A GLARING INACCURACY

Hastings Standard, Issue 17, 15 May 1896, Page 3

A GLARING INACCURACY

[To tiik Editor.] Sie, —In commenting on the Masterton murder one of the Napier evening papers make a statement which for the credit of the Press let us hope is merely a glaring inaccuracy. It runs as follows:—" A Wellington jury found that Somerville was insane. He was ordered to be confined in an asylum ' during Her Majesty's pleasure,' which at present means Mr Seddon's pleasure. The doctors in the asylum said Somerville was not mad. Mr Charles Ilall, a saviour of his country for the Waipawa district, last session asked the Premier to release Somerville. The Premier replied that he would consider the matter. It is now reported that Somerville has been released, put on board a ship bound for another country, and that in addition he had given him the wherewithal ' to make another start." Will some of the Sedponitcs tell us whether this is true? " Now, I am not a Seddonite, particularly, but I like fairplay and cannot let such a preposterous statement go unchallenged. I refer the gentleman responsible for the foregoing to Hansard, October Ist, 1895, page 619, when he will find under the heading " Masterton Murder" that the of Justice was asked by Mr Hall not to release the prisoner Somerville but to take steps to prevent such an occurrence, and Mr Reeves responded that the Government would take ever legitimate precaution to prevent the prisoner's discharge. I quote from Hansard : —" Mr Hall asked the Minister of -Justice, what is the full significance of the sentence lately passed upon Somerville, the Masterton murderer—namely, " to be confined during her Majesty's pleasure'' and is it possible that Somerville may be released on the certificate of one or more medical men that he is of sane mind ; and, if so, have the Government power and will they use such power, to prevent such an occurence, seeing that human life might be jeopardised thereby'? He had received letters from gentlemen who had known Somerville for a "number of years, and who felt convinced that the sentence ought to have been carried out, feeling

hi- might be released on the certificate of the medical man that he was again of sound mind ? and, if so, would the Minister take such steps as to be assured that a sufficient number of medical men should certify to his smiity, so that there might be no chance o£ a'iy mishap again '? " Mr lleeves said the statute provided that if the medical man certified that a prisoner who had been acquired on the grounds of insanity was of sound mind, and thought there was no danger, he might be discharged. Needless to say, the Government would take every possible precaution that Somerville should not be discharged unless there was warrant to authorise its being done." It is prostituting journalism to try and make political capital out of matter which bears the impress of untruth upon its face. And the excuse that the writer lias boon misinformed is a very lame apology when a serious and unfounded charge, has been levelled against a public man.—l am, &0., F.UU Plav. Napier, Way lJth, IK9G.