On each of the occasions referred to, Dr. Harry has attended too late to allow of this being done, and at the inquest yesterday, he arrived too late to be in time to give any evidence at all.
I pointed out to him that he was summoned for 2:30 p.m. and it was his duty to attend at that hour, and I also explained to him that I required a medical officer to accompany the attendants to enable the jurors to view the body for the inquest.
I am extremely sorry to take up the time of the Government with complaints of this kind, but I feel I must request that Dr. Harry be informed that he is expected to carry out the Coroner's orders and that he bears considerable responsibility in this regard.
With regard to his contention that I have no power to call upon a doctor to identify the body and its marks to the Coroner and jury, I am willing to concede that the duty of showing the body typically devolves upon the Constable, not upon a doctor. However, I have yet to learn that a Coroner's discretion in calling upon a doctor to explain appearances material to the enquiry is in any way fettered.
If a Coroner is not at liberty to call upon a doctor to explain the appearances observed during the post-mortem examination, it would significantly hinder the Coroner's ability to conduct a thorough investigation.