IN THE JURY BOX.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1223, 27 October 1874, Page 4

IN THE JURY BOX.

On the question of the insufficient payment of Jurors, we take the following from the Duncdin Guardian : A munificent country has a very high estimation,of jurymen, and rewards them with a liberal hand. When the common jurymen were paid for their services at the Supreme Court yesterday, many of these intelligent gentlemen expressed their sentiments in terms more forcible than polite. Three shillings a day for three days ! —Total, nine shillings !! And for this they had left their homes and occupations at their countn-'s call. One gentleman refused point-blank to take the money, saying the Government could hand it over to the Benevolent Asylum on his behalf, as it was useless to go home with such a sum as that: at which the pay clerk looked up aghast, and said it was all nonsense—he must take it and sign his name on the sheet, even if he threw the mouey into the street afterwards. Another juryman accepted the money, and, laoking at it, thus soliloquised : " Nine bob for three days, and it just cost ten for champagne. Profit on the wroug side of the ledger, one colonial Robert.' And when requested to sign his name for the third time, to show that he had received three days' pay, it was with the greatest reluctance that he did so, for he said he did not like to rob so poor a Government of so much ink. Another remarked, " And they expect us to convict for this. No, sir, we can't do it at the price. It will be an insult to the prisoners, and tax upon the country which it can ill afford." Perhaps this has something to do with the circumstance that only one conviction has been secured this session. It will be interesting to learn how much this conviction has cost the country.