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223
Court provided by the Vestry, and adjoining the Public
Mortuary in the disused burial ground of St. Mary's Chapel
of Ease, Liverpool Road. The Coroner makes his order for the
removal, in suitable hearses, of the bodies in respect of which
inquisition is to be held, to the appointed places at the appointed
times. The cost of this removal, as well as the cost of removal
to the " place appointed for post-mortem examinations," when
examination is necessary, and the fee for the use of the Court, is
defrayed by the Coroner, who charges the same to the Magistrates
by whom the expenses are duly allowed as part of the costs of the
inquest. The fee paid for the use of the Court is five shillings for
a single case. For a second or third case or more, with the
same jury, in the same room, the allowance is two shillings and
sixpence for each case after the first. Your Vestry made no
stipulation with the Coroner who acts in this parish, who voluntarily
pays for the use of his Court-room half-a-crown only, or
half the amount sanctioned by the Magistrates, and which is paid
for inferior accommodation at public-houses,. The Coroner moreover
pays nothing for the removal of bodies to the mortuary,
although, as above intimated, it would be a lawful charge upon
the County rates. The contrast between the practice in the two
coterminous districts is thus shown to be very striking.
Another objectionable practice in this district is that of allowing
post-mortem examinations to be made in private dwellings where,
in some instances, the accommodation is altogether insufficient,
the whole proceeding, moreover, being painful and distressing to a
high degree. Your Yestry caused a communication on the
subject to be addressed to the Coroner, reminding him of the
" place provided " for the purpose, but to little effect, for cases
still occur which ought not to be permitted, nor would be probably
were there any appeal to a superior authority. All has been
done by your Vestry that is necessary to provide for decency in
this matter, in which the feelings of humanity and respect for
the dead are much concerned, but with an amount of success
altogether below what might reasonably have been expected.