CANTERBURY.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 427, 26 November 1861, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

(From the Lyttelton Times.)

INQUEST AT KAIAPOI. An inquest was held on Thursday November 7 at the Kaikainui Hotel, Kaiapoi, before Charles Dudley, Esq., J.P., to enquire into the cause of the death of Jane Tomlinson, who died somewhat suddenly the previous day. Mary Jane Boniface, duly sworn, stated, I am thirteen years of age, and know the meaning of an oath. I am a daughter of the deceased. She She has been unwell for three months, but for the last three weeks has been worse, she has complained of pains in her head and stomach, and yesterday was worse than I have seen her before. She has taken no food for four days, only some wine and water. When I offered to get anything for her she said that I had not knowledge enough for it. My father is dead and my mother was married to George Tomilnson last August. He left homo last Sunday week to go to Dunedin. My mother told me that her husband was a brute to go away and leave her so ill. Last Sunday three weeks he kicked her on the leg, and left a bruise; her leg was black and swollen so much that she could hardly get on her- stocking. He has behaved better to her for the last three weeks, but he used to behave very cruel and unkind before that. 1 have seen him beat my mother many times when he was drunk. My mother was ill some time ago and had a doctor, and when the bill came in my father-in-law swore and beat her, and my mother then swore that she would die before she would ever have another. That she told me was the reason why a doctor was not sent for now. She said she thought that 'worry' would kill her, because her husband was so cross and always sweariDg at her, my mother seemed so ill, then. I sent for Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Moody, as I did not like to bo by myself. There was no one but myself to attend to her since my father-in-law left. When he left my mother had some money and some debts to get in.

Mrs Jones deposed as follows: I went by request of last witness (o see deceased yesterday. I found her very ill, but saw no reason to suppose that she would die. I thought she wanted nourishment, and made some gruel and sent it to her. I wanted her to send for medical advice but she declined.

Ann Moody stated that she went on the previous day to see deceased by request of her daughter. Found her very ill, and her hands cold and of a dark color; she died in a few minutes after, saying that she did not know what waa the matter with her.

Samuel Beswick, surgeon, sworn: I have made an examination of deceased. There is an old contusion on the right leg, extending from the knee to the ancle, which must have beon caused by a blow during life. The liver was extensively diseased and enlarged. J£he stomach contained about a pint of fluid, apparently water. I consider that death was caused by the diseased state of the liver with want of proper treatment. I think that if she had received proper medical treatment she might have recovered from the disease of the liver. The disease would produce great exhaustion and debility sufficient to cause a fatal result, combined with the want of proper medical treatment. I think that the disease would be accellerated by the ill-treatment which she appears to have received from her husband.

The jury retired for about twenty minutes, and returned the following verdict: ' that the deceased died from natural causes, hastened by ill treatment from her husband.'

The Railway.—The tunnel works have made great progress during the last three weeks, the total length of heading drives being upward of 300 yards. During, the last week the shafts known as No. 3 and 4, in the Christchuich side of the hill, were connected by the meeting of the headings below; and it is anticipated that soon after Christmas the waggon road will be laid from the open cutting up to the inner face of the workings. An inquest was held at the Police Station on Nov. 14, before John W. S. Coward, Esq., coroner for Christchuich, upon the body of John Barclay, a bricklayer's laborer, who was found drowned in the river Avon on the previous day, near the Foresters' Hall. The deceased has left a wife and three children. Evidence was given to prove that ho was very short sighted, and that he had been drinking freely; he had been last seen near the pound, at half-past seven on Tuesday evening, and as (he night was dark and stormy it was inferred that he had accidentally fallen into the river. A verdict to that efFect was returned by the jury, accompanied by a request that the Government would take immediate steps to enclose the most dangerous parts of the river, nnd to render the approaches to the bridges move safe than they are at present.

(From the Press.)