MEMBERS' PRIVILEGES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3177, 30 August 1917, Page 5

MEMBERS' PRIVILEGES

A PROTEST IN PARLIAMENT. . A protest against. Iho "curtailment of tho privileges of members of Parliament" was made in tho House of Representatives last night by Mr. A. Harris (Waiteniata). "In the past members of thie House coining from Auckland by the train leaving there in tho evening and arriving hero the next day have beon allowed to charge two days' travelling expenses," said Mr. Harris. "Now wo can charge only one day' 9 expenses, AVliat do Ministers do in this lespectf 1 understand that if a Minister leaves for the soutti by the ferry boat in tho evening and arrives tho following morning he charges two days' travelling expenses." ■ „._ Tho Hon. W. leaser: 1 You are quite wrong. Mr. Harris: Up to the present members have always been allowed to charge two days' expenses when leaving on one day and arriving on. another. Mr. L. M. leitfc (.Christchurch. North)! Novor. I have never had it..

Mr. Harris: "Well, it was done in the north. There is also a demand now that in charging expenses members shall pro. duce recoipts for amounts over ss. ■ How can a member produce receipts for cab fares and so forth? I am not going, as a member of Parliament, to ask cabmen, for receipts."- Mr. Harris urged that members of Parliament should bo provided with telephones in t.heir homes free of charge. Mr. W. A. Veitcli (Wangamii) said that members should insist upon their rights. Members should uot be bankrupted intho discharge of their public duties. Mumbore had been promised typists to assist them with their correspondence, but ho believed it was the deliberate policy of the Government to keep nieui. bers busied with correspondence in order that they might-be unable to keep a watchful eyo on Ministers. Mr. J. Payne (Groy Lynn) suggested that members ought to be paid at leaat ,£OOO a year in order that young and capable business men might ibe attracted to Parliament.