MR. LLOYD MORGAN (Carmarthenshire, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he is aware of the fact that, during the assizes just concluded for five counties in South Wales, there was in three of the counties no work for the common jury, and that at least 144 men were summoned to serve on the common jury for those three counties when there was no civil or criminal cases for them to try; whether, seeing that the high sheriff for a county or borough is not empowered, where there is no case to be tried, two days before the date fixed for the holding of the assizes, to give the jurors summoned notice that they need not attend, he will consider the question of amending the law to enable high sheriffs to do so; whether, having regard to the circumstances of the class to which jurors often belong, he will consider the question of introducing legislation to provide for the payment of their expenses.
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (MR. RITCHIE,) CroydonI have no information with regard to the statements made in the first paragraph. I am aware of the inconvenience sometimes caused to jurors by their being summoned when no occasion arises for their services, and the question of the payment of their expenses has also been under consideration, but I do not see my way to introduce legislation to deal with these matters.