Drink and Degradation.

Manawatu Herald, 3 April 1894, Page 3

Drink and Degradation.

Mr Martin, S.M., was occupied lor some hours on Friday in hearing a case in which a man named Richard Wm. Smith was charged with supplying drink to Mrs Catherine Mulligan, against whom a prohibition order was in force. Dr France deposed that since the issue of the prohibition order he had attended the Mulligans professionally, a)id found that it would be injurious io stop their liquor. Accordingly he had certified that they should be supplied with liquor not exceeding in quantity 8s worth a day between them. He did not know whether that amount had been exceeded. Constable Murdock found Mrs "Mulligan Bitting in a chair with very little olothing on. She was in a mcst filthy condition, and appeared to be verging on the horrors. Her daughter, Mrs Ward, had died the same day, but she did not seem to be aware of the fact. Miss Emily Thomas said — While she was attending to Mrs Mulligan, defendant came in, took a flask of fjrandy out of his pocket, and tried ♦o make her take some. Witness prevented him from doing so, and Sftid she considered it a shame for Smith to tempt her to drink. Defendant said : '• Leave me alone, I know what's best for her." Mrs Mary Stevenson, who was also present at that time, said the house was in a filthy state, and tho bed was " not fib for a dog to sleep in." The smell was sufficient to knock anybody down. John Barrett, a neighbour of the Mulligans, stated that Mrs Mulligan was always drunk. Mr Mulligan did not get any drink given to him ; he was looked as someone in the way. He had seen Mrs Mulligan drunk every day since the issue of the prohibition order. Julia Burke said she saw Smith give Mrs Mulligan some drink ; she believed it was brandy. The house was in a filthy condition. Constable Hutton said he had called at the Mulligans 1 house •everal times. One could scarcely bear to enter the place in consequence of the smell, and the blankets and sheets that they used were " like large plasters with filth." Richard William Smith, the defendant, said he had been employed by the Mulligans off and on for several years. At one time their Eroperty brought in £105 a month, at it had by degrees deteriorated through their drinking habits until it now only brought in £86 a month, and there was a mortgage on it of £1500. He had never given the Mulligans more than 2s worth of liquor between them in one day, and frequently only Is 6d worth. He told Mrs Mulligan about her daughter's death on the morning of the 20th, and when he next saw her in the afternoon she was raving about it, so he gave her a small drop of weak brandy and water to quieten her. To Inspector Fender : The description of the house given by previous witness was correct. Mrs Mulligan was not drunk on the 20th, and had not been drunk since tbe issue of the prohibition order. He was one of the trustees of some property belonging to Mrs Mulligan in Blenheim. At the present moment he had absolute control over the whole of the property. The Stipendiary Magistrate commented strongly on Smith's conduct in regard to the old people, and imposed a fine of £5, with costs. His Worship, addressing Inspector Pander, said he had no power to direct what should be done, but the children of the late Mrs Ward must be properly looked after, and he

would suggest that an application be made to the Supreme Court to have Mulligan and his wife removed to the asylum, or some place where they could be properly treated and cared for. The conditions under which they were now living constituted a gross public scandal. He felt very strongly abont the matter, and he hoped his suggestion would be carried out. — N.Z. Times. The Sydney Daily Telegraph condemns the proposal of Sir George Dibbs to expend money in bringing back the New Australians. The paper declares that the matter is an Imperial one, as the settlers are British subjects in a foreign country. With regard to the recent native obstruction to the Wanganui river improvement works, Mr A. D. Willis,, M.H.8., has received a reply to his telegram to the Hon. the Premier, says the Chronicle. Mr Seddon states that he has instructed the Inspeotor of Police to takfi steps to prevent the law from being violated, and that, as the Government does not intend to stand any nonsense, the natives will be treated the same as Europeans who break the laws. The meeting about the dairy factory to be held at McMillan, Ehodes & Co.'s store on Thursday afternoon must not he forgotten by our readers. All should attend. CREASE'S DANDELION COFFEE is the surest cure for indigestion. Bold by all grocers.