PAYMENT OF MEMBERS BILL.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 5 November 1901, Page 3

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS BILL.

Bill Read a Second Time. An all night Sitting. The Division List. (I'EU PBESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, This Day. In the House of Representatives last night Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Payment of Members to increase the honorarium of members of the House to j 6300 and of members of tho Council to .£2OO. He said ho thought considering the expenses of elections and calls upon members that £240 a year was not sufficient remuneration. Discussion proceeded at great length on a motion of Mr G. W. Russsll t) make Seddon's proviso apply to the General Assembly instead of to Jhe House. After the telegraph office closed, tho debate on the second reading of the Payment of Members Bill was continued. A hostile amendment was moved by Mr Atkinson that the second reading of the Bill be postponed for six months. This was lost by 31 to 25. The second reading was carried by 30 to 25.

Mr Seddon in the courso of his reply indicated that there was nothing in iho contention that tho colony could not afford this increase as a surplus of over a quarter of a million was assured for this year.

In committee on the Bill an amendment was moved by Mr Laurenson that the Bill come into force on January Ist 1903, instead of January Ist 1902, as proposed in tho Bill. This was lost by 31 to 25. A motion by Mr Seddon that the Bill come into force as soon as passed was carried 29 to 21.

A motion by Mr Pirani to make tho salary of the Legislative Councillors £l5O instead of £2OO was lost by 29 to 25 and a motion to make the Honarium of members of the House at £240 instead of £3lO was negatived by 28 to 25. Several hours discussion took place and a motion proposed by Mr Hornsby that every member who desires to obtain payment of the Honarium should make application in tho prescribed form. At 710 a. m. this was lost by 28 to 14. Mr J. G. Ward then on behalf of Mr Seddon to add the following words "any member of the House of Representative who shall in writing intimate to Pay-master-General thai ho desires during tho currency of tho present Parliament to receive only £240 per annum shall be paid accordingly. A long disaussion ensued. At 8 30 a. m. the House adjourned till 10. Tho following is the division list for Mr Atkinson's amendment: —(25) Atkinson, Buddj, Collin?, Ell, Fowlds, Frascr A. L. D., Graham, Hardy, Herrics, Hutchesou, J. Lang, Lethbridge, Masscy, McKenzie, T. Merdith, Monk, Pirani, Rhodes, Russell G. W., Euasell W. 11. Smith G. G., Tanner, Thompson R. Thomson, J. W. Wills.

Against amendment:—(3l) Allen, E. G. Arnold, Barclay, Carncross, Carroll, Colvin, Fisher, Flatman, Gilfelder, Hall, Hall-Jones, Hekp, Hogg, Hornsby, Houston, Kailiau, Laurenson, Lawry, McGowan, McKenzie, K. McNab, Mills, Napier, O'Meara, Palmer, Parata, Seddon, Stevens, Steward, Syme«, Ward. Pairs for amendment:—James Allen, Millar, McGuire, Benne 1 , Bollard, W. Fraser.

Against amendment:—Hanan, Morrison, E. M. Smith, Wipere, McLachlan, Duncan.

(OUR PARLIAMENTARY RKPOiTBH.)

When the adjournment for lunch took place at one o'clock, the House had been in committee for ten hours over the Payment of Members Bill and the proviso by the Premier practically disfranchising those members who had opposed the Bill from drawing the extra £6O a year which the measure granted. Botli sides were still, showing bold front, and it seemed every prospect of a stonewall being still further prolonged for some length.