§ MR. O'CLERYasked Mr. Attorney General for Ireland, Whether the Grand Jury of Carlo w had a discretionary power to disallow the Coroner's fees for holding of inquests in cases where death resulted from drunkenness; in case the Grand Jury have not that power, whether the Coroner can include such disallowed fees in his next presentment; and, if such powers are vested in Grand Juries, will he explain how it is that, in the form for Returns to Government by Coroners, there is a separate column for such cases?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR IRELAND (Mr. GIBSON)Sir, under 9 & 10 Vict. c. 37, the Grand Jury have the duty cast on them of examining and approving the Coroner's abstract and account of the inquisitions held by him, and they are empowered to examine the Coroner upon oath as to their correctness; and it follows that in taking these steps they are clothed with a discretionary power. If the Coroner is dissatisfied with the action of the Grand Jury on any point, it is of en to him to apply to the Judge of Assize on the subject. In reference to the last paragraph of the Question, I may draw the attention of the hon. Member to the fact that in the Returns the column containing those cases in which the verdict was "Death from excessive drinking," is ranged under the more general heading of "Death from natural causes."