Sane or Insane

Manawatu Herald, 27 August 1892, Page 3

Sane or Insane

The case of Alex. McNaught, a debtor of Oamaru, who was placed in the box the other day befoie His Honour Judge Ward, was -somewhat remarkable, as will b, d seen by the Mail's report, as fallows : —

In reply to, nig Honour's question if he was prepared to answer questions now, McNaught stated that he wished to see Surgeant O'Grady first.

His, Honour: That is not the point. The question is, Are you prepared to answer questions now ?

M'Naught : Well, I want to see Sergeant O'Grady first.

His Honour : Well, really, I'm loth to ?,end a man to prison month after month like this. Can't you answer ? What has Sergeant O'Ovsdj to do with the matter ?

M'Naught: Your Honour, the • proceedings were irregular last time I was put in the box, and there was no charge against me; so I want to see Sergeant O'Grady. His Honour : Will you get into the box at once ? M'Naughfe: No, your Honour ; I will not go into the box until I see 'the Sergeant. Mr Harvey suggested that the shortest way out of the difficulty would be to send for the sergeant His Honor: The shortest way would be to send him back to where he came from. : Ultimately Hiß Honour permitted the bailiff to go for the sergeant. Oh the arrival of the sergeant M'Naught, interrogated by the Bench, said : I want to give the Assignee in charge, as he did commit wilful perjury in the Resident Magistrate's Court, in October List. His Honour: Hadn't you better beyin by answering questions, and then if you have a grievance you can take proceedings after. M'Naught: It's just a different way of looking at things, your Honour. If the Assignee had not coiijmitted perjury the proceedings Vfould never have been begun. His Honour : I don't quite follow y^ur reasoning. M'Naught : No, your Honour, I suppose you don't know as much about it as I do. Honour: The point is, will you answer questions or not ? M'Naught: No, I'll not answer questions. His Honour : I'm heartily sorry for you, but I have no choice in the matter. M'Naught : Your Honour, he committed perjury in the Resident Magistrate's: ... Court, and I'm not going to answer questions until he's arrested. Jf I committed perjury, you would very soon' 4t sprt " me. His Honour : Well; I've absolutely no choice.! You must go back to prison. Bankrupt was then removed. In reply: ta a* question from the Bench as to whether bankrupt was not* a fit subject for an asylum. Mr Harvey expressed an opinion that he was.not| and suggested that bis Honour might recommend the Government to have Mo Naught examined by a doctor, and if he were declared not to be a fit subject for an asylum, to have him released as a special case. His Honour conourred. A! r Harvey: Not that it's likely to help matters much. I don't think that the doctors will declare him a fit subject for an asylum. As I mentioned at the last sitting of the Court, I don't think he ever will answer questions. His Honour thought it all depended '6n the' line- of examination adopted by ° the* dfifotor. If, as he . was informed bankrupt had done prior to the last ; sitting of the Court, he reiterated his statement that if he couldn't get his bills discounted on earth he could get them discounted above, he was of opinion the doctors would find him a fit subject for an asylum. Such financing was eminently suited to an asylum. Mr Harvey did not take this as a sign of insanity. Many men had curious. ideas on how to get bills discounted. t.His Honour : I've heard of drafts on the future, but I never knew you could get them discounted in heaven. Mr Harvey wished to know what was to be done with M'Naught. The law did not intend that a man should be confined indefinitely because he would not answer questions. This was.a unique case. . The man had now been in gaol four months. The framers of the law had never contemplated the possibility of a jjgitn 'never answering questions. The man: would never answer the questions, 1 and seemed rather to eojfoy his position. His Honour: That's the worst of it. He doegn't seem to mind a bit. '•' Mr- Hartey stated that M'Naught had peculiar views on the conduct of Court business. His Honour (stated that he would suggest that M'Naught be medically examined, and would further suggest special points upon which to conduct examination. It was not an ordinary case where a man absolutely refused to answer questions. This was ultimately agreed uport,

and failing big committal to an asylum, M'Naught will be again brought up at the next sitting of the Court.