ON THE FERRY BOATS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10614, 12 June 1920, Page 9

ON THE FERRY BOATS

parliamentarians and PASSES. EXPLANATION BY THE PRIME MINISTER. Tiie telegram from Christchurch containing a protest against the arrangement for free passages on the terry steamers for members of Parliament was referred to the Prime Miniate! yesterday. Mr Massey explained that tho matter had originated by a deputation of members from all sides o! tho House of Representatives, which waited on him at the. odd of last session and asked, that certain disabilities under which .they suffered should he removed. The ’Government was able to put a number of these matters right. '‘Tile suggestion was made by one of tho members—l cannot remember for. the moment who it was—that, so far as the ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton was concerned, the Union Company would bo willing to give members passes. Some time after that I met the* managing director of the company—when I was travelling on one of the steamers, 1 think—and mentioned what had been suggested, and ho replied that ho believed the directors would be quite willing to extend the passes in tho way suggested. Late in February of this year I had a letter from the managing director of the company, in which ho said he believed it was desirable that members of Parliament should bo encouraged to visit, ©very part of the Dominion. Therefore, the company intended to- place members on the same footing travelling on the Wellington ferry service as when on tho railways. Passes would, therefore, bo issued during the term of tho present Parliament. I have since received a number of letters from members asking me to thank tho Union Company for their courtesy.” Mr Massey added that for the past twenty years members had had the privilege of travelling during the session on the steamers at single rat#s for return fares. Parliament would take in hand during the coming session the question of the privileges and salaries of members, and he had no doubt this question would then he dealt with.

It • has been the practice for the Government to pay tho travelling expenses of members incurred in coming to Wellington at the beginning of the session, and in returning home at the end of the session, but in the past, southern members have had to bear the cost of steamer faxes when going to or from their homes during the session.