PARLIAMENTARY SALARIES.

Evening Star, Issue 20048, 13 December 1928, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY SALARIES.

Lkss than a promise, but distinct reason to hope, seoms to havo been given by Sir Joseph Ward yesterday to members of Parliament who asked for an increase of their salaries. ' Nothing can be done during this short session, but tho matter will come up again, with the strongest disposition to grant tin desire, in the one that follows it. It has como up, unobtrusively, for several sessions past, and was received with sympathy by the past Prime Minister —sympathy • made ineffectual by the fact that funds were short and that there were complications, it came up again, onco more not very obtrusively, in the election campaign. It was not candidates then who broached it, for the most part, but a fair number of candidates wore asked if they were in favour of tho increase; without going into details or naming any actual amount they replied, very naturally, that they were; "and wo do not remember any meeting expressing its disapproval of that human attitude. It is certain that the salaries of our New Zealand legislators aro low compared with those of other parts of the Empire. They are lower also than they were intended to be when the Civil List was. amended in 1920, only to have its new allocations “cut” by tho Public Expenditure Adjustment Act of two years later. The salaries had been designed to be £SOO and £350 respectively for members of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council, and they were reduced to £450 and £315. A definite amount was mimed last session as one that would make a fair figure in members’ opinions, and it was £650 for the people’s House. An. amount was named yesterday, as a mere basis for discussion, and it was £7OO. AVe do not think many candidates would have ventured to name that sum as a remuneration for their services in tho course of tho election, but tho claim, to some increase may be held as established. Unfortunately, the complications still continue. The Act which reduced the Civil List allocations also withdrew a Civil Service bonus, given on account of tho cost of living, but regarded by the Service as an increase of salaries, and if one “cut” is now to bo restored tho strongest argument will undoubtedly be raised for restoration of tho other. Tho Service complained that it did not get its increase, based on tho cost of living, till a considerable time after must other workers, and that it lost it earlier. For seme members the loss which they suffered has been made good by regrading and improvement in salary scales, but the matter has continued to be a grievance of the Service and a bone of contention between it and the Government so far as the rest aro concerned. It is a largo question, therefore, which Sir Joseph Ward will have to inquire into when his consideration is given to the subject.