HIGHER SCALE OF FEES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 166, 9 April 1920, Page 5

HIGHER SCALE OF FEES

FOE CORONERS, witnesses, and OTHEIiS. New regulations are gazetted fixing fees under the Coroners Act providing for increased fees to coroners and to witnesses The new scale is as follows:— To a coroner or justice of the peace holding''au inquest <£2 23. To a stipendiary magistrate holdim; an inquest; .£1 Is. And in addition to the above fees, mileage for any distance exceeding one mile from the residence of the person holding tho inquest at the rate per milo of is. Cd. Witnesses' expenses may' now be allowed at tho rate of 10s. per day, and in addition 4s. per night for every night's nccessary absence from home. No mention is made in the regulations of medical witnesses at inquests. Legislation is necessary before any change can be. made in the scale alfcctiug these witnesses, which is at present £3 3s. -for a post-mortem examination and evidence pertaining to it, and JGI Is. per day for a nwdieal witness when not required to conduct, a pust-iuortem examination. Other regulations provide for fees for tho employment of counsel awl solicitors on behalf of the Government, and also to witnesses in such legal business. The allowances will be as follow;— To medical witnesses giving evidence strictly as experts—per day, i'l Is. To every prosecutor and witness—per thy, 10s. In addition per night of absence from' home, is. _ Persons in the employ of trie Government or of any board or other public body in receipt' of pecuniary aid of nnv kind from the Government will be entitled to receive, the allowance of 43. per night for every night of absence from home, but no other payment except that for their usual personal expenses. Medical practitioners being • officers of hospitals giving expert evidence aro to receive the same fees' as other medical witnesses, but this provision is not to apply to medical men in the employ of the Government

Witnesses residing beyond threo miles from tha town or city in which the Court is held will also be allowed their coach, railway, or steamboat fares. By railroad or steamer second-class fares will be allowed to "mechanics, labourers, and persons of similar rank, and first class fares to others."