It is apparent from the list of witnesses who remained to be heard that, at least at the time of writing this report, it is not proposed that the Coroner hear evidence from persons other than police officers who may be able to give first-hand evidence of Mrs Binks' time in custody. Even the proposed list of police witnesses ignores one officer able to give vital evidence concerning her condition. What is especially tragic about Mrs Binks' death is that it occurred after the delivery of Commissioner Muirhead's Interim Report and after numerous publicised hearings of the Commission in the State and elsewhere in the Commonwealth which had highlighted deficiencies in existing legislation and custodial and investigatory procedures. Aside from other coronial functions Magistrates in this State are also ex-officio Mining Wardens and Industrial Magistrates. It is not uncommon in country areas to hold appointments such as Chairman of the Local Hospital Board.
Magistrates then have many calls on their time apart from coronial functions.
This, of itself, must make it difficult for them to superintend the course of an investigation. If coroners are to properly be held accountable for the standard of the inquests over which they preside, they must be in a position to ensure that the police investigations on which they are based are of a satisfactory quality and are promptly completed. In some instances, even where there was some opportunity to have input into the police investigation, the coroner lacked the resources, legal power and status to do so effectively. A major characteristic of the coronial inquests reviewed was their narrow focus. In this respect they, once again, reflected the approach of police investigators.