Hokitika Guardian & evening Star FRIDAY, JULY 2nd, 1920. payment OF MEMBERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 July 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & evening Star FRIDAY, JULY 2nd, 1920. payment OF MEMBERS.

Tj|E principle of the payigppt of members for parliamentary services, ps JF»r apy otliey service in the public interests i?' sound, and admitting the principle, thje next stage is to see that a fair and reasonable payment is provided for. The subject of the pnj'fiiufit, pi members has been promineptjy before J>he public of late by reason of what is kftowp iis ‘the salary grab” i;j the Commonwealth Parliament where thp members appropriated to themselves pp annual salary of £1,600. The njeijabersof thp Federal Government from the Primp Minister have incurred much obloquy ip coijwwjfice. In New Ze,alap‘d the payment has fefeii hitlierto £?00 to tlio Legislative Comicillpr#, and £3OO :o the members of the House of Representatives. It is proposed now to g!»T an increase of £IOO in each ease, and readjust the salaries of the Ministers, fixing the Prime Minister’s salary at £1,600. The increases are on modest lines, though it will fee observed that in introducing the flexures- members were given thw hint that if ’they thought their remuneration should be increased still further, they were ftp liberty to mend the proposals. The Gpvprpippnt proposal, however, is fair, and the increase (ihould not go bej'ond the sums stipulated in the bill. The members receive extended privileges and have had also lately an extra allowance in regard to travelling expenses. For the present, and looking To the financial stringency, it is not the time to add to the enormous expense of the civil administration except In a case of fairness It is more the time for retrenchment and in this connection one .wonders why seven or eight additional Legislative members should b* added to the Upper House for a certain period of seven years, when in a couple of years any vacancies could be made good bj fhe elective procedure. The annual appropriations for the Legislative Departments is now iit .the region of £50,000 and there are many extras .to bd considered in conjunction with this snip, before the whole cost of Parliament is met. 'Hie allowance of £4OO to the ipembers of the Lower House is reasonable enough particularly as every third year a general election has tp bp facpH For a man without private income or wealth, the sum can hardly suffice to tide over the triennial sittings and foot his election bills, and if wo are to have a democratic party in reality, then tho way must be open for every man to attempt parliamentary life without any financial barrier to block him. The salary proposed is in keeping with that paid to members of the House of Commons, and under all conditions now, jt should not exceed that amount. The subject has not been sprung on the country. It was foreshadowed last session aiid to that extent will be accepted as a reasonable demand. Folk will be. asking what extra return wjjl )? e obtained in exchange for the increase. It is not likely that there will bo any material change, for the calibre of Parliament will remain the same for the next three sessions, increase or not. What might result after next general election is in the lap of the gods. For the time .being what might be regarded as the mo,dost proposals of the Government in the matter should pass into law and we hope the hint at extra license to vote something additional will not ho availed of by the House.