The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1866.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 200, 10 January 1866, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1866.

In some shape or other, society in every stage has claims upon its individual members it rarely fails to enforce. In return, the most obscure, as well as the most exalted, expect from it a masterly supervision of affairs, together with equal protection for life and property. Under its benignant influence only can that grand abstraction called civilization continue to exist or advance towards ideal perfection. Society and Christanity alike require us to ignore the lex talionis : but the former undertakes the responsibility of meting out justice to the offender unbiassed, as far as possible, by human prejudices. In communities where these laws are well understood, people venture abroad without the incumbrance of revolvers and bowie-knives, satisfied to know that society, through its servant the law, will in the first instance protect them to the utmost of its power; and, failing in that, avenge them. The machinery provided is ample. As we have said, the self-imposed duties of society extend to a time beyond the death of even one of its members. If circumstances tend to raise the faintest suspicion that a man or woman has come to his or her death by unfair means, an inquiry is at once instituted, conducted by an oflicer specially appointed — the Coroner — before a jury of intelligent and respectable men. This is at least the mode of procedure under British rule. In all British colonies it has hitherto been rigidly observed. It has remained for this, one of the latest formed, to become the exception. We refer to the reported death by drowning of a late citizen, Mr. W. Gr. Atkinson, who had been long and favorably known by this community in his capacity of chemist. Suffering from ill-health, induced by too free indulgence in ardent spirits, he, at the suggestion of some friends, took a trip to Stewart's Island, in sanguine hope of benefit from the change of scene and occupation. Arrived there, he regularly betook himself, we have been informed, to his favorite amusement of fishing. While engaged in it, he was surrounded by the rising tide and drowned. We are also led to believe that he persisted in remaining on the isolated rock whence, in endeavoring to reach the shore, he lost his life, in spite of repeated warnings from some of the inhabitants of the place. Then there is another account, to the effect that, according to his usual habit, the deceased left his temporary residence alone, to walk among the rocks, and was no more seen alive — his body being found on the beach, and soon after interred. Another version of the affair is, that while in a state of delirium tremens, the unfortunate man started to walk, as he supposed, for Invercargill, and perished before he could be prevented from attempting his insane purpose. Which account are we to believe? One, at least, of them is obviously untrue. In such a case the investigation by a Coroner and Jury ought, we think, to have been resorted to. But by some oversight this has not yet been done. Yet Stewart's Island has for a long time past been nominally an annexe of this province, and under the control ef the authorities here. Who is to blame ? Are our resources at such a low ebb that the expense of the inquiry cannot be borne by the province ? Or is it simple negli-

gence ? If the latter, there is yet time to redeem the oversight. There are many reasons why an official record of the death of a British subject should be kept, occurring from what cause ■ soever. Eriends might endure agonising suspense ; property might be withheld from its rightful owners through the omission of a duty such as we insist upon. The holding of an inquest is, we are aware, by law optional with the Coroner in cases wherein he may feel satisfied as to the cause of death. It is not often the responsibility of its omission is incurred. In making these remarks, we wish to be understood as in nowise reflecting on the Coroner, Dr. Deck, who has always efficiently performed his official duties. It is in the public interest that we have undertaken the task, as the case we have commented on is not the first instance in which authoritative inquiry has been neglected. It is to be hoped that we shall need to make no further allusion to the subject, and that the mystery at present surrounding the death of a fellow-being

may be thoroughly cleared up.