THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1873.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 210, 7 March 1873, Page 4

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 1873.

The sad circumstances attending the sudden death last week of an old resident miner are of more than passing interest. They open up many matters that it is very desirable should be clearly understood, and many defects that should be remedied. The facts of this sad case are shortly these :—The deceased and his mate, nob being able to work at their claim full time, had come into the town early in the afternoon, and had stopped drinking at the public house till nearly half-past six. They then started to go to their hut across what is known as Koach's Gully. At the same time, John Gleeson was coming home with a bundle of firing he had gathered, his path intersecting that of Mornington and Richards at right angles. The pair had already crossed his path when they heard him singing in his usual eccentric manner. It is not known what they said, but it is v 3idenfc that they annoyed Gleeson, imd that, as a consequence, the parties came together in a sort of conflict, resulting in the sudden death of, Mornington. Till the matter has come before the Supreme Court, we do not intend to enter minutely into the evidence* The jury at the inquest, considered that, at any rate, a 'prima facie case of manslaughter had been established, and brought in a verdict accordingly. The peculiar circumstances of the Case, however, iuduced them toattach a rider to the verdict, to the effect that provocation had been given;: and further, that, at all times, G-leeson was not responsible for his acts, and should have beeu kept under proper surveillance. Some may imagine that the jury travelled out of their direct path in acting thus. We, on the contrary, consider that, had they taken no

cognisance of the peculiar state of mind evidenced by the ways and habits of the accused, and also of the great danger to the public in the fact of men being allowed to roam almost unwatched —men who at any rate give, and have given, very fair cause for the imputation of insauity—they would have shirked what was their positive duty. We are aware that the officer in charge of the district asked to be allowed to make a statement in the

Court, which he said would entirely clear the department from all blame in the matter, and throw it on the law and the people themselves, who did not choose to take up the role of public prosecutors by laying individual informations. It is not denied that complaints were received by the police, alleging that Gleeson was dangerous ; for the Sergeant, in his evidence, said that in consequence of these complaints he felt it his duty to have a close watch kept on the accused ; and, in justice to the police, we must say that Gleeson evinced a most bitter feeling against the Sergeant for the way in which he had watched him. This watch was, latterly at any rate, erratic, for no evidence was put in by the police as to what Gleeson had been doing on the day which ended so fatally. JN'or was it to be expected that at a small station a constable could be spared to incessantly watch an individual. The machinery of the up-coun-try Magistrates' Courts does not afford great facilities for dealing with- cases •of supposed lunacy. The most common are those of temporary aberration of intellect, caused by alcoholic drink and want of proper food. Generally, •although the police may arrest and lock up a man quite insane, yet a day or two's abstinence and a proper diet make it quite impossible for any medical man to say, on examination two or three days afterwards, that the man is insane, although he may know quite well that, the moment/that man gets bis freedonii he will fly to the bottle and be really irresponsible for his acts. •Quite lately a case occurred here in which the police had to bring up and let go a man (Crosbie) three times before they could get him sent to the "Asylum. This, no doubt, deterred them from interfering with Gleeson—who does not appear to drink—although by his acts, wild songs, laughter, and constant stream of obscene language, in the eyes of every person of average common sense, he was a madman, even though, at the same time, in some ways he showed great shrewdness, capability of argument, .and sound rational conversation.

Still, it was a matter of doubt whether this man, whose threatening language was well known, was harmless or not, but there can be none whatever that the obscene songs he was always bawling out at the top of his voice were quite sufficient to justify his arrest —nay, more than justify, demand it. "We readily recognise that it was a rare chance, and probably a very Slight cause, that brought about Mornington's death. Still it might not have been so. At any rate, where the public safety or danger was in question, no error on the safe side could have been condemned. We cannot take upon ourselves to say that Gleeson is sane or insane. He was received into the Dunedin x\.sylum and detained some months. If he is sufficiently deranged to render him irresponsible for his acts —and this will be settled in Dunedin—the Asylum authorities should not escape without blame.

The political situation, rendered ambiguous and uncertain owing to the excessive touchiness of the Premier, has temporarily settled itself. The old Yogel-waterbouse Ministry is regazetted, Mr. Fox taking the place of Mr. Waterhouse, on the understanding that he is to be allowed to resign on Mr./Vogel's return, and that the Goverrior shall then call on the lntter .gentleman to hold in form the position he lias long held in reality. Parliament cannot very well meet till May, as the Provincial Councils all meet in April. In May, then, we may expect to see a party straggle in the House, and this time the acting Governor-Chief-Justice Amey—will hardly be

able to refusa to grant a dissolution, if called upon to do so by either side. However much the heavy expense to the country may be regretted, the question must be put to the people —■ Are the public works to be pushed to their legitimate issue, or are they to. be handed over to an opposition Cabinet who are almost pledged to their ultimate failure.