THE FRETFUL PORCUPINE

Theee unfortunate men ■of - warsmen from the Boyal Arthur, it is alleged, are at present Eerving a sentence in Mount Eden prison of ninety days, with hard labour, for the atrocious crime of speak ing during church service on the flagship- These men are said to be fine, stalwart specimens of the bluejacket, whose good be haviour in. prison gives the lie to the im pression that they must have been bad characters to call forth such a severe punishment. The absurdity of so severe a sentence must be apparent to all, and could Ecarcely, we should imagine, be equalled in any of the foreign services. The case, however, has special interest for us, inasmuch that the people o! New Zealand are called upon to pay prison officials to guard these specially manu factured criminals from the fleet. We have no sympathy with wrong doers, but do Btrongly protest against the action of the navy officials in making our prisons the dumping ground for seamen commit ting trivial offences, the punishment for which could easily be inflicted on board.
The Twinkler cays the Kaiapoi Woollen Company has made ample provision fi, fii, ffi, and ffi fi ffi for bad. and doubtful debts. Tbiß will be cheering news for the shareholders who have been f-f-f-f-eeling proud of their company.
