The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Ressurexi. TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4823, 24 June 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Ressurexi. TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 1884.

~u _ <i Although perhaps it; ,woiilicl' kbe hardly correct to say that this action of the House of "Representatives yesterday, in i Toting itself full honorarium for an eleven days' session, was a surprise, yet it mnst •—even after*'considering those who did it, and remembering how only a?few years back the members of the same ? . Chamber kindly'treated themselves to two votes in one year,—it is disappointing to think that such an utter want of conscience should be shown by men entrusted with such' responsible functional and placed in such positions of honor, &&>.these men have been. It has been frequently stated that this annual .allowance of 200 guineas voted by the apparently self-indulgent members to themselves, involves a prin-ciple-r-this may be: it certainly involves ~i very large amount of principal. It has beah from time to time put. forward that the*non-payment of, at least, expenses has (a tendency to place political power in the bands of the wealthy, while allowances per' session, give men of small means opportunities of aspiring to Parliamentary honors. There can be no doubt that such is the eate ; but it must be remembered that any practice put in use , under such a principle is liable to very Rreat abuse, should those to whom the monies are to be paid have the power *of voting their own payments. By adopting—or rather perpetuating—the sys*. tern now obtaining we are only fostering the growth of a lot of professional politicians, whose exiftenjcewill be; severely and detrimentally felt in 'the future. In order to promote the election of members from the body of the people, it* does appear rational that reasonable expenses for each session should be provided, but those who inaugurated such a system never contemplated that a seat in Parliament should be looked upon as a "billet" —as a means' of livelihood. • The shamelesiness displayed by the Assembly is really mortifying to anyone having the faintest faith in the honorable motives of those who voted to themselves nearly eighteen thousand pounds for doing nothing in the way of legislation, and who—'with certain exceptions perhaps —will endeavor to pass a similar sum for next session, which will finish, within the time which should have been allotted to an ordinary session for the year, but which will have seen two meetings of Parliament, for which two honorariums will have been paid. Doubtless, as one member put it, it may be required to help the payment of election expenses in the coming campaign, and perhaps in other cases many members recognised the fact that they will to Wellington return no more. However it is put, the action reflects little credit on those responsiblefor it.