The Mullins Case.

Manawatu Herald, 7 September 1895, Page 2

The Mullins Case.

\ ♦ .. I The Commissioner of Police has furnished a report on the circumstances surrounding the drowning of the boy Herbert Mullina in the Manawatu River at Palmerston North on Good Friday. The Commissioner finds that Mullins and other boys fired their catapults at some boys playing football near the river. The footballers chased Mullins, who went into the river to escape his pursuers. He could not swim, and so sank, and no attempt was made to save him. The pursuers, seeing the fugitive was drowned, evidently got fright*., ened, and, for appearance sake, went back to their football. On their way home they met other boya, and Ernest Gunn, aged over 15, captain of the footballers, asked all the boys to say nothing of the accident, and if they were asked anything in town to say that Mullins got safely over lo the other side of the river. Though there was nothing criminal in the action of the prisoners, as Mullins was not stoned.struck.or pushed into the water, yet the conduct of William Murray (16) and Alfred Bosted, who I were but 10 or 15 yards from the 1 drowning boy, was most unnatural and reprehensible. Murray was a really good swimmer, accustomed to

■wim. the river five or six times at one f&the, and though Gunn suggested that he and Murray should Sin and try to save Mullins, array stood and saw him drown without extending a hand to help. Boated wag but a few feet further away, and also did not help. LieutCol. Hume considers the Sergeant of Police at Palmerston did not use the diligence and exertion in ascerK&gaining, as soon as the matter was to him, the circumstances surrounding the fatality which might be ;ejtj>«cted from an officer of his Beriffigj&nd experience. He seemed to bj^e rested satisfied with sending a donstaole round to some of the boys, and making very perfunctory enquiries. Though the Sergeant knew, the father and mother were smarting with grief under the distressing death of their boy, he did nob. consider it worth hi 3 while to gee the father from time to time and let him know how the investigation was getting on, except exchanging a few remarks on the matter when he happened to meet him in the street. When this report was laid on the table, of the House on Tuesday, Mr Pirani said it showed a very unsatisfaotory condition of the Palmerston polfoeVand the Premier said he was considering the matter.