Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1871.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1182, 27 November 1871, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1871.

When we say that in the event of a municipality being established for Napier Town its members would require payment for their services, and that the net cost of administration would not be under J2IOOO or £'l2oo per annum, it by no means follows that we impute mercenary motives to the advocates of the scheme, nor even that though these gentlemen should vote themselves sala ries—we beg pardon, "honorariums' 1 —for the work they do, that they must be regarded as rogues Those who take such a narrow view of the case must of necessity pass the same verdict upon the members of every legislative body in the ColpnVj both geueral and pro vinciftl, from the County Council of Westland to the " Lords " in the Legislative Council. It is well enough known that even the Wellington members of the House of Representatives take their share of the spoil to the time of .£lO5 per head for the session, and that the vote for the same is parsed by the gentlemen who are its recipients. Y/e do not see any cause for complaint in all this. It is a well-known fact that one of the points insisted on by the most democratic of politicians is " payment of members," and rightly §o, because it may often happen that men best qualified to represent their fellows would, however patriotic, be unable to make the sacrifice of their time, &c, implied in serving without payment. Some of our Town representatives in die Provincial Council during the last session plainly enough indicated their willingness to be on the same terms as the country members in this respect, declaring that the sacrifice in their case was the same as in the other. Neither does it imply a degree of folly on the part of the electoral body that they submit to the infliction of the necessary arnqunt of taxation required to meet the payment of a reasonable sum to those they elect to serve them. The stupidity, if anywhere, is on the part of those who think that they are likely to find men willing to work for. them without any equivalent. The laborer

is worthy of his hire, whether he be a public servant or a private one. The question is not whether the members of the Corporation shall or will l?e paid for their services, but whether, considering the burdens already borne by the people, it would be wise to take up the additional one implied in coming under tho Municipal Corporations Act. We have no hesitation in deciding, so far as regards the bulk of those concerned, that they cannot afford it—the presumed advantages offered by the scheme being incommensurate with its estimated cost., and the experience of those Corporations already existing being anything but such as to recommend to others the following of their example.