View report page

161
In nearly one-half of the above cases post-mortem examinations
were made by authority.
Mortuary Keeper's Residence.—In a previous report I
had occasion to refer to inconvenience from difficulty in finding
lodgings for the Mortuary Keeper within a reasonable distance of
the Mortuary. That officer has now secured a house adjoining
the building.
CORONER'S COURT.
It is now generally the practice to provide a Court for the
Coroner in connection with the Mortuary, so as to obviate the
necessity of holding inquests in public-houses. This step seemed
to me unnecessary when plans for the Mortuary were under
consideration, there being rooms at the Yestry Hall suitable for
the purpose. Accordingly, the Works, Sanitary, and General
Purposes Committee authorized me to communicate with the
Churchwardens, who, as trustees of the Yestry Hall, consented
to place a room at the disposal of the Coroner whenever required,
on due notice being given, and subject to the payment which the
Coroner is authorised to make, and does make, for such accommodation
provided elsewhere for the same purpose.
About 150 inquests are held in the Parish annually, most of
which could be conveniently held at the Vestry Hall. But none
of them are held there, the Coroner protesting his inability to
comply with the requirement of the Churchwardens, that application
should be made for the room prior to the issue of notices
to jurymen, witnesses, etc. It is, nevertheless, impossible to
resist the conviction that if the Coroner and those who have the
control of the building would but pull together, the wish of your
Vestry and, I may say, of parishioners summoned on juries, that
inquests should be held at the Vestry Hall, would soon be
realised.
DISINFECTION.
During the year ending March 25th, 1887, a large number
of infected articles, clothing, bedding, etc., were satisfactorily