§ MR. MURPHY (Kerry, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the cases of burial which recently occurred in the Greenwich Union, by reason of which several people have been interred under incorrect names; whether he is aware that Roman Catholic inmates have been buried in the Protestant cemetery and vice versa, and can he say what steps have been taken to prevent similar irregularities in future; and what is the reason of the delay in complying with the application for leave to exhume the bodies already interred in this manner.
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. RITCHIE,) CroydonThe grave irregularities which have occurred recently in connection with the burial of inmates of the Greenwich workhouse and infirmary have been brought under my notice by the guardians, who have adopted the report of a special committee recommending the punishment of the officials mainly responsible, and the adoption of regulations designed to prevent any recurrence of such scandals in the future. In only one case has application been made to me for a licence to remove remains—by a husband who desired that they should be re-interred in a private grave—and the licence was granted without undue delay.