MEMBERS' ACTION

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1933, Page 7

MEMBERS' ACTION

RAISING OWN SALARIES

CRITICISM RESENTED

CANBERRA AND "SUNDAY ' SUN"

"GUILTY OF CONTEMPT"

United Press Association—By Electric Tel*graph—CopyrieM. (Received October 27, 8 a.m.) CANBERRA, October 26. In the House of Representatives today Mr. Bernard Corser, on a question of privilege, attacked the Sydney "Sunday Sun" following its trenchant criticism of the Parliamentarians increasing their own salaries. He declared. that paper's comment malicious and unscrupulous, and asked the House to declare the printer and publisher guilty of contempt. In the early hours of the morning th« Senate, by 19 votes to 9, had passed the measure increasing Federal members' salaries by £75 a year. Tho Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, defended tho Government's action in increasing members' salaries and deprecated the action of newspapers in all States engendering suspicion in the public mind by reflecting on the integi rity of members, and attempting to destroy public confidence in its elected representatives. Mr. Lyons repudiated the suggestion; that salaries -were raised by back-doo* methods. He said the whole,thing was done in the light of day. It was dis? tinct from the Budget because it involved no matter of policy. He felt that members pt Parliament were entitled to a partial restoration of tKa salary cuts which they, had voluntarily; imposed on themselves during the depression just as other sections of th» community were thus favoured. Mr. Conor's motion asking the Houm to declare the printer and publisher guilty of contempt was carried unanimously. A copy of this resolution is to b^ sent to the "Sunday Sun."