CORONER'S INQUEST, ALEXANDRA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 377, 29 July 1874, Page 5

CORONER'S INQUEST, ALEXANDRA.

(To the Editor) Sir,-- Will you allow me apace in your columns to say a few words respecting fche coro;ier'o inquiry held afc tho instance of W. BcicsforJ, Esq., J.P., touching the burning oi' three stacks of hay and corn at Grange Ifttrm, ou fche 18fch insfc. A jury having been sworn, ihey, in company with Ihe coroner, proceeded to The Grange to view tho effects of tho fire. On returning, the coroner jn'Oceoded to take evidence in the large room of the Geelong Hotel. Mr. Harvey, the Clerk of fche Court, offered his services to take down fche written testimony of the witnesses, which sorvices were gladly accepted. Mr. Harvey not only took down the evidence, bufc actually administered the oath to fche witnesses, and generally conducted the investiga- [ tion, bufc by what right or power I am unable to say. Such, however, is the fact. Lefc it be understood thafc 1 do nofc wish to find fault with Mr. Harvey ; on the contrary, in common with others, 1 thank him for not keeping us sitting there until twelve o'clock at night, which we evidently would have had to do had he not taken fche part he did. What I wish to point out is the absurdity of the Municipal Ordinance making ifc almost compulsory that all mayors be made J.P.s. A greater fallacy was never introduced into any Ordinance. Only imagine a mayor sitting as coroner and allowing Ihe clerk to conduct the whole business. In my opinion ifc is something that should not be tolerated. — I am, &c, CoiriioN Sense. Alexandra, 24th July, 1874. *