Bobby. wrote on Dec 12^th, 2010 at 11:56am:


I'm a bit worried that you think crims dont belong in goal

bwood1946 wrote on Dec 12^th, 2010 at 12:18pm:

THE FLOGGINGS AT THE GAOL.

FIVE prisoners were flogged on Saturday morn- ing at the gaol in Boggo-road, in accordance with their sentences. The first three, Daniel Carmichael, James Toohey, and William Phillips, were convicted of having garroted and robbed one William James Campbell, in Albert street, in July last, and were sentenced as follows :- Carmichael, two years' imprison- ment, with hard labour, and three floggings, the first of fifty lashes, and the second and third of forty lashes each ; Toohey, two years' imprisonment, with hard labour, and two flog- gings of forty lashes each ; Phillips, two years' imprisonment, with hard labour and two flog- gings of thirty lashes each, the floggings in each case to be inflicted during the first six months of imprisonment. The other two prisoners were Johnny, an aboriginal from the Dawson River, sentenced at Maryborough for attempting a criminal assault on a girl under 10 years of age, to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour, and a flogging of twenty-five lashes; and a youth named Miles, sentenced at Towns- ville for a criminal assault on a girl under 11 years of age, to five years' penal servitude and one flogging of twenty-five lashes.

On arrival at the gaol shortly before 10 o'clock the representatives of the Press found in the waiting-room the following members of the Legislative Assembly:- Messrs. M. Mellor, W. G. Bailey, and H. Wakefield. The Under Sheriff, Mr. Henry Thompson, arrived a few minutes before 10, the hour at which the first flogging was to take place, and the party passed through an iron barred gate into the central courtyard, and turning into the old debtors' room on the left, passed through that into one of the exercise yards in which the flogging was to take place.

Standing in the debtors' room in front of a window looking out into the yard was the newly-appointed executioner, a powerfully built muscular man of middle age, bareheaded

and stripped to a light jersey and pair of

trousers. In his hand he held the cat-o'-nine tails, which was to be the instrument of punish-   ment. The dreaded cat possesses a handle extremely light in weight, about 2½ft. in length, and covered with green baize. Attached to this are nine stout pieces of whipcord, about 3ft. in length, with four knots in each. The cat was perfectly new, and of the new regula-

tion pattern.

At 10 o'clock Daniel Carmichael, the first to be flogged, was brought into the yard from an adjacent yard, where the other prisoners were waiting their turn, and where they could hear although they could not see the punishment inflicted on their companions. Attentively watching the proceedings were Drs. Hobbs and Wray. Carmichael walked firmly up to the triangle, a wooden structure which was fixed at the side of the yard, and to which he was tightly lashed by the warders. His two arms were stretched above his head, and lashed to the apex of the triangle by stout pieces of cord, between which and his wrists were pieces of blanket to prevent the cords from cutting into the flesh. His legs were stretched apart, and firmly secured by straps just above the knees to the frame work, and a strong strap was passed round his waist binding him tightly to the cross-bars of the triangle. Blankets were placed for his chest and legs to lean against, where the fastenings held them tightly to the woodwork, and his feet rested on the ground. The cross-bars covered with blankets came up to the top of his chest, so that he could rest his head on it. Thus fastened he was incapable of any movement. He was stripped to the waist, and a shirt thrown across his shoulders

until the flogging should commence. He did   not utter a word, submitted quietly to be bound, but appeared slightly nervous, occa- sionally looking over his shoulder to catch sight of the executioner, who, on a given signal, stepped from the debtors' room, and walked across the yard to where Carmichael was stretched on the triangle. The shirt was taken from his back, and the executioner, carefully measuring his distance, took up his position on the left side of the prisoner, drew back his arm, and waited for the signal to commence from Acting- Principal Turnkey Woodward, who called out each stroke in

Come on Burwood - don't carried away.
Is Baillieu able to halt crime?

buzzanddidj wrote on Dec 12^th, 2010 at 8:22am:


Good to see that like a good ol' labor boy, you refuse to learn the lessons of politics. Why was labor defeated in Victoria? MANY MANY reasons but you are totally unable to comprehend ANY OF THEM. You remain the poorest of poor losers.

Removal of suspended sentences is an unworkable idea. The presumption that people given suspended sentences wil lsomehow end up in jail is naive. A) there arent enough prison cells and B) Judges often give suspended sentences because jail is too harsh a penalty. They will just end up giving bonds and the like. Suspended sentences are primarily used to prevent reoccurence of a crime by the almost automatic pentaly of jail time if the reoffend. They are part of the penalty options judges have and removing them would be naive.

And the above is particularly for Buzzard who seems to think that supporters of the coalition are unthinking in their support. I dont see most labor supporters even CRITICISING their political idols for some of the worst behaviour and policies.

longweekend58 wrote on Dec 12^th, 2010 at 12:52pm:



Steady on, he probably spilt his champagne on the night and wasn't in any cognitive state anyway.
Bet he still thinks that John Cain is the premier as well!

buzzanddidj wrote on Dec 12^th, 2010 at 1:13pm:




And how is "moment of desperation" defined?

longweekend58 wrote on Dec 12^th, 2010 at 12:52pm:




Labor held a comfortable lead over the Coalition in pretty much every opinion poll held over the last four years

Through MYKI woes, NS Pipeline, bushfires, desalination plants, bay dredging - and a host of other issues

The LAST Newspoll - on election eve - indicated a full 180 degree turn, with not a hint of "controversey" to a government in caretaker mode

I put it down to a poor campaign by Labor - and an innovative one by Liberal campaign director, Tony Nutt