THE EPSOM MURDER.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXII, Issue 5726, 29 January 1876, Page 3

THE EPSOM MURDER.

To the Editor : Sir, — On account of the late atrocious, cowardly, and dastardly murder of the unfortunate young man Packer, by the Maori Harry, a feeling of the »odt intense distrust of the whole Maori race is revived. Now, air, I am no Maori champion, and know but little about them, but I do not think it fair that they as a race should take or bear any blame in connection with this base crime, because there was no tribe or people implicated, the atrocions deed having evidently been committed to gratify peraonal feelings of cupidity and revenge. Though this outrage is revoltingly horrible m all its plans and details, it is but little woraethan the murders lately committed in Wellington, and certainly no more horrible than the cume lately brought to light in London. I lefer to the murder of the poor girl, Harriet Lane. My chief reason, however, for writing to you on this subject is, to show what an injurious effect the announcement of this murder by a Maori may have upon English minds when it reaches home. It is more than likely that the first intimation of the fact will reach the old country by telegraphic despatches, which will only convey the baldest information that such a murder was committed by a Maori, at such a date, and at such a place, and ninety-nine people out of every hundred will not know Epsom from Kawhia, nill not know whether it is of personal or political significance, and will jump to the conclusion that the Maoris have resumed their old practice*., and New Zealand had again beeonio au unsafe place of abode. I need not tell you how damaging this would be to the interest and credit of the colony, at a time when it is more than ever desirable that both should stand well m the estimation of the people in the old country. I would therefore suggest that you w ould urue upon the Government the gieat desirability of sending full pnrHpnlara with the lirit telegrams, and to instruct Dr. Feathei atone, or some other influential official, to cnculate the iacts, and as it were "flood" the leading town and provincial journals with the many particulars of this most painful case. — I am, *c, F L

To the Editor : Sir, — On the morning of Tluu.sday, the 27th day of Jamuuj, Dr Zinzan, a fully qualified piactitionei, ltsident at Onehunga, was sujimoned to Mr Cleghoin's, of Epsom, to see the body of Edwin Packer, murdered under circumstance;) ■which have been fully explained to the public, Dr Zuis an attended the inquest on Aiday afternoon, expecting to be called upon to inako to make a po^t morli'in if it should bo considered necessaiy. To Dr Zinzan's &urprii.o and astonishment he found Dr. Goldsbio 1 , wlio li.nl never seen the body, 01 been in any way concerned m the case, in attendance with an older in his pocket to make a po-,t vioitem examination of the body. It is undoubtedly m the power of the Coroner to give such an ordei to any qualified man ; but there is an unwritten Jaw of etiquette which requires that the post moi (em should be made by the medical man who has seen the body, or been in previous attendance ; and I wish to ask then, publicly, why the coroner departed from this useful law ? The question i8 not without interest, on public grounds, for as Dr. Zinzan, must neee&sanlly be called upon to gne evidence as to the state of the body whtn he firot saw it, and must repeat that evidence in the Supreme Court, it follows, that two doctors must be paid out of the 1'ioMiicial lates ; wheieas, if Dr. Zinzan had been dneeted to make the po it mortem, his evidence only would have been received. — I am, u,c , Thomas Massev Harding, F.R.C.S., England.