Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1884. Payment of Members

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 2, 14 June 1884, Page 2

Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1884. Payment of Members

During the * -ithcoming election there ought to be very little difficulty in .gating candidates for seats to pledge themselves to a material reduction in tne honoraria paid to the members of the House of representatives and the Legislative Council. At no time in the history of the colony have the electors had such a claim on those who aspire to the honor of representing them in Parliament, lor members to give their services at as little cost at; is consistent with a proper consideration for men who are without private means sufficient to pay moderate expenses while they are attending Parliament. When the expenses of a contested election were not circumscribed by law to their present limits, but were practically unlimited, it was generally felt that £200 or £300 a year would hardly recoup the outlay, and that tho honorarium could not be made a source of profit. We have changed all that, and not only can a member fight a good election battle at a very little cost, when compared with the " good old times," but he can have a margin to the good at the end of each session. We do not think that under a democratic constitution such as ours, men of money only should represent us in Parliament, but we Oa think that before an ambitious man seeks to be elevated above his fellows should his income in a degree, be independent of his position as a member of the House. As to the payment of £200 a year to members of the Legislative Council, it is a waste of public money, for which the country does not get one penny in return. The title of Honorable as applied to the members of the Upper House, ought to be more than sufficient to compensate for any expence they may be put to in living for a few months in Wellington. j " The rank is but the guinea stamp, the man's the man for a' that," and "if these be men" they should decline to receive their salaries or pensions without waiting for the people to abolish both the pay and the position. The " shadow of destiny " is over the House ot Lords at Home, and they are not paid members; so our lesser lights will be wise to take warning. Tax payers now-a-days are not so easily overridden as hi the " good old times,"