REMARKABLE CONTROVERSY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 857, 1 July 1910, Page 7

REMARKABLE CONTROVERSY.

MEMBERS' GENEROSITY TO THEMSELVES. There has been an extraordinary controversy in the Transvaal Parliament as to whether its members are entitled to. .£3OO each for the recent session of about sixteen days, despite the fact that it was summoned as an extraordinary session., for which the legal pay would bo .£lO, plus 40a. a sitting. When the Government resolved to prorogue, the Colonial Secretary, General Smuts, unexpectedly moved, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick (Progressive Leader) seconded, and tho Lower House unanimously carried, a motion in favour of a payment to members of JSGD.

Finding that a number of Senators objected, General Smuts refrained from introducing his motion to the Senate or from introducing legislation. The Government lias powers under the Audit Act to pay .£20,000, and intends to use them. Three members of tlio Assembly who disagreed with the proposal invoked the law, and the Chief Justice of the Transvaal granted an interim injunction restraining the Colonial Secretary from making the payment. On May 4 Lord Selborne (Governor of the Transvaal) stated that he had not signed the warrants, as he had considered the payments illegal. A week later the Supremo Court rnled tiiat the Executive was allowed some latitude under tho Constitution, and that tlio members applying for the injunction had no locus standi. The injunction was therefore refused.