PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY INTO OFFICIAL SALARIES.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 503, 8 February 1851, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY INTO OFFICIAL SALARIES.

One point has certainly been established by the Committee on Official Salaries — viz. the desirability of the imjiiiry. When Lord J«hn Russbll first proposed the reference of the question to a select tribunal lie waß charg-d with insincerity or limidity, — with a wiih to »bi»t hit proper responsibility, or to substiute the chnnees of three months' delay for the unpleasantness of immediate action. It is clt-ar, however, from Ihe Divisions npptnfcd to the committee's report, ami it will, we doubt not, be more manifest on the face cf the evidence received, that the que-iion was one peculiarly depending upon the balance and comparison of opinion, There is no tingle point so difficult «> fir as lhe amount or sufficiency. In the case ot official salaries the result depends <>n considerations so essentially variable, tha' a conclusion correct at one period may be faulty at another. Nor is the variation constantly in one direction. ,Tbe general tendency of ihene in* qu rieui» doubtless towards a reduction of cxjienditure; out, if we tt»ke the threr peiiods to wh eh the committte'B attention was dire* ted.- 1780, IH2O and 1850,— w<j •hall find that lbs fair deojands ol «lie public service

inciease in loiue cases, iliough they diminish in oihersEducation, locomotion, and pauperism hive created three departments of adminiitration scarcely known to our forefathers. Presuming a strni<jbtforward and »inglemiuded disposition to adjust public recompense to a public ie'vice according to equitable rules of calculation, we can hardly conceive any serious diff rences of opinion ou points of principle. If on office is usele-s, let it be nboliihed altogetlur, Il it is mdiipcnsal le, there are obviou* considerations for determining the renumcia ion to be attached to it; but it it just at this point that the intricacy or the inquiry begins. What is the amount of salary which will put pub ie servants on a proper footing as compared with independent members of ihose prolessiona or callitucs from which the functionaries m question are (selected ? If the prcfits of all professions leduced — il the general cost of living is lessened, or if the legitimate attractions of office are increased, a diminution may of course be made m official kalaiies. To some extent this appears to be the conclusion of the committee. They declined it seem* to maintain L rl J hn's c tjmalei, or to discend to Mr. CobdenV, but struck a mean between the two, with an inclination decidely rather to economy lhan liberality. The facti and statements supporting their decision Will be ejccedingly ui' cresting. We should mucli like to know whether Mr. Cobden rcnllv concluded, from the evidence before him, that £,1,000 was a piopi-r maximum allowance tm a Lm! Cliaucellor and th« Chief Justices. The salm ies ol judidl and legal o(Bce-t happen to udmit with peculiar readiness of measurement and adjustment. We know the class from which the officers are taken, the advantage- which they forego and the precise duties which they are expected to discharge. All professions, of course, have their secrets but it really seems that the considers ion due to a lawyer for surrendenng his practice and assuming a pulilic duty could be detei mined wi.hout risk of any ievi«u» error. We suipect thut the committee have gone qui'e low enough in their estimate. Beyond doubt, dignity of position, as well as permanancy of income, will count for something, mid the public «wy fairly claim the benefit of the inrident. But these considerations must not be overstrained, or ihu public service will be acceisible only to the high-born and wealthy. We have more than once been ut ihe pains to point out that no practice can be more destructive ol hbeial piincipk's than the dtnial of sufficieut salaries t-j the officer! of Government. If theae expenses were »truclc out abruptly from the estimates, the polity ot England would instantly become an aristocracy of wealth. It is very strange that the parties most clamarous ior paid members of Parliament 6hou!d be so anxious for un« paid .Viiniiters. There U one *nfe rule of proceeding, which ii, to comider public duties of any other kind ; and this rule the committee appear to have kept preuy ateadily in view. The six great offices of State were allowed to pass muster, and ducieetly too, for where services are ■o difficult to estimate it was wise to make no dUturfunce. To represent in mere mo»<?y the claim* of the Fust. Minister of the British empire would be almost a hop lesi problem il it were proposed for the first time. Fortunately we have some leoognised figures before us. No person would say th-»t £5,001) a-ye..r was an extravauant allowance while, on the other hand, we have palpable evidence that it i* not an insufficient one; «o that we can leave well alone. We are »omenhat surprised, however, that the " First Lord" of the Admiralty should have been allowed to take, place, to quietly in this class. Cousiderinj; what has \u\e\y been alleged respecting the constitution of this board, it m.ght hhve been expected that the point would pro- ! yoke discussion. Very good sailors declare that the six Lords, could get on tX reojely well without tie presidency of the Fiivt. Two offices, it seems are to disappear. The Lord. Privy Seal and the Master of the Mint aro to be numbered among the functionaries of departed times ; nor will the decision p:obalily create much icg'et. In another case the hoverity of the committee appears somewhat m >re questionable. The offi ;es of Vicp-PreMdeot of the Board of Trade, Paymaster- General of the Forces and Treasurer of the N<tvy are at present d bcharged, certainly with much credit, by Lord Grauvilie. Our P-irliametrary reports furnish uniple, evidence that tbis composite place is not considered u sinecure by Us occupant, and yet, although no buggeotion is made for any seperation ol the duties, and although one alone of the three function-, is permitted to carry recompense, by one-fourth, and to leave the salaty £1,500, instead of £.2, 000 per annum. Ti.is is indeed hard measure, nor in the question in any degree altc-ieJ by the presumption that the dutves ot the place will be discharged: just as well under the reduced allowance. I'iobably tue Cabinet would not have discontinued iN sittings bad 25 per cent, been stnirk <ff from e-»ch Minister* salary. But this is merely plajiun with the question. The point to be ascertained is the outlay requisite for securing the best adminibliatioii of public ufiaus under all probable contingencies, and this consideration, h& >ye have repeatedly observed, must be kept substantially distinct from that defending on the ambition or devotion of individuals. The general results tf this inquiry ma not to be measured by the icduction^ actually pr> posed ; indeed, the salaries of the wh 1<» Ministiy might be ahol.ihcd w.thoui; producing any peiceptiblu effect u on the huge total of our unnual es.imuUs. The advantage to the public fervice lies in the ps iuciple and id the precedent. When the official cmolumeuts of the Fir-t Minister of the kingdom have l>een nubmiited to noiutiny and revision, and sanctioned only u|>on deliberate conviction anJ approval, ii is lcaposmbie that any exorbitant sa ary can be perpetimtul, or any useless ginecure permitted to survive. Tins ducu-siion is an earnest of general economy ihiouf>h[>ul »11 depaitint-nt* ■>f the public hcrvice. A beginning has been i»dde wi h ilia Very highest, and all must undergo the sune ordeal in turn. Oa the whoie, wi- think tl:ez>ul ut -lucommittee h<>B, to say the least, kept pace with IK dis. retion. Perna)>su has now and then uutsti ipped it. The aba.. -act of the report wb.ch we. yesterday puolished will »how thut clianguh or a veiy ex.'enii y e character aiejiecomioendcd m the judicial and diplomatic depaitments ot the Admmiatralion ; but the suggestions are scarcely circumstantial enough to provoke comment. Reforms which, " bes dea conduciug to economy, 1 ' would facilitate ihe course of justice ami to give tli»* greatest relieve to suitors in tlie " comts of equity," would indeed' become welcome to the public} ,and ir iha Committee on Official Salaries couli d.*.co»er a prac icdbic scheme of Clmucery lefinn, their incidental •uccus we wi u d throw their more direct ainieVemenu completely iuio the shaJe.

.Tub LiVbiiPook I'ailoks. — The operatic tailori of Liverpool have in coutcmpln'ion the (arnialiou of an " institute^ having for its object tue eleva'ion «f 'the moial jnU'llfctuHl, and social condition of the journeymen t.<ii»»r§ ; and al«o <o embruie any other advaatiigoi «hich may from lime to time le found dr.tirabte." In addition to rooms for ttadc purposes. i (ho institute u to hate a readm^-iooui »md library. Lectures on inteiosttng lubjpcta are to be dtUverctl, ,nnd rational anausfm«»ts pronded for every iea«on of ,the year.