COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 23 June 1881)

§ DR. LYONS
said, he rose to move that the Chairman report Progress. It was too late to proceed with this very important Bill, which largely affected the interest of the Medical Profession in Ireland, and amongst whom, in reference to the Bill, much anxiety was felt. At that hour—2 o'clock—it was not advisable that it should be proceeded with, and he had not himself had an opportunity of framing Amendments and putting them on the Paper.

§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY
trusted the Bill would not now be impeded. It did, it was true, excite much anxiety among the Medical Profession; but so long as he had been in Parliament the subject had been regarded by Coroners themselves with a deeper anxiety. The Bill had been carefully considered upstairs, and, when read a second time, so strong a feeling in its favour was displayed on both sides of the House, that though there was some slight objection on the part of the Government, so strong was the feeling of the House in view of the importance of the Bill and the antiquity of the subject, that the Government very fairly gave way, and he trusted now the Government would use their influence to induce the hon. Member to give way too. The Medical Profession had abundant opportunity of making out their case before the Select Committee; and if they really had Amendments pertinent to the subject, which they wished to have brought forward, an opportunity for their discussion would offer on the Report, and to such discussion the promoters of the Bill would offer no unreasonable opposition.

§ MAJOR NOLAN
hoped the hon. Member would withdraw his objection. At 1214 this time of the Session there was very little chance for private Members to bring forward their Bills.

§ MR. LEA
said, the Bill had been regarded with favour by almost all parties in Ireland, it had been approved by a Select Committee, and he trusted the hon. Gentleman would not press his opposition.

§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)
said, so far as the Government were concerned they would not impede the Bill, although it would, perhaps, increase the difficulty of dealing with the whole subject hereafter. Perhaps the hon. Member in charge of the Bill might consent to have the Bill postponed to admit of discussion?

§ MR. HEALY
said, he was glad the Attorney General, on behalf of the Government, did not support the Motion to report Progress. This was the only chance a private Member had of getting his Bill through. He admitted the inconvenience of the hour; but there was really no other time, for the same thing would happen if he put the Bill down for to-morrow. If there were any bonâ fide objections, let them be used, but not on a Motion to report Progress.

§ MR. DALY
, in moving the following new Clause:— (Coroner for borough of Cork.) And whereas in the borough of Cork there have been and now are two coroners of and for said borough, and it is expedient that, on the death, resignation, or removal of either of said coroners, there shall thenceforward be but one coroner of and for said borough of Cork: Be it enacted, That upon the death, resignation, or removal of either of said coroners as aforesaid, the survivor shall thereupon discharge the duties of sole coroner of and for said borough of Cork; and thereupon and thereafter shall be paid to the said coroner and his successors in office, in addition to the salary which under this Act would be payable from time to time to him, the amount of salary which under this Act would have been payable to the coroner so dying, or resigning, or removed as aforesaid: Provided always, That nothing herein contained shall in any way affect the rights of the personal representatives of said coroner so dying to receive all arrears of salary and emoluments (if any) to which said coroner so dying was entitled to at the time of his death, said, this would be assimilating Cork to the position of Dublin, Belfast, Limerick, 1215 Waterford, and other places, and would leave the borough the surviving Coroner of the two now doing duty. He believed there was no objection to the clause.

§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY
said, the question of the superannuation of Coroners was dealt with in Committee, and the clause was struck out; but he now submitted it in a very much simpler form. The proposal he then submitted gave the right of superannuation to every person who in future might hold the office of Coroner, as well as the holders at the present time; but he now proposed only to give it to those now in office—practically only to a few old men who now held office—and not to those appointed in future. Some claim in equity these had, for the question of superannuation had been mooted ever since the position of Coroners in Ireland was agitated, and superannuation was one of the provisions always discussed. Another proposal in which he differed from that he formerly made was that, instead of proposing that the Coroner should be entitled to two-thirds of his salary on superannuation, he should receive one-third, thus cutting it down to a minimum.

THE CHAIRMAN
Does the hon. and learned Gentleman propose that this superannuation shall be paid out of the rates?

§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY
It is to be paid out of—that is, chargeable to the fund raised by fines and penalties in Ireland. I understand that these fines and penalties do not go to the Crown now.

§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. LAW)
said, he could not assent to this. There were two objections. In the first place, Coroners 1216 were not public servants in the same sense as those receiving superannuation—they held the appointment of Coroner, and discharged its duties along with, and in addition to, their other professions or callings. Their whole time was not given to the public service, but only the lesser portion. He knew some who held the office and were solicitors in considerable practice. Another difficulty was that the fund alluded to could not bear the charge already upon it. It was already overweighted and more than absorbed by the charges for the salaries of petty sessions clerks, a burden which, but for aid derived from past accumulations of the fund, it could not bear.

§ MR. O'SHAUGHNESSY
said, he would not press the clause now.

§ MR. R. N. FOWLER
said, he would take that opportunity to ask the noble Lord for information as to the Bankruptcy Bill. He noticed it was deferred to this day; but was it any use putting it down night after night? In view of the wide interest felt in the subject, he asked if the Government proposed to proceed with it after the Land Bill was disposed of? Perhaps the noble Lord would consult with his Colleagues.

§ LORD RICHARD GROSVENOR
observed, that the Bill was postponed until Monday, and what course would be taken in regard to it would be decided later on.

§ MR. R. N. FOWLER
said, he was anxious that the Bill should proceed.