The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1883. CORONER'S INQUESTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1433, 18 July 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1883. CORONER'S INQUESTS.

Mr Steward, the member for Waimate who is doing good work in the House this session, has introduced a Bill to amend the law relating to Coroner's Inquests, The provisions of his Amendment Bill are as followB: " Every person who shall be summoned to attend as a juror, and shall attend, at any inquest or inquiry before a Coroner shall receive seven shillings for every day that he shall be in attendance at such inquest or inquiry: Provided that if such attendance shall not extend over three hours such juior shall only receive the sum of three shillings and sixpence, Every juror who shall reside more than two miles from the place at which such inquest or inquiry is held shall, in addition tothe sum above provided, receive for his travelling expenses sixpence for every mile or portion of a mile beyond/two miles from his residence to the place at which the inquest or inquiry is held. The jury sworn to make inquiry ill or upon any inquest which may be held

by or under any law for tho time being in force shall consist of six persons, of whom not less than five shall agree to ii verdict. The deadhouse of every public hospital, in cases where there is no building set apart for a morgue, shall be taken and deemed to a public morgue; and tho officor in charge of such hospital shall, at the request of any Justice of the Peace, or officer or constable of police, receive into such deadhouse any dead body that may be brought thereto for the purpose of an inquest being held thereon; Provided always that, wherever convenient, the inquest on such dead body shall be hold at the nearest courthouse. No holder of a publican's license shall be required to receive any dead body for the purpose of an inquest being held thereon if there shall be a public morguo situated within two miles of the place frem which tho dead body is removed for tho purpose of such inquest." Our experience in country districts of Coroner's Inquests, is altogether favorable to the changes in the law proposed by Mr Steward. Anyouo who has taken part in, or watched the proceedings at our local inquests must have been impressed with their tediousness and inefficiency. An unwilling crowd of jurymen, who frequently have neither tho experience nor the will to discharge their duties properly is collected by a constable and penned up till the inquiry is concluded. To shorten and simplify tho proceedings by employing a small paid jury instead of a large unpaid one, ought to meet with the hearty approval of coroners, of the friends of the unfortunates, who, from time to time arc interested in themandof thegeneral public who are called upon to take part in them. Publicans too will be glad to bo relieved from the unpleasantness of having to provide morgues at a moments notice. We trust this particular Bill will find its way through the House without any serious opposition.