PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 124, 13 September 1876, Page 2

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

c, We learn from the O'aio Jhihj Tii.t':*' correspondent at Wellington thai there h ?.. r?:n!->:ii- to the eJSVet i?:;>t a v;ill be- in-ti.).<ti«i-rl to »>aj is:ciiiiic>-.s an anmitd sum of rhrj-c hundred potiwb, and thr-f this li!«w»r--r ».vi'.l loc-ot nidi the support of Sir G. Or.r.y anil r,u&i of the- members of the

; Opposition. The honorarium for members ! tiswl to be one hundred and fifty pounds ; f hut we believe iliac this hi-.a insensibly [ gro.vn to W: guinea* iiir-.teau of poivr.ds, ; v.nd no,,- h is suggested that- the original ' «um he doubled. We f«il to see the ucces- ; nirv for an honorarium at all. and ceriainiy i cannot compliment Sir(>'. Osevanrl the Op- \ posifion for their consistency in supporting | such .n measure, afu-r v-i-rpotually twitting j the Government with extravagance, and t purchasing support at the expense of the | friends of the Colony. We must say, for ; cur part, this looks very like a desire to do both, and v/e sincerely trust that the Government will oppose the movement.to the utmost; or should it not do ao, that

the people of New Zealand, with, shorr their disapprobation vbf ■■& 'incisure that will have such a debasing tendency. We desire to see our representatives 1 a patriotic, honorable race [\ of men, not a degi-aded' /Tammany riiig of professional politicians. Let this country take warning by the spectacle now before it—a Premier resigning his office that he may take the most lucrative appointment that- he has at nis disposal: and for what 1 not that he may benefit the Colony, but that lie may hold it in the meantime, "and, like the immortal Micawdek, wait until something turns up. We do not grudge rho laborer his hire, but we think that many of the laborers in the Representative vbieyard are overpaid by the present sum, and are of opinion that their seats would probably be better filled if that were dispensed with, but against the increase of that amount we most vehemently protest, and would point to the neighboring Colony of Victoria as a valuable lesson to the people of New Zealand, as there they have the opportunity of seeing the melancholy result of paying members a large sum annually. We do not enter \ipon the question of the expediency of a Colony already struggling with its debts, squandering a few more thousands to no purpose, as we confine our remarks to the principle involved, and its disastrous effects on our members.