PARLIAMENTARY PENSIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26638, 8 December 1947, Page 9

PARLIAMENTARY PENSIONS

Sir,—You are to be congratulated on your leader on this subject. No legislation of recent years has stirred the public minds as has this latest pension grab for superannuated members of Parliament. The reaction of the electors to this piece of legislation was, I think, reflected in the anti-Labour vote at the recent municipal elections throughout New Zealand and also in the largelydecreased majority of the Government candidate in the recent by-election at Westland. The workers there had a fine opportunity of teaching the Labour Government a lesson. Unfortunately, many of the workers, in their blind allegiance to the Labour Party, continue to cast their votes in favour of the present Government, although violently opposed to such legislation as the Parliamentary Superannuation Bill. However, there are welcome signs that many of the workers are beginning to think for themselves and are refusing to be cajoled into voting for Labour candidates at the behest of the party leaders. Mr Holland and his party are to be commended for refusing to be a party to the pension grab, and it is evident that members of the Government are not too happy at having to bear the criticism that has been levelled at them from all sides. The aftermath of this flagrant abuse of parliamentary power by the Labour Government is already in evidence in the waterside workers’ demands that social security benefits be increased to £8 per week. The Labour Government may yet have to pay dearly for the proposed superannuation to members of Parliament. —I am, etc.. New Zealander.