The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1875.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1931, 12 March 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1875.

The miserable death of Mrs Duke, relict of the late James Duke, furnishes another instance "of the evils resulting from an over-indulgence- in alcoholic "liquors. From the evidence of respectable witnesses it appears that otherwise than a weakness' for , strong drink, ; only manifested at times, Mrs. Duke

was a respectable person, and this failing has ended in a premature death—alone in her own home, untended and unassisted. With habitual, public drunkards it is seldom they fall victims to their prevailing vice in such a sudden manner. They lose all sense of shame before drink has thoroughly undermined the physical powers; and when found drunk and incapable a paternal Government takes care of them, nurses them if they are sick* aad^imposesrafpunishmentvfbr open violation of the law —not for getting drunk, but for being out, as it -were'r Withpoorwomen-—andsbinetimes poor men—who indulge their tastes fqr strong drink privately in their homes, it is difficult to deal. Yet in the interests of humanity some surveillance should I^e exercised, (iiJL order to j-ptWent $ too frequent repetition of such cases as that, the particulars of which were elicited before 5 a coroner and jury this morning/ TMe publicans who deliberately supply drink lo persons of this class are very much to blame. No doubt it : is , done in some , rare instances unwittingly, anil the amount of drink obtained: is; scarcely known, owing to the employment of different persons to dispense drinks-in every house. In the case of Mrs Duke it is due to the proprietors of the hotel hear to which she.lived, and from which she obtained liquor, lo say that they were attentive and liind, and used every inducement to get her to eat, but with little success during the last few days of her life. The medical evidence was conclusive, however, as to the cause of death—tlie toial exhaustion of"the system'for.want of food and indulgence in spirituoijs liquors. ' ' • ! ' The painful. details of the loss of the Gothenburg will be read, with a melancholy interest by many whb will recognise in the names of the drowned persons olid acquaintances. Until very recently ii regular; trader between Melbourne and 'Rew Zealand, the Gothenburg—her captain and officers,were pretty-.;well known to many who have voyaged* between Melbourne and Dunedm* 'qr more recently between Melbourne and Hokitika. The sensation caused by the wreck is little less than th^t caused by the Cospatric'k, which catastrophe it r seems to resemble in .respect 6f the state of unprepareclhess"and want of discipline at the trying moment, when order and system were most nfteded. The extent of the calamity by? this occurrence is hardly yet known here, but the arrival of Australian files will place us in possession of full particulars. ':' ' i '■'''■' ■ '".■■' '■ '■.'. ■' ft" ■■'< '(' i ■;■-■■ • : . ■,