Illustrations.

The Mayor of London is by charter Coroner of London. The Dean and Chapter of Westminster appoint a coroner for the city and liberty of Westminster.

ARTICLE 47.

CORONERS BY ELECTION FOR COUNTIES.

There are in every county in England and Wales Coroners, the number of whom is determined by custom, and who are elected by the freeholders of the county.

ARTICLE 48.

INCREASE OF NUMBER OF CORONERS.

If the number of Coroners is insufficient for the transaction of the business to be done, her Majesty may issue a writ de coronatore eligendo requiring the freeholders of the county to elect an additional Coroner or Coroners.

ARTICLE 49.

DIVISION OF COUNTIES INTO CORONERS' DISTRICTS.

1 The Justices of the Peace for any county may, after giving notice to all the Coroners in the county, and hearing and conferring with them, petition her Majesty that the county may be divided into two or more Coroners' districts, or that any alteration may be made in any existing division thereof.

2 Her Majesty, with the advice of her Privy Council, may, after taking into consideration any such petition, and any petition by any Coroner of the county concerning such proposed division, order any such county to be divided into as many districts as may seem expedient to her, and give them names, and determine at what place in each district the Court. for the election of Coroner for such district shall be held.

1 7 & 8 Vict. c. 92, ss. 2 & 3 (compressed).
2 Ibid. s. 4.

1 Her Majesty may also make such an order if she issues a writ de coronatore eligendo without such a petition as aforesaid,

ARTICLE 50.

CORONERS ASSIGNED TO DISTRICTS.

2 The Justices in Quarter Sessions must assign one of such districts to each of the persons holding the office of coroner.

ARTICLE 51.

ELECTION UPON A VACANCY.

3 Upon the death, resignation or removal of any such person, and on all subsequent vacancies, a Coroner must be elected by the freeholders of the district. The Coroner must exercise the office of coroner within the district in and for which he is elected, and he must reside within such district, or in some place surrounded by it, or within two miles of its outer boundary. Every such person is a Coroner for the whole county to all intents and purposes. But he must not hold inquests out of his own district, except in case of the illness, incapacity, or unavoidable absence of the Coroner of any other district, or during the vacancy in his office, on which occasions he may hold inquests in such district, but if he does so he must in his inquisition certify the cause of his holding such inquest.

ARTICLE 52.

ELECTIONS, HOW HELD.

4 The elections of Coroners are held at special County Courts convened by the Sheriff within not less than seven, nor more than fourteen, days from the receipt of the writ de coronatore eligendo. A poll, if demanded, may be held for two days, and for eight hours, terminating not later than 4 p.m. on each day.

1 This seems to be the effect of words in s. 4.

2 7 & 8 Vict. c. 92, s. 5.

3 Ibid.

4 Sections 9-16.

ARTICLE 53.

DEPUTY-CORONER.

1 Every Coroner of any county, city, riding, liberty, or division must by writing under his hand and seal nominate and appoint from time to time a fit and proper person-such appointment being subject to the approval of the Lord Chancellor to act for him as his deputy in the holding of inquests.

A duplicate of the appointment must be forthwith transmitted to the clerk of the peace for the district in which the Coroner resides.

No deputy may act for any such Coroner except during the illness of such Coroner, or during his absence for any lawful or reasonable cause.

Any such appointment may at any time be revoked by the Coroner by whom it was made.

ARTICLE 54,

CORONER NOT TO ACT AS SOLICITOR IN CASES WHERE

INQUEST HELD BEFORE HIM.

2 In cases in which any person is charged by any coroner's inquisition with the commission of any crime, and is subsequently put upon his trial either on such inquisition or in pursuance of any bill of indictment found by the same, the Coroner before whom the inquisition was found shall be wholly incompetent to act as solicitor in prosecution or defence of such person for such crime either by himself or by his partner, directly or indirectly; and in all cases in which it appears to the judge before whom such person is tried, that any coroner has so acted, the judge must impose upon the coroner a fine not exceeding £50.

16 & 7 Vict. c. 83, s. 1.
27 & 8 Vict. c. 92, s. 18.

ARTICLE 55.

SALARIES OF COUNTY CORONERS.

1 Every County Coroner is paid by a salary quarterly out of the county rate, the amount of which salary was originally fixed at not less than the average amount of fees, mileage, and allowances received by the Coroner or his predecessors for five years next before 31st of December, 1859; and such salary has since been subject to revision at the end of every five years.

ARTICLE 56.

REMOVAL OF COUNTY CORONERS.

2 The Lord Chancellor may, if he thinks fit, remove for inability or misbehaviour in his office any County Coroner.

Any freeholders, justices, or other persons interested in any county may present a petition to the Lord Chancellor praying for the removal of any Coroner upon any ground showing that he is unable or unfit to discharge the duties of his office, and upon the hearing of such petition the Lord Chancellor may issue to the Sheriff of the county a writ for removing such Coroner (de coronatore amovendo), and a writ for choosing a new Coroner (de coronatore eligendo).

ARTICLE 57.

REMOVAL OF CORONERS ON CONVICTION.

3 If any Coroner who is not appointed by virtue of an annual election or nomination, or whose office of Coroner is not annexed to any other office, is lawfully convicted of extortion or wilful neglect of his duty or misdemeanor in his office, the Court before whom he is so convicted may adjudge that he shall be removed from his office; and thereupon, if such Coroner was elected by the freeholders of any county, a

123 & 24 Vict. c. 116, s. 4.

2 Ibid. s. 6.

325 Geo. 2, c. 29. s. 6.

D

writ must issue for the removing him from his office and electing another Coroner in his stead in such manner as writs for the removal or discharge of coroners and for electing coroners in their stead were in any cases directed by law before the passing of 25 Geo. 2, c. 29; and if the Coroner so convicted was appointed by the lord or lords of any liberty or franchise, or in any other manner than by the election of the freeholders of any county, the lord or lords of such liberty or franchise, or the person or persons entitled to the nomination or appointment of any such Coroner must, upon notice of such judgment of removal, nominate and appoint another person to be Coroner in his stead.

ARTICLE 58.

APPOINTMENT OF BOROUGH CORONERS.

1 The council of a borough having a separate Court of Quarter Sessions must, within ten days next after receipt of the grant thereof by the council, appoint a fit person, not an alderman or councillor of the borough, to be Coroner of the borough. Thereafter no person other than the Coroner so appointed may take in the borough any inquisition belonging to the office of Coroner. Such Coroner holds office during good behaviour. A vacancy in the office must be filled up within ten days after it occurs. 2 On or before the 1st of February in every year such Coroner must send to the Secretary of State a return in writing, in such form as the Secretary of State directs, of the particulars of each case in which such Coroner or his deputy was called upon to hold an inquest during the year ending on the then last 31st of December.

ARTICLE 59.

BOROUGH CORONER'S DEPUTY.

3 In case of illness or unavoidable absence, the Borough Coroner must appoint by writing signed by him a fit person,

145 & 46 Vict. c. 50, s. 171.

2 Ibid. s. 173.

3 Ibid. s. 172.