The Sun.
London, England, 1839-10-15 00:00:00

ALLOWANCE TO CORONERS.

The attention of the Justices of Westminster having
been called to the allowance for mileage claimed by
the Coroner for that city, they resolved a short time
since to take the opinion of the Attorney-General on
the subject. A case was submitted to him accordingly,
and the following is an extract from it, and the opinion
of the Learned Gentleman thereon. Both case and
opinion were read at the meeting of the Westminster
Magistrates held on Friday last.
The case, after setting forth the Act of 25 George 11.,
c. 29, states :—" The Coroner for 'Westminster has
heretofore claimed, and been allowed, the sum of nine-
pence by way of mileage for every inquest, although he
has travelled only half or three-quarters of a mile ;
and in like manner double that amount although he
has travelled less than two miles, viz., one mile and a
half or one mile and three-quarters ; but doubts have
lately arisen whether the Coroner is entitled to any
allowance for travelling except for every mile com-
pleted.
" On behalf of the Justices of the Peace for West-
minster, the Attorney-General will be pleased to ad-.
vise—

" Ist. Whether, under the first section of the 25th
George 11., cap. 29, a Coroner is entitled to mileage
except for every complete mile travelled by him from
his place of abode to take an inquisition on view of a
body not dying in gaol or prison ?
_ _ .

" 2d. Whether the second section of that Act can be
considered as extending to Coroners for cities ?
" 3d. Whether, under the last-mentioned section, a
Coroner is entitled to any mileage in addition to such
sum, not exceeding 205., as the General or Quarter
Sessions shall award him for taking an inquisition on
view of a body dying in gaol or prison ?"
OPINION.-1 am of opinion that, in point of law,
Coroners under the 25th Geo. 11., c. 29, s. 1, are only
entitled to mileage for every complete mile travelled by
them ; they are not entitled to be paid as for a whole
Mile for travelling a part of a mile, and there is no pro-
vision for making them compensation where they travel
only part of a mile.
" 2d. I think the second section of the Act extends
to Coroners of cities ; and
" 3d. I think that under this section Coroners are
entitled to mileage where they travel a mile from their
abode, to take an inquisition in a gaol, beyond the sum
allowed them for the inquisition by the Quarter Sessions.
" Temple, July 27,1839. " CAMPBELL."

MR. WAKLEY'S INQUESTS.—In the course of
an inquest held on Saturday, Mr. Wakley entered into
a long comparative statement of the number of inquests
held by the late Mr. Stirling, Mr. Baker, and himself,
which did not differ materially from the account given by
Mr. Kensett at the meeting of the Marylebone Board
of Guardians. The Hon. Gentleman then adverted to
the Hendon case, and in answer to the question of a
juror, as to whether any ulterior proceedings would be
taken in it, said most assuredly there would ; but his
predecessors had been so lukewarm as to the privileges
of the office that their practice did not afford him a pre-
cedent as to the course he ought to pursue. In conclu-
sion he adverted to a recent case of a child found dead
in Marylebone, in which no post modem examination
took place, and said that were the mother to be at any
time indicted for its murder there would be uo evidence
against her ; whereas had the body been examined that
would have been afforded ; or if the lungs were found
to be resembling a lump of liver she would be instantly
acquitted. He said he trusted the good sense of Eng-
lishmen would soon get the better of such prejudices,
which tended to the public injury and caused the laws to
be disregarded.
_ _ . _

MR. BAKER'S INQUESTS.---On Saturday Mr.
Baker took occasion, in the course of an inquest held
before him, to advert to some recent statements on the
subject of Coroners' duties. " I know," said the Hon.
Gentleman," that Coroners ought not to intruda them-
selves unnecessarily into families ; but I also know that
I cannot be too circumspect and careful in the dis-
charge of my duty as a sworn officer of the Crown, to
faithfully watch over the proceedings of my Court. It
has been said that Mr. Wakley's charges are less than
mine ; but the fact is, that many of the witnesses ex-
amined before that gentleman arc in good circumstances,
and do not, in many eases, take the fee allowed them,
whilst in my district the contrary is the case, from the
poverty of the parties. In this very parish (continued
the Coroner), containing a population of 75,000 per-
sons, I only held eight inquests in one year. I shall,
however, be very happy to fall into any better system
than that which I now adopt ; but, depend upon it, the
moment you stifle inquiries of this sort, that moment
will you open a wide field for the commission of crime.
The Coroners' expenses for this large county are, after
all, but a small sum in comparison with the amount ex-
pended in lunatic asylums, &c. In conclusion, I would
draw your attention to one most important fact, namely,
that the justices who are now finding fault with the extra
expenses are the very parties who assisted in placing on
additional fees."
THE BLACKING CONVICTION.—Since our
last publication we have been informed that the devout
and Pharisaical Mr. Bryan, of Six-hills, who prosecuted
his servant boy for cleaning his own boots on Sunday
morning, keeps a public-house, and actually has the
profanity to sell ale every Sabbath-day, for worldly
gain, without scruple or remorse. How this sanctimo-
nious individual could think, under such circumstances,
of proceeding against his servant, will appear strange
to some of our readers, though not to us. What his
thoughts were on the day in question, as he safely but-
toned up in his breeches pocket the unhallowed gains
of the morning, and duly closing his house according,
to law, walked off to Church, and in the plenitude of
his self-righteousness, resolved to punish the boy for pre-
suming to break the Sabbath without his permission,
we cannot tell ; but " Bryan's Sabbath Meditations
among the Barrels," or his " Soliloquy on the awful
sin of disobedience in Servants," would be works of in-
terest to the public. We have received for the boy
21. 2s. 10(1. ; the punishmmt inflicted by the Magis-
trates was 40s. and costs.—Leicestershire
TILE DUKE OF NORTIIUMBERLAND.—The
master mariners of the port of Newcastle, with other
admirers of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland
for his truly generous support of the many charitable
and other institutions throughout Great Briuin, have
resolved to erect a statue to pepetuate the memory of
that respected Nobleman at Tynernouth. A subscrip-
tion list has been commenced, and nearly 1001. have
already been subscribed.—Durhain Advertises..

PERSECUTION OF THE FREE

LABOURERS IN JAMAICA.

(From the Barbadian of August 28.)
Six of the labourers concerned in the late riot at
Spring-hill had been sentenced at the Quarter Ses-
sions of the Peace—three to two years' imprison-
ment in the Kingston House of Correction, and
the other three to twenty months ; but a doubt had
been raised as to the legality of this sentence, the
Kingston House of Correction, being a parochial
institution, and not open for the reception of pri-
soners from other parishes. The Governor, it is
said, cannot transfer these convicts to any other
prison, so that they are likely, after all, to escape.
Without intending to extenuate the offence of
these people, who certainly deserve punishment for
resisting the process of the law, however satisfied of
. .

its injustice—we must state here, in undisguised
reprobation of the villanous conduct of their supe-
riors, that they did riot refuse to pay rent, as was
lyingly stated by the hireling Press of the colony.
They had all paid proper rent--that is the head of
every family for the house and ground occupied,
and that the levy which they injudiciously resisted,
was for rent charged against their wives I I The
Colonial Reformer states
:
The facts appear to be these.—the men had been
paying half a dollar per week for rent of house and
ground since November last year, and justly supposed
this was the full amount that would be claimed. At
the eud of six months, however, or rather at the end of
twenty-four weeks, a charge was trumped up against the
wives, not for house rent, but for rent of grounds, at the
rate of is. Bd. per week—this amounted to 40s. on each
wife. For this sum the parties were sued at Buff Bay,
and judgment okained—by whom awarded we know
not ; but by whomsoever, there can be no doubt but
that they are morally answerable for all that has hap-
pened."

The case of these people, as regards this villanous
exaction, is not a solitary one ; and deprecating, as
we do, all resort to physical force in such cases, we
repeat, what we have before observed, that it would
not he surprising were the whole population of the
Colony to rise en masse to resist it.

Take the two following cases, which we select
from several reported in the Colonial Reformer,
and tell us with what reason the Jamaica planters
can complain of dissatisfaction and insubordination
among the labourers :
_..

" George Fleming, the overseer of River Head,
brought a charge for rent against Talbot White, a
labourer on the estate. The account set forth that
three weeks' rent was due for occupation of house and
grounds :—for the first week, 3s. 4d. ; for the second
week, 3s. 4d. ; but for the third week the sum of 6s. Bd.
was charged !
" Mr. Fleming, on being sworn, stated that the de-
fendant Talbot White is himself rent free, as he works
on the estate five days in the week—but the present
charge is for rent due by his wife, who has not been
working five days in the week according to the rules of
the estate!

" Alexander Gordon, a head man on the River Head
—proved that the wife of the defendant has no ground
of her own=that she works her husband's ground—
that sometimes she works for the estate four days in
the week, and sometimes five, but never steadily—
that some time since she sat down, owing to her having
pickaniny.
" The overseer, Fleming, was here asked by Captain
Kent if the people had given their consent to these
terms ? in reply he stated that he could not exactly say
that they had agreed to them, but they had been told
they would be charged so !
" It was shown that the wife was prevented working
in the field, during the time so charged, by the sickness
of her child !"

The Court gave judgment in this case, Captain
Kent dissenting.
" Margaret Burger was sued for two weeks' rent due
to River Head Estate, one at 3s. 4d. the other at 65.8 d.,
the latter item altered by direction of Mr. Wright to
3s. 4d.

" George Fleming, overseer, states that the charge is
made against defendant, because she does not work on
River Head—she comes from Manheim, a neighbouring
estate—has no ground of her own on River Head, but
feeds out of the ground of the man she comes to see
(that is, her husband) !
" Defendant declares she hrs neither house nor
ground on River Head—is a stranger—and only goes
there occasionally to see her husband—all her children
are on Minheim, where she wis formerly an apprentice.
" Captain Kent declared he could not admit the ha-
bility of defendant to any such charge. But Major
Baines and the local Magistrates gave judgment against
the defendant !"

A labourer on Bushy Park had set fire to and
destroyed upwards of two hundred acres of canes.
He is said to have been instigated to the perpetra-
tion of this offence, " out of revenge for his
grounds having been destroyed by the estate's
cattle, for which he could obtain no redress." The
few labourers who happened to be upon the estate
at the time (it being Saturday) promptly gave all
the assistance in their power to arrest the flames,
and but for the interference of the Magistrates and
constables on the spot would have taken the pu-
nishment of the offender into their own hands.
ST. KITTS.—The Ist of August was observed
here in a manner creditable to the labouring classes.
The Advertiser says :
" Not a single case of drunkenness or disorderly
conduct has been reported on the part of the labourers ;
who, for the most part, returned to their work on Fri-
day morning, and are conducting themselves, so far as
we can ascertain, in the most satisfactory manner. It
is now, we believe, universally admitted that the hap-
piest results have flowed from the total abolition of
slavery,—an admission which speaks higher pr.aises than
we can bestow, on the foresight and energetic wisdom
of those distinguished individuals under whose imme-
diate auspices the grand experiment was determined
on,—we allude of course to their Excellencies Sir Wil-
liam Colebrooks and Sir Henry 111‘Leod."

en...IVAA, 71ff TWICI9
CYMREIGYDDION DINNER AT

ABEIWAYENNY.

The Dinner of the Cymreigyddion-y-Fenni, took
place on Wednesday last, and went off with great spirit.
Sir Charles Morgan, Bart., presided, supported by Sir
Benjamin Hall and Chevalier Bunsen, on his right and
left. We observed, at the principal table, Sir James
Hamlyn Williams, Esq. ; Philip Jones, Esq. ; Pro-
fessor Lypsius; J. E. W. Rolls, Esq. ; Johns, Esq.
(barrister) ; Rev. J. Price (Carhuanawc) ; Rev. W.
Williams (Caled fryn) ; Lieutenant Ernest Bunsen ;
M. H. Bunsen ; Parthner, Esq. ; Rev. J. Jones
(Tegid) ; Rev. J. Evans; Rev. A. Hughes, &c. &c.
The Rev. J. Jones officiated as vice president. The ex-
cellent Baronet of Tredegar, accompanied by Sir Ben-
jamin Hall, and a distinguished party, arrived at four
o'clock from Llanover, in three carriages. On alight-
ing, the well-known Per Had, was greeted by the
strains of two harpers, placed under the archway of the
hotel, who played a welcome, accompanied by that de-
lightful Cambrian songstress, Morfydd Glan Taff. The
room in which the dinner was laid was tastefully deco-
rated with festoons of laurel, the cypher V. R., com-
posed of Dahlias, being placed over the president's
chair.

At 4 o'clock the company sat down to a good dinner
consisting of soup and salmon, Welsh mutton and veni-
son, game and poultry of all sorts, tarts, &c. &c. After
the discussion of the dinner, the cloth was removed, and
several spirited responses to toasts were delivered. Tue
Merlin concludes its report of the proceedings by say-
ing—" We trust Cymreigyddion Societies may all go
on and prosper like the Cymreigyddion-y-Fenni, where
the innocent and laudable desire of keeping up and en-
couraging the good remains of old Wales ;—whether
music, or poetry, or woollen manufactures, brings to-
gether such a party of the good and the rich, and the
high and the humble, as we saw dining together, under
Sir Charles Morgan's auspices, at this festival, where
the reverse of public dinners, on ordinary occasions, was
seen where persons meet to eat, but here they dined- to
meet, and the dinner, good as it was, was quite second-
ary to the excellent spirit, mirth and animation that
pervaded every individual, where much was said, but
little drunk, and every man felt in harmony with his
neighbour. May such a spirit, and these interests, long
continue to bless Gwent and Morganwg.

The proposition made by M. de Tiny to the
Chamber of Deputies, towards the close of last session,
relative to the abolition of slavery,, was referral to a
1
Committee, of which M. de oqueville was reporter.
The report could not be got ready. before the Chambers
were prorogued, and the conclu,sions come to by the
Committee have remained hitherto unknown. The
following, however, are now circulated as the resolu-
tions adopted:--1. In the session of 1841 a Bill shall
be brought in for fixing the period at which there shall
be a general and simultaneous abolition of slavery in
all the French colonies. 2. This Bill shall declare the
amount of the indemnities due in consequence of the
measure, and ensure the reimbursement to the State, by
means of a charge upon the wages of the new-enfran-
chised slaves. 3. The Bill shall also lay down the bases
of regulations for insuring a continuance of labour by
the enfranchised slaves, fcr enlightening and moralising
them, and preparing them for habits of free labour.
MEETING OP PARLIAMENT.—Some appre-
hensions existed three weeks ago that Parliunent might
be assembled in November to legislate on the currency
question, but the improved prospects of the harvest
seem to have put to rest the fear of a resort to one
and two pound notes, as well as to an'inconvertible
paper currency, and we have reason to believe that the
next Session will not open till February.--Leeds
Mercury.