The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1878.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 34, 6 February 1878, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1878.

We have not yet received the " Statistics of New" Zealand" for the-yeajb--1877, but we believe that they will record considerably more than 38 suicides, which is the number recorded m the statistics of the previous year. Buririg some of the months of last year suicides occurred with startling frequency within the colony,, and there is very good reason to suppose that the crime of selfdestruction is on the increase m the colonies generally, and beyond its ratio with the increase of the. population. Undoubtedly the incentives to this crime are those usually assigned, such as intemperance* pecuniary difficulties, and domestic infelicity. But there-is a cause besides these which we believe operates largely m nearly every case, and that is the absence of a sufficient deterrent. If the- law pronounced more strictly upon the actual commission of suicide, it is very likely that the various causes to which the crime is attributed would prove inadequate to produce it,. The suicide.s of 1876 were attributed m nearly every case to. insanity, and thus the subjects, were exculpated by the law from, the imputation of moral guilt* Yds il these thirty-eight persons had recovered from their attempt at selfmurder there is little doubt that the law would have recognised their offence hy punishing them. There is something very inconsistent m inflicting a penalty for- an abortive"' crime aud condoning it when of a more thorough character, and this is what the law practically does by allowing; its provisions against the Buicidetobe abrogated by the all cleansing word, "insanity." Before the year 182& the law directed that the suicide be buried at a cross road with a stake driven through the body. Whilst that law was m force, the suicide was held m universal execration, and by his act seemed to separate., himself entirely from the sympathies of h>is fellowmen. Accordingly suicide was iv small proportion to the: other crimes that corrupted society. Rut now while juries almost invariably enter a formal and judicial plea, for- the suicide that renders the law against him nugatory, the propo^on-is muoh increased. jThe inference is that juries directly ericoura^ by the nature of their verdids* It is an acknowledged fact that moral evils bear some proportion to the tolerance or encouragement afforded them, and while the law against self-, murder is m effect a dead letter-, it is not a matter of surprise that selfmurder is on the increase. The natural effect of making suicide inseparable from madness is- to make | a person disposed to. destroy himself consider that he is sufficiently irresponsible to commit the rash act.. As a matter of fact it does not take more madness to make' a suicide than it does to make a homicide, yet the plea of madnesa is seldom raised m cases of homicide. It is probable that juries go upon ihe assumptioni that a man must.be mad before he can deliberately destroy himself, aud so return their verdict wit Wit much regard to. the evidence adduced. We cau appreciate another coi\sidera.tioii that probably inuflenees juries. Knowing that the miserable subject has passed beyond the jurisdiction of all earthly tribunals, they shrink, from passing a harsh sentence because of the pain it will inflict upon the near relatives of the deceased. It is well not to. be oblivious to, such considerations; at tbe same time it U possible to, be. considerate a.t top great a cost. The duty of juries is to. find o.ut and utter the. truth, so,

that the. law may be upheld and orime diminished. A sentiment that continually interferes with this duty aud balks the law is out of place aud dangerous, and may be said to connive at crime. Some years, ago, Mr Shiell, the Coroner of Sydney, spoke at a certain inquest m very strong terms of the shortcomings oi juries m general. Among other things he complained of their always bringing m a verdict of *' Temporary Insanity** m suicide cases. This utterance was duly published m city and country papers and for the next few weeks a verdict oltfela de se was most religiously returned m every case of suicide, and the remains of the unfortunate victims were refused Christian burial. This zeal, however, did not last long. Yet the episode taken together with the usual practice of juries, served to show how worthless are their verdicts when based upon a sentiment or an admonition or anything besides the evU dence produced at the individual case. If m all cases of suicide j uries will utter true verdicts without fear or favor we doubt not that the occasions for their sitting will become less frequent than they are a.t the present time.