Sate Of Poison.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 August 1922, Page 3

Sate Of Poison.

TWO HEALERS CHARGED. WELLINGTON. August 12. Several charges of selling l»ois«»it without a license were preterred against shopkeepers before Mr V. G. Day, S.M.. vesterday.

•■There have been several eases of suicide recently.” said Sub-Inspector McNamara, who appeared for the police. “We had one the other day where a girl bought some poison in a shop and walked across the road to a hotel where site poisoned herself- I heio was another ease at the Busin Rc-

Thc chemists responsible in that ease, ne said, had been the defendants in an action brought against them by the police, and at the hearing the allegation had been made that it was possible to buy one form of poison ill any grocer's shop in Wellington and that these shops were unlicensed. Tho two ejibes which he now brought before His Worship were the only instances in a police canvass which had covered the whole city where dealers had been found to bo unregistered. Neither of the defendants was running a big.busi-

i ness. James Dillon, charged with selling poison without a license, with selling poison to a person unknown to him, and also with failing to have his name and address upon the bottle sold, was I found guilty on all counts. He was I fined 20s and costs on the first charge I and convicted and discharged on tlio others. ) The case of Elizabeth Maud Sutherj land, explained the Sub-Inspector, was I rather different. She had assumed control of the business when her husband had gone into camp, and at tho time of the epidemic had had a considerable number of inquiries for a poisonous disinfectant. The stock which she had laid in bad been all sold excepting one bottle which she bad recollected and sold to the constable when j he had asked for it. 1 The magistrate decided to convict . and discharge her on all the charges.