Convict System

The Last of The South Pacific Convict System

TIIE following article, entitled, “New Caledonia,” was published in “Chamber’s Journal” of August 24, 1895. A copy was recently unearthed in Sydney. It gives a picture of an era long since forgotten.

The last paragraph especially is in teresting. It is interestng, too, to know that New Caledonia still suffers from acute labour difficulties, from which she now hopes to escape by bringing in workers from Java.

THE official announcement recently made by the French Government to the effect that it had determined to cease transporting criminals to New Caledonia, has closed a period which to many interests of the South Seas was one of fear and friction.

Negotiations towards some such result as that stated have been going on for many years, the Australian colonies more than once manifesting a desire to force the hand of British diplomacy, so real was the injury they sustained by the nearness of the penal settlement, and so great was the apprehension that that injury would grow in aggravating bitterness as the years went by.

New Caledonia is 730 miles from the coast of Queensland, its capital, Noumea, being 1,050 miles from Sydney; and ven turesome spirits, goaded by the system of control on the island, thought little of making a dash for freedom, across these miles of sea. It looked, therefore, as if Australia, which resisted so stoutly the advent of criminals from England forty six years ago, would in time find itself burdened with numbers of as bad, if not worse, ones from France.

A short while back, seven such escapees sighted Queensland after a perilous trip of eighteen days in an ppen boat. They had stolen the boat from a publican on the island, stored it with eighty pounds of rice, sixty coconuts, and a small bag of biscuits and committed themselves -to the waves. When they reached the Barrier, lying off the Queensland coast, the boat was capsized, and men and pro visions were precipitated into the sea.

The breakers which capsized the boat washed it over into smooth water, where the men regained it, and, righting it, con tinued the voyage, but now without a mouthful of food in their possession.

Five days later they arrived at Whit sunday Island, in the sorriest of plights, and were befriended by a tribe of black fellows, until the Queensland police dis covered and arrested them as escaped convicts. Persons arrested on this charge are tried by a special court, and if found guilty, are handed over to the New Cale donian authorities to be redelivered at the settlement. ' Escapes like that narrated are numerous, but arrests such as described are seldom so prompt or sure. Convicts have struck the mainland, unobserved, and made their way into the bush, where they have be come station hands, or fallen into the ways of the nomadic “swagman,” and no particular notice has been taken of them.

Sometimes, too, they discover friends of their own nationality, and are helped to successfully disguise themselves and their objects; and usually, if they are found settled down, they are not interfered with.

But when they are unlucky enough to put into any large town, they mostly go to the bad, or are caught and sent back.

During the Communist excitement of 1874, the well-known Rochefort, with five associates, escaped from New Caledonia,

and landed at Newcastle, New South Wales, where their history became at once known, and, friends and enemies were set in motion.

The ordinary convict who reaches a large town is, however, either tamely caught, or he drops in among the dregs of the population, and applies himself industriously to some form of midnight law-breaking. He mostly takes up the line which originally caused his deporta tion from France, and often displays skill and presence of mind in his operations.

Coining, burglary, safe-robbing, and way laying the tipsy or belated, are favourite exploits with this class of criminal: and sometimes the work is done with such perfection of detail, that detectives know the nationality of the perpetrator before they lay hands on him.

It may be that these escapes have not been at any time so numerous as the Aus tralian public assert, but seeing that they so often come to light when gangs of thieves are captured, or a course of syst ematic crime is suddenly stopped, the general impression as to their numbers may not be far astray, THE French Government classifies its New Caledonian convicts as “recidi vistes,” “condamnes,” and “liberes.” the first meaning habitual criminals; the second, persons undergoing a sentence; and the third, what we would call “ticket of-leave men,” or persons sometimes who have fulfilled their term of punishment, but who are refused permission to return to France.

The recidivistes and condamnes are ever on the watch for a chance to escape.

They esteem almost any spot on earth as a better place to live than where they are. Some of the liberes are not very objectionable, and in the days when those of them who would not be permitted to return to France were allowed to go to America or Australia, they frequently be

haved well, and adopted industrious and lawful occupations. Many of them drifted to the New Hebrides, and are now in inde pendent circumstances there.

But the privilege of leaving New Cale donia for America or Australia was with drawn some years ago, and hence the convicts must now be kept on the island.

In 1882 a trading company was formed with the object of transferring some of this convict labour to the New Hebrides.

As such a transfer would increase French power in the latter group of islands, as well as make room for fresh consignments of convicts in the old quarters, the French Government took up the idea with zest,

and established as a preliminary two mili tary posts in the neighbourhood. But England, vigorously prompted by Austra lia, protested against the scheme with such effect that it was abandoned: and six years after, the military posts were abolished.

M. Biard d’Aunet, the French Consul general at present in New South Wales, visited New Caledonia about a year ago, and discussed with the Governor of the settlement various projects for the ter mination of transportation. M. Biard d’Aunet was fully possessed of the Aus tralian sentiment on the matter, and the outcome of the conference was a series of recommendations to the French Govern ment, which culminated in the decree of the Chamber of Deputies directing that transportation to New Caledonia should cease, and that in future convicts should be sent to one of the French possessions in Africa.

THE news of the cessation of trans portation was received by the busi ness portion of the New Caledonian community with undisguised ill-favour.

The mineral resources of the island are very great, and are as yet but partially tapped. Chrome, cobalt, and nickel abound. The soil is fruitful; coconuts, bananas, and bread-fruits growing wild.

Sugar-cane and coffee-planting, and other industries of a tropical character, promise to be profitable pursuits.

With quick returns from these sources in mind, employers of labour naturally de sired cheap workmen, and the convict system which obtained lent itself admir ably to their needs. In 1879 the Govern ment entered into a compact with Mr.

John Higginson, a naturalised Frenchman old Noumean resident, whereby he wi»s granted the services of three hundred convicts for twenty years, at the charge of one penny per day per man, the Gov ernment agreeing to feed and clothe them during that period. Three or four similar agreements were entered into with other employers. Seventy Chinese convicts lately landed at Noumea, were immediately hired out to applicants for their services. The sentences on these convicts ran from five to fifteen years, and the applicants paid the hiring bureau a trifling sum per year of sentence, and guaranteed to pay the convicts afterwards at the rate of twelve shillings per month.

Consequently, it is not surprising that the news of the impending change pro duced a disquieting effect.

But the die is cast. New Caledonia en ters the list of free countries. Though the immediate effect may be injurious to some businesses, general business is sure to be favourably affected, and social and political life to be improved.

New South Wales ceased to be a convict settlement in 1839, Van Diemen’s Land in 1853, and Western Australia in 1868: and in each case a new spirit appeared to breathe through the country when the convict flag was lowered. Progress, poli tical, social, and industrial, has been the yearly record. There is no reason to fear for New Caledonia.