In cases of dispute, the chief magistrate endeavours
to bring the parties to an agreement; but,
if the parties refuse to be guided by his advice,
he is to summon his councillors to his assistance,
their joint decision to be final in all cases
where the property in dispute does not exceed
fifty shillings in value. In cases of common
assault they might inflict a fine not exceeding
ten shillings. In cases of a more serious character,
when the parties refuse to submit to
the decision of the council of three, the chief
magistrate obtains the assistance of seven elders.
Together they are empowered to inflict a penalty
not exceeding ten pounds, and the offender is
to pay it in money or produce. If he have
neither, the amount to be taken out of him in
labour on the public works. If the offence is of
a public nature, the convicted parties are required
to pay all costs.

The attendance of all children, from the age of
six years to fourteen, at the school is compulsory,
absence being punished by a fine of sixpence a
day. The annual payment for each child is ten
shillings a year. No beer, wine, or spirits, is
allowed to be landed, except such as is required
for the medical store, which is under the chaplain's
charge.

This visit of the governor was beneficial to
them in other respects. Having flocks and
herds, which had been landed on the island for
their use when they were removed to it, they
had been living on these and neglected the cultivation
of the land, till not one of them knew
how to use a spade properly, and were almost
ignorant of agriculture. Sir W. Denison sent
them ploughs and other agricultural implements.
He also induced the home government to send a
man to the island who was something of a millwright
and smith, and a very good miller. Also
a mason to put their houses in repair, which were
getting very dilapidated. The chief benefit he
conferred upon them, however, was in getting a
properly qualified schoolmaster sent out to them,
a Mr. Rossiter, who has proved to be a most
intelligent man, and has been of great service to
the islanders in a variety of ways. On a subsequent
visit, the governor found they had benefited
by his services to an extent which encourages
the belief that they will continue to
prosper. Sir John Young says: "I found
matters, upon the whole, in a satisfactory condition;
two families, numbering sixteen in all,
had left the island and gone back to Pitcairn's
Island, and I was told that three other
families were thinking of following their example.
On the other hand, thirty of the younger
men had formed themselves into a company;
and, by clubbing their means, had raised money
enough to purchase two whale-boats and all
the necessary gear from an American whaler.
They had then entered energetically into bay-whaling,
and had, without any accident, managed
to kill whales enough to yield fourteen tuns
of oil, the value of which may be put at five
hundred pounds. Encouraged by this, they had
purchased two more whale-boats and gear."

The great drawback to the commercial prosperity
of the island was the want of an accessible
harbour, but it was said that this could be
remedied by blasting a rock, at an expense of
about two hundred pounds. The latest report
of the state and prospects of the islanders is also
from Sir John Young, and is to the following
effect: "On the whole, I am clearly of opinion
that as large a measure of success has attended
the removal of the Pitcairn islanders to Norfolk
Island as could well have been expected. The
few acres they cultivate supply them abundantly
with sweet and other potatoes, and leave a large
surplus for sale to whalers; they have more
milk than they can drink; the sea teems with
fish, which they catch in large quantities with
great facility; sheep are not dear, and cattle
and swine are only too numerous. Their attention
is now turning to the cultivation of arrowroot,
and they grow a large quantity of bananas.
They have added to the mill saws and machinery
for sawing boards and shingles, which they expect
to export with profit. The people live in
security and abundance, are decently clad, attend
divine worship regularly, and are moral and
happy."

THE CAGE AT CRANFORD.

HAVE I told you anything about my friends
at Cranford since the year 1856? I think not.

You remember the Gordons, don't you? She
that was Jessie Brown, who married her old
love, Major Gordon: and from being poor
became quite a rich lady: but for all that never
forgot any of her old friends in Cranford.

Well! the Gordons were travelling abroad,
for they were very fond of travelling; people
who have had to spend part of their lives in a
regiment always are, I think. They were now
at Paris, in May, 1856, and were going to stop
there, and in the neighbourhood all summer, but
Mr. Ludovic was coming to England soon; so
Mrs. Gordon wrote me word. I was glad she
told me, for just then I was waiting to make a
little present to Miss Pole, with whom I was
staying; so I wrote to Mrs. Gordon, and asked
her to choose me out something pretty and new
and fashionable, that would be acceptable to
Miss Pole. Miss Pole had just been talking a
great deal about Mrs. FitzAdam's caps being so
unfashionable, which I suppose made me put in
that word fashionable; but afterwards I wished
I had sent to say my present was not to be too
fashionable; for there is such a thing, I can
assure you! The price of my present was not to
be more than twenty shillings, but that is a very
handsome sum if you put it in that way, though
it may not sound so much if you only call it a
sovereign.

Mrs. Gordon wrote back to me, pleased, as
she always was, with doing anything for her old
friends. She told me she had been out for a
day's shopping before going into the country,
and had got a cage for herself of the newest
and most elegant description, and had thought
that she could not do better than get another