The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1886. Coroners.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1288, 14 July 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prevalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 1886. Coroners.

In the House of Representatives last evening Mr Scobie Mackenzie proposed “ That it is desirable that the resolution of the House, of date October i, 1884, by which practising medical men were disabled from holding the office of coroner, should be rescinded.” After a spirited discussion, the proposition was put and lost on a division by 36 to 35, Two years ago, when the resolution referred to was passed by a thin House —we believe only 39 members were present on the occasion —we expressed our disapproval of its tenor, and after some experience of its effect, we have no inclination to modify our opinion on the subject. The Hon J. A. Tole, in opposing Mr Mackenzie’s proposition, said it was highly improper that medical men, rivals of other medical men, should sit as coroners, and Mr Ivess said no man of ability would sit as a coroner foi a fee of two guineas, when he could find a wider field for his abilities outside. Can Mr Tole, or any of our readers, quote fa single instance in which one medical man has used his position as coroner to injure the reputation or prejudice the practice of another medical man? We can call no such instance to mind; indeed, the only serious objection we can conceive to medical men acting as coroners is that an exaggerated sense of professional etiquette and a strong esprit de corps might induce them to shield the laches of their fellow practitioners. As regards Mr Ivess’s objection, that gentleman knows as well as we do that one of the most able medical men of the colony long filled the office of coroner in this dis'rict and would fill it now, but for the absurd resolution of the House which Mr Mackenzie sought to rescind. This was no exceptional case, but if Mr Ivess had one atom of generosity in his composition he would have acknowledged the philanthropy, public-spintedness, charity or whatelse, in his opinion, may have induced Dr Trevor to fill the office of coroner for many years in this district with infinite credit to himself and complete satisfaction to the general public. However, this is by the way, Mr Ivess’s opinion, nor even the opinion of the Minister of Justice, is not likely to much longer delay the removal of the disability placed upon medical men. Ninety per cent of the verdicts returned at coroners’ enquiries rest upon the medical evidence, but under the present system it frequently happens that neither the coroner not the jury understand any part of the unavoidable technicalities introduced into this evidence, and an unscrupulous medical man might mislead them, ad libitum , without let or hindrance. In our opinion it is as necessary that a coroner should have a knowledge of medicine and surgery as that a magistrate or judge should have a knowledge of law, and we trust Mr Mackenzie or some other member of the House will persevere until the office of coroner be again opened to the gentlemen bes qualified to fill it

The Wellington correspondent of the Lyttelton Times telegraphed yesterday: Last night Mr Walker did the {,>rcu a real service in getting excised from the Defence Bill the distinction between arrlson and country corps. Many coontry corps, notably those in the hon gentleman's district whjso efficiency Is so w II known, will, no doubt, see thMr way to a sensible amelioration of their present position.

Several of the leading journals have already condemned in very emphatie terms the report of the District Railways Purchasing Committee. The uewspnp ra published at the neat of Government— The Evening Post, Evening Press, and New Zealand Times —which may be supposed

to hero an intimate acquaintance with the | facts of the case and the character of the eviden e presented to the Committee, are sceptical as to the accuracy of the condo eions set out in the report. The Lyttelton Times of this morning, referring to the matter, says:—“ This case having been reviewed on it* merits, may be pronounced dean. The Committee, carried off the balance of its judgment by a suggestion of the presence of evil, has proved nnable to estimate the fads as placed before the u. The evidence of tnat Committee should be rejected by the superior judgment of the Home." The Wellington correspondent of the same journal tolegrapha The report Is regarded on all sides as aimed at the Treasurer through Msjor Steward. Now this kind of thing generally, if it is properly taken in hand, finds Its true level in time:”

Sir Charles Clifford, formerly Speaker of the House of Representatives, while presiding at ft large meeting recently held in London, offered a most vigorous refutation to the slanders uttered by Mr Froude in his now notorious ,l Oceana,” and promulgated by the Standard in an article to which we have already referred This article, said Sir Charles, was a most unfair attack upon the financial condition of New Zealand. Professing to be based upon Mr Froude’a fascinating but moat inaccurate book, ‘‘ Oceana,” it wont much further than he did in misrepresentation. The statement made by the Standard that New Zealand was paying interest on her public debt out of the loans was absolutely false. Equally false and even more mischievous was the assertion that New Zealand colonists were prepared to repudiate. On the contrary, such an idea would be rejected with indignation. Only a fool or a rogue could have used such language, The fact was New Zealand had borrowed for reproductive works. It had perhaps borrowed too much, and the policy now advocated by colonists who had a stake in the country was to borrow only a moderate sum to complete works

now in progress. Time would put the colony in a good position, and it was as solvent as any State in the world.

The East and West Coast Hallway Bill passed through Committee in the Legislative Council yesterday, and was reported with only a verbal amendment. No very serious opposition was offered to the passage of the Bill, but the Hon Mr Miller said he had made a calculation, by which he had ascertained that every ton of coal carried on the line would cost £l. The reason why all opposition to the project had been withdrawn was because everyone in the colony was staggered at the gambling transaction ot the proposed lino.—Mr Miller has not a very high opinion ot the judgment of the English capitalists or of the intelligence of the colonists.