SUSPECTED POISONING

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 150, 25 June 1912, Page 7

SUSPECTED POISONING

DEATH OF A WELL-KNOWN DRUID. Members of the Druide and other friendly societies who had come into contact with Mr. G. Z. Quarrie received a great shock on learning of his sudden death at his residence, Newtown, last night. Mr. Quarrie, who was of a most genial disposition, appeared to be in perfectly good spirits to intimate friends who met him as late as last evening. Mrs. Quarrie, who was the last to fie© her husband, noticed him going to his room with a glass, which contained what she believed to be milk. A few minutes afterwards she went into the room and foumj him lying on his bed breathing heavily. Becoming alarmed, she summoned medical aid, and Drs. Bowerbank and Perkins, who live close by, were in atwjudance aa t,oon as called, but they were too late to render any help, as Mr Quarrie was then in extremis. The stomach pump was used, and a strong Biflell resembling prussic acid was noticed. The police wera then called, and Sergeant jVlathieson ordered the removal of the body to the Morgue for a postmortem examinatiou. An inquest will be held by Dr. M'Arthur, Coroner, tomorrow, at 10.30 a.m. The late Mr. Quarrie was a native of the Isle of Man, and was a most conspicuous member of the Druide' Friendly Society. He was secretary of the Pacific Lodge to the time of his death. For many years he was connected- with commercial houses in Invercargill and Dunedin, and had been in Wellington for about six years. While here he was traveller for Smith and Smith. Recently he has conducted the Newtown branch of Mr. E. Morris, jun.'s, undertaking establishment, combining that with otber business. . Ho leavtis a widow and grown-up family. An alleged breach of the Wellington Typographical Award came before the Arbitration Cburi to-day, when Inspector Carmody proceeded against Ferguson and Hicks. Mr. H. H. Qetler appeared for the inspector, and Mr. T. S. Weston for defendants. Clause 4 of the award provides that employers shall not be bound to pay for holidays, but, subject to this, no deduction shall be made from the weekly wage, -for time lost by a worker not through his ow» fault. An employee, a compositor, was absent lor some days between 2nd and 14th March last, and the firm made a. deduction. The compositor's time was lost through illness, and the question of law was as to whether "his own fault" included sickness. Mr. Weston admitted that the mau had been sick, but he only claimed for the hours actually worked. He made no complaint about illness at the time. Mr. A. Ferguson h»id it was not the custom to pay for absence through tdeknesti. Mr.. Ostler argued that, illnetis did not come within toe clause. The [ court took fci-mQ toi fjwffigg thQ- waiter.