THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1908. A SALARY QUESTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3063, 7 December 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1908. A SALARY QUESTION.

Recently when Mr W. D. Campbell, the unsuccessful Opposition candidate for the Timaru seat, was presented with a purse of sovereigns, Mr C. A. C. Hardy, M.P., reminded his hearers that Mr Massey was a man of the people, earning his living from his farm. To our mind there is no reason at all why every member of Parliament should not earn his living, apart from his honorarium a member of Parliament, in fact we think every member of Parliament ought to make a point of earning a living, notwithstanding the income he derives for political services. The member of Parliament who does not do so, certainly leaves himself open to the charge df being a professional politician, for, clearly, he is "living on politics," as the phrase goes, and after that it is a matter of individual opinion whether a member of 'Parliament, 'in such a position, is >a (professional 'Or "not.

The politician who secures for himself an existence, apart altogether from politics, is in an absolutely independent position, and it ip desirable from the standpoint of both politicians and people that such a position of independency should be enjoyed by members of .Parliament as a rule. We are certainly in favour of paying members of Parliament, arid we do not know that the honorarium now paid to them is too high, though we should strongly object to any increase thereof. However, the foregoing remarks are a considerable degression from the subject of Mr Hardy's remarks. Mr Massey, it is true, is a man of the people, earning his living from his farm, but he ib, also, the Leader of the Opposition, which means that he j jhas to travel the country, at considerable expanse, a"d it certainly I does not seem right that Mr Massey, who is universally respected, and even by those who differ from him politically, should fender" fs3 country all the serviees h 6 s6es, and receive ncthing mOrG than the ordinary member's salary. The position of Leader of the Opposition is, of course, no office at all under the Crown, but it should not be forgotten that this country approves of the dual party system of Government, that the existence of the Opposition party is one that is geneally approved of in the interests of good government. The importance of the position occupied by the Leader of the Opposition is the result of our party system of Government, and the people having, practically, declared that there should be such a position, and that the occupier of it should have heavy responsibilities, which necessitate his addressing the electors in various parts of the country, as well as greatly increasing his amount of Parliamentary work over that of an ordinary member, it seems only a matter of common fairness that a salary proportionate in some degree to the duties of the office should be paid. In the Dominion of Canada the Leader of the Opposition is paid a salary in excess of that received by a member of Parliament. The obvious justice of doing so appealed strongly to the Canadian Government, and the people of Canada saw the wisdom of the measure from a national point of view. When Sir Joseph Ward was busy having the country transformed from a Colony to a Dominion, and creating senators and other high offices, he might have thought about the question of a salary : say £BOO per annum, for the Leader of the Opposition. We believe that a proposal of the kind mentioned would find favour in the eyes of the people; the obvious fairness of it would appeal to all who desire to gee the Leader of the Opposition discharge his duties to the best or his ability.