HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.—Tuesday.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 339, 16 July 1874, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.— Tuesday.

Mr Vogel, in moving the second reading of the Supreme Court Judges Act, said it had been introduced chiefly through the projected retirement of the Chief Justice. He then referred to the highly satisfactory manner in which lie, during a long series of years, performed his duties, and to the very great estimation in which he was held. Mr Vogel also pointed out several colonies in Australia which had fixed the rate of retiring alloAvances for Judges. The second clause provided that the superannuation allowance for Judges over 60 years of age resigning after more than fifteen years or less than twenty-five years of service is to be one-half salary. He thought that the sliding scale of pensions should not be applied to Judges on the ground of public policy, if on no other. He thought it was of the highest importance that Judges should be dealt with this way, as an incentive to them to hold their appointments as long as they possibly could. Mr J. E. Brown said it wo\ild be better for the Government to bring in a special bill to deal with the present case. Bill read a second time. The Civil Service Act Amendment Bill, was moved by the Premier, who explained that some .such bill was absolutely necessary for keeping up the Civil Service to a state of organisation consistent with the requirements of the public. The Premiei detailed the provisions of the bill, which related to the abolition of officers' compensation for the loss of office, reappointments, misconduct of officers, retiring allowances, etc., mode of providing for pensions and allowances. With regard to the system of pensions, he gave it as his private opinion that some prospect should be held out t3 officers to expect a pension after a long and'faithful service ; such a system was seen to be highly desirable. He could not agree with those persons who said, " Oh, they ought to make provision for themselves " ; that would not be found to answer in practice. Mr Gillies objected to the third clause, which was brought in to meet a special case. It should rather be provided for by special Act. Generally he would support principles, but must set his face against the pension system, of which the Premier thought so well. Mr Reader Wood did not see that the House could object to a tax of 2\ per cent, being deducted from salaries for the purpose of making a pension fund.