AN UNFORTUNATE OVERSIGHT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18457, 19 January 1922, Page 4

AN UNFORTUNATE OVERSIGHT.

When a patient disappears from an institution like the Dunedin Hospital the occurrence should surely be considered extraordinary, especially when the circumstances are such as existed in the case of the unfortunate woman whose death formed the subject of an inquest on Tuesday. The disappearance of a woman who was suffering from mental depression and was at the time ciad only in night attire, was apparently considered by the Hospital authorities to be of sufficient gravity to inform the police but of insufficient importance to inform the press. The police were notified, but owing to an unfortunate set of circumstances the disappearance of the woman was not reported to the senior officer, through whom the press might have expected to receive advice of the occurrence. Every effort was made by the police to find the woman, but it must be plain that notification of the fact that she had disappeared would have considerably strengthened the chances of her discovery. In the absence of such notification she wandered about aimlessly for thirteen days, insufficiently clad and in a starving condition, with the result that when she was ultimately found she was an emaciated wreck in a dying condition. It Is reasonably safe to conclude that had the authorities fulfilled their obvious duty this sad climax would have been averted, for if the disappearance of the woman had been publicly known so that the searchers for her would have been greatly multiplied she would surely have been recognised and have received the care and attention which her condition necessitated. The oversight on the part of the authorities was so serious that we hope there may be no recurrence of an incident of the kind. -

The failure of the. police to notify the press of the dißappearar.ee of Catherine iiusan Macdonald, whose tragic end was reported yesterday, was the subject of an inquiry by a member of our staff. The disappearance of the unfortunate woman from tho Hospital was notified to the police on January 5, and the matter appears to have been dealt with by a sergeant. Changes were taking place in the local staff. The senior-sergeant was preparing for his transfer to Christchurch, and the new sub-inspector had not arrived in Dunedin. The records show that the police were vigilant in their search for the missing woman, but the failure to notify the press of her disappearance was an oversight which certainly limited the potential searchers and reduced the possibility that she might be found alive, ' ' A communication was read at the meeting of the Otago Education Board from the Department of Education, notifying that the Minister had decided, owing to present unfavourable conditions, not to extend the compulsory school age to 15 during the current year. Owing toyardings of stock at Burnside not being excessive yesterday values in all sections showed some appreciation on the previous week’s rates. The fat cattle penned were of moderate to fair average quality, with several pennings of choice bullocks. There were 195 cattle penned compared with-186 the previous week. The demand opened at about last sale’s rates, declining somewhat in respect to medium quality, and finally firming up about 7s fid a head in advance of tho previous week’s values, or 25s better than rates ruling a fortnight ago, beef making about 25s per 1001 b. The yarding of fat sheep totalled 1435, compared with 1338 tfie previous week, the quality, being somewhat mixed. There was a good demand throughout, and values improved 2s 6d to 3s fid a head, or 6s better than a fortnight ago, mutton making about 33d, and in places 4d per lb. The entry of fat lambs was on the small side, 244being penned, compared with 256 the previous week. The entry was mostly of fair to good quality. There was a ready clearance at an advance of 2s fid a head on last week's quotation, or 7s fid compared with rates ruling a fortnight ago, lamb making to 7id per lb. Some 70 store cattle met with bettor inquiry, both bullocks and killable cows appreciating. A pen of medium two and a-holf year old mixed coloured steers, in fair condition, realised £4 2s fid and a line of one and a-half year old steers (dairy type) £1 11s. There was generally a better tone of no , quotable change. The prices of fat pigs improved about 5s a head, while store sorts receded'in values a similar amount, baconers making about fi£d and porkers 7|d per lb. ' Under the will of the Rev. T. W. Rowley, who died at Palmerston on January 7, tho Public Trustee is appointed executor and trustee. Certain sections of land in the borough of Palmerston are devised to the Dunedin Diocesan Trust Board for the ■benefit of the parish of St.' Mary's, Palmerston. The residue of the estate, after certain legacies have been provided for, is made payable to tho Dunedin Diocesan Trust Board to bo invested by it on the terms that the interest shall fco .paid year by year to the Archdeacons of Dunedin, Oamaru, Queenstown, and Invercargill respectively for tho purchase of prizes to encourage the knowledge of the Church Catechism in the Church Sunday Schools of their respective archdeaconries. v The head master at the Otoku School recently wrote to the Otago Education Board, pointing out the, disabilities under which he laboured in regard to a residence, and asked that a new one be erected. He said that when he was a single man ho accepted the disabilities cheerfully, but now that he was married it was different. It was pointed out that the teacher married when well aware of tho disabilities, and it was resolved to* inform lum that if he desired better quarters his best plan would bo to apply for a position where these were available. In his letter relating his experiences in searching for lodgings as ,a single man, he waited upon one resident and asked her if she would be willing to take him in as a boarder. Her reply was brief and to the point—she didn’t want any more d d teachers staying with her. The chairman remarked that in the old days residents were only too willing, oven eager, to board the teachers in order to get them appointed, but now they fairly bombarded the board with requests for teachers, and when they were sent would not give them accommodation. The existence of a shortage of sugar in the hands of merchants in Dunedin admits of a simple explanation. As one of them has put it, merchants do not see why they should do the work of tho Board of Trade and incur a loss through doing it. Whilq sugar is controlled as it is, it is not profitable to merchants to handle it at all. Figures which have been submitted to us show that the price of a ton of sugar to merchants under existing conditions, after all charges are met, may be stated at £34 10s 4d, and that tho return secured by them upon tho sale of a ton of Sugar is £35 13s 2d approximately. ; This apparently gives tho merchant a profit of 5i per cent, for his trouble. But the profit is apparent only. As the overhead charges are estimatedi at not loss than 10 per cent., the merchant claims that he loses 63 per cent, oh the transaction, qnd has, in addition, to take all the risk of bad debts. The Harbour Board authorities have not yet received any official notification of the expected visit to Dunedin of tho Australian cruiser Melbourne, which will probably be here at the same time as H.M.S. Chatham and H.M.S. Veronica. The local harbour master is attempting to obtain particulars of H.M.A.S. Melbourne’s construction in orejer to arrange a berth for her. The vessel is of 5600 tons gm, with a speed of over 25 knot*. Probably her draught will be in the vicinity of 20ft, and, if that is so, she will be "able to negotiate the Victoria channel and berth at the Victoria or thq Rattray street wharf.