CORONERS’ POWERS
HOLDING OF INQUESTS ON UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS (New Zeauina Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 27. The Tangiwai disaster revealed a defect in the Coroners Act, 1951, said the Attorney-General (Mr T. C. Webb) in the House of Representatives tonight, when moving the second reading of the Coroners Amendment Bill. Mr Webb said that under the earlier legislation it was no longer necessary for a coroner to view a body, but he had to satisfy himself that someone giving evidence had seen the body. Seven bodies had been recovered in the Tangiwai railway disaster, but had not been identified, and it was therefore impossible to say that any particular body had not been recovered. The amending legislation would Alow the inquests to be held, he said. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) said the amendment was necessary, because estates could not be cleared up until inquests had been held. He asked whether the AttorneyGeneral could expedite action by coroners holding the inquests. Mr Webb replied that that action would be taken. The bill was read a second time.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume XC, Issue 27466, 28 September 1954, Page 14
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178CORONERS’ POWERS Press, Volume XC, Issue 27466, 28 September 1954, Page 14
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