DOCTOR AND POLICEMAN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 24, 29 January 1903, Page 2

DOCTOR AND POLICEMAN.

A GKNTLK BRBEZE. A QUK9TION OF PKOOERDURB. Ik the curse of an inquest on the dia'h of a child at tiitham, Dr. rlnrtison gave of th) causa of death, when the following breeze occurred between Dr. Hirriton, who held & post mortem examination, and Police, Ooiistible yioupson, who cmducted the; proce'dingH on bshalf of tbe police. Dr Har ieon, af er giving d* a'l* of the post mortem examination (says the. Star , said : The only reisonable theory, was that he died from poisoning, ciuaid | by eiting a quantity of over-ripe bananas. Witness nude n post mortem examination, with Dr. Valiotiue, and found all the organs of tba b)dy were pnfec'ly healthy. The s'omaoh and) conten's were remoyad and sent to' Wellington for analysis. Uonstub'e Simpson: On whose au'ho-1 rity did you h ild a post mortem ? | Witness: On my own. It is a usual thing. Constable Simpson: I have never heird of euch a thing in my experience. Witness: Yourexptriecceis perhaps limited. O'jnbtiblo Simp on: It is larger than yours. And you did not give a ceitifi ate ? Witness: No. We held the post mortem to ascertain the cause of d>ath. ( Constable Simpson: A boy named i Olson died seven or eight years ago, and you then made a post mortem and gavo a cer:ideate? I Witness: Yes. Constable Simpson: Is it not your, duty to send for the police to take oaie of the'body ? Witness: No. Constable Simpson: You run away with the contents of the stomach to Wellington wi hout acquainting the police. Witness: Those to whom the contents were sont are better qualified to ' judge the ciuse of death than a policeman.

Constable Simpson: Why, did you ssnd for Dr. Valintioe while Dr. Wake was here ? Witness: Because Dr. Valintine is health officer. Constable Simpson: You had no j I business to ioterfere without an order ■ from the coroner, Witn-ss: I did what I considered right, and you can teport me to whoever you like. Ojl stable Simpson: I will report tho whole m <tter to the authorities. Witness: Quite right. Constable Simpson: Why did you not report to tbe police ? Witness: I did not think h necessary. I« is a ojosmoa practice in England to hold post mortem examinations witbou l ; on order from the oroner. After the post mortem I asked Mr. Taylor to report the mttter to the police Id d not consider it my duty to inform the police of the death, as I thought the post mortem would disolote the cau-e of dß»th. Oons'ubla Simpson; How willyiu get a report of the analysis? Witness: From tbe analyst. Const >ble Simpson : To whom ? Witness: To me. Constable Simpson: Whei will I get it t Witness: When you ask m» for it. To tbe Foreman : Considered death was duo to some violent person, To a jaror: D d not think it necessary to brous-j the child, as hs had no suspicion, and the f ither said the colour was natural. To a juror: The father agreed to a post mortem. Oonstible Simp«on: At your suggestion ? Witnes<: Ido not know; he will tell you that. A juror: Would you do the same Again ? Witness: Yes,unless told by tuneone in authority that I was wrong. He bad done it bsfore and would do the same again. Constable Simpson: You bare acted seriously wrong. Witness: That is all right. Alter further evidence the inqus&t was adjourned.