The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1887. CORONERS AND THE PRESS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1633, 11 August 1887, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 1887. CORONERS AND THE PRESS.

An Auckland telegram, which appears elsewhere, informs us that at an inquest held at Hamilton, m the Waikato district, " the Coroner refused admission to the press." The only reason he gave was that it was not the custom m his district to allow reporters to be present. The jury, however, declined to proceed with the inquest unless reporters were admitted. The press were then permitted to remain. This is not tht first time this sort of thing has occurred of late, and it would be well to put a step to it. We know of no subject on' which the feelings of the masses are more seisitive than the matter of coroners' inquests, and their innate love of fair pliy prompts them to demand that all such enquiries shall be open and above-board. Nothing will satisfy them that leaves! any room — even the least — for doubt or suspicion m such matters. /This. U ! especially the case now "when the number of the jury has bsen so greatly reduced. Under such circumstances, if the press be excluded and the public left m the dark as to lhe real facts of the case, what is there to prevent a suspicion m the minds of the people that the jury may have been packed, or a verdict contrary to the evidence adduced returned, m order to screen some person having influential friends

We cannot state, and have not the means at hand of ascertaining,, whether under; existing legislation it is provided that these enquiries should be held m open Court or otherwise. If it be not, the scraner the Act be repealed the better, for other wise we can see cases where the administration of justice may be seriously interfered with. Even m the present case, supposing the representatives of the press had stood*upon their dignity and refused to take on, sufferance that which they claimed as their right — refused to enter the Court when told that the Coroner had been graciously pleased to ptnnit them to be present, and the jury sternly refused to proceed with the inquest unless the press were present, what would be the upshot Provision should be made, if it do not already exist, that such enquiries shall be conducted m open Court, and if such provision do exist, a smart rap on the knuckles administered to all such jacks-in-office, offending m lhe same way as the Coroner m question, would probably have a beneficial effect, if accompanied by an admonition from the Minister of Justice to conform to the law m future.