PAYMENT OF JURORS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 268, 8 August 1919, Page 8

PAYMENT OF JURORS

INCREASED RATES URGED DEPUTATION TO MINISTER ; OF JUSTICE : A deputation, representing jurors summoned for the present session of the Supreme Court, waited on the Minister of Justice (Bon. T. M. Wilford) yesterday to urge an increase in the payment mado to.jurors. The Minister was able to reply, that a Bill was already drafted to come before Parliament tlus session, to rive effect to the request of' tho deputation. Mr. W. B. Gough said that jurors, if they were discharged before IT o'clock, leoeived 45., and if required after that ihour ,Bs.', This was altogether inadequate for the important service rendered. Those who lived out of town got the same allowance as those summoned, from the 'city,"and irom this they had to pay their railway fares, and _ perhaps 'bus fares and lunch, besides, in some cases, losing a whole day's pay. . The. Minister had remedied many grievances, and they con>fidently. applied to him to; piit .this right if it were in his.power. , The Minister said that though he lad, from tho flcor of tho House, urged that an increase should be made,, heiiad not liad the opportunity of putting' the position effectively before his colleagues till ■lie became Minister of Justice. The rate of pay for 'common jurors was fixed at Bs. and 45.. by Statute, and no in-~ ' crease, couild bo mado until the Act was amended af) the Audit Department would not pass any paymont above that authorises. But tho rate was fixed years and years ..ago,, when 83. was probably considered, a fair day's pay. He had considered whether in' altering the rato a new scale should be fixed % the _Act or whether provision should be made Tor the rate of pay to bo determined from time to' time by Order-in-Counoil, which would j mean that the Minister of Justice, with j the approval ..of .Cabinet, would have, power to Gazette a new rato of pay if the cost of living- wont higher. The old Act allowed nothing for locomotion ex- : .penses—train, boat, and coach fares, or horse hire in country districts. It seemed to Mm that it wonld be better to hive a new Act repealing the old clauses, ; and fixing no nwv rate, but leaving it to ibe determined by Order-in-Councilri The ■Bill had, been prepared and printed for j .introduclaoh; to 'Parliament- this session,, and,-Jiad-; been approved by Cabinet without'any .'alteration. ■In addition to .for payment of jurors ak tending the Supreme Court and Coroner's [inquests the Bill provided for payment of-actual locomotion expenses, inoluding rail, coach, and steamboat fares, and such other expenses according to a scale to be fixed. Everything asked for he had foreseen, and ho did not think * member of the House would, raise his ,voice against it. He fully _ agreed with what the deputation had said. Common jurors -had. ..important, distasteful, and onerous duties to perforin, and it was necessary that the State should secure the services of good mon who were satis-, fied and understood their responsibility. He had no power, however, to make any alteration in the pay for this session; but he thought it would be the last at •which the present inadequate pay would t» riven. Mx. Gough thanked the Minister for this very satisfactory reply.