§ MR. ALFRED THOMAS (Glamorganshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the proceedings of an inquest held at the Llanbradach Arms, Pontypridd, on the 28th March last, in which the coroner refused to allow Mr. John Jones, who was summoned on the jury and who had conscientious objections against taking the oath, to affirm as by law provided; and whether he will state on what ground Mr. Jones was refused to affirm.
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir M. WHITE RIDLEY,) Lancashire, BlackpoolThe refusal was due to an error on the part of the coroner, who was at the time under the impression that the Oaths Act, 1888, applied only to witnesses.