The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4229, 14 September 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1876.

Notwithstanding the engrossing nature of the political struggles which have been taking place in the General Assembly, some of the members of the Lower House have yet found time to consider the important topic of what sum of money ought to be paid to them per annum by a grateful country for their legislative services. The subject is styled "The Payment of Members Question." The name is, however, a misnomer. The members are already paid for their/attendance at the rate of Ll5O a session. They used to get so much a day; but the senatorial virtue being prone to yield to the temptation of spinning out the session in order that the allowance might reach a respectable figure, it was, with much wisdom, determined to give a lump sum for the season, whether of short or long duration lump sum is called in euphony an honorarium; the proposal now is that it shaU be doubled, ancf be termed a salary. Practically, the only argument used in favor of the change is *fchat the present system tends to throw the representation of the constituencies too much into the hands of rich men. There is force in the objection. Poor men are not excluded from the Assembly, for, as a matter of fact, persons of this class have held seats in every House that has been elected since the Constitution Act was brought into operation ; but still the rich exercise, perhaps, an undue share in the governments the country. It would be a long inquiry, involving an examination of our whole social system, to ascertain the real causes of this state of things, and it would not, therefore, be convenient to engage in it here The point is, whether by paying the members of the Lower House a larger sum per session than they now receive, a better distribution of political power amongst the different classes of the community would be effected.

tt^ he i" e c , are examples to guide us. In the United States the "payment of members" system has been tried on the grandest scale. Members of Congress receive not only a handsome salary, but also large allowances in various ways which form a substantial addition to their income as legislators The poor man who gets elected to Congress thereby acquires an income far in excels of what he would be likely to earn in the pursait of his usual avocations. What accompanies this recognition of an apparently sound principle? A high sense of. nonor—devotion to the public intere^-^ n accurate representation of all cl»\- p „ a ™™u i Just the contrary. •. \ P u P !v ™a+ «««.„«4- i- . oon gress is probably t£ e ftta Te P Wslativ/body I the work? Nato- 'T™ £*, b ? eword of I 4."fe **? W utt / rf y despised by the resectable classes of the inhabitants of the United States as a nest of political adventurers. Victoria tned the system of pacing her legislators an annual salary a few years ago; but her Legislative Assembly, instead of improving m tone, has degenerated, and the scenes which have recently occurred at meetings of that body have been a scSdal to the Australian Colonies. Thedeteriora tion of the Victorian Assembly may not be altogether attributable to the payment of members system ; the two thinly b ° e f merely concurrent circumstances, and not cause and effect-but, obvious y , £ £ system has not produced the evkwhich have accompanied its working it Cr the other hand, failed to et s*** on formation required. The cu»— • ™ re " politics is the ev*' --*<>« of Colonial venturer? -..acenea of political ad- —« T* 8 .,} 00 * ti P°h politics as a -*«aa9 01 livelihood, and "a billet" as the justifiable object of a politicians life: These men, when they get into thi* Assembly, direct their actions, not by considerations of what is best for the public welfare, but solely by their personal interest. They are prepared to vote for any measure, and to sell themselves to any party : which offers the prospect of gain to them selves. The direct mischief thus done by these men is very great; but, in addition, they lower the tone of the Legislature, and lead the public to distrust the Parliament altogether. It seems impossible to keep them out of the Assembly ; but it is quite possible to restrict their numbers. Xow, when a substantial salary is paid to members of the Legislature, it appears to act as manure to the soil in which these gentlemen grow. It is just the thing they want. A mere honorarium will keep them going during the session, and with carefulness, a short time longer; but after it has been spent, there remains a vacant space of the year, during which they must either work or suffer the usual alternative. On the other hand, £3OO a year (we take that sum by way of illustration, as being the amount commonly regarded as sufficient) is too little to induce men of character to abandon their private avocations ' and give themselves up wholly to politics, while it certainly would not compensate a professional man or a merchant for leaving his business to look after itself for a considerable portion of each year. They mußt needs make sacrifices ; and it. is good that men should understand it t6 be their duty to make sacrifices for the public service, without regarding it as a conspicuous merit on their part if they do so.

This subject, although it has been mooted, can very well stand over for another year. There is no particular hurry for dealing with it during the present ression. The Assembly has far more important work in hand, which it ought to complete without fail before it is prorogued. Besides, a general election is pending in Victoria, when this subject will be thoroughly discussed, and we shall then hear all the pros, and cons, of the matter; because after all, the practical working of the system is the real thing to bo regarded, and not the theory; and if it be conclusively shown that, despite outward appearances, the system has proved beneficial to Victoria, that will be a sound argument for its introduction here. The ouly person, indeed, who has exhibited any real anxiety to get the question immediately settled is Mr Mandkrs. " Payment of members " was the principal ingredient of his maiden speech in the House, and the topic has flwored most of the oratorical effusions whicli he has since poured out before a wondering senate. It would be a misfortune if the postponement of this question caused Mr Mandkrs's retirement from the Logi4fituro; but the swe*.t voice of Hope whispers that the country might possibly survive it. There- would be a sudden dislocation of tho constitutional machinery; but with vigorous efforts things might be got straight as?ain, and tho engine of State oiice more work smoothly. Great men lived betore, as t'-.ey have lived since Aoamemhon, and a new Makdbrs might arieo $q ponEole

us for the loss of the old. We certainly think it would be better to wait for another year befora deciding this question, if it must be decided, because in addition to the near approach of the Victorian elections, a second reason for delay presents itself. " Own "correspondents have announced that the Opposition would, support a proposal for paying members a salary, if made in due form. We dare say they would. It would suit their book* admirably. They We certainly affirmed that the Abolition of Provincial institutions would materially enhance the cost of the General Assembly, and the passage of a "Payment of Members BUI" would enable them to give proof positive of the truth of their prognostications.' They had better take time to cool.