CREMATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10068, 6 June 1894, Page 3

CREMATION.

TO THB EDITOB. Sib,—There have been frequent letters in the papers of late advocating cremation in opposition to the present method of interring the dead. No doubt much may be said in its favour, but it is a matter of such importance that we should carefully weigh what is to be said in its favour before we decide as to the adoption of cremation or tbe present method. In your paper of to-day there is an account of an artist in Berlin having poißoned and hung his four children; and in another portion of the same paper, a lady in Antwerp being charged with having poisoned her sister, brother, and uncle. In tact it is no uncommon thing to read of. poisoning; indeed, so common is it that cases where the poison is self-administered are now of everyday occurrence. As after cremation a poisoner is safe from detention, it may ba regarded as his or her security, aa it would be impossible to obtain a conviction. In the colonies, where so much poison is in common use, and where there ia no difficulty in obtaining it, we should be extra vigilant in counteracting its unlawful use. It is well known (or believed) that many cases of poisoning take place that are never brought to light. As bearing on the subject, I will cite a few cases: — The frequency of cases el poisoning by means of arsenic in England caused tbe British Legislature to pass a law rendering the sale of arsenic difficult. 14 Vie. 13, 6th June 1851. W. Palmer was executed in 1856. Miss M. Smith was tried in 1857 for poisoning. Catherine Wilson, a noted poisoner, was executed on October 20,1862. Edward William Pritchard, M.D., was executed at Glasgow July 29,1865, for the slow murder of his wife and her mother by antimony. Welthanan, a bookbinder, at Fosen, poisoned four wives and two children about 1859. Mary Ann Cotton, imprisoned October 1872, suspeoted of poisoning 16 persons, principally children; convicted of poisoning her child. Executed at Durham March 24, 1875.

Coming nearer home we have the case of Captain Jarvey, who poisoned his wife, and was executed in Dunedin.

Having advanced sufficient to show that the tu'-'jt C. U of very grave importance,—l am, &c.,

Duuedin, June 4,

G. P. Clifford,

Haydn had a scolding wife. He finally was compelled to leave her in order to secure a little peace. DTJRTEA'S MAIZBNA.