A CASE FOR ENQUIRY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 150, 12 January 1872, Page 3

A CASE FOR ENQUIRY.

(. To the Editor of the Mount Ida Chronicle. 1 *

Sib,—ln your last issue appeared a "local," having reference to a case !.of somewhat sudden .death .and equally; sudy' den funeral, which lately occurred in 'this* place. Inthe main,'the : case as stated by you was correct:, still there, are circumstances involved in the case which, in my opinion, render a fuller and more perfect report.desirable::i Jam.notin the ; habit of writing for newspapers, my forte lying rather with' the pick arid "shovel. If) how-' ever, you will allow me a small portion.of your space to state the case in my own digger's fashion, I shall be happy to c!o sb. The facts are these:—On Friday, December 29th, 1871, a miner named Clark, aged .40 yearsVor thereabouts, and said to be a relative of the great Australian millionaire, was' found dead in his bed here. Though living, alone, he had three mates—Paul Echison, John Vincent, and one Dawson. For some time past—indeed for six weeks —the deceased had. been confined to !his . , '" i• • ■ •'..:.. -;-... j3 v , bed, and was removed'from the tent in which he lived to the empty hut in which his remains were discovered. The hut | had been in use p* a stable, and had not, ! when the deceased waS placed in it, been in any way cleansed .since the removal of the horses. I can affirm that there was very great neglect exhibited towardl'pocr Clark. 11l as he was, he was not only left without medical advice, but sometimes day after day without a human being to minister to his wants, and perform the offices which sickness requires. The mode of his burial, —the absence of an, enquiry'of any kind, —were commented upon in your last week's you think when I tell you; foc%-tnait' the funereal proceedings were of a thoroughly vinous character. Ido not say, nor do I think, or wish you to think, that there has been anything like unfair play in. this matter-: Still, while making this admission, I cannbt, but feel—as we all, indeed, feel here—that the indifference and neglect exhibited by the authorities opens the door to Unfair Play for-the future. When men .can die*.. arid' be buried in a sack,; without inquest ' or enquiry-made, I think an mducement is being offered for the perpetration of

crime. lamtoldtliat.no Coroner need go beyond 20 miles from his place of residence to hold an inquest. If such be the case, surely the nearest J.P.'s services should be put into \\'hich.i it might be asserted that without 20 miles radius,of a Coroner's residence eren murder itself might be legalised. : I think, Sir,; that the subject demands enquiry, and I ; trust that you, in your public capacity, will do your best to obtain it. —lam,&c, PlEfcs. Maerewhenua, Jan. 4, 1872.

The quarrel between the German and non-German population of Austria has reached a crisis. Bohemia demands an independent Government like Hungary, which is refused. Count Hohenwarth, the leader of the Czech party* has resigned. The French Government has twentyfour millions sterling ready for payment of the fourth instalment of the war indemnity. • At a meeting of wool importers, the London Association was reconstituted. Why are ships called she?— Because they always keep ineii upon the lookout. An incendiary could not destroy a New York church, its ventilation was so bad.