The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 8.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 520, 8 July 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 8.

Poisoning is generally held to be a crime, and several persons found guilty of it have expiated the oflvnee with their lives. One description of the crime, however, forms a notable exception to the rule. A license to retail alcoholic liquors is generally held to include license to administer them in sufficient quantities to causo death. If some unprincipled ruffian, who holds a license, for the sake of the more rapidly appropriating a cheque, the proceeds of iiis victim's hard labor, supplies the said vicii.n with liquor till he drops dead in a neighboring gultev, a benevolent jury, mindful of ih'.uf «M-y to the great Gin and Beer inf t.'eno, "ill fiad that the poor wretch died from " natural causes," the " visitation of God," or some such lying verdictFor once a different finding has b en arrived tit, and a publican who has poisoned a man is to be called upon to answer for his crime before a jury. The following is a summary of the case to which we refer :—

" The magisterial inquiry touching the death of Peter Buckley, at Sydney, has beer, concluded. JJuring tho inquiry evidence was gi,'en that when Buckley went to lodge at the European Hotel he was a strong , and healthy man, .although of intouip.'r ito habits. It wns nlso stated th'it iJacl. hy o.n one occasion was served with Is>o drinks a day, and John Cocks, the lonsoe of Iho h.itel, uuuiitted having 'lecAsed with no less th.ii -.-JftU in three weeks. Mr Pinlrey, the before whom

the inquiry was held, read the following finding:—'l find th-l Peter Buckley died in tho Infirmary in 3rd day if 'June inst, from al 'nholic poisoning caused by jin-i through i.nc John Cocks having Jidniin'slcrod to him ut sundry times, between lliellth Mnynnd tho Ist ■June, J 8 SI, hi id i-i such quaniities, divers sj-hilU'His liquors, of which the said Pct-r iuekley did die. I therefore direct that an information be laid changing the said John Cocks with manslaughter.' "

Really the Great Drink Interest will have to consider its position. Here is an every-day case of " lambing clown " to be made the subject of a criminal prosecution Elsewhere we find a Licensing Bench so absurdly particular as to object to a licensee for simply gambling with a drunken man for a stolen horse and dray. If these little professional practices are so ruthlessly " sat upon," the publicans will positively have to take to supplying the legitimate wants of the public. They will be compelled to admit that they exist for the public, and not tlie public for them, and, once this it- admitted and acted on, we imagine a good many will have to put up their shutters. The reputable members of the trade ought really to rejoice at tlio.se guilty of nefarious practices being weeded out ; but as a rule we fear they ire only too ready for the protection of v trade interests, , ' to ally themselves with men of whose conduct they cannot approve. Let them look to it, for in the battle which has now fairly'comtncnced, it is quite possible that if they will choose such allies, theyjinay ha\e to go to the wall with them.