Perth Amboy evening news., 1904-01-16
A CONVICT COLONY.
Frances Great P~enitentiary in New
Caledonia.
Numerous Penal Population Branda
the Island of Nau as Such
How the ExiIes Are
sd Treated.

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a vast house of correction, and SO lone
as the island retains this character free
people naturally seek another colony.
After the suppression Of the Paris COM
mune Q871) had brought 10000 political
convicts to this land. whose entire white
| population had previously not exceeded
15, 900, one entertained for the moment
the hope of better conditions. This hope,
says a translation in Public Opinion
from Die Woche, proved Elusive, since
the political exiles well knew that a new
order Of things in the m~otherland Would
give them their freedom. Expecting
pardon, they gave no thought to estab-
fishing themselves in New Caledonia.
Scarcely 100 political convicts remained
after amnesty made possible their re-
turn to France. To-day of a population
of about 5000 natives, convicts and col
onists, the convict element is OF such
character and numbers as to brand the
island a penal colony. The total con-
vict population of the two penal colo
MES of New Caledonia and Guinana Is
about $4,000, of whom the great major
ity are in New Caledonia.
The punishment of the exiled convict
naturally begins in France, and does not
cease during the entire voyage. Strong
chambers like cages are constructed
amidships; between the chambers is a
small passage where day and night
guards are stationed; at each end of the
passage are placed small cannon ready
for firing. Whoever shows the slight
est sign of characterization or replies
to an officer with a d~isrespectful answer
is confined in a dark cell provided for
that purpose. The convicts first leave
their cages in the harbor of Noumea,
where they are transferred to a small
steamboat. They are not permitted to
disturb the 1000 or more inhabitants of
the capital city, Noumea; they are TAX
en- directly to the Island Nou, where
there is a great penitentiary, with cells
for those condemned to death, work
houses, barracks, a hospital and other
appurtenances. This building can ac-
commodate 1000 men, besides the mill
tary company g%arrisoned here in cas-
of instruction. The director of the
prison, after examining their papers, d.
vides the convicts into three general
classes Of incorrigibles. m~oderates
and novices. A further division sepa-
rates them according to natural ability
and acquired skill.
The new arrivals are condemned to the
hardest work-canal digging, road max
ing, stone breaking, loading and unload
ing ships. They are not allowed to
speak, receive no other nourishment
than bread and water, and are confined
between working hours. Now and then,
for good behavior, the convict rises to
the second class, from which he is nearly
always promoted to the first, when he
has served half his time. In the second
class he Is assigned to the warehouses;
or the factories, while once in the first
he is permitted to go about freely in the
inner half of the island; it is only re-
quired of him that he engage in some
pursuit, shop work or field work, and
that he report every week at the head
office, to prove his presence on the island.
New Caledonia affords such liberty that
the convicts may ultimately earn con-
siderable money in their business and
even become respected citizens, if they
do not bear the stigma of "bagne."
The only court of Jurisdiction to pass
sentence upon the convicts is the So
called special maritime tribunal" the
Judges are usually soldiers. Acts of VIC
lence or instruction are punished with
death, while flight, attempted escape, or
theft meet with a sentence of solitary
confinement from six months to five
years. Formerly the death sentence
could not be executed without the per-
mission OF the president of France; a
year ago the president gave over the
right OF sentence and pardon to the gov
ernor OF New Caledonia, so far, at least,
as concerns the %convicts. The guillo-
tine Is used for inflicting the death pen
atty, n the execution takes place in
the presence of the fettered prisoners
surrounded by soldiers and other spec-
tators. The second punishment is soli-
tary confinement in a cell three wards
long, a yard wide, and very low. The
rations of those condemned to isolation
are gradually reduced to dry bread.
Every day they are allowed to go for
half an hour into the courtyard. alone.
with face and head covered with a cowl
Day after day the prisoner sits in a dark
hole; he cannot work, read or write; he
cannot occupy himself in any way. After
a certain time imbecility or death is sure
to be his lot. The ordinary prisoners
are not separated except at night, when
each n sleeps alone.
Western Canada's Wheat Lands.
The total acreage Of the lands in Mani
toba and thence west to the Rockies and
running 600 or 200 miles north of the
boundary line is $780, 900 600 acres. OF
this about rs, 100000 acres are being util-
lied or have been transferred by the
crown to railways, for homesteads and
other purposes of production. OF these
2 5000, 900 this year only 1928, 663 acres
were under cultivation. The actual