OTAGO BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

Evening Star, Issue 5966, 26 April 1882, Page 4

OTAGO BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.

■+- A special meeting of the Committee of this Institution was held yesterday afternoon, when we stated the object for which it was held.

The Chairman (Mr Martin), after tracing the course of events since first complaints were made against the management up to the present time, said that for his own part he would not go further into the matter as recommended Dy the jury in the late libel case, but would rather suggest that a general meeting of the subscribers to the Institution be called, and after laying the whole matter before them let them then take what course they please. That would relieve the Committee of the insinuation and inuendoes that had been thrown out; that they had been burking and shirking; that they had been in league with the secretary; and that they had been screening him. He should like to see the end of this agitation which, had now been going on for twelve months. He might mention again that Mr Franckeiss had told him that the jury did not want an inquiry into anything of the dirty matter that was brought out in Court, but merely an inquiry into the internal management of the Institution and into the general conduct of Mr Quin. Mr Carroll mentioned that when Mr Ross was Mayor he (Mr Ross) received a lot of charges against the management of the Institution and the secretary, including some gross ones as to the treatment of the inmates. Mr Ross communicated with the Government with the view of having a responsible body appointed to investigate the charges, but the Government relegated the matter to the Committee, as they considered it was not within their functions to deal with it.

The Chairman : There is a certain amount of information that might be laid before this meeting to-day that would go a considerable length towards altering the complexion of things with regard to the late case, but for myself I think I would withhold anything of the kind until the full and proper inquiry takes place, and then let these matters come before any commission or any body that is suggested by the general subscribers. Mr Ross, referring to Mr Carroll's statement, said that the doouments had been forwarded by him in his capacity of Mayor. Although as a member of the Committee he knew that those charges were based upon an unsound foundation, yet he had no alternative but to send them to the Colonial Secretary. The Government refused to take any action, because the Institution was supported by Voluntary subscriptions, and, thinking that the subscribers themselves should take action, they forwarded the matter to the Committee, with a strong suggestion that an inquiry should be made, which was done.

Mr Green asked if it might not be well in the interests of the institution, and also in justice to Mr Quin, whether he should make a statement which he had made to Mr Martin yesterday morning. He suggested that Mr Denniston had shut out valuable evidence which would have put a different complexion on the matter, as far as Mr Quin was concerned. He understood that his evidence was regarded as very damaging to him. It was justly so at the point where it terminated. The vital explanation was to come, but he was not allowed to give additional evidence. He made a statement to the Judge that he had taken an oath to tell the whole truth, but the answer he got was that he should only answer questions. He wished to put forward further evidence which would have served both sides. He thought, in justice to Mr Quin, if there is a possibility of the explanation being made public—in justice to him and also to the Institution, it seems to make it wise that that should be known. The Chairman thought it might be better to reserve that until there was a proper inquiry, where legal evidence would be admissible, and where all these points could be brought out properly ? Ven. Archdeacon Edwards said it seemed to him that if the question were gone into just then, it would not be in accordance with the wishes of the jury. As far as he understood what the jury wished, it was that the wretched past should be ignored, and that the Committee should inquire into the present management of the Institution. Mr Green : Do the committee think it desirable that this statement should be made to go to the general public ? I have felt ever since I gave the evidence, that I have against my will done Mr Quin an injustice; and I could not help it—l did my best to give the evidence.

The Chairman : With the sanction of the meeting we will take the statement of Mr Green, and-Mr Ross will read the corropondence that he has had with Mr Green. Mr Ross said that he .might say that Mr Denniflton was of opinion that it should be made known, and said that he would not feel aggrieved if the correspondence were published. Mr Rennib thought it was necessary that Mr Green should be allowed to make this further explanation. He had been talked to about the omission, which was not satisfactory. It left the impression that there was something behind, Mr Green having been stopped in his evidence at a certain point. Mr Green now desired to supply the omission ——

Mr Ross: Which is shown in this correspondence.

It was then unanimously agreed that the correspondence should be read. Mr Ross: The letter I wrote to Mr Green Was as follows :

Dunedln, April 24,1582. M. W. Green, Esq., M.H.R. My clear Sir,—As the Committee of the Benevolent Institution purpose to hold a meeting to-morrow afternoon to consider the rider appended to the verdict of the jury in Hitchcock's case, there is one point in reference to which I would liko to be clear before taking part at the meeting. You will remember that soon after you had the interview at the Tabornaclo with Agnes Johnston you called upon me and informed tnc that you were satisfied that the charges preferred against Mr Quin Were untrue—that the girl had stated that she did not know the contents or did not Understand the meaning of what was in the paper she signed; that Mr Quin had upon one occasion when she was playing with his child thrown her—as I understand, playfully—on the sofa, but had not taken any improper liberty with her. Further, that in answer to your question she stated that he had not committed any other impropriety. Somo persons aro of opinion that your evidence in Court leaves it to be inferred that two years ago Mr Quin had attempted something criminal when he, as the girl states, threw her on the sofa, but that he had not been guilty of any impropriety towards her since that time. I have endeavored to point out that you were prevented from stating fully what you knew by having been limited to answering tho questions asked, and that consequently your evidence not being so complete as it would otherwise have been does appear to tell against Quin in a way which tho facts would not have' warranted had they been fully disclosed. Kindiy inform me by to-morrow morning's post, if you can conveniently, whether I am right or not.—l remain, dear sir, yours faithfully, A. H. HOSS.

The reply \vas as follows : Cumberland street, April 25,1882. My dear Mr Ross,— Through an oversight I did not receive vour letter until this morning. I therefore forward this by Meredith instead of by post, so that its delivery may not be delayed. With a little verbal alteration, which does not alter the substance, your impression of what I stated to you of my conversation with Agnes Johnston and my own judgment on the matter is quite correct. My evidence, at the point where it terminated, did Mr Quin an injustice ; but, as you are aware, I made two ineffectual attempts to give the whole of my evidence—lst, by reminding the Judge that I had taken an oath to tell the whole truth ; and 2nd, by stating that my ovidenco would really serve both parties. On Thursday afternoon, in Court, I told Mr Brown that Mr Denniston had been very unwiso in stopping my evidence, as, had he allowed me to make a full statement, it would have told in Quin'e favor; whereas, stopping where it did, it told Btrongly against him. I made the same statement to Mr R. B. Martin yesterday morning. Mr Martin told me of the meeting this afternoon, and suggested that as a life governor I might be there. I think I will attend. I will call upon you at 3.30 p.m. to-day, and can give you any fuller explanation that may be needed, and will accompany you to the meeting.—l remain, etc., M. W. GrbbS.

Mr Green : It would not be wise to state to the public what the girl said to me.— [Here followed a statement by Mr Green for the information of the Committee. The girl had admitted that Mr Quin never did her any harm, and after careful inquiry the speaker concluded that Mr Quin had done no wrong. For Mr Quin's sake he (Mr Green) felt sorry that part of his evidence was not allowed to be given in the Supreme Court.] The ,Cuairman : I am exceedingly glad that your explanation, Mr Green, has gone to some extent to unravel the little mystery that has been left, because some of the Committee whom I was speaking to have been in a very unpleasant state of mind on account of this hitch up to this particular time. With regard to any further action that may be taken, I hope the whole thing will be brought to such an end that will remove reflections upon the girl, because she is affected as much as anyone else. Mr Green explained his action in reference to a paragraph which appeared in the 'Morning Herald' before the criminal information against Hitchcock was issued. Ven. Archdeacon Edwards : I do not think anything could be better than the suggestion made by Mr Martin. I must say that although we all particularly sympathise with the members of the Committee, yet I do not think anything could be better done than to act on their suggestion. I propose —"That a meeting be summoned of the subscribers, and that it be left to them to decide what shall be done." There is one thing that I should like to allude to, and I express my surprise that the matter just mentioned did not come out at the trial. And there was another thing that I should like to have seen come out at the trial. If Mr Quin had been the only person in the town against whom Mr Hitchcock had brought serious charges, it would be a terrible thing; but that is not so. Mr Hitchcock wrote a letter to the Bishop, bringing most serious charges against one of the clergymen in Dunedin, but unfortunately the clergyman in his rage tore up those letters. It was stated that in consequence of the cruelty of this clergyman and his wife a child died ; but instead of that this clergyman and his wife had sent this child beef tea and other nourishing things, and the child is still living. The man seems to have been bringing serious charges against everybody. Mr Quick seconded the motion. The subscribers, he said, should appoint a commission to take evidence on oath, and also have it distinctly stated that the inquiry should be final. The witnesses should be submitted to cross-examination and not be allowed to run away as one witness did at a previous inquiry. After two investigations, the Committee should have finality. The Chairman would strongly recommend the subscribers to provide that where an inquiry was held the evidence should be taken on oath. It was a perfect farce when men came forward to make false statements —giving evidence which they knew to be entirely untrue—that they should decline to submit to cross-examination. At a previous inquiry one of the witnesses had addressed the Commission in a jocular manner, as follows:—"I have said my say, and I will retire."

Mr Goubley thought it would be keeping an unpalatable dish before the public by calling a meeting of the subscribers. It was evidenced by the Press of Dunedin that nothing short of a Royal Commission would be sufficient to allay the agitation that had arisen. He had no doubt but that the Committee, the secretary, and all connected with the Institution would come out of the inquiry with clean hands. He suggested that Archdeacon Edwards should move—"That this Committee request the Government to appoint a Royal Commission with as little delay as possible to take evidence on oath." After some further discussion the motion was put and carried unanimously. Mr Quick characterised as monstrous the suggestion in an article in one of the newspapers—that Mr Quin should take a holiday while his character was being examined into.

It was agreed that the meeting of subscribers should be held in Farley's Hall on Friday next, at 4 p.m.