FIRST EDITION. The Ensign. GORE: TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1895. CORONERS' INQUESTS.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 13, 30 July 1895, Page 2

FIRST EDITION. The Ensign. GORE : TUESDAY, JULY 30, 1895. CORONERS' INQUESTS.

The Hon. W. P. Beeves, in the House on Thursday, aimed one of the deadliest blows conceivable against the principles of Democracy — the pii icp'es that j lovide for tbe government of the people, for the people by the people — when he announced his intention of bringing down a bill providing for the abolition of Coroners' Juries. The hon. gentleman drew the attention o£ the House to tbe fact that one phase of the Coroners' Inquest Bill then before them would entail a permanent charge on the Justice Department of LI2OO per year, and that expenditure would rise year by year as population increased and inquests became more frequent. The hon. gentleman, at one ac'ion, disoloses tbe whole extent of his putative liberalism to the world • So long as the old law remained in force, which compelled citizens to act as jurymen at coronial inquiries with no fee on reward save the murmured thanks of the Queen and Country, conveyed to them by the coroner who pocketed the guinea and expenses for his trouble, the Hod. Reeves is convinced that the jury system is an excellent one, but the moment a proposal is set on foot to spend a trifle over L2O per week upon it, for the whole of New Zealand, this high-souled Pooh Bah — Minister for Justice among other things — undergoes a radical change of opinioD, which, were the object not so apparent, would be mystifying in the extreme. Mr He eves now says that there is no necessity for such juries at all. They (the people) should be able to trust their coroners to make an intelligent inquiry, and he, in effect, expresses his complete willingness to sell the birthright of the Democracy, of which he is one of the self-constituted beads, for a monetary mess of pottage involving a paltry LI2OO per year. Such outbursts of lofty aspirations after saving to the State, ill-become a gentleman who is content to draw LBOO per annum from the same Department without a siDgle qualm, and when it come to doling out a few shillings to each of the dozen men who are forced to leave their business to enquire into tbe cause of death of a fellowcountry, man he immediately denounces the whole system of Coroners' Juries as totally unnecessary and superfluous The Hon. Reeves made this sweeping statement, doubtless, with the full knowledge that a great proportion of New Zealand inquests are conducted by Justices of the Peaoe, and surely he cannot for one moment hold that these gentlemen are capable— or even willing— to undertake, single-handed, the responsibility of making a thorough and exhaustive enquiry into the causes surrounding the decease of any person. The Minister for Justice's assertion is tantamount to offering strenuous opposition to the Bill providing for payment to Coroners' Juries, but, when we learn that this self-same measure was introduced by bis own faithful, out and out supporter, Mr W. W. Colliup, the hon. gentleman's fox-like cunning becomes evident. Not only would he incur the displeasure or this servile followor, but his reputation as a Liberal of Liberals would be seriously impaired in the eyes of tbe section of the colonial community he professes so much to befriend. The Hod. Reeves is one of the kind of patriots of the ancient legend who would gladly spill the last drop of his brother's blood in the defence of his country, and so he would gladly deprive all and sundry the enjoyment of little emoluments dispensed. by the Department of which he i$ the political head, and from which be himself draws a thumping salary. _________