ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1319, 11 December 1880, Page 2

ECHOES FROM THE CAFE.

Coboners' juries Tery frequently return eccentric verdicts, but the acme of eccentricity has been reached by the jury who sat (figuratively, of cour.se) on the body of the late Robert Brown. The widow of the deceased deposed that, when she discovered her husband in a dying ata.Uj( she asked him what he had taken, andthftt ha replied that he had taken nothiug. It was certainly proved that the deceased had bought strychnine for the purpose, as he said of poisoning a dog, but there was no proof whatever that he had not used it for that purpose. Two of the most able physicians in the city made a pott mortem examination of the body of deceased, but could find no traces of poison, and one of them gave evidence that Brown died of "serous effusion acting on a diseased body, the result of intemperate habits." After hearing this and other evidence, not one iota of which proved that there was any ground for tho suspicion that Brown had poisoned himself, that intelligent jury brought in a verdict to the effect " That Robert Brown died suddenly, with suspicious symptoms of poisoning by strychnine, but whether such poison was taken accidentally or intentionally, or administered by another, there is no evidence to show." A more absurd verdict, or one more directly opposed to the weight of the evidence, can hardly be imagined. The fact of the matter is that th© gentlemen of the jury had made up their minds that Brown had died from the effects of strychnine, and, evidence or no evidence, they felt bound to return a verdict to that effect. Sir Arthur Gordon has been chaffing the Acting Mayor and the Corporation, aad when a serious man like Sir Arthur takes to chaffing, it is a very formidable affair indeed. By his direction, his Aide-de-Camp has sent a letter, thanking his Worship and Corporation for the welcome accorded him, and for the trouble taken and the exertions made by them, and expressing His Excellency's personal acknowledgment both of those efforts and of the cordial response they obtained from the inhabitants. Cordial response ! Could there be keenor sarcasm ? Yes ! Sir Arthur would have surpassed himself if he had praised " our army." Apropos of Sir Arthur Gordon, the Editor of the Herald has been making an exhibition of himself, by giving extracts from Sir Arthur's farewell speech at Fiji, from which it would appear that it was a most excellent speech, by writing a leading article commendatory of Sir Arthur, and by publishing in the same issue either two or three extracts from Fijian papers, in which the Governor was condemned in no measured terms. It is uncommonly like knocking a man down with one hand and holding him up with the other. The Licensing Commissioners eat hero on Tuesday. An application was made for a renewal of the license of the Suffolk Hotel, College Road, Ponsonby, end the application was opposed by Mr John Graham, who presented a memorial signed by 200 persons against the renewal, but the memorial was informal, as it had not been lodged seven clear days before the sitting of the Court, and it had not been Rigned by the person who obtained the signatures. It seems almost incredible that anyone would go to the trouble of getting a memorial signed and not see that the requirements of the law had been complied with. However, they bad not, and bo the renewal of the license was granted. Atter the other business of the Court had been disposed of, Mr Thompson luspector of Police, brought under the notice of the Commissioners the improper conduct of Mr Gleeson, who has erected a large hotel near the Graving Dock, with a raoket court attached to it. On a recent Sunday Mr Thompson was passing the hotel, when he hoard a number of men cheering and clapping their hands. He went in to ascertain the cause, and found that the proprietor of the hotel and three other men were playing a game of rackets, and that about forty men were looking on, while empty glasses and pewters indicated that drinking had been going on. On the two following Sundays the police visited the house, and saw similar scenes. Mr Thompson does not dc things in an underhand way, so he brought the matter under the notice of the Commissioners, so tha t Mr Gleeson might know that, if he did ! not put a stop to the objectionable practice, he would stand a very good chance of losinjr his license. I am not by any means a rabid Sabbatarian, as I think that the way in which a man spends his Sunday is a matter betweon him and his conscience, but I would draw the line a I good deal nearer the views of the Sabbatarians, than those of a man who will [ play racket matches on Sundays, and 1 think Mr Thompson is entitled to the thanks of all right minded people for the step he has taken in this matter. Some of the members of the Auckland Presbytery have been doing what is vulgarly known as "washing their dirty linen in public." At their meeting on Wednesday week, some of them got at loggerheads with each other, and squabbled in a manner which was very uuseeinly. That was bad enough, I thought, but some of them were of a different opinion, for one of them wrote a letter to the Mar makiug certain statemeats, and another wrote contradicting those statements. This is really very sad. Why cannot these ministers settle their differences without writing to the newspapers about them, and how can they expect people to listen to them when they preach about Christian charity, if they show so little of it towards each other ? A telegram from Wellington contains the information that Tuhi, the murderer is to be defended by Mr Torwood, solicitor, and that he will probably attempt to obtain a commutation of the sentence on the ground that Tuhi was drunk. It is quite right and proper that a man charged with murder should be defended bycounsel, but it will be a great pity if the murderer is not hung, although, in my opinion, hanging is too good for him. No amount of punishment can bring the unfortunate young lady back to life, but it seems a pity that there is no more I severe punishment than hanging. I would certainly prefer that Tuhi should not be hung, provided be were sentenced to imprisonment for life, and to receive ' fifty lashes with the cat-o'-nine tales once a month, but seeing that such a sentence cannot be passed, let him be hung. With regard to the plea of drunkenness being offered as an extenuation of the crime, I agree with Mr Justice Gillies, who said on one occasion that he considered that it was an aggravating, not an extenuating circumstance. Besides, in this instance there was no evidences given at the inquest to tho effect that Tuhi was d*unk. However, whether ho was sober or drunk, I hope he will receive the punishment which the heinousness of his crime so justly merits. The boating season has nttr fairlyopened, and last Saturday there was a sweepstake sailing match in which seven yachts took part. The vanquished do not seem satisfied with their defeat, bo another match is to take place to-morro\r (Saturday), in which the same boats will take part. It has been remarked that a British soldier never knows when he W been beaten, and I think the same remark applies to the owner of a yacht. If you speak to him after his boat has beea beaten, he can always find a good excuse. He oarried too much or too little sail, tho wind was too high or too strong, he had too much ballast w too little, but he will not admit thai any one else has a better yacht titan his. St. Munoo »