THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTUERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1892.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8785, 27 January 1892, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTUERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1892.

The exceeding faultiness of the methods of criminal investigation in New Zea- - land is shown by the result of the Pahiatua poisoning case. In this in3, stance, two men died from being , poisoned by arsenic, and a number of persons had a narrow escape, having suffered severely from arsenical poisoning. When it was found that in some "• cases the symptoms were serious, Dr. ~ Milne was sent for from Woodville. At the coroner's inquest, he made this iy statement: — b " After examining them, but more from what m they told him, he concluded that they were (i. suffering from the effects of an irritant poison. He was satisfied with the treatment !(l Ridd, the chemist, had previously pursued, li 1 and instructed its continuance. He had not i ascertained Ridd's treatment, but assumed ' what it was from seeing his medicine there. He told the patients to take plenty of milk. Inspector Thompson said that Mr. Ridd had nl treated them for indigestion. Witness said the same treatment would apply to the case [le 0 irritant poisoning, except that in the latter it would require to Ue a little more energetic. ' a l He did tell some of the patients they had °' partaken of an irritant poison, but not in Dr. sufficient quantities to cause death. Inspector Thompson asked why witness had not com- — municated with the police as to the fact that a person was suffering from poison '! Witness • replied: I suppose it must be put down to my ignorance or Want of knowledge of the matter, and the fact that I did not think the f'y case sufficiently serious. *' 1 We disclaim any pretension of speakWe ing professionally, but it does seem to us that the resources of medical science *- would enable arsenical poisoning to bo R ' treated differently from a case of >a, indigestion, which is a curious name to give an illness which was manifested 6y in all the cases by frequent purging. The medical gentleman must' have •on known that a large number of persons Uiy were suffering from arsenical poisoning,

id d he certainly ought to hava given j information at once to the police, even if it were only to clear up a case of accident. Surely, in such a matter a plea j£ ignorance is not available for a medical man. Dr. Milne also stated in his evidence that "he had not given any instruction for vomit to be kept, as hie opinion was that the poison had been arsenic, used as the colouring matter of the bridal- cake." He assumed this without knowing anything about it. We believe that arsenic is never used as colouring matter in a bridal cake. But if he had thought this he certainly ought to have had some of the vomit preserved, so that the cause might have been ascertained and the blame fixed upon the baker of the cake rather than be allowed to attach less or more to a number of people. The idea which suggested itself to the medical gentleman is surprising. One would have thought that when he found a considerable number of persons suffering severely he would have dismissed the notion of the illness being caused by the comparatively trifling amount of poison which would be used for colouring matter. It is surprising that the police did not hear of the matter independently of the doctor, and take up the investigation. But then, as a rule, in such cases they went for the coroner, who cannot take any action till somebody dies, upon whom he may sit. In this instance, after two deaths had occurred, he appeared on the scene. As might be expected when the police took up the matter, and Detective Herbert commenced to study questions of toxicology, the whole material of investigation had been swept away. No vomit had been kept, and the remains of the marriage feast had been thrown out. The whole investigation has proved an utter and complete failure. The police are forced to come to some conclusion, and they take refuge in the idea that the arsenic was contained in some lamb. There is no positive proof of this, not the slightest, but it serves the purpose, as nobody can say that the arsenic was not in the lamb. Those investigating cannot find that there was poison in anything else, so they come to the conclusion that it was in the lamb. By the way, just a little bit of evidence was brought out. Mrs. Nay lor, in whose house the wedding party was held, told how she left the lamb in a scullery covered with a cloth. She left the house for a little, and on coming back she saw a man leaving who wore a hard hat and a short coat. When she got into the house she noticed that a corner of the cloth covering the lamb had been turned down. Then evidence is given about certain residents in the locality having threatened some of the guests, but these persons are not put on their defence, nor are they called to make any explanation. The proceedings at the inquest were complicated in a very curious way. One of the witnesses gave evidence that a man named Clark, a few weeks before the wedding, referred to Mrs, Dickson in very outrageous terms, and also expressed the opinion that Mr. Dickson was "a d d scamp," 01 something of that sort. This Mr. Clark, against whom this evidence is given, is actually one of the jurymen. The verdict of the jury was, in effect, that the deceased persons had come tc their death by arsenic wilfully ad ministered. Here is one of the mos terrible crimes that has ever occurred in New Zealand. Apparently some per son wanted to kill one of the guests, and took measures which proved fata to two, and nearly killed a score. It i: a case of wholesale murder. And ye through the miserably imperfect mean in New Zealand of investigating crime the opportunity of detection is allowe to pass away. This case points strong! to the advisability of reforming the pre sent system, and appointing a skille legal gentleman in each district to ii vestigate all cases in which crime ma 1 have been committed. Here every thin ,is left to the coroner ; the coronercan d nothing till a death has occurred, an i by that time, in this instance, th chances of arriving at the truth wer greatly diminished

These is nothing which so clearl marks an advance in well-being an civilisation amongst a community a the gradual and steady diminution < crime. Tested in this way, it may I shown that England is well and wisel governed, that the people are improvin in education and in social and materi; conditions. The report of the Priso Commissioners, lately issued, states tlu the number of occupants of the loc< prisons is less by nearly 1000 this ye« than what it was last year. The nun ber of convicts sentenced to pern servitude during the year ending Jul; 1891, was 729. Thirty years ago tl: average number sentenced in this wa was 2000, with a population nearly te millions less than now. Eight convit prisons have been closed during tl last nine years. The cost of maintaii iug these prisons is now less than ha what it was when the Commissionei first took charge of them fourteen yeai ago, the expense now being £232,0 C less than it then was. Many eaus< have contributed to this diminution < crime. Work is plentiful and is we paid, and the mass of the people ha\ been raised by the manifold education: influences that have been in operatio A valid plea is, however, put in c behalf of the different Prisoners' A: Societies throughout the country i having contributed greatly to the resul The St. Giles' Christian Mission in Lot don has, it is said,' been the meai of giving " another chance in lift to over 7300 discharged prisoners ar convicts. The Mission invites to breai fast all prisoners discharged from tl London local prisons. During the ye: ended October 31 there were 26,194 di charged, of whom 19,500 accepted tl invitation : 5342 signed the temperan pledge, and 6983 were further assist* as follows -.—Sent to sea, 61; se; abroad, 50 ; sent to friends, 169 ; assist' with gifts of money, clothes, too stock, etc., or by employment beii found, 6713. The superintendent the Mission, in giving these figure says : —" By thus giving those who ha been convicted of offences against t law ' another chance in life,' we e deavour to reclaim some whoare alreai ranked among the criminal classes, b we try to prevent recruits by savi those who have been led astray, a: who, if not looked after, are likely join the ranks of those who have be convicted." In New Zealand tin ought to be large scope for such so etiea. It can scarcely be said that the is a criminal class formed here. M are continually being led into crime various temptations and associatio and there is always a danger that tin persons may, after serving a senter in gaol, sink down, and tend to forn criminal class, whose reformation c hardly be hoped for.

Oar cable messages this morning state that the ultimatum which the Government of the United States have addressed to Chili is in defence of Mr. Patrick Egan, and that President Harrison has sent a message to Congress justifying the ultimatum on the grounds that the country must protect the prestige and dignity of its representatives in foreign lands against insults and brutality. The message we are glad to hear has been received with complete indifference, nobody there believing that war between the two republics is likely to fcUow. The American nation is as jealous of safeguarding the power and prestige of its repreeentatites abroad as any other nation, but in this instance it has the good sense to see that Egan is a man utterly unworthy of representing ib, and that his appointment was a disgraceful and shameless piece of electioneering tactics. It is reported that Queen Victoria ia greatly incensed at the German Emperor's want of sympathy with the Koyul family in their recent bereavement. The quarrel between the Queensland Government and the Bank of England has not been healed. The Bank will continue to act in connection with the existing loans, but had it not been for this obligation Mr. Lidderdale declares that all relations between the institution and the Queensland Government would have been brought to a close at once. By an explosion in Sydney two men were blown to atoms. The Grand Duke Constantino, whose death is announced to-day, was 65 yeare of age. He was the seoond son of Czar Nicholas, and was therefore uncle of the present Czar. Having been educated for the navy, he rose to the rank of Admiral, and held the position of Grand Admiral of the Imperial Fleet. Becoming one of the most prominent leaders of the Muscovite or National party, he was largely responsible for the outbreak of the Crimean war. Contrary to general expectation, he loyally supported his brother, the late Czar Alexander 11., during his ill-fttted tenure of supremacy, and in 1865 was appointed President of the Grand Council of the Empire, being re-appointed in 1878. He devoted himself almost entirely to the reconstruction and organisation of the fleet, but in April, 1881, he was dismiwsed from his dignities on suspicion of intriguing with the revolutionary party. His son, the Grand Duke Nicholas, was arrested at the same time. In 1890 he was suddenly afflicted with the loss of his reason, and had to be placed under restraint. His father had a high opinion of his abilities, and after the close of the Crimean War sent him on a political mission to the French Court for the purpose of inveigling Napoleon into a Russian alliance. Lord Clarendon described him as an "extremely well veneered gentleman." The Prince Consort, who bad met him some years before, penned the following thumb-nail character sketch of him :- " He is a very agreeable man, intelligent, thoroughly educated, nnd full of zeal and ardour in everything which he undertakes Above all, what left the deepest impression on me was his eminently and evelusively Russian characteristics. For him Holy Russia, its beliefs, its prejudices, its error? and its faults, the paganism of its religion, the barbarism of its populations, are object* of the most profound veneration. He adore; them with a blind and ardent faith. In a word, he appeared to me in all the conver sations which 1 had with him so profoundlj Oriental in nil hie views and aspiration? that it struck me as impossible to make hin comprehend the ideas and sentiments of tn< West, or to get him to appreciate and Btil less to like them." In the Grey collection is a letter whicl explains "The Story of a Silver Medal" ii the Colonial Museum. It is a letter fron tho secretary of the Melbourne Acclimatisa tion Society to Sir Geoige Grey, aa Premie of New Zealand, and dated August 3, 1878 begging his acceptance of the society' medal, which, on the motion of Sir Samue Wilson, was unanimously awarded to hin by the council of management for the kind ness and liberality displayed towards Vic toria in forwarding 3000 English salmoi ova free of charge. It appears that Mr Macandrew, Minister of Lands, ordered i consignment of salmon ova to be sent ou from England. A favourable opportunity ! offered by means of a steamer proceeding t Melbourne. When the Government c Victoria knew that the steamer had arrivei there with 45,000 salmon ora on boar> > they applied to the New Zealand Goverr - ment to be allowed to take 3000 ova for th use of Victoria. The Acclimatisation Societ of Victoria, asked what sum of money the were expected to pay, and Sir George Grej - speaking on behalf of New Zealand i Premier of tho colony, thought it his dut 1 to eay that New Zealand would accept r payment, but was happy in conferring 5 benefit upon Victoria. The result was tl t presentation of the silver medal abo\ j referred to. Sir Geoi-ge Grey thought tin if anybody was entitled to the medal it w: '"' Mr. Macandrew. On the whole he (S i George) felt that what he had done was 1 y Premier of tho colony ; that he had incurre no expense to himself, and no forfeiture 1 ' anything pertaining to himself, and 1 * would not receive the medal as it did not fa i- to him. On the other hand, to return it 1 y Victoria rajght appear to bo a slight, and 1 therefore ordered it to be placed in tl Museum as public property as a proof thi 0 New Zealand had rendered such service 1 d Victoria and Victoria was very grateful ft the benefit conferred. , e Our Katikati correspondent writes :—": is with considerable sorrow that I have announce the death, on January 21st, i six a.m., of Mr. Turner, one of our fir y settlers, and one whose whole life stam j forth as a bright example of honest indu try. Mr. Turner, who has never boon tl 3 samo man since his youngest son was lo )f at sea, nearly two years ago, was affect! Ie last year with aljleeding cancer behind tl ear; but this was healed, and hia friom were confident that he would live a go< ? many years. But lately he was taken wi "/ shivering fits, which were supposed to n caused by a cancer in the stomach ; ai Mr. Turner asserted his belief that 1 il death was nigh, and looked forward to H , with a cheerful resignation, as was co 1- sistent with his firm faith in the Bib] i\ Mr. Turner was a staunch English churc Y man; and, although latterly he took P active part in church matters, his fami y possess several testimonals of the esteem which he was held by his Sunday achola . in Ireland. His failings, such as he hn J leaned to virtue's side. The funeral, whi 18 was very well attended considering t J" busy time of year, left the deceased gent " man's residence at two p.m. on the 22 i" s January. The coffin, which was han PS somely mouuted, and on which the nai )0 and age (71 years) were inscribed, w ;s borne by the friends of the family, Can ;f Johnston (by one of Mr. Turner's last ; \\ quests) conducting the ceremonies." ?e A number of donations have recent *«• been given to the Free Public Librar tl. namely, 16 volumes of shorthand books, ' »n Mr. J. Brabazot), among which is id phonographic reoorter, Pitman's, of di is 1851, and several works on phonograpl (-, published from 1851 to 1855. Dr. Laish j j presents the following educational repor —Annual Statement Committees Edu |, tion t U.S.A., 1891, part 1; Report Cc ', mitteee of Education, 1888-9; Saniti '_ Condition of School Houses; Rules '" Dictionary Catalogue ; Promotions s ie Examination in Graded Schools ; Hig *r Education in Indiana, from the Governm s- painting offices, Washington. Profes ie Aldis donates " The History of the F Cβ Church of England," by R. Skeates ; i T. F. Gooch, "Little Loo;" John He smith, " Lady Maud," and three novels ;( j Clarke Russell. An Irish half-ponny, da 1' 1783, has been presented to the Arb Gall • by Mr. Stephen Mantelow. of Yesterday a respectable looking worn jSj & half-caste, Mrs. Margaret Turner, a dn ve maker and a music teaoher, who has b | ie residing in Poneonby, was arrested n . Constable Clarke on a charge of having, 1 the 17th February, 1891, feloniously stc ~, a caehbox containing £3 in single notes j from £5 to £10 in sovereigns and h n S sovereigns, a gold and silver watch, brt IK ' let, gold rings and earrings, gold cross, e to to the value of £80 15s, the propert} en John Edwarde. Ib appears that & ;re Turner resided in College Road, adjoin Ci- the prosecutor, at the date in question, 1 jrfj was working in the house as a dresema eu for Mrs. Kdwards ab the time of the alle robbery. Suspicion fell on her at the ti n g and her residence was visited by the de ' tives, but nothing was found to warrant suspicion. Recently further informal came to the ears of the police authoril 1 a which led to the arrest of the accused : an terday. She will ba brought up at Police Court to-day to answer to tho cha

, A pamphlet entitled " The Case Agaiaa Party Government," baa just been issued by Messrs. Wig©, Caffih, and Co,, of Dunedin The author, hose name is nob given, in a ' preface addressed to •' The New Zealand Elector," expresses the opinion that party Government in New Zealand blocks the way not only to any useful reform, but also to any decent honest management of the affairs of the country, and concludes the preface thus : " I should like to point out that parties are not only inevitable bat extremely useful features in politics, that in fact no great reform has ever been carried out without the aid of a party. ft is party Government, not parties, that must be abolished. A legitimate party u a combination of men, united by some great principle or common bond of action, and ready to disband as goon as the object foi which it was formed is achieved. l n order to abolish artificial parties of unscrupulous place hunters, a legitimate party ij absolutely necessary. So discuss this subject with your friends and in your debating societies and in the public press, and make the rallying , cry at the next election -.-. «Constitutional Reform, and the Abolition of Party Government." Upon the above statements as a text, a text which clearly indicates the nature of the discourse, the author writes thirty-six pages of argument of unquestionable force, quoting largely from eminent authorities, and from the ex. perience of other countries in support of the views he so ably advocates. By way 0 appendix the report of the Constitutional Reform Committee, submitted to the House of Representatives in September last, ii given, the author's object being to show that the finding of the committee—thai Party Government must be abolished—wy unanimous. Altogether, the pamphlet will be found an interesting—an even valuablf one— by those who take an intelligent interest in the important political questions o{ the day. The rainfall during the last few days has been exceedingly beneficial. On Monday morning at nine o'clock the rain gauge at the Museum Observatory Showed -45, m Tuesday morning it was 1 91, so that in tin two days '36 inches of rain had fallen. An inch of rain means a fall of 100 tons 0; water on every acre of land. The nettle spoken of by our special reporter with the Stratford expedition ii called, in science, the Urtica ftrox, and well it deserves the name. _ Mr. Colensc states that the pain of a Sting sometime! lasts for four days. It grows about four feet high. Mr. Cheeseman states that ha has never seen it north of the East Cape in the North Island. There is a nettle found here in the North, called the Urtica incisa, but it is a trifle compared to the larger plant. Mr. Cheeseman says that he has never seen it growing in large qjantities together. It is in patches, which can be easily avoided by travellers. There i> an old verse telling that you hare oaly to grasp a nettle, like a man of mettle, and it is harmless, and completely overcome. We should like to see the author of that verse try the Urtica ftrox. If he had had it to deal with the verse would never have been written. It stin£3 through the clothes; when a man is stung he feels inclined to > sit down and howl. Persons who intend forwarding objections ! to the City Assessment Court should aee ' that their objections are properly addressed ' and placed in the right places at the Mnni- \ cipal Buildings, and thereby avoid disappointment. Several appeals were dis- ' allowed laab year for want of due wire is 1 this direction. I A gentleman, resident in Ardmore, Wai. roa "South district, sends ub the following 1 particulars regarding the fire which dei etroyed the Anglican Church at Ardmore: ! _< Tjie fire started on Friday la!f a mile . from the church grounds, which have r always been attended to in the way oi clearing and mowing. There did not 3 appear any danger bill noon on Saturday, 1 when the wind shifted, and bljw a gale. 1 The residents turned out, but they were . overpowered by the dense smoko from the - fires on all sides. Just at this time the I policeman, McKnight, was passing to the Wairoa, and he gave us considerable assisti ance. All that" could be saved was the t organ, three of the seats, the Bible, and c j few books, the men being overpowered, and 3 ono of them had a portion of his clothes f on fire. They had to run ■ off with the i things saved a long distance, then they had 1 to give their attention to the hotel, the [. Travellers' Rest, for some time ; when all at e once the fire in another parb.ja quarter of a v mile away had a great hold, and a party of y 14 men went there, and they were nob a » second too soon, for it took two hour? to s save Mr. Beard's outbuildings, and that was v done at considerable risk. i Thi? is the ,0 fourth or fifth time that the church has a been in danger through gumdigger.s and Iβ others. The adjoining lands are all waste, -a owned by Messrs. T. Russell and William it Aitkeh for years past. The old church was ia built in 1857 or 1853, under the personal ir supervision of the old Bishop Selwyn, after 18 hie well-known style of architecture. Some d of the hymn books in the church were 3 f dated 1800, and were in a goo:l state ; lost, la the register book, and about £35 worth 0! II fittings." ; o It will be remembered that the Towc 16 Clerk (Mr. P. A. Philips) forwarded a copy 16 of the report of Mr. G. Goldie, sanitary lfc inspector, in which he referred to certain j0 ~ nuisances in the Newton district to the New)r ton Borough Council, who consulted their solicitor, and it is stated that the insanitary [fc practices complained of have been abated to or suppressed. ** By the provisions of the Factories Act no sb boy under 13 nor girl under 14 is to be I 8 employed, nor is any person under 16 to be 8 " employed unless a certificate as to fitness a Iβ obtained. The Registrar of Births has to st supply, free of charge, for the use of pro xl prietors of factories, certificates of birth of 19 employes, so that they may not inadver 3s tently bring themselves under the clauses xi restricting the employment of young th persons under the limited age within be prohibited hours. Sergeant Gamble re- "* ceived yesterday from Wellington a number 'is of certificate forms, and those parents whe it have children employed in factories under n- 16 would do well to get certificates of birtt e- of the child, and apply to Sergeant Gamble h- for the requisite certificate of fitness for no employment, otherwise they will be dely barred. m At about two o'clock yesterday afternoon , Mrs. C. Little met with a very serious aeci- *■' dent at her residence in Hobson-street, the ? 1 circumstances of which are somewhat pecuI e liar. It appears that she was passing under "%" a large picture, 2 feet 6 inches by 3 feet, j when, without any warning or apparent cause, the cord broke and the picture tell ® upon her, the glass breaking over her head, r° and inflicting si deep cut on the back of her neck. She also received a number of lea severe wounds about the region of the tie 3 and neck. Mr. Little was present and aia ly what he could to alleviate her sufferings. A y, message was sent to Dr. Lewis, who by promptly in attendance, and dressed tn "a wounds. Mrs. Little is doing as well a. ite can be expected under the circumstances. iy, The Hanging Committee of the Auckland ley Art Gallery have placed tho portrait ota« ts: George Grey, by Mrs. Mair (nee Sperrv) » ca- the Gallery, as also the painting ™. l ™ m- Tokatea Ranges, by Mr. E. A. to*"*. iry which was presented by Captain *) .°j for late of this city bat now of tho L"» K nd States. J* In accordance with the suggestion maj* : in the Hurald a week or two ago, Mr. 3or McDermott, of Victoria-street Bast, w» l? presented to the Public Free Library cop l ,F- of the official regulations and Hthog»p«? "£, drawings of the Chicago Exhibition bum ted inKS » for referenc ® and use y iatendinir hibitors and others. . The smouldering dehris of the rains J the Messrs.Cooke's factory fUmea out air*. an > yesterday. There was some tronme 38S - getting the incipient fire suppressed, o\« 8 ® n to the conflict, of authority which ex» y Superintendent Hughes holds that it v,on part of his duty, after he has euppre» 3 . 9 ° { le " fire at a building, to watch the t fe&rw » ™f days. The Salvage Corps hold that rt» alf not their duty. Inspector Broham, JJ l ce - learn, has communicated with the nre fco surance companies, with 4 view oi w [ of getting Some steps taken in the matte . - l . n 9 - that the responsibility may test »° mm hi md Preparations are being made for ker annual exhibition of the Society *j> 1 "ex* ged and a cdmmittee meeting «m do ne. tiflg me, week to take further steps, by a P?°"'cf tec- sub-committoes to carry out he a- M the the Exhibition. Some of the leild "^' fie ia, Aon of the Society— P»y«on, & o^ ulC . >ies, the Wright Brothers, and J*. »• .^ yes- mond-are said to be busily » 6 *%'|,iblthe will have something good for tne » rge. I tion.