WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

A MINISTER AT LARGE. “ AS A FARMER.” (Special to “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON. Oct. 01. The lion. William Noswonliy. the Postmaster-General, divesting himseli' lor the time being of the dignity and dillidence of a Minister of the Crown :l nd '• speaking as a farmer,” as he was earefill to explain in replying to an interjection from Mr T. M. Willord. the memher for Mutt, imparted a stood deal of vim and interest to the discussion concernin'' the price ol lertilisers initiated hy Mr .1. 11. Hamilton, the memher for Awarna. in the House ol ‘Representatives on Friday. Mr Nos-

wurtliy is frank enough always, calling a .spade a spade with refreshing candour, hut it is not ol ten that he "h----trude.s upon the preserves ol one ol his colleagues to tell him in so many words that he is not doing his joh properly. This is what he did in ofieet in Friday, however, when he presumed upon his parliamentary privilege to tell vhe House that a large mercantile lirm was “ rooking the South Island lor all it was worth ” and reserving its lavour.s for the North Island. Apparently Hie firm in (piestion l'.ad no triends in the House, and, encouraged hy members’ marks of approval of his strictures. .‘dr Xosworthy proeoedetl to enumerate various methods hy which tin rapacity of private enterprise might he defeated and the farmers’ relieved of

the octopus that was on their hacks to-day.”

THE MINISTER’S REMEDIES

'Hie Postmaster-General suggested three or four methods ol ending the fanners’ troubles, hut the one he seemed to prefer himself was an arrangement hy which the State would take over the whole business and snap its lingers at the machinations of the wicked profiteers. “This,” he said.

“would not he the first time the State had gone into business, and ii ever there was justification Ini' such a course if was in tlie present case.’ A a matter of fact, however, the State over a long period ot years has obtained such poor results from its trading enterprises that the present Parliament, containing as it does an unusually large number of farmers and farmers’ representatives, would hesitate to make the man 111 the land dependent on the Government for his manures. Roth the .Minister of Lands and the Prime Ministcu himself made it quite clear that they had no intention of adding the disfri bution of fertilisers to their other embarrassments, hut it is plainly their duty to see that the present unsatisfactory state of affairs is repaired. M Coates Inis declared that the Goterti meat is “ fully seized of the vital ill) parlance of a plentilul supply ol lerti! isors at reasonable rates ” and presumably it will take the earliest opporiun ity to bring these conditions about. THE LAROERER AND II IS HIRE. Another enlivening feature of the proceedings in the House on Friday was a discussion on members’ payments and

perquisites. Mr D. G. Sullivan, tie memher for Avon, loosened the tongues of the other members by protesting that twelve return steamer tickets between Wellington and Lyttelton during the year wore not sufficient to meet the reasonable requirements of South Island members who wished to do their full duty by keeping in touch with their constituents ttnd the seat of government. The hint for more steamer tickets quickly developed into a demand for a higher honorarium and more adequate travelling allowances. Mr II Atmore, the memher lor Nelson, stated that till hut six of the private members of the House had signed a requisition asking the Cabinet to consider the matter. and that the Prime Minister had admitted the honorarium was inadequate and should he reviewed. Local public opinion does not appear to have taken any very definite shape on the question ; but it might he safely usstim ed from club gossip, as well as from street-corner gossip, that the average memher of Parliament is not appraise.! at any greater value than he was lorly years ago when his honorarium was just one third of what it is to-day.

YEARS AGO. In view of the demand of members cl the House for more pay. It is of i ll to es( to recall how their predecessors ill the service of the country fared a few yours ago. In the early days of constitutional Government members collected their steamer and coach fares from the Treasury and on occasions received some modest sum as a hoard and lodging allowance. The first statutory provision for payment was made in ISSI by a measure giving L'2lo a year to I menihers living over three miles from Parliament House and C 1 -If) a year to menihers living nearer. In 1597, a time of depression, the payments were reduced to £l5O and till") respectively, and for the first time Legislative Councillors, living over three miles from the House, were allowed 0100 a year. In I s’!ld the distance qualification was abolished and menihers of the Council were allowed £l5O a year and members of the House €2-10, the payments beginning alter the immediately succeeding election. In 1001 the rates were raised to 0200 and 0300 respectively, and in 1910 to 0350 and 0-500. Again on account of the need for economy, they were reduced in 1022 to 0315 and 03-50 respectively. Between ISSI and 1922 there was a decline in the purchasing power of money, hut it has not been established that during this period there was a rise in the value of politicians.