ADJOURNED INQUEST AT KAIAPOI.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2255, 20 May 1881, Page 3

ADJOURNED INQUEST AT KAIAPOI.

The adjourned inquest touching the decease of ft female child, was hold yesterday before O. Dudley, Esq., coroner, and a jury of fourteen, of whom Mr E. Bevell was foreman. The jury having answered to their names, The ' coroner said—Gentlemen, I am very glad to tell you that there will be no further necessity to go into this matter. On Saturday last Mr Superintendent Broham came to my house and gave me such information as led to the identification of the body, and has satisfied me as registration officer. Nothing further remains, therofore, but for you to sign this inquisition. You are all, I suppose, satisfied with the evidence given last Thursday as to the cause of death, namely, from tabes mesenterial, and Dr. Ovenden's statement that death was the result of natural causes. The adjournment of the inquest has had the effect of bringing out particulars as to the name and mother of the deceased, which it was necessary to get, and our duties are over after signing the inquisition. Mr Bevell—What can be done if the jury now refuses to sign ? Mr Pinching—Why need we sign now, when wo are no nearer then we were last week ? Mr Anderson —We want to know whom the child belongs to. The Coroner—l omittod, perhaps, to tell you that the child is registered as the daughter of one Edith Duncan. Mr Anderson —All we want to know now is to satisfy our inquisitiveness, and hear all about it. The Coroner—You are all, I presume, satisfied that the cause of death was tabes mesenterioat Mr Bevell (foreman)— We wore willing to give that as our verdict last week, but as the inquest was adjourned to obtain particulars as to the name of the ohild, we now expeot you, Mr Coroner, to give us that evidence. The Coroner —I cannot give you the child s name. All I can say 1b what has oome to my knowledge as Eogistrar of Deaths. The death has been duly registered on Saturday morning. Mr Gallagher—Could you say, sir, how that was done ? The Coroner—lnformation was given to me as I have stated, that the ohild has no name, and the mother's name was aa I have already stated. It has no father. Mr Anderson —This child, then, was like

Melohizedek. [Laughter.] Mr Rovell—l tbink, sir, it is a very hard oase that we Bhould bo called here to sign a paper when we might, for all it ie worth, have signed it laßt week, an there ia no more information. . The Coroner —We have more information. Mr Bevell—On hearsay and as registrar, you might have got that without troubling us. The registrar ought to have sent to whoever had the custody of the child and obtained the particulars whioh Dr. Ovenden could not get, without any inquest or jury at all, and laved making muoh out of nothing, and creating a public scandal. The Coroner—l am very sorry you should have been called hero a second time; but what could I do under the circumstances. Mr Pinching—ls there nothing to go before the jury then ? . The Coroner—l am asking you now to sign the inquisition, in whioh is stated the cause of deatn and the particulars necessary to make the matter complete. Mr Pinohmg—We might have done the signing last Thursday. With all due respect, I submit we ought now to have the further Evidence which was then promised üb. Mr Gallagher—l think we have only to do with the cause of death. Mr Pinching—Was that evidence given to you privately, Mr Coroner, whioh you have given to us. . Tho Coroner—l have told you of the information I had given to me. Mr Pinching—Was it quite reliable, do you think? The Coroner —Well, Mr Broham gave it me, and I have no reason to doubt his word. Mr Pinching—l think he ought to have been Mr Gallagher I understood that subpucnas were to be issued for witnesses, who wore to be compelled to attond hero to-day, and that we ahould go on with business instead of having thia nonsense Mr Pinching—l and the rest of the jury aro quite in the dark. The Coroner—You can have the witneHßOs you want called if you wieh it. Would you let me know, gontlemen, who you would like to have called.

Mr Pinohing—ls it competent for us to adjourn for hearing further evidence ? Mr Anderson—And let's have it by weekly instalments. [Laughter.] Mr R. Moore—l see no reason to doubt the coroner's statement. He is satisfied, and so are we. The Coroner—OF course I have it from a good authority, and the particulars are duly entered in tho registration books. Mr Pinching—What I do complain of is, that there being no evidence as to the name puts us in a false position. The Coronor—lf this inquest had not been adjourned we would not have got the particulars whioh have come out. There was no criminality in the affair. Mr Gallagher—Was Mr Broham's evidence made on oath ? Tho Coroner—The statement made to mo was a solemn declaration as registrar. Mr Gallagher—l decline to listen to any statement which may have been made on this miilter except it has been made on oath. Mr Pinching—l again ask what was the object of adjourning tho inquest if it was not to have tho witnesses present ? Tho Coronor—Well, if you say what witnesses you want I will endeavor to get you the further ocidenco. The law is, however, satisfied, I am informod, tho child is tho daughter of Edith Duncan, was six weeks of ego, and died from tabes mesonterica. Mr Pinching—We wore satisfied last Thursday as to tho causa of death, but we are not yet satisfied as to the name. The Coroner—Well, if you want it, shall I get more ovidenco ? Mr Gallagher—l think some of tho gentlemen want to go into the matter of birth, as they seem somewhat sceptical about the information now given. lam satisfied, as I was last Thursday, that we havo found tho cause of death, and thtro ia no need to create a scandal by enquiring into tho littlo intricacies connected with the deceased.

Mr Bovell—l considered it a great stretch of the coroner's power to adjourn the inquest, and now we think we aro boing asked to do somethins which is not legal. Mr Moore—Lst us bring in our verdict. The time of some of us is valuable, and I think we have got all tho facts wo need care to know.

Mr Eevoll—And let us odd a ridor about our being unnecessarily detained. Another Jurymon—Wo havo been called to-dvy, as I take it, to find a father for the child, and have not done it. [Laughter. J The Coroner hero read over the inquisition taken nt that house before him and the jury,

"in view of tho body of a fomale child, name unknown."

Some of the jury took slight objections to the omission of the name, but finally the jury signed the document, certifying that tho deceased child had died a natural death. This terminated the proceedings.