SPECIAL TO THE POST. SUICIDE BY LAUDANUM. THE DUNEDIN LICENSING BENCH. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Dunedin, 4th September.

Evening Post, Volume XVI, Issue 211, 5 September 1878, Page 2

SPECIAL TO THE POST. SUICIDE BY LAUDANUM. THE DUNEDIN LICENSING BENCH. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Dunedin, 4th September.

The Dunedin Municipal 5 per cent, loan oi £600,000 was subscribed for to the extent of £221,100 over the required amount, at the price already telegraphed. An inquest was held this afternoon, at Outram, on the body of George Christie, mail contractor. The evidence showed that deceased had in his possession a quantity of laudanum, which he was iv the habit of administering to his horses. Mr. M'Breary gave evidence that deceased, just before his death, told him be had taken four ounces of poison. The jury found that deceased died from the effects of an overdose of laudanum, while laboring under a fit of temporary insanity. The Star says that the Licensing Bench exceeded its function in indicating that it would take in consideration the fact of the advertiser of a "sweep" being a lodger in the house, when considering that house's application for renewal of license. Such an arbitrary exercise of power would ensure the reconstitutioa of the court upon some more definite basis, as to limits ot its prorogative. The Court and police alike at present are really powerless, and only bring contempt upon justice by making these spasmodically futile efforts to scotch what they are unable to kill. [This is the phraseology of the telegram. Perhaps to the uninitiated reader it may be necessary to remark that " sweep" does not mean the orthodox cleaner ot chimneys, but an illegal gambling transaction called a " sweepstakes" on racing events.] At the R M. Court to-day on' a claim for beer supplied, it was argued th,at a brewer could not recover for beer sold to a person whom he knew to have purchased it for the purpose of carrying on a sly grog trade. His Worship said the principle was of so much importance to a large industry that he would like counsel on both sides to look up some further cases.