Correspondence.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 13, 1 April 1867, Page 76

Correspondence.

We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by correspondents. ***

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. (SiR, —In your issue of the 11 th instant, you published a letter from a correspondent, in which he refers to an inquest, held by me, on the body of a man found drowned in the Tula Tula river, durittg the last month, Amongst other things, he states that, “ on the arrival of the coroner at the house in which the inquest was to be held, that gentleman was helplessly drunk, so that he was utterly unable to conduct the proceedings, and this was left to the hand of a person who acted as clerk, whilst he himself left the apartment, and remained away during the whole of the proceedings, until the end, when he was helped back to close them. A portion of the jury also declined,, or neglected to proceed to view the body, although bound by law to do sol He also complains that a portion of the jury were, brought from Waipawa, and winds up his tirade against me by saying that the whole proceedings ;mtist. be regarded as of the most disgraceful character, so much so, as to astonish all who hear of them, and concludes by telling you that he encloses his card, in case that any investigation should take place, in order that you may communicate his name to the proper persons. In answer to these otherwise serious charges. I have to denounce your correspondent as a shameless and malicious perverter of the truth, and can prove my statements, by referring to the foreman and the jury, who can prove that I was not, as stated, helplessly drunk and unable to conduct the proceedings; but that I sioore in the jury, and the witnesses who were examined, myself, with the usual oaths, and that after going with the jurymen, to view the body, that I did not leave my place as coroner until the whole of the proceedings were finished; and that I only employed a person to write down the necessary evidences, to relieve myself in the matter, and which I had a perfect right to do. As regards the complaint that some of the jury (some three in number) were brought from Waipawa, it appears to me that, as the body was found in a river dividing Waipawa from the Waipukurav, there was nothing wrong in so doing. Trusting that, in common justice to myself, you will favour me by publishing this in your next issue, and also forward to me the name and address of your correspondent, in order that I may take • any further steps in the matter, as I may think proper,

I am, Sir,

Tour obedient servant, Charles R. English. Coroner, Wmpukuran, Mar. 21, 1867. [We have before had occasion to remark that we did not give insertion to our correspondenfs communication until we had made enquiries of other parties, and received from them the necessary confirmation of the main statements made therein- It is not, however, our practice to give up the name of a correspondent, supplied to us in confidence, and merely as a guarantee of goodfaith, but in this case we have ivritten to the gentleman in question, and have-no doubt that he will himself supply Dr. English with the information requiredEd. H.B.T.], , : TO THE EDITOR QF THE TIMES. jllß, —I note by the report- of the half-yearly General meeting of the P., N.Z., .and A.B.M. Company, held on the Vkth December last, that the Directors have determined hot to accept any fees. It would be as well for the Directors of the N.Z.S. N. Co, to take a lesson front them, and cease to receive any remuneration from the struggling com fany.

As to amalgamation with the giant company, 1 sincerely trust the shareholders, will veto the , pro- ■ position of'the newly fledged member of the Wellington Provincial Council, 'this able seiiaior appears unable to controvert Mr. Bishop’s arguments - and that gentleman deserves the hearty thanks of the shareholders, , and every well-wisher pf colonial enterprise, , ; •- ' , Tours, respectfully, , ; • ' ' " AN EX*SHiRIE['oLDER. ’