13,20.3.2,12,6.4.3, Coroners' juries will no longer be able to point the finger of blame in cases of murder if a new law passes the House of Assembly.

For a bill presented to the House yesterday aims to remove the power held by a coroner's jury to identify the person considered to be responsible in murders, manslaughters and the killing of children.

Legislative Affairs Minister Lois Browne Evans said the change in the law would ensure fairness for an accused person.

She explained: "In this small Island here, in cases which have happened in the past, it's unfair, because prosecutors then don't bother with a preliminary hearing.'' Mrs. Browne Evans said that the standard of proof in a Coroner's Court was not the same as that in criminal trials.

But she added that, if coroners' juries named names, Crown prosecutors could bypass the preliminary hearing stage and take cases direct to Supreme Court.

Mrs. Browne Evans said: "This change is favourable to the community and for justice to be seen to be done.'' The Coroner's Amendment Bill 1998 also contains two new sets of circumstances where a coroner is obliged to hold an inquest.

These are when "a violent or unnatural death or a death the cause of which is unknown'' happens in prison, a senior training school, mental hospital or while someone is in Police custody.

And -- in these circumstances -- the new bill proposes to exclude anyone working for the Prison Service, Police or hospital from serving on the jury.

Other proposed legislation tabled in the House included a bill to loosen off tight restrictions on who can drive cars.

At present, only the owner of a vehicle or people resident in that household can legally drive a car registered at the address.

But Minister of Transport Ewart Brown's bill also aims to delete sections of the existing law which forbid anyone other than an employee driving a car registered to his or her employer.

And it includes an amendment which allows others to drive a car registered to a disabled person.

Finance Minister Eugene Cox introduced two bills designed to increase pensions for retired Government workers -- teachers and hospital workers, as well as ex-MPs and Ministers -- by between 0.5 and 4 percent.

During yesterday's House session, the Supplementary Estimate Number 1 for the last financial year was also tabled.

The bill relates to extra expenditure over and above last year's Budget, which is not technically legal until the House approves it.

Lois Browne Evans Eugene Cox