§ MR. HUNTER (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the refusal by Mr. Wyatt, Coroner, at an inquest held at St. Thomas's Hospital on 2nd April, to allow Mr. F. Robinson to make an affirmation instead of taking an oath, Mr. Robinson having declared that he was a person without religious belief within the meaning of "The Oaths Act, 1889"; and whether some steps can be taken to secure the observance of the Law by Coroners or other Judicial officers?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS,) Birmingham, E.I am informed by the Coroner that the facts are not as stated, but that on the day in question a person summoned on the Jury refused to be sworn, but did not ask to affirm, and as his objection did not appear to have been made upon conscientious grounds he was told to sit back. The Coroner is quite aware of the provisions of the Oaths Act, 1888, which are frequently applied in his Court.