in addition to
rendering the prisoners thoroughly practised work-
men, secures also the not unimportant object cf largely
relieving the pockets of honest ratepayers. During four
. years (1365-68) the purchases of trade materials for Wake-
field Gaol were £39,794 ; the sales (chiefly mats), 4'47,413 ;
net profits. after deducting commissions, &e., £7,783; stork
in hand, £16,888. Average number of workers, 1,007.
Average earnings, £7 14s. per annum. The Governor
(Captain Armytage) remarked to Mr. Tallack, "If we did
not snake mats, we could turn our machinery and labour just
as well to other purposes, as, for instance, to the manufac-
ture of steam-engines." Such industrial occupation is
most valuable. Why should not idle, vicious, unskilful
criminals be rendered industrious and self-supporting?
The competition with outside workers is at the worst very
little (a few pence or farthings per individual), and the
advantage gained to both prisoners and ratepayers incom-
parably counterbalances it. The treadwheel is retained
at Wakefield as a useful resort to fall back upon for intract
Al* pri§ontro,