CORONERS' INQUESTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9710, 4 January 1895, Page 4

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

A few days ago, in Christchurch, Mr. H. W. Bishop taught the police a lesson in regard to coroners' inquests which, perhaps, may be needed all over the colony. The body of a woman was found in the Avon. It did not appear to have been long in the water. There was an old mark over the left eye, but there were no fresh marks on the body. A search a.long the banks failed to show any traces of where she had got in. It was shown that the body was that of a married woman living apart from her husband, and cohabiting with another man, who was examined. This man said there had been no quarrel between them. This was all the evidence, and the usual course in such cases is for the jury to return a verdict of "Found drowned." But Mr. Bishop thought that medical evidence should have been brought to prove the cause of death, and also that some attempt should have been made to find where deceased had been from the time she was last seen. The inquest was adjourned. For all that any of the jury knew, this unfortunate woman might have been murdered, and thrown into the river. Medical evidence would probably show that death had resulted from drowning, but such evidence should certainly have been brought before the coroner's jury.