A PEEP AT THE PAY-SHEET OF KINGS AND QUEENS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 148, 13 June 1908, Page 4

A PEEP AT THE PAY-SHEET OF KINGS AND QUEENS.

WHY TILE KAISER WANTS A " RISE." The German Emperor as King of Prussia wants to have his salary raised, At present he receives from the State £130,000 as tieriuun Emperor and .1770,0.34 as King of Prussia. The last increase, which amounted to £150,000, was made iu 1880, in the second year ot his reign. In spite of this, however, he is actually getting £:250,000 loss than the old Kings of Prussia annually received. An income exceeding .0)00,000 is not a despicable sum even for Kaiser William, but those who know say it is not excessive, considering that there are no allowances to other members of the Royal Family, and that very little comes from the Royal domains.' The Kaiser has several hundred uniforms, and his. tailor's bill runs into pretty tall figures. He ],. ls complete uniforms of all the Prussian regiments —horse, fool, and artillery—besides the regiments of the lesser Slates, audi hose of which he holds rank in foreign countries. Every appointment is perfee!, from the shoulder knots, which cost more than the uniform itself, to jewelled accoutrements til for an Orient,..! aulucrai. When he travels it is always in imnJi pomp and ceremony, and accompanied by a large retinue, Hence his official revenue is not enough to keep him. In addition to the upkeep of his lifty-two castles, palaces, and country houses, ami innumerable farms and forests, he is expected to maintain the Royal theatres at Berlin, Hanover, and Casscl. and must also foot the bills for the Royal concerts. The Kaiser is very lucky, however, in the way of legacies from wealthy subjects. Only a few years ago Jlerr Wilhclm Ilildcbraud left him an estate worth £75,000 and £150,000 in hard cash; a gift matched by that of a West Prussian landowner, who gave him a 5,000 acre estato as an earnest of greater possessions io conic at the donor's death. Then there was the CI 1111.000 bestowed upon him by Baroness Oppen hoim-Cohu. and the £500,000 placed at. his disposal bv llerr ltenekel von Dounersmarch in 1005. "To him that hath shall he given."

With reference to the Kaiser's demand for increased pay, it max' be mentioned that King Edward gets £470,000 for his own use, while each member ot the British Roval Family receives various grants which exceed £IOO.OIIO per annum. Besides his official salary King Edward has a large private purse. The Kaiser is by no means the. bestpaid monarch in Europe. The Emperor of Austria outdistances him with his salary of C.010,000. which sum is derived' from the two portions of his monarchy.

The best-paid monarch in Europe is the Czar of Russia. The State Treasury pays out .Cl.SOl),noil per annum for the needs ot the Imperial House. 11l addition, the reigning Empress and the Dowager-Empress eaeli have an allowance of C2IMII1I) a year. Kvery child born to tile Czar receives from birth to the age of twenty-one nearly C-UKIU a year, while the lu'ir to the throne receives annually, in addition to maintenance of palaces, C1I),000. Daugl, tors receive a dowry of £IOO,OOO when they marry. Contrasted with these generous grants the salaries of rulers of smaller countries seem heggarlv in proportion. The King of Italy lias ClilO.Mim a year, but the King of (ireece only receives C40.11U11. This sum is so inadoipiai.e to keep up his position that, (ireat ilritaiii. France, and IJ;i»sia each pay liirn a year. The French ['resident has a salarv and allowance L'tS.OOO, whils! the Prvsidcnl of the I'nit-d States lias to make both ends meet on C10,00(1. And yet. with all their enormous in comes, some of these great potentate* of the earth are not. half so happv as many a country curate with CHO a year.