CORONER'S POWERS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 64, 16 March 1936, Page 5

CORONER'S POWERS

REFORMS PROPOSED.

ENDING TRIAL BY INQUEST.

ENGLISH INVESTIGATION".

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, February 21

Acute controversy, is likely to follow the publication of the report of the Departmental Committee on Coroners, which seeks very drastically to curtail ' the present wide powers of the English : coroner. The committee was set up last year following a notorious inquest, in which, | it was alleged, a coroner virtually' put two women on trial for murder. Both were proved to be innocer t, but tie ' investigation, in which all manner of • evidence was used which would have been illegal in the High Court, was ' severely criticised. " At the present time the coroner is free from many of the restrictions - which, in the Police Court, safeguard the rights of a suspected person. He J can admit evidence of the most dubious \ j character, and can cross-examine wit- ' i nesses, who have never boon charged, i and who may lack the protection of a '! lawyer, without restriction. ~ The committee seeks to end anomaly. It would have it laid t0 that the function of a col '° nel , . it r determine the cause of deal > 1 ° ' t0 ,!i, „o part oI 1,1. 11 name a person as an d it B manslaughter or to comC would refuse to him P ]iese ch arges. . i nut persons foi tnai would pro--1 I Another proposed i proeeed- ; ! hibit the reporting of .inquut 5 ings in all' cases of sn caused ! jit is heldl, much pain f su . cldcs i to the relatives newspapers of ,! by the publication \J of • lßtt T and hl e been bittern by a per- ', W ]nch may Jje ml]lill ged. F..ri'ther 'it is held that publication of the 'I * -la of a "suicide may eneourn»e Other people to adopt the same method I of