Evening star., 1901-04-27

and that the names of the oldest inhabit-
ants have been changed from those under
which the founders of the family We're
sent out as penal convicts.
In Convict Days.
1t was right near here that the chief
penal colony was. Its name was Port Ar
thur, and you can reach it by short boat
ride down the river. Some of the buildings
in which the cOnvicts We're confined are
still standing, and one can get guide
there who will describe the terrible tor
lures they underwent. They We're so pun
iShed that many committed suicide. They
were f1ogged, tortured with dripping water
and loaded with heavy chains. They were
kept in dark cells, were used to pull the
cars on the convict railway and We're sub
Ject to all sorts of inhuman treatment To-
day there are many good families in Tas-
mania who are the descendants of these
convictS- Some of them will acknowledge "A
it, but if You ask them the crime for which
their ancestors were transported they will
invariably reply that it was for stealing
loaf of bread. Indeed, it would take n
goOd-Sized bakehouSe running steadily to
supply the many loaves which are said to
have been stolen by these early Tasma
mans.
A Pious Country.
The Tasmania of today is rather pious
than otherwise. The great majority of the
people are either honest immigrants or
the descendants of such immigrants from
England, Ireland and Scotland or Austria
liza. Transportation ceased in 1853, and
since then the bulk of the people have come
of their own accord. There are today as
many churches i'll Tasmania to the popu-
lation as in any English colony, and the
proportion of crime is no greater than in
any other. The total number of prisoners
before the criminal courts In 1898 was just
about 1000, the most of whom We're arrest
ed for fraud
The public order is as good here as IN
New Zealand and that is saying that it Is
excellent / referred to the orderly cond-
tion of Hobart when in conversation with
parson who was passing through here
the other day. He was Englishman off
for tour, and he evidently had a poor
opinion of the Tasmanians. for he said:
these people are not as good as they
seem. They are lax in their enforcement of
the laws, and crime that would imprisOn
man in England is often winked at here.
If You think they are angels you had best
leave your money at home"
l would say that this parson is a dys-
peptic; that my money is still safe, and
that / do not believe him.
Since then / have made inquiries and
learn that Tasmania has Episcopalian Ro-
man Catholic, Methodist Presbyterian, In
dependent and Baptist churches. Nearly all
the people go to church, and there are 5000
Sunday school scholars in one denomination
alone. The Roman Catholics have 1000
boys and girls i'll their Sunday schools the
PreSbyterianS about 1000 and the Metho-
dists 5000. 1t is dscreditable here not to
go to church or Sunday school, and the
average workingman has his own pew.
The Schools, Libraries and Museums
The Tasmanians are not backward in
educational matters I have not written
of the schools of New Zealand, but l
would say that there and in Tasmania you
can have about as good tuition as in the
United States. In both countries educa-
tion is compulsory. Here the man who does
not send his children to school can be
hhed $40 per child, and he will be fined
again and again until he does send them
The schools are supported by the state
ne chlef secretary is the minister for
education. and he has 4 corps cf officers
under him. The system of instruction is
nou-sectaran. There is a university in
Hobart and there are also three schools.
called ragged schools" supported by pri
Eate subscriptions and government aid
Hobart has a well-eQuipped museum and
scientific institutions.
There are public libraries in MANY of the
Tasmanian towns. The largest is that of
the Launceston Institute. which has 10000
volumes, and the next is the Hobart
Library. which has $4,000.
Another evidence of the intelligence OF
the people is seen In the excellent book
stores which you find in the larger towns
The prices are quite as low as in England
or the United States, and the best of books
can be had almost as quickly here as at
home The postal service. both foreign and
local, is excellent. Books are sent from
England to Tasmania at the rate of two
ounces for a cent. There are mails about
once Il week, several of the largest steam
ship lines calling at Hobart Newspapers
printed in Tasmania can be sent to any
part of the island free Of postage, and YOU