TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 5 September 1907, Page 2

TRAVELLING ALLOWANCES.

A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. Per Press Association.

Wellington, Last Night. In answer to a question recently put on the Order-paper, the Minister's reply was given this aitcrnoou: That it is , the case that Mr. District Judge Hasalden, whose salary is £750 a year, receives travelling allowance at the rate 'of £1 lis (id a day owing to the extent of the district in which his courts are held, extending from New Plymouth to Invercargill, and including Nelson and Westlaud. Mr. Haseldeu is almost constantly travelling, and is therefore unable to establish a permanent home in any one place. Like all other district judges and stipendiary magistrates who arc required to travel on the public service, Mr. Haselden is furnished with an official railway ticket. I am not aware whether his wife has a free pass, Mr. Massey said he had been informed that Mr Shannon was the only officer, in addition to Supreme Court judges, who drew 30s a day allowance, yet here was a man drawing 31s 6d per day,. The reply did not say so, but he supposed it meant seven days per week, or a little over £ll per week in addition to his salary. The session was* proceeding, and he suggested that a special committee be set up to inquire into these travelling allowances, as the public had a right to know what was being expended under the heading of travelling allowances by public officers. Mr. T. Mackenzie said some prominent public officials travelled about the colonies and to neighbouring' colonies with a large retinue like ambassadors. He contended that if a committee were set up it should have the right to inquire as to whether these officers were justified in continually travelling, or whether they only did so in order to augment their salaries. He referred to the time when retrenchment had to bo resorted to, and said if -we had to do so again many of the travelling'allowances would have to be considerably, curtailed.

Mr. Hanan said it waß only right that the public should know what travelling allowances were authorised, and why the regulations had been departed from in the case of officers who had drawn travelling allowances in excess of the regulations.

Air. Gray said the reply was not strictly correctj»as he was informed that magistrates paid for their own railway tickets, which were subsequently in* eluded in the magistrates' travelling allowances, but in the case of Judge Haselden he drew his travelling allowances in addition to the railway pass. The Premier said the feeling of unrest in the colony was due to hon. members disseminating through the country matter concerning an officer whose appointment did not rest with this Government. The magistrates did not pay their railway fares, and it did not come out of their travelling expenses. The Government did not intend to keep anything back, and hon. members would be informed of all travelling allowances at present paid to officers of the services. Proceeding, he stated there were seven Judges of the Supreme Court drawing £2 2s per day, one Arbitration Court Judge £2 2s per day, one District Court Judge £1 Us fid per day, which was the same as his predecessor, who drew a higher salary; the Auditor-Gen-eral 30s per daj', Assistant-Auditor-General 30s per day, Customs expert 30s per day (Mr. Shannon), trade representative outßide the colony 30a per day, one District Court Judge 25s per day, the head of the Stamp Department £1 Is per day, head of the Taxation Department £1 Is per day. There were 13 other officers drawing, £1 per day, 168 drew 15s, 6 drew 13s, 50 drew 12s 6d, 30 drew 12s, and one drew lis. In addition there were 44 other officers, 'chiefly of the Justice Department, who drew allowances whilst travelling, the total number being 328. This number did not apply to ordinary officers who travelled for a day or so under the railway service. In this service one officer drew £l, three or. four drew 15s, and the remainder, of the railway officers drew allowances according to the published rates.