THE TEBRY CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 31

THE TEBRY CASE.

SOME CAUSTIC ' CRITICISM. (Fhom Otje. Own Cohresponkent.) WELLINGTON, January 20. The Times devotes a leading article today to the Terry case qs'd warmiv castigates Dr Truby King for his communications to the press. The journal says: — "Dr King states in his communication to the Otago Daily Times that ' the escape was due entirely to carelessness on the part of the men in charge, who, in spite of daily warnings, allowed the patient out of their *ight under fhe impression that there was no means of escape.' If Dr King may write in this way to the press accusing his subordinates of carelessness, one would be glad to know whether the subordinates on their part are equally at liberty to write to rhe newspapers and rebut Dr King's -aefcasation, which, for all we know, they niight be able successfully to do. If Dr Kiing may publicly accuse his subordinates, and they ma>y not publicly reply to Dr King, there -seems to be a defect of justice somewhere. On the other hand, if Dr T^'ng and his subordinates are at liberty to accuse each other and recriminate ad libitum in the public press, citizens of the Dominion are likely to be furnished with no end of entertainment, which may be some compensation for the damage certain to come to the nublio from such an interchange of amenities. Dr King's communication, quite apart from ] the impropriety of his making it at all, '•

cannot be considered reassuring- to tl?^ community. Terry is 'neither a hero n<^ a criminal, -but unfortunately he is, an«fe has been throughout, unquestionably insaiii and irresponsible,' and further, '.he is no< criminal and not bloodthirsty, but nothing would be_ allowed to stand in the way of his effecting what he believed to be nece* sary for the salvation of his race.' Tha( is, nothing would be allowed to stand in the -way of his shooting down another unoffending Chinaman if he thought it desir* a"ble once more to emphasise his view* on the purity of the race. When an. irresponsible lunatip who hae already killed hi< man is allowed to escape from safe custody, Dr King" cannot expect that anj assiirance3 on his part as to Terry's harmleesness in respect >of ' lone women and children ' will completely relieve the public anxiety. Lone women .and children do no* irake up the whole population. The persons _ who have most cause ->to be apprehensive are those who have not the good! fortune to belong to the Anglo-Saxon, race. If to treat Terry in his wanderings with anything short of absolute confidence is, as Dr Truby King suggests, 'precisely the way to make him ' actively dangerous.* we should fear that he is likely to meef., with more than_ the amount of distrust necessary to excite his homicidal mania. Meanwhile we must draw what comfort ii possible from "Dr 'assurance thai what has occurred several times alreadj will not be allowed *fco«occur Again." ■