PAYMENT OF JURORS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3119, 16 July 1867, Page 4

PAYMENT OF JURORS.

To the Editor of the Daily SotrcHERN Cross. - Sin, — On looking over his Excellency's speech on opening the General Assembly on the 9th instant, which appeared in your journal, I failed to perceive in any part of it a single allusion to the above important subject ; though Mr. Stafford stated th*t it was under the consideration of the Government, in reply to a memorial forwarded to him to Wellington by his Honor Judge Moore from jurors attending the Supreme Court in Auckland, piaying for compensation for losses sustained by them in their capacity of jurymen, in being compelled to give their attendance at the Supreme Court, session after session, -without any remuneration whatsoever. It is well known that many— very many— of these jurors are poor men, depending solely upon their daily labour for the means of subsistence for themselves and families ; and it is downright oruelty and injustice to deprive them of that labour, be it for ever bo short a time without compensation : and when it is also known that many of these jurors have to travel a long distance from country settlements to Auckland, at the same time paying out of their own pockets for omnibus hire, to say nothing at all of the coßt of their board and lodging while com* pell«d to remain in town, I cannot have the slightest hesitation at all in saying that the hardship is ag. gravated tenfold. The Hon. Colonel Peacocke was the only member of the Assembly who brought this question prominently before the attention of Parliament during the last session, and, from the warm manner in which it was then received and discussed, there can be no doubt of its success, if the hon. and gallant gentleman fulfils his promise in bringing it forward again during the present session. Surely, it cannot be upon the score of economy that jurora are not compensated, seeing that taxes are continually laid upon the country for no other object, it would appear, than that of upholding the Government by means of the patronage which those very taxes - enable them to bestow upon their relatives, friends, and a host o£ other hungry expectants, who live, - vampire-like, by the Buction of the life-blood 6i the country in the way of taxation. It is to be hoped that gentlemen and hon. gentlemen of both branches of the Legislature will deal with the question of the payment of jurors, when next brought before them,in a generous and liberal spirit; and as they themselves are paid for "services rendered to the country," to use the words of a distinguished member of the present Government, who slated that he claimed payment on those grounds in his capacity of a legislator, it is hoped and expected they will observe the principle of doing unto others .as themselves arp alteady done by, which, principle is — the payment of jurymen for important services which they likewise render to the country. If the Legislature should come to the conclusion of ignoring this fair and just principle, they will have to remodel the entire jury system in such a manner as that it will not bear oppretsively upon a class of men who evidently cannot bear the unjust infliction, as is the case at preient. If poor men are to be taken from their homes and families to render important services to their country, at great sacrifice to themselvesin loss of time and money, without any remuneration in any shape or form, not even of the paltry cost of refreshment while locked up in their room deliberating upon the cases confided to them by the Constitution, it is high time that this class be exonerated altogether from attendance on juries, and leave the performance of this duty to those who can best afford to bear the burden of it. Having written a good deal upon this subject before in your columns, under another signature, I do not mean to enlarge further upon it at present. , I. shall not, however, lose sight of the subject. I will, with your permission, sir,' keep it before the public from time to time, until I see , the question settled _ one way or another, and shall anxiously look forward, in the meantime, to the proceedings of the General Assembly, with the hope that the important question of the, payment of juries will not be lost sight of by that; , deliberative body in the present seaiion. — I am, &c, Anthropos. Auckland, July 15, 1867.

The Municipal Bill will probably, in its modified form, not meet much opposition, except with regard to details, of which everyone except the members of the Government is afc present ignorant. Certainly, , there is a great want of reform in this brunch of •, legislation.— "Wellington Advertiser.