The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4249, 9 October 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1876.

Whatever they may he doing for the country, it is certain that the members of the General Assembly are taking vtry good care of their own precious selves. Their modesty has, indeed led them to defer the consideration of the important question of

Whether their legislative services ought iiot tb be rewarded with a salary of £3OO per annum instead of a beggarly honorarium of £l5O until a future occasion, but they seem pretty well unanimous irv the opinion that because they will be detained at Wellington this year four of five Weeks longer thftn usual, they are entitled to vote themselves 200 guineas a-piece ; or, in other words, £6O more than they are in the habit of receiving. When, however, two years ago, the business of the session was transacted in the space of nine weeks, they did not, on that account, volunteer to refund a portion of the honorarium 5 but if the public is called Upon to inake the members ati extra allowance in the event of the Assembly sitting a little beyond the orthodox three months, it would appear only reasonable that it should get the benefit of a corresponding reduction when the work to be performed is lighter than ordinary. L6O apiece for the members of the Lower House (exclusive of the Mimsters, the Speaker, and Chairman of Committees) means a total sum of L 4,800, and a gratuity of tho same amc tint to, say, thirty members of the Upper Chamber, will give another £1,800; altogether, £6,600. At a time when the Colony is hampered for want of funds, and everybody is agreed that the need of retrenchment is urgent, patriotism would suggest that £6,600 should not be spent in this manner. But this is not all. The members of the Lowi r House have just determined that both they and the Legislative Councillors shall henceforth be permitted to travel on all the railways free of charge. The reason given for granting this privilege was, that it would enable the members of the Assembly to become acquainted with the circumstances of the country. If the argument were sound, it would not apply to railways alone, and the amendment moved by Mr Stafford, that members of both Houses should be supplied with free passes by steamers and coaches, together with hotel accommodation, although intended by way of satire, really carried the argument to its logical conclusion. There is no magic in railways as a means of locomotion. They extend over but a very small part of the country as yet, and the member who wanted to improve his mind by visiting different parts of the Colony, would, even with a railway piss in his pocket, still have to defray nineteentwentieths of the cost out of his own purse. As soon as he got north of Canterburj’’, the pecuniary benefit which he would derive from the possession of his pass would probably be represented by an even smaller ratio. A course of travel, moreover, would not be sufficient to turn out a perfectly equipped legislator. It is surely of extreme importance that he should gather an accurate idea of the state of public opinion throughout the Colony, and how can he ascertain that better than by a diligent perusal of the principal journals published in New Zealand ? Hence it follows that each legislator should be supplied with copies of all the leadiug Colonial newspapers at the public expense ; and lest his mind should grow contracted by the exclusive study of local politics, it would only be proper to add some of the Home newspapers to his files, with perhaps a magazine or two. And while thus arming him in the complete panoply of a politician, it would be foolish economy indeed to deprive him of the free use of the post and telegraph offices, so that he might be able to communicate with bis constituents individually as often as he pleased, and to cheaply maintain his political relations with the other members of the Assembly. This claim for free railway passes is highly improper, and inserts a principle into the legislative economy which may expand to dangerous proportions. These passes will not be used by members as a means of fitting themselves for the performance of their duties, but simply in the transaction of their ordinary business. It will give them a bonus in addition to the Parliamentary honorarium. Supposing the railways were in private hands, would it be tolerated that the country should pay for free passes for all the members of the Legislature ? That is an effective test of the soundness of the arguments urged in favor of free passes. The fact of the railways belonging to the public makes no difference. They have not been constiucted for the purpose of enabling members of the Legislature to travel about the country at a cheaper rate than other people, but for very different reasons. If the railways are to pay at all they must be managed on business principles, and “ dead heads ” carefully excluded from their carriages. The fact is, many of the members of the Assembly become such immense creatures as soon as they reach Wellington that they fancy nothing is too good for them, and that it is impossible for the country to adequately reward their services. One sees an honest settler, who, in his own rural abode, is a pattern of homely simplicity, land at Wellington as an M.H.R., and ere he has dwelt a month in that city of officialdom put on airs and graces which would amaze his rustic neighbors, if they could witness them. He finds fault with everything, from the snug couches of the smoking room to the choicest wines of Bellamy’s, and when he receives an invitation to Government House, he strolls through the halls of that mansion with the hemteur and cynicism of one born to the purple. He sits in the Assembly Chamber surrounded by obsequious attendants, paid by the public, and obedient to his call; he revels in cheap stationery ; an honorarium is paid to him, and numerous privileges serve as constant reminders of his exalted position ? is it surprising that he should ask for free railway passes as a matter of course ? He is living in a vitiated atmosphere, but the public, who are breathing a wholesome air, and will have to pay for the said passes, may think his request a little unreasonable.