Amendment proposed, in page 15, line 27, after the word "made," to insert the words "or an inquest is to be held"-(Mr. Rye).-Question, "That those words be there inserted,"-put, and negatived.

Clause agreed to.

Clauses 25-28, agreed to.

[Clause 29, omitted by the Lords on grounds of privilege, to be brought up as a New Clause.]

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Clauses 30 and 31, agreed to.

Clause 32.

Amendment made, in page 19, line 13, after the word coroner," by adding the words "and any expenses of the common council under the said enactments shall be defrayed out of the general rate "-(Captain Hacking).

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 33, agreed to.

Clause 34.

Amendment made, in page 19, line 36, by leaving out the word " January," and by inserting the word " "May"(Captain Hacking),-instead thereof.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

New Clause ("Superannuation of county and borough coroners") brought up, and read the first and second time as follows:

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"6.-(1) Upon the retirement of any county or borough coroner after not less than five years' service, the council by whom his salary is payable shall have power

(a) if he has attained the age of sixty-five

years; or

(b) if they are satisfied by means of a medical certificate that he is incapable from infirmity of mind or body of discharging the duties of his office, and that such incapacity is likely to be permanent,

to grant to him a pension of such amount as may be agreed upon between him and the council not exceeding the scale contained in the First Schedule to this Act:

Provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply with respect to any coroner holding office at the date of the commencement of this Act unless upon his application a resolution applying those pro20 visions to him is passed by the council by whom his salary is payable.

(2) A county or borough coroner with respect to whom the provisions of this section apply shall at any time after he has completed fifteen years' service and 25 has attained the age of sixty-five years, vacate his office if called upon to do so by the council by whom his salary is payable, but shall, in the absence of agreement to the contrary, in that case be entitled to receive the maximum pension which the council is 30 empowered having regard to the length of his service to grant to him under this section.

(3) For the purposes of this section the expression 'service' means service, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, as a coroner in the county 35 or borough of the council by whom the pension is payable"-(Captain Hacking).

Amendment proposed to the proposed New Clause, in line 2. after the word "coroner," 2, coroner," to insert the words "holding office at the date of the commencement of this Act"-(Mr. Rye).-Question, "That those words be there inserted,"-put, and negatived.

Another Amendment proposed, in line 2, to leave out the word "five," in order to insert the word "ten (Mr. Lee),-instead thereof.-Question, "That the word 'five' stand part of the Clause,"-put, and agreed to.

New Clause added to the Bill.

Another New Clause ("Amendments as to payments to or by coroners ") brought up, and read the first time as follows:

29.-(1) The power of a local authority under section twenty-five of The Coroners Act, 1887, to make a schedule of fees, allowances and disbursements which may lawfully be paid and made by a coroner 5 on the holding of an inquest, shall be extended sofas to permit any schedule so made to include any fees, allowances and disbursements which may lawfully be paid and made by a coroner in the course of his duties.

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(2) The Secretary of State may make rules prescribing

(a) the fees payable to coroners or other persons for furnishing copies of inquisitions, depositions or other documents in their custody relating to an inquest, whether furnished under sub-section (5) of section eighteen of The Coroners Act, 1887, or otherwise;

(b) the fees, allowances and disbursements which may lawfully be paid or made by a coroner (other than such fees payable to medical witnesses as are prescribed by section twentytwo of The Coroners Act, 1887) where in the opinion of the Secretary of State adequate provision is not made therefor by a schedule of fees under section twenty-five of the said Act"-(Captain Hacking).

Motion made, and Question, "That the Clause be read a second time," put, and agreed to.

Amendment proposed, in line 3, after the word "allowances," to insert the words "including travelling allowances to medical witnesses "-(Major-General Sir Richard

Luce).-Question proposed, "That those words be there inserted."

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

New Clause added to the Bill.

Another New Clause ("Provision of facilities by local authorities to obviate expenses of coroners")-brought up, and read the first time as follows:

"A local authority may provide and furnish to a coroner or contribute towards the cost of such office accommodation, clerical assistance, stationery, conveniences, facilities, or assistance (in this section referred to as facilities') as may, in the opinion of the local authority, be reasonably necessary for the proper discharge of his duties and may make arrangements and enter into contracts with respect to the provision of such facilities "-(Mr. Rye.)

Motion made, and Question, "That the Clause be read a second time,"-put, and negatived.

Another New Clause ("Fire inquests by coroners ")— brought up, and read the first time as follows:

"It shall be lawful for any county or borough council to adopt the provisions of chapter 38, 51 and 52 Victoria, The City of London Fire Inquests Act, 1888, by resolution passed by a majority of the members of such councils present and voting":

"Provided that section two of that Act shall be construed as if for the words If the coroner be of opinion that proper cause for such an enquiry exists' were substituted the words 'If the county or borough council, as the case may be, be of opinion that proper cause for such an enquiry exists "-(Mr. March).

Motion made, and Question, " That the Clause be read a second time,"-put, and negatived.

Another New Clause ("Inquests to be held in public ") brought up, and read the first time as follows:

"Section eighteen of The Coroners Act, 1887, shall have effect as if the following paragraph were added thereto :

(7) Every coroner's inquest shall be held in public "-(Mr. Rhys Davies).

Question, "That the Clause be read a second time,"put, and agreed to.

Amendment proposed, in line 5, at the end, to add the words" and at least twenty-four hours' notice of the time and place of the inquest shall be given by the coroner by public notice displayed outside the coroner's office or court and at the place where the inquest is to be held "(Mr. Smithers).-Question, "That those words be there added,"-put, and negatived.

Question, "That the Clause be added to the Bill,”—put, and negatived.

Another New Clause ("Right of relatives of deceased person and of witnesses to be represented at inquest")brought up, and read the first time as follows:

"Section eighteen of The Coroners Act, 1887, shall have effect as if the following paragraph were added thereto :

(7) At any coroner's inquest relatives of the person upon whose body the inquest is being held, and any person who is called as a witness, shall have the right to be represented by counsel, or solicitor, or official of any trade union of which such person or witness was or is a member, and such counsel, or solicitor, or trade union official shall have the right to examine witnesses' " -(Mr. March).

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause be read a second time."

Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.

New Clause ("No coroner to be bound to attend courts of assize except upon subpoena ")-brought up, and read the first time as follows: