§ SIR ROBERT FOWLER (London)asked the Under Secretary of State for India, Whether the attention of the Secretary of State has been directed to the alleged conduct of the Coroner of Madras, who, after the recent fires at Madras, in which 300 bodies were left on the night of the 1086 31st December, deferred the inquest till mid-day of the 1st of January, thus causing danger of mischief from putrefaction in that hot climate; and, whether he will call the attention of the Governor of Madras to the matter?
§ THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE (Sir JOHN GORST) (Chatham)The Secretary of State's attention has not been specially directed to the delay in holding the inquest at the late fire in Madras till the hon. Baronet gave Notice of this Question. The circumstances of that lamentable accident have received the most careful attention from the Government of Madras, and the Secretary of State has no reason to think that the time at which the inquest was held has escaped their observation; but the attention of the Governor of Madras shall be specially directed to the matter.