§ MR. MACALEESE (Monaghan, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he can give any particulars to the House regarding the case of a man named George Dover, who died at the Belfast Royal Hospital, on 7th June ultimo, under an anæsthetic, and will he explain why no inquest was held in this case to ascertain if the anæsthetic which proved fatal had been properly administered, while on the same day an inquest was held on another hospital case in which the jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes; is he aware that the Town Clerk of Belfast, at the instance of the Finance Committee of the City Council, asked for an explanation of this matter from the coroner, who replied that the only person entitled to demand explanations from him was the Lord Chancellor; and will he take steps to draw the attention of the Lord Chancellor to this case.
MR. G. W. BALFOUEI understand that the coroner, in the exorcise of the discretion vested in him, decided that it was unnecessary to hold an inquest in the case of George Dover, whilst in the second case referred to he found it imperatively necessary to hold an inquest. It is open to any of the parties interested to bring the action of the coroner under the notice of the Lord Chancellor. He is not an officer of the Executive, and the Government see no reason for intervening as suggested in the last paragraph.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLWas an explanation demanded by the Lord Chancellor?
§ [No answer was returned.]