The Express.
London, England, 1860-03-17 00:00:00

TEE MAN FOUND DEAD IN A WOOD.

Mr. T. DIINOOMBE rose to ask the Secretary for the
Home Department whether hie attention had been called to
the fact that the dead body of a man, named Thomas
Edward Kean, had been recently found in the woods
use Deal, in Kent, and had been interred without inquest.
From the hon. member's statement, which was delivered in
• low tone of voice, we gathered that the deceased had been
for twelve months en inmate of Colney Hatch Lunatic
Asylum. He was discharged cured, and returned to his
former occupation. Finally he left his home, and was first
hosed of at • public-house neer Deal wood, when, not
having money to pay for the refreshment he had ord
his boots were taken from him. Subsequently he Mese?
into the woods, where his dead body was found three ys
after. The honourable member wished to know what dew
the Home-office had taken in the matter, and why tie
coroner had not held an inquest
Hr. MILDMAY explained that this was one of • clam of
cases which had arisen out of the unfortunate didenesoce
miming between the coroners and county magistrates re-
vetting the a/101ounce of fees for inquests.
Mr. CLIVE add that there had been no neglect on the
part of the HornereMee in the matter. The Home Secretary
had no power to compel the holding of an inquest, bat sins
the occurrence of this unfortunate dispute, he had originated
a bill to put matters on a better footing, and that bill was
now before • select committee. A letter had been written
to the coroner in this ease, and his reply was : " This was
the case of • stranger found in Deal. He had been sees about
the place, having no money, end having had refreshment at
a public-house, he left his boots in pledge. He
appeared subsequently to hare diverted himself
of hie coat and trousers when he went into the wood. He
appeared to have scratched himself • good deal, and the
supposition was that he died in a fit." This last suppo-
sition, the house would perceive, wee entirely gratuitous,
se there was no reason why the man should have died in •
fit, Perhaps the reason for not holding an inquest could
bat be learned from the final sentence of the coroner's
letter :—" The coroner for Kent is placed In • difficult
pceition, because the magistrates require him to state what
criminal act is suspected, to make an inquest necemary."
He (Mr. Clive) could only say, that if the magistrates
adopted such a course, it was contrary to the opinion of the
Chief Justice.

Kr. DEEDES vindicated the conduct of the inagietrake,
who had no wish to throw any unnecerary disculty in the
way of the cocoas-.
THE ENGLISH POOR LAW—REMOVAL OF IRISH

PAUPER& --
Mr. LANIGAN ailed the *Modica of her Majmty's
misdates% to the treakeint of the destitute Iris& by
poor kw Mikis& he Inglemil with a view of checking the
abases which eriet, sad of meimilating the English poor
law to that of Ireland? by which boards of guardians are
compelled to grant rola to aD who seek it (irmapective of
the country to which they belong), there being no evidence
inquired to establish their claims ezoept the fact of their de•
atitute condition.

Colonel DUNNE said there wan great cruelty connected
with thin removal of Irish paupers, and he hoped the go-
vernment would give an assurance that they would take
the subject into their consideration.
Mr. C. Y. VILLIERS said the question raised by the
hon. member was a very lame one, Involving as it did the
whole law of settlement in England. No doubt there was a
great want of a proper law of settlement, both in England
and Ireland, but the question had puzzled almost every man
who hid dealt with it, and it could not be oonvenientlfdis-
cussed upon the motion for adjournment. The late kir. Raines
instituted an • tiiry upon the subject of removal, and pro-
posed several jadieiooa alterations ; but when he introdnoed
a bill to give them effect he WY met by leach • storm of
VA remonstrance that it was impossible to make any
advance in legislation upon the question. His sight hon.
friend the member for Kilurnock also introduced a bill on
the subject, but was obliged to withdraw it in consequence
of the opposition it received, particularly from Irish mem-
bers. ("Hear," and laughter.) The right hon. gentleman
the member for Wilts also attempted to deal with the
matter, but he, like his predecessors, was obliged to
withdraw, not having received the support of the
Irish members. The main reason therefore why
legislation had not taken place on the subject
was the want of union among. Irish members.
If a measure founded upon the propositions which had been
approved by his right hon. predecemor were brought for-
ward, it should receive the support of his department.
REDUCED SERVICES IN THE CUSTOM-HOUSE.

Mr. YLLNES would invite the house to transfer its,
attention from those actual cases of legal and official
cruelty to another kind of cases, which might perhaps
boconie so. The Chancellor of the Exchequer bad an-
nounced that, of the meagre surplus he proposed to obtain
this year, a large portion would be derived from reducing
the expenses of the Custom-house and Inland Revenue De-
p•rtnients, to the extent of 50,0GY., and 36,000/. in the
present financial year. Of course, when there was no silk
to be weighed, and no French goods to be locked up, the
antiher of weighers and other °Saab required for the
Custom-house service would be lees ; but if too
large a reduction were made at once, extreme
hardship would thus be inflicted upon • class of
' very worthy men and excellent public servants, and much
private distress most be the result On the other band, if
pensions were to be given them out of the Consolidated
Fund, that would bee drawback on one of the recommen-

dation. advanced in favour of the customs alterations,th;t
of effecting an economy in the estimates of the department.
It might probably be said in reply to him, that
these men would be absorbed in the general labour mar-
ket, and even if this involved their falling into • lower po-
'Mon, no great public benefit of this kind could be obtained
without some private calamity. But he hoped the govern-
meat would act in a liberal saint, and he now bagged to
mak the right hon. gentleman whether he was prepared to
treat these cases with humanity nod generosity.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was embar-
rassed how to answer such • singular inquiry. His hon.
friand wished him to give an smereuce that in regulating
certain reductions of the public establishment'', he would be
guided by principles of humanity and generosity. Now, be
thought it could not be justly alleged that in such ea-es
any want of humanity had usually been shown by the
government of this country. He believed that, compared
with the government of any other country, it showed such
humanity, equity, and consideration for private interests as
there was no maniple of anywhere elm. (Cheers.)
But as for generosity, though he reprded it as a great
and noble virtue in individuals, be felt rather a
mistrust of Its being exercised on the part of the state, by
the House of Commons, or by ministers and public officers,
who were spending public money. (Hear, hear.) As to
the practical part of the boo. gentleman's question, how-
ever, the case was this. When the government first in-
tended to make proposals to the house which they saw
would enable considerable reductions to be made in the pub-
lic establishments., the heads of those establishment., and of
the customs department especially, began to suspend their
applications to the Treatury for new appointments, parti-
cularly in the more expensive clam of coos. The chair-
man of the Board of Caste ~ indeed, could not yet state
precisely the effect of Rene contemplated reductions ou the
estimates of the expenditure on that department now laid
before the house. But he (the Chancellor of the Ex-
, chequer) had perfect confidence in the justice, the equity,
and consideration which his tight hon. friend at the head of
the department would abow in determining and adjusting
those reductions, both with • view to the require-
meats of the public service and the claims of indi-
vi.'uals. He had not, therefore, laid down any
rules for his guidance, or interfered with his discretion.
He could not interfere with the discretion of the heeds of
the departments of the Board of Customs, who were
primarily responsible. He begged to remind hie hon. Mend
that by calling in question the humanity of the heads of the
departments, he was Dot serving the muse he hail in view,
nor waa it consistent with the regular course of public
business.