§ MR. WALTER HAZELL (Leicester)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the inquest at Derby on July 2nd upon Julia Swift, when it appeared that her death resulted from an illegal operation performed by a person who was repeatedly mentioned in court, and that the deceased made a statement to the doctor attending her giving the name of this woman, which statement was written out by the doctor, signed by deceased, and witnessed by him and by another person; whether he has observed 1223 that the doctor admitted that he did not know that the presence of a magistrate was necessary to constitute this statement legal evidence; and that the coroner stated in the strongest terms that, though it was perfectly clear that a crime amounting to murder had been committed, it was also clear that unless something further came to light connecting the woman with the charge, a very gross miscarriage of justice must take place because the dying woman's statements were not taken in due form, and will he cause inquiries to he made into the matter?
§ SIR MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEYI have made inquiries and find that the facts as stated in the Question are substantially correct. I am in communication with the Director of Public Prosecutions in regard to the case.