FEWER MEMBERS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1931, Page 3

FEWER MEMBERS

RECONSTITUTING PARLIAMENT. ESTIMATED SAVING. The difficult period through which New Zealand is passing lias caused serious consideration to be given to the question of reducing the membership of the Legislative Council and trie House of Representatives, on the score of economy and greater efficiency, states a bulletin issued by the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand. The matter has now been ventilated on the floor of the House, which shows 'that politicians themselves are becoming alive to the advisibflity of a reduction in the nuiriber of New Zealand’s legislators. A change in the constitution of Parliament has been advocated before now by the Associated Chambers, whose suggestions on the subject have been conveyed to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the- Leader of the Labour Party. These suggestions are that so far as the Legislative Council is concerned, no new appointments and no re-appointments of members whose terms of office expire should be made so long as the number o. members of the Council exceeds twenty. This would in time effect an appreciable edonomy, but the saving would be small in comparison "'itb that to be gained by a reduction in membership of the House of Representatives. .

At the present time the House comprises 76 members representing European. electors and four representing Maori electorates. It is not proposed, to alter the number of members representing Maori electorates, nor is it intended that any alteration should be made in the application to districts ot the licensing laws. It is proposed that the number of members representing European electorates be reduced by. half—that is. to 38,. This could be achieved at the elections this year by each member being elected to represent ah area to be arrived at by combining two of the present electorates. As the number of existing . European electorates in each Island is an odd number, one of the' new constituencies will need to comprise one of the existing electoral districts in the North Island and one in the South Island. There is no real objection to the election of , a member by a constituency situated partly in the North Island and partly in the South Island. Great Barrier Island is at present included in an electorate comprising also part of the North Island, Stewart Island is included in an electorate comprising also part of the South Island, and the Chatham Islands are in a similar position. The Communication between the North and South, Islands bv way of Picton is excellent,' and each part of an electorate divided by Cook Strait could easily bo attended to bv one member. Communjcatons generally have greatly - improved since l .?.'the present number of riiembers’representing European electorates was fixed 1900.

METHOD OF PROCEDURE

The method of procedure proposed is that the grouping of electorates be done by the two Representative Commissions already constituted under Tlie Electoral Act, 1927: The North Island and South Island Commissions sitting together could define the new divided electorate,' and then, separately, group in twos the remainder of th». existing electoral districts in their respective islands. In this way the whole matter can be adjusted jn time for the forthcoming elections, and the grouping so fixed can remain in force until the next census. The savings to be effected by the reconstitution of Parliament on the lines suggested will not merely be the salaries and incidental expenses of 38 members of Parliament. There will also be a large sav ing by reason of shorter sessions and improved efficiency generally in the conduct of the business of the House Tt may reasonably be expected that the length of st session will he hal F . Parliament in session to-day costs £1 a minute; so that the saying will be considerable. Still- Pur.tji'er economies should be = made ’by Hu; -consequent reduction Of the work ; ]^>f• certain Government departments.

If members of Parliament themselves will not carry into effect a reconstitution of their numbers, then a referendum could betaken.

Following is a conservative estimate of the larger savings to be effected by the proposed reduction iri membership of the House of Representatives. (1) Salaries —Both Houses. (a) 80 members now - receive £4 1 5 p.a., two of them receiving' additional emoluments as holders of offices of Speaker and 'Chairman of Committees, disregarding these latter and also Ministers’ salaries (£1,130 plus £IBO house allowance) which includes honoraria, as members, the salary cost is £33.200. Salaries of 38 members would amount to £15.770 representing a saving of £17,430. (b) Incidental expenses—both Houses.

' ‘ Voted 1930-31. Railway passes and concession's to members arid ex-members of Legislature, families, etc. £25.635; steanfer passages —members £1,200; wives £2OO sleeping berths—members £l,100; railway lounge seats —members £150; Lounee seat nnd sleeping berths —wives £150; Refund to Post Office being difference between cost of special and ordinary telegrams £1.200: total Estimated saving £15.000. . (2) Saving in Sessional Expenses. Tt is probable that the session would he shortened by upwards of a half. Salaries of permanent (minimum)

staffs of Bellamys (approx. £3,000) and Hansard (approx. £6,000) would not normally be affected. For 1930-31 £4,600 was voted fbr sessional messengers; £IOOO was voted for extra clerks; £1,900 was voted tor extra staff for Bellamys. Estimated saving £3,500. £5.500 was voted for printing of Hansard; Estimated saving £2,000. £2,000 was voted for fuel, power, liglinting and water. (3) Salaries —Legislative Council.

(a) 35 members at present. Normal strength approx. 40, though it has reached nearly 50 in the past. A reduction to 20, preservng the normal ratio with the Lower House, would effect a saving of £4,252. (Each member receives £283 10s p.a.) (b) General Election.

Cost in 1928, from licensing poll (£13,0(X» was £57,000. Of this amount, £30,000 was allocated for the preparation and printing of electoral rolls. The balance included the cost of the establishment of polling booths, advertising, ballot papers, postage and telegrams, remuneration of returning officers and poll clerks. Saving might be stated (spread annually) at £I,OOO. The total annual saving of reducing member to 39 and 20 in- the House of Representatives and Legislative Council respectively, would, he, on the basis of the foregoing calculations, approximately £43,000.