§ MR. KEIR HARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the action of Mr. R. J. Rhys, who, whilst acting as coroner at Tregaron, Aberdare, at an inquest into the death of Lizzie Mary Humphreys, who lost her life through having fallen into a vat of vitriol at a tinplate works, refused the repeated requests of Mr. T. O. Edwards, His Majesty's Factory Inspector, for an adjournment to enable him to inspect the scene of the accident; whether proper notice was given Mr. Edwards of 1271 the inquest; and what action the Home Secretary proposes taking in the matter.
§ * THE SECRETAEY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (MR. RITCHIE,) CroydonYes, Sir; and the facts are as stated in the Question. In my opinion the coroner did not give proper notice of the inquest to the Inspector, and his subsequent refusal to adjourn the inquest appears to have prevented the jury from having all the facts of the case brought before them. I am stating plainly to the coroner my view as to his action, and I am prepared, if any further difficulties arise, to communicate with the Lord Chancellor.