AUCKLAND NOTES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2115, 14 October 1875, Page 2

AUCKLAND NOTES.

(FBOM OUB SPECIAL CORESPONDENT.)

Auckland, Wednesday Evening. Coroners' Inquests at the Lunatic Asylum. During the present session Mr Bradshaw, one of our Southern members, called attention to the necessity of appointing non-professional men to the office of coroner, and gave one or two instances where the coroner and medical man, being one and the same, the individual bad to suffer inconvenience in order that the public might be convenieneed. The Ministry promised its attention to the subject, but as yet nothing has been done, aqd of course the matter will be one of the many which the Government will take into " serious consideration during the approaching recess. Why postpone legislation when an ovil is clearly shown to exist, especially when a short Amending Act would be sufficient to meet the public wants aud requirements? As the government intend to make an alteration in the law there are one or two points to which I should like to iimte their attention, aud iirst as to inquests; in looking over the Lunatics Act, 1868, clause 46 makes an allusion to the asylum authorities forwarding a n6tice to the nearest coroner as to the death of any patient, with general remarks as to cause, &c. The form of certificate is included in one of the many schedules attached to tho Act, and appears to be somewhat curiously worded. There is in my opinion no real power, according to the clause, to hold indiscriminate inquests, but the coroner here in every instance gives instructions to summon a jury, which .puts the institution into a state of confusion, and compels the attendance of twelve true and good men at perhaps considerable inconvenience. Tho jurors are, generally speaking, conveyed in a cab to the Asylum after being hunted up by the policeman, tho expense is a consideration, and when to this is added Coroner's mileage and fees, your readers will see that the country is put to unnecessary cost to settle a verdict of. '"died from natural causes." The books which are kept ai the Asylum provide for a " full weekly statement" of thckdifferent.elasses of patients, with their diseases. This has .to be signed by tho Sub or Cnief Inspector, who is supposed to see the inmates from time to time ; the Warders look after them whilst on duty; the medical officer sees them daily, aud visitors occasionally.,

and yet persons who have been patients for years and suffering a lingering death must hare an inquest held en th«n bodies, and for what ? Those interested" may perhaps answer. Such a mode ot procedure should be done away with, as the holding of enquiries in such instances simply means that a doubt is cast upon those entrusted wi h th« control and direction of the institution. The publication of the names of lunatics when brought before the Magistrates is a matter which newspaper people, I think, should refrain from giving, as cases of this kind may be classed as exceptional. The lawfulness of putting habitual dronliiMi under a course of restraint is, to a certain extent, sanctioned by the Act, but as suoh treatment is more in the hands of the Supreme Cottrt than in fie bands of more immediately concerned, its applica* tion appears to be of very little use, itt fact a dead letter. This portion of th« Act it is clear requires some amendment, and it is to be hoped, as the Government purposes amending the Coroners Act, that they will also dp something in making the Lunatics Act not so much like an imperial ordinance, but introduce amendments which will have a beneficially local application. Anyone reading the Lunatics' Act of 1868 will to a certainty condemn some of its provisions, and the j sooner public attention is called to the : matter the better. The legislature sane-" I tionmg the appointment of non-medical I men as coroners will be looked upon as a measure which is likely tp receive the general approval of the public, and Mr Bradshaw deserves well of the-House and the country for the steps which he has taken in the matter. *