§ MR. KINNEARasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Whether Dr. Parke has been guilty of any default, neglect, or inattention in discharging his duties as medical officer of the Newtownards Union Workhouse since his appointment in the year 1870; and, if not, on what grounds does the Local Government 491 Board request the guardians of the said union to intimate to Dr. Parke that he must resign the appointment; and, whether the Local Government Board have ever promulgated any rules or orders forbidding medical officers of unions to hold the office of Coroner, or to undertake private practice?
§ MR. SEXTONasked, whether it was true that, since the circumstances mentioned by the hon. Member for Donegal, a second case of inattention on the part of Dr. Parke had occurred, and that, at the inquest which followed, the jury was obliged to accept the evidence of a medical practitioner whose knowledge of the deceased was after death?
§ MR. TREVELYANSir, there is no record of any complaint against Dr. Parke in the Office of the Local Government Board with respect to the manner in which he has discharged his duties as medical officer during the period in which he has held that office; but he has, within the past month, been appointed a Coroner for the northern part of the County of Down, and has thus undertaken duties which must take him frequently to a distance from Newtownards. The Local Government Board have not absolutely required him to resign; but they have requested the Guardians to inform him that if he undertakes duties which are inconsistent with proper and regular attendance on the sick poor in the workhouse he must resign the appointment of medical officer. The matter will be before the Guardians on the 8th of this month. The Local Government Board have not promulgated any such general rule as is mentioned; but in another case they refused to allow a Coroner to be appointed a medical officer of a workhouse.