Medical Men's Responsibilities.

Southland Times, Issue 14798, 15 November 1900, Page 2

Medical Men's Responsibilities.

(By Telegraph.) Christchurch, Nov. 14. Dr Pairmau, who had been subpoenaed to give evidence at the Supreme Court yesterday but was not present, attended this morning to show cause why he should not forfeit the penalty of £100. Questioned by his Honour the doctor said he not attend because he thought he waa not bound to doso if the defence, on whose behalf he had been called, did not tender him his expenses. Asked why he had thought so Dr Pairman referred his Honour to a passage in Taylor's Medical Jurisprudence. The Crown Prosecutor said that passage did seem to afford Dr Pairman some justification. His Honour said that he would accept Dr Pairman's excuse. He explained to him that the law relating to civil and criminal cases was quite different. In criminal cases it had been held, from very early times, that if a person was called to give" evidence it was a duty he owed to the State to come forward to assist in the investigation. It was no excuse that a witness's expenses had not been tendered ; the only excuse that was accepted in case of absence was that the witness had been without means to convey himself to the place of trial. Auckland, Nov. 14. At an inquest concerning the death of M's Robinson, who died as the result of injuries sustained at a fire in her house, evidence was given of great difficulty in getting a medical man, several having declined, for various reasons, to come. The coroner adversely commented on the conduct of those doctors, and the jury returned a verdict to the etlec.'t. that Mrs Robinson died of shock by reason of burns caused by herself while temporarily insane, and. that the jury are of opinion that the conduct of the medical practitioners who were called on and declined to go was highly unsatisfac- ( tor} - .