A CURIOUS INQUEST.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2271, 28 June 1880, Page 2

A CURIOUS INQUEST.

[“ Bendigo Independent.’’]

The District Coroner is often put to much trouble and inconvenience when an inquest has to be held in some country district far removed from any town shop or hostelry. On Tuesday afternoon Mr Strickland proceeded to Bill Hill to hold an inquest. Knowing that the only chance of obtaining a jury in that locality was by empanelling the men working on the Bill Hill contract, the Coroner did not commence proceedings until 5 o’clock, so as not to incommode the workmen. Immediately the men left off work, twelve of them were rounded up and marched towards the Coroner, who was found scaled gracefully on a stump, surrounded by bushes, writing materials, a Bible, and a piece of candle. Just then a well known Sandhurst draper drove up in a buggy, and seeing a crowd around a short man perched on a little black stum]), asked what was the matter. The Coroner replied that he wanted him for a foreman of the jury. The draper at once gathered up the reins and. whipped his jaded nag down the hill at a gallop until he was out of sight. The Coroner proceeded to business, but darkness overtook the party. The candle was lighted and held aloft, while the coroner wrote down flic evidence with stenographic speed, the monotony being varied now and again as a drop of hot candle-grease fell in the wrong spot. At last the candle burned out. Just then the undertaker arrived with the coffin, which was taken to a hut close by. An adjournment was accordingly made to the hut. .More light was obtained, and sitting himself beside the coffin the Coroner used it as a desk, and thus finished 1 1 is labors. Bo it will be seen that a Coroner's life is not one wherein arm-chairs and mahogany furniture regularly play a part.