CELEBRATING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 671, 25 October 1933, Page 4

CELEBRATING

Apparently exhilarated by the rise in the price of wool or the kind things being said about Australia in Downing Street, the members of the Federal House of Representatives have decided to increase their salaries from the breadline of £750 a year on which they are struggling to modest affluence at £850 per annum. Simultaneously, and also possibly in the exhilaration of recovery, the basic wage in New South Wales has been generally reduced and fixed at £3 2s 6d a week for men and £1 12s 6d a week for women. It will be observed from this that on a weekly basis, a Federal politician is considered to be worth nearly six times the basic wage — which should indicate a very high standard of political ability in the Commonwealth. , Whatever else may be said about the wholehearted recognition given to their own services by the gentlemen in the Federal , House, their courage must be admired: Natural incl'ination has so often to. be tempered by caution, that it is almost refreshing to find politicians so openly avowing their intentions. They could be excused, pefhaps, for voting themselves an extra travelling allowance or somethmg unob- e

BBtBBaMM'IIIHIirWH HZ.U 'Hrr.Mllliiifli—W WIBU ,'fcH. UTTTHmiilP.I n II I trusive of that nature", but to boldly demand a rise in salary and just as boldly take it, requires what the Americans very aptly term "spunk." Australia has always been known as the happy hunting ground of the politician and it will not be its politicians' fault if it does not live up to its reputation. It is pleasing little incidents such as this which serve to inculcate in the taxpayer a becoming thankfulness that he is let down so lightly. New Zealand's politicians have already demon- J strated their ability to fix their i own term of office and Australia i has now shown the method of fixing the salary. It now only remains for these courageous gentlemen to devise a means of appointing themselves and the "vox populi" will have been reduced to a minus quantity. But that, possibly, would be infringing the copyright of Herr Hitler. Australia's politicians have demonstrated the beautiful simplicity of the Parliamentary machine. They simply inserted a surprise clause in the Finance Bill voting each individual member an additional £75 per annum. Labour members, we .are told, joined wholeheartedly in this exchange of amenities and in such an eminently worthy cause there was for once unanimity in the House. After all, the honourable gentlemen are only obeying the Old Testament injunction: "Inthe. day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider." Apparently they are convinced that their days of adversity are past and that the time has come to be joyful. Hence this public spirited vote of £75 per annum in recognition of their own services.