AUCKLAND’S SHOCKING SCANDAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 926, 26 June 1903, Page 2

AUCKLAND’S SHOCKING SCANDAL.

A RIGHTEOUS VERDICT,

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Auckland, last night

The inquest on the death of Moato Haggard, a boy whose burial was delayed for five days, was concluded to-day. The jury returned a verdiot of death from croup, and added that no blame was attachable to anyone.

They also made the following rider ; “ Wheras Dr Moir, having handed over deceased as a patient to the hospital, he committed an error of judgment in interfering in any way with the issuing of a certificate, and notwithstanding we admire the straightforward manner and amount of assistance given by Dr Collins to sift out the root of the inhuman act committed, we cannot exonerate him from blame for not communicating with an undertaker, his willingness to issue a certificate from bunday morning up to the discovery of the po3t mortem being held on Monday morning at 10, whereas it came to the Coroner’s knowledge on June 13cb, about 3 p.m., that there was some difficulty as to the issuing of a death certificate for the boy, and again from information received from Dr Moi: on June 14oh that an inquest was necessary, and whereas such inquest was not held until June 17th, causing considerable inconvenience \ and sorrow to deceased’s parents and relatives. No coroner guilty of such an inhuman act is worthy of such an office. We exonerate the police from any blame, and highly commend them for their discretion. Wo believe that the public rights would be better safeguarded when any supposed suspicious death takes place if the public generally, and medical doctors in particular, report direct to tbe public officer. The position of coroner should be one held under payment by salary, and not by fee, thus preventing any reflection on a coroner when inquests are necessary, and also tends to minimise the number of inquests. We strongly protest in fc’eiog placed in the power of and beffig compelled to submit to the ruling of a coroner, which we believe to be contrary to the law of the land, and which we know to be contrary to common sense.”

The coroner remarked : " Thank you, gentlemen, for your verdict on behalf oi the Crown.”