Unpaid fines total more than $2 million, The Royal Gazette has learned.

And the number of warrants to be executed exceeds 15,000.

Now the man likely to be named soon as the new Senior Magistrate has vowed to do something about it, confirming he has the law behind him.

Acting Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: "It's futile to impose these fines and not do anything to collect them.'' "Yes, I can safely say it is our intention to more rigorously enforce and collect these unpaid fines,'' he said, fresh from the morning plea court session.

The figures represent about one in five court cases, in which people do not pay the fine before the required time.

The numbers of traffic and parking cases predominate criminal and civil matters.

In recent weeks up to 100 warrants a day were being issued by magistrates with some $20,000 in associated fines.

Under the law, fines are to be paid "forthwith'' or by the end of the business day and a defendant must pay or face the default sentence in prison until it is paid.

Extra time to pay can be granted at the magistrate's discretion -- which usually follows some explanation why an immediate payment cannot be made.

But it is understood many defendants have been abusing this privilege and are then being dragged before the court on a warrant.

Often they will ask for -- and get -- additional time. Courtroom observers have noted a change in attitude, with Mr. Warner and fellow magistrate Edward King becoming familiar with the anguished pleas after the fact and stern instructions being issued by Police taking someone into custody. One person close to the courts said: "It's about time. People were getting away with too much. I'd estimate that in more than half of the thousands of traffic cases the people were getting time to pay and not bothering.

"It's ridiculous! It costs money to keep track of all this, and it costs money to track them down, and hold them until they can be brought before a magistrate.'' Another source said a magistrate, once appointed, was independent of Government and the trend towards increased penalties for driving without insurance or drunk driving had added to the size of outstanding fines.

Mr. Warner said: "Clearly what's been happening is people have been contemptuously refusing to comply.

"Certainly my view is that where there is no good excuse, then the person has got to pay the fine forthwith or serve the default.''