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Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 482, 6 December 1879, Page 2

The programme of the Hawera sports, to be held on New Year’s Day, appears in another column.

A meeting of T. H. Jones’ creditors will be held in the Court House, Carlyle, on Monday, at 2 p.m.

Mr William Dale will hold a sale of land, merchandise, &c., at his mart today ; also, on account of Mr Baynton, horses, &c. Tenders will be received by the Patea West Road Board, up to noon on Monday next, for earthwork contracts. The Patea Steam Shipping Company intend, during the Christmas Holidays, to run the s.s. Patea on Excursion Trips to Nelson and Wellington, at reduced fares. Intending excursionists will find this an excellent opportunity for visiting these Ports. — Advt.

John Douglas was charged on Wednesday, at Hawera (before Captain Wilson and F. McGuire, Esq., J.P.’s), with having attempted, on Monday last, to cut his throat, and using threatening language towards his wife. As far as we can gather (our correspondent being absent from Hawera), Douglas had been drinking heavily, which brought on an attack of delirium tremens , and while in this state he attempted to cut his throat with a (fortunately) blunt olddtnife. He only succeeded in making a’ scratch, when ho was arrested and taken to Hawera. According to Mrs Douglas, when her husband was under the influence of drink, he was dangerous. The Bench committed prisoner to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, New Plymouth.

We take the following from the Canterbury Times of Saturday lastln response to an invitation under the heading of Waimate Plains, which appeared in the evening papers on Wednesday, a meeting of working men was held in Cathedral Square at 8 o’clock, when they wexe addressed by a member of “the committee,” who claimed credit for having, with his coadjutors, induced the Government to insert in their Land Bill clauses by which farms ot 50 acres can be purchased for £3 an acre, the payment extending over ten years. He also stated that the committee had prepared a scheme by which an organisation could be formed to enable working men to avail themselves of this deferred payment system, for the acquisition of land at the Waimate Plains or at a place with an unpronounceable name in the North Island. The heavy rain which came down almost immediately the meeting opened prevented the speaker from reading the prospectus of the association to which he had alluded, but he promised to give complete particulars on Wednesday next, to which date he adjourned the meeting.

About 150 stand Snider rifles have been in the Carlyle store for some time, und Volunteers wish to know why they are not served out. A letter was sent to Government on the matter, and the very unsatisfactory reply was received from Colonel Reader, “ Not at present.” If the Government wish to encourage the Volunteer movement in this district, they are not acting wisely. What use are the arms in store? Considering that some of the Enfield rifles served out to our Volunteers are useless articles, we think it would be much more encouraging to distribute the Snider rifles as far as they will go. The sooner this is done, the more likely; is a force to he kept up in the district.

Rather a good thing occurred at the inquest held at II iwera on Thursday. A juryman was excused on the plea of his being a foreigner, and not understanding English. The Sergeant of Police immediately produced another man who, on being asked for his name, mumbled something very indistinctly,which had decidedly a foreign sound. “Do you understand English ? ” demanded the Coroner. “ I’m a Scotchman, sir! ” replied the startled juryman.

Captain Holt, late of the Press Agency Company, died in Sydney on Monday last, from a cancer in the stomach. The Wellington Chronicle says—By his death society loses one of its most popular members, and Reuter’s Telegram Company an able and zealous servant.

The New Zealander of Monday last says —Additions are still being made to the numerical strength of the Anned Constabulary, scarcely a day passing without one or more recruits being received, and additions have been necessitated to the harracic buildings to find them lodgment. There are rumors that the force will not long remain in the ignoble idleness of barrack life, but will soon take the field on special service. We refrain, however, from giving publicity to what, after all, may be hut mere rumors, and which in any case, will do no good in circulation. The first horse-race (says an Exchange) was held in Melbourne on Batman’s Hill in 183‘J. The population of the whole Colony was then about 500, and the whole crowd turned out to see the Squatter’s Purse and the Town Plate run for ; on which occasion, in connection with many other interesting events, Mrs Grubb, the original owner of Petrel, herself turning the scale at 14 stone, raced her husband for a bottle of mm. Now Victoria has a population of 805,000. The Fleiuingtoii race-course is pronounced equal to any in the world. Time as fast as any on iccord has been made there, and the Melbourne races are looked upon as one of the principal (if not the chief) racing events in the Southern Hemisphere. Mr Stout writes to the Otago Daily Times—“l regret exceedingly that any hindrances should be thrown in Sir Julius Vogel’s way of entering the English Parliament, What harm could it possibly do to the Colony to have one in the Imperial Parliament who, whatever his opinions were, always carefully watched New Zealand interests ? I hope someone in the House will move a distinct resolution binding whatever Ministry is in power to grant the Agent-General the permission he asks. I notice some politicians, whose , reputation ami fame really depend on what Sir Julius Vogel did for them, are amongst those who object to his contesting an English seat. Why they should be jealous of his preferment I cannot discover. There arc many men in the House who are, I believe, able to rise above past political quarrels, and deal with this question on its merits. Let them take the matter in hand, and ask this question—Will not the Colony be benefited instead of injured by having in the Imperial Parliament one who knows our position, and who is anxious for our progress ? ” Katipos being pretty numerous along this coast, the following from the Taranaki Herald may be useful :—A serious case of illness has been occasioned by the bite of a venomous spider known as the kalipo. A person was sitting in the vicinity of the sandhills on Saturday last, when he was bitten by a spider on the ancle. He shortly afterwards suffered intense pain, which continued without abatement for several days. He was taken to the Hospital, and, while there, his suffering was so great as to cause delirium, and his body began to swell. The case required the utmost care and attention before any favourable symptoms were produced. We are glad to say that the datient is now out of danger, and progressing cowards recovery.

Says an Exchange “ Captain Moonlight.” the leader of the bushranging gang just captured in New South Wales, was formerly a resident in Auckland, arriving there in the Black Eagle, in 1861, from London. He received his education at one of the public educational institutions in Auckland, and very early manifested a spirit of adventure, which led him into several scrapes. He joined the Waikato. Militia in 1864, and, on its disbandment, endeavoured to get some of his oldschoolfellows to join him in an expedition to California. He ultimately went to Australia, and took to the road under the alias of Captain Moonlight. His real name is Andrew George Scott, and ho admitted the fact to the police on being recently captured .

Oddfellows (says an exchange) will take some interest in a carious law-suit recntly tried in England. One of the members of a Brighton lodge, summoned to attend a meeting, arrived when the business was over, and, losing his temper, used language more forcible than polite. For this offence under the rules, he was fined and expelled, He brought an action for reinstatement and damages in the County Court, on the ground that the meeting having been dissolved, the fine and expulsion were ultra vires. , His Honor held the contention to be a. good one ; observing the lodge being over, he could have kicked all the brethren round without being affected by the lodge rules for disorderly conduct. He directed the society to reinstrate plaintiff, and advised the latter to name damages, which was done. An Oddfellow, appears, never knows his" full privileges till he attempts their exercise. Hanging is too good for a fifteen cent chromo.

The period spent by a chicken in the shell might be designated as the intereggntim.

SUDDEN DEATH AT HAWERA. Not many months ago, it was our painful duty to have to record the somewhat sudden death of Mr F. G. Rawson, chemist, of Hawera ; and now we have the same, painful task to perforin for his successor, Mr P. 0. Moore, who died on Tuesday night last. The cause of death is attributed to heart disease, from which Mr Moore is said to have been suffering for some time; but death was doubtless accelerated by business difficulties, which appear to have weighed very heavily on the deceased gentleman of late. In the afternoon Mr Moore, feeling unwell, mixed a sleeping darnglit for himself, and then lay down. Mrs Moore handed the glass to her husband, which ho drank, and then went to sleep. From the evidence taken at the inquest, it would appear that he never woke out of the sleep produced by the draught, and it Was feared tit first that death had been caused by its contents. However, Dr Keating, who made the jmt mortem examination, stated that the diseased state of deceased’s heart was quite sufficient to cause death at any moment, and he attributed death to disease of the heart. Mr Moore was exceedingly well liked at Hawera, both in his business and private capacity, and his face will long he missed. He loaves a young wife, and a large circle of friends far and near, to mourn his loss, and we express our deep sympathy with Mrs Moore in her severe trial. The funeral took place on Thursday, when a large number of settlers followed Mr Moore’s remains to their last earthly resting place. The service was conducted by the Rev P. W. Fairclough. THE INQUEST. An inquest was held on the body on Thursday (.before C. A. Wray, Esq., Coroner, and a jury, of whom Mr Farrington was foreman). The following evidence was taken :

John Cunningham, sworn, said —I am a storekeeper residing at Hawera. I saw the deceased, Philip Moore, on the morning of Tuesday, the 2nd December, in the street at Hawera, and was talking to him between 10 and 11 o’clock. He appeared to be in bad health, and had not been in good health for several days. Between halfpast 5 and 6 o’clock in the afternoon, I went to the deceased’s house. Mrs Moore, the wife of the deceased, told me that he was asleep, and that she had given him a sleeping draught. I said I would call attain. I went to the house about halfpast 8 o’clock. Mrs Moore told me that deceased was still asleep, and she thought he was better. I went into the room and saw him, and noticed that there had been a great change since I had seen him in the morning. 1 tried to awaken him, but could not manage it. 1 then suggested to Mrs Moore that 1 should go and see Father Ryan [[Roman Catholic Priest, also a Licensiato in medicine]. I think in aoout half an hour afterwards Father Ryan returned with me. Father Ryan seemed to be rather excited in his manner. He alarmed Mrs Moore and i by saying, “ Poor old Moore, he must not die.” I then thought it advisable to go for Ur Keating, ihis was between 9 and 1(J o clock. I then caught my horse and went for the doctor. When I returned, Mr Moore was dead. The deceased was not conscious when I returned with Father Ryan. I thought he was asleep. I knew die deceased intimately. He was regular in his habits. He had been drinking for a few days previous to his death (enough to excite him). He appeared to be very anxious and worried about money matters. By the Foreman —I cried to awaken the deceased. I called him by name, and shook bis shoulder a little. I was rather alarmed that ho should be sleeping so long. John Murray Ryan, sworn, said—l saw the deceased on the morning of the 2nd instant, respecting a child whose limb he bail set a few days before. He (decased) wished me to accompany him to see the child, but I was unable to do so owing to a bad attack of rheumatism. The deceased showed no signs of drink. MrCunningham came for me on the evening of the 2nd, and I accompanied him to the house of the deceased, although feeling very sick at the time. I examinedthcpulseofthedeceased, and found it very faint, and that the temperature of the body was below the normal temperature. I used every available means to establish circulation and respiration.* The circulation was very feeble. My manner was excited, owing to my desire to apply remedies quickly. I gave him (deceased) about a table-spoon-full of brandy, but be did not swallow it all. He was, to all intents and purposes, dead when I was leaving the house. I left him because 1 saw that nothing could be done for him. I know nothing of his having taken any draught, and I did not like, under the circumstances, to question his wife. I knew the deceased. He was under Dr Keating's treatment. I observed that the deceased was under the influence ofanarcotic. I could notstate the amount. I am not prepared to state that he had an overdose, but only that he had a heavy narcotic. The deceased told me when I saw him in the morning, that he had been taking brandy moderately for two or three days previous, and I adjured him not to take brandy, as he might injure his position. Mr Cunningham accompanied me out, and the boy attending at the shop was left in the house (also Mrs Moore) after the death. Life was not extinct when I left, but no efforts could then have saved him. William Forbes Keating, sworn, said— I am a duly qualified medical practitioner residing at Carlyle. I was called on Tuesday last from Waihi, between 9 and 10 o’clock at night, to attend the deceased. On reaching his residence, about 10 o’clock, he was dead. He had probably been dead about an hour, I made a post mortemexamination, in accordance with instructions from the Coroner, yesterday evening. The heart was extremely diseased—fatty degeneration existed everywhere, except in the left venticle, which was enormously increased in size. The other chambers were deminished in size. The liver was much increased in size, and bore other evidence of disease. The stomach I have preserved, in case any further enquiry may be deemed necessary. It contains about two table spoonfulls of liquid, the nature of which I cannot affirm. I did not regularly attend the deceased. Had I been his adviser, I should have detected the disease of the heart under which he suffered. The condition of the heart is quite sufficient to account for sudden death, although what share any strong anodyne

might have bad in causing immediate death, I cannot declare. The disease of the heart was sufficiently pronounced to cause death at any ‘moment.. I attribute the death to disease of the heart, as a primary cause. 1 consider the death sudden. A strong anodyne taken by a person with a weak heart might be dangerous. Spirits in excess would be injurious, especially if it prevented the use of food. Worry and anxiety of mind would tend to bring on any attack. I consider that a sleeping draught would be innocuous to any healthy person. I fancy the deceased had no idea of his having heart disease. Certain persons are injuriously affected by smoking ; others are not. John Cunningham, re-called—l was not in the house when Father Ryan left. The boy was in the house ; also Mrs Moore. The jury were unwilling to call Mrs Moore, being satisfied with the above evidence. After a short consultation, they returned a verdict of “ Died from natural causes.”