PAY FOR MEMBERS

Southland Times, Issue 18840, 5 June 1920, Page 5

PAY FOR MEMBERS

THE RISE IN AUSTRALIA. PUBLIC EXPRESSES INDIGNATION AT INCREASE. SYDNEY, May 19. Without any warning at all, the men* bers of the Federal House of Representatives passed a motion in favour of the payment of £I,OOO a year to themselves, and it is understood that the Government, being thus instructed, is to forthwith bring in a Bill to legalise the payment (says the correspondent of the Wellington Post). The incident has provoked a marked outburst of public indignation; but there appear* to be no remedy. The Bill will go through and the gentlemen in question will get their £I,OOO. The salary of members of the Federal Parliament (both Chambers) has been £6OO. It was fixed at that long before the war, and the men most intimately concerned argue that, as the purchasing power of money has now decreased by probably 50 per cent,, they are entitled to a corresponding rise. The answer to (hem appears to be that they have no right to help themselves to a rise of 68 per cent.—which places them in a bettor position than ever before—but that they should, like the great majority of their constituents, bear some of the post-war economic pressure. Everyone, say th* critics, is so much poorer as a result of the colossal waste of the war period, and why should the politician escape? A rise of £IOO or even £2OO would hav* passed with little comment. Comment, generally, is free and pointed. The feeling is best summed up in the words of one of the members of the House. “Some of (he men here,” he said, “are worth anything you like to pay th'in. The __"!iori(y me uol worth 1100, let alone £1,000.” Most of the news-

papers refer to it as "Dipping into th* Treasury,” “A Scandalous Grab.” “Abus* of the Power conferred by the Electors. 1 * Meetings in various parts of the Commonwealth ere passing resolutions expressing their opinion of the matter in somewhat violent language; but the M.P.’s, seren* and undisturbed, are awaiting the authori*ing Bill.

A very active Victorian body, the Taxpayers’ Association, took legal advice a* to whether an injunction could not b# secured preventing this “barefaced steal;’' but it appeared that members of Parliament could apply public funds in this way if they so desired. The division list on the motion in th« House showed an overwhelming majority for the £I,OOO. and it was interesting to observe that the minority was almost exclusively’ Nationalists. The Labourite* voted to a man for the £I,OOO a year.

It is just possible that it may have one good effect —namely, it may attract a better and stronger tvpe of man into public life.