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68
at large should be entitled to their use. A letter was
received from the Local Government Board, acknowledging
the receipt of the Vestry's letter, but no further communication
has been received.
UNCERTIFIED DEATHS.
The attention of the Vestry having been incidentally
directed to the law relating to the registration of deaths, and
it appearing somewhat unsatisfactory that a death can be
registered without any medical certificate, or sufficient
authentication that the death is due to natural causes, the
Vestry suggested to the Government the advisability of
amending the law so as to provide for all uncertified deaths
being in the first instance reported to the Medical Officer of
Health for the district, the death to be certified by him, after
enquiry, either as a suitable case for registration, or as one
requiring further investigation by the Coroner.
A correspondence with the Registrar-General on the
subject subsequently ensued, and the Vestry went more fully
into the question. The following copy of the Report of
the Sanitary and Parliamentary Bills Committee, which was
adopted by the Vestry on the 1st March, gives the views at
which the Vestry arrived after mature deliberation:—
The chief points in the Registrar General's letter which seem to call for
remark are contained in the following paragraphs:—
It appears to the Registrar General that the powers which the Yestry
desire should be given to Medical Officers of Health would conflict with
those of a Coroner, and that if such a system as they propose were
adopted, frequently two inquiries would be held when one would suffice,
whereby delay of registration would be caused, and annoyance to the
friends of the deceased be rather increased than diminished.
With reference to the last paragraph of your letter, I am to state that the
Registrar General does not understand which are the duties of a