§ Mr. Currieasked the Attorney-General whether he will introduce legislation to ensure that in future no person shall be 579W imprisoned for contempt of court without trial before a jury.
§ The Attorney-GeneralNo. Trial by jury would in many contempt cases be a most unsuitable form of proceeding. The question of punishment for contempt of court was considered by Parliament in connection with the Administration of Justice Act, 1960, which, as a result, conferred on defendants extensive rights of appeal; I have no evidence which suggests that these rights have proved inadequate to safeguard the liberty of the subject.