The Press Tuesday, June 16, 1925. Politicians and Their Pay.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18409, 16 June 1925, Page 8

The Press Tuesday, June 16, 1925. Politicians and Their Pay.

It 13 natural enough that New South Wales should be expecting that one of the results of the Labour Party's victory at tho recent General Election will bo a substantial increase in tho salaries of members of Parliament. At present the salary is £GOO a year, and it is Avidely believed in the State that it is to this comfortable reward for Parliamentary labour rather than to a burning conviction of the holiness of tho Labour doctrine that one should ascribe the zeal and energy with which tho Labour politicians mobilise the masses. What could bo more natural, then, 'than that the Labour Party, arriving in office, should reflect that tho opportunity of helping themselves to as large a portion as possible of the public funds ought not to be missed? The time has long gone by when one can usefully condemn the payment of salaries to members of Parliament, although, despite, the obvious advantage of paying a modest sum —sufficient to prevent membership of Parliament from being a financial burden upon any man —there is still much to be said for paying no more than the actual expenses incurred by members in the discharge of their duties. But in New South Wales politics has been turned into a profession, and is looked upon by many persons as an easy and interesting means of livelihood. It would be hard, perhaps, to condemn to uncongonial toil and political inutility a man without means but possessed of strong and sincere political convictions and endowed with the capacity to express them powerfully and effectively; and the payment of members recommended itself to modern democracies on just that ground. Unfortunately the power to express political views strongly and effectively is not a monopoly of honest and sincere enthusiasts, and in seeking to avail' themselves of the Parliamentary services of poor but honest helpers in the work- of government the democracies have opened an enticing, door to political adventurers. New Zealand is, so far, safe enough, but in New South Wales a tribe of politicians has appeared for Avhom. politics means loot. The new Labour Government may not propose to increase the salaries of members from £6OO to £750 or £IOOO, but it will be surprising if it does not do so.. And perhaps it may in the end bo beneficial to New South Wales if Labour proclaims Svith such unmistakable clearness that for it politics is loot, for the result may be to dispel the.apathy of the anti-Socialists to which Labour owes its success.