Jurors’ pay

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33068, 8 November 1972, Page 16

Jurors’ pay

Sir, —It is high time the Government brought up to date the payment of jurors (who have no right to refuse duty). There are firms which do not pay for time off, and with what is received from the court many jurors are out of pocket. For instance, if a juror is unlucky enough to be on a case for five days he would receive $3O. A fat lot of good this would be in keeping his home going while everything else is going up, including Parliamentary salaries. Jurors’ rates have not been reveiwed since 1969. If it is good enough for the public to give up their time and convenience it is good enough to see they do not receive less than their basic weekly wage. — Yours, etc., ACTION WANTED. October 11, 1972.

[The Minister of Justice (Sir Roy Jack) replies: “It is correct that jurors have no right to refuse duty, but they may apply to the sheriff or the judge to be excused for good reason. Such applications are not infrequently made and granted. Jury service is a privilege and a duty of citizenship, and the fees have never been designed to compensate jurors fully for loss of wages or salary. Nonetheless there is a case for a review of the present fees, and this will be undertaken as soon as restraints on increases in remuneration are eased. There is, however, a provision enabling a higher fee to be paid in cases of hardship such as would be caused by a prolonged trial. There is also provision to cover the case of an employee who loses a full day’s pay because he is required to attend court in the morning.”]