§ SIR JOHN YOUNGsaid, he begged to address a question to the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Attorney General for Ireland. In the course of his observations on the previous evening, that right hon. and learned Gentleman had made some remarks upon the course of public justice. Now, he (Sir J. Young) believed there was a general opinion abroad and in that House that the office of Coroner in Ireland required an entire remodelling, and he wished to ask whether it was intended to put this office upon a new footing?
§ MR. NAPIERSir, with regard to the subject matter of this question, and with regard to other matters also, I may state that at the request of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland I have had under my consideration 221 the various matters which it is conceived offer an obstruction to criminal procedure in that country. The subject of Coroners' Inquests is an important one; and upon that question I may state that I am preparing measures which I intend to submit to his Excellency. With regard to any immediate measure in connexion with Coroners' Inquests, I think it would be more correct not to bring forward any measure until proceedings which are now pending are brought to a close. But it is my intention to submit a very definite plan for correcting the evil, and which, I trust, will be found satisfactory. I think, with others, that these Coroners' proceedings entail a large expense on the country, and at the same time obstruct the course of public justice.