Alleged Lnntcy

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 133, 25 April 1885, Page 3

Alleged Lnntcy

It is vulgar superstition that we owe our personal liberties in tbis couutry to t ree ustitutieas kabeat corpus, sad the rest of it. Nothing of the kind; each one nf us owe* bis freedom simply and solely, to the forbearance ef his neigh - ben. There is not one ef as who may aot be shut up in a lunatic asylam any day if two or three are gathered together to ac ordain. Take tbe caae of Mr Hillinan, which has been before the Queen 'x Beach Division for tlie last few day.. A certain policeman conceived the idea that Mr Hiljman was insane ; a doctor j west and had a look at him through a glass door j the policeman drove him off in custody te the pamper lunatic anylum, the vehicle being atopped on the way to allow two Magistrates to certify the victim aa insane, on the ground (gracious heavens that any of as escape !) that his talk was not quite consequential. The Judges are aow going to quash the order for MtHiUmaa'a incarcerationbat there was no suggestion ef anything improaer er uausud ia the Magistrates' way of ceadaetwf **a. parsoaal examination with the assistanoe of a medical man sittiag with them." On the contrary, the clerk to tbe Magistrates said that this was "the usual course which had been followed for seventeen years." It is really a question whether, ia the light of recent revelations, there ought not to be a general release ofall alleged lunatics now in •onfiuement throughout the ceuatry.— ■ Pall Mall Gaiette.'