PAYMENT OF JURORS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10597, 5 March 1895, Page 3

PAYMENT OF JURORS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, During the last sitting of the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court hclden at Christchurch, I heard lamentations deep aud loud with reference to the payment made to common jurors for their attendance at the court. It appearo that the code is aa followsJurora residing within city or town in which the court is held, 3s; beyond town, but not beyond seven miles of courthouse, 4a; residing beyond sovon miles, and not beyond twelve miles of the courthouse, 6s; residing beyond twelve miles, and not beyond twenty miles, Bs. Now Ido not think anyone can say this is reasonable. A man not only loses hia ordinary day’s pay, but he baa to pay cash out of his pocket to serve his Queen and country. In these hard times it presses severely on the labourer, and is certainly not adequate payment for daccing attendance at a court for a whole week. If tho j nror lives at n distance from town, so much the worse for him, as ho must either pay hia train fare backwards aud forwards every day or pay for his lodgings in town. If tho matter was fully represented to the Government in all probability they would see their way to remedy what iu, to all appearances, a great hardship on tho labouring class, who are certainly nob too well off or too well paid at the present time.—l am, &0., A JUROR.