PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 935, 30 September 1910, Page 5

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

THE DISCUSSION IN BRITAIN.' By Telegraph—Press Association—Oopyrielit; i London, September 28. , The' question of. the: payment• of :mem-, bers of: the. House of Commons continues to be discussed in political circles. The "Daily Telegraph" (Unionist) says the; dodging of: the Osborne judgment by ' the 'Conservatives means payment of ■members.' Action gjich as this is perilously like' time-serving, . arid : is .bbuhd\to prove harmful to the party stooping to iti The "Daily Mail" (Unionist) advocates ;the .- payment" of election expenses; .also thut it. be open to . poor, members of the House of Commons to claim sufficient salary from the Treasury. A REFERENDUM URGED, • (Rec. September 30, 1.80 a.m.) 1 : London, September 29.. The "Daily Graphic" ■; states that the only solution of the;paymentof-members, yuestion is .to-submit, the matter to.;a.-, referendum of the whole nation, . : MINERS AND THEIR LEVIES. London,- September 28. ■ .. The Lancashire, and Cheshire miners have'' formed laboyr associations, which will colfect ■ levies . for political purposes, hitherto paid to the Lancashire and Cheshire. Miners' Federation. ; ' The Nottingham .Miners'; 'Association has followed the example of Lancashire and' Cheshire, and'isVawaitirig the restoration of; the. unfettered' use: of its: funds. More than forty members of tho House of Commons ' are already. ]>aid, -either. l -as. Ministers,: as, pensioners, ;like: Mr., Chaplin,: as Speaker .and Chairman, .or -as.Recorders. To give the remaining 630 private members' , salaries of X3OO a year would''absorb ,about- '.. -.; ~ On the Continent, where: paynient of members ;is;general, the scale..is usually lower than this, arid all ;kinds of arrangements are'.made with ;a' view, 'to'-penalis-ing, 'absence', from' the House. As a rule, the- payment is supplemented by railway facilities; though not always on: a very generous: scale. . The United States gives members of Congress the exceptionally handsome allowance of .£IOOO a year,. 10a. per mile- travelling; expenses," and;£2s a year for stationery. The members of the German Reichstag get ~£lsO a year, with ..CI deducted for eack day's absence; they have free railway," passes during the session. France pays~i!36o per;annum and gives railway, concessions.': .;