§ MR. TENNANT (Berwickshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of of State for the Home Department, whether his attention has been called to the action of the coroner at Aberdare about a fortnight ago, who refused, when Captain Edwards, His Majesty's Inspector of Factories, asked him to postpone the inquest on the death of Lizzie Mary Humphreys, to give him time to enable him to visit the spot where the deceased fell into a vat of vitriol; and whether any steps can be taken to inquire into the coroner's action, and to prevent a similar refusal in future, and to secure the safety of persons working about vitriol vats in tinplate works.
§ * MR. RITCHIEOn the 13th of this month I answered a Question addressed to mo by the Hon. Member for Merthyr Tydvil to the same effect as the first paragraph of this Question. † Since then I have received from the coroner a satisfactory assurance of his readiness in future to consult the convenience of the factory inspector, and, where necessary, to adjourn an inquest. It should be observed that, though it is very desirable that an inspector should have full opportunity to make inquiries before an inquest is completed, it is for the coroner in his discretion to decide in any particular case whether, if the inspector is present—as he was in the case in question—an adjournment is necessary.