The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, whatsever stale or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, AUGUST G, 1891.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2974, 6 August 1891, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, whatsever stale or persuasion, religious or political. THURSDAY, AUGUST G, 1891.

If tho measure is passed granting a salary at tho rate of £'2-10 per annum to members of the House of Representatives tho principlo of payment of members for their political services will bo established. Th" sums hitherto rcceivod by the representatives of the peopla wore, to quote tho words of the original Act, " To provide for reimbursing members of tho General Assembly their expenses in rolation to their attendance." So long as tho mornbers only voto thoutselves a sum which by a somewhat extensive stretch of the imagination can be deemed reasonable tho principlo laid down is not abrogated—giving effect to the presont proposal would most certainly do so. Tho question before tho country is therefore as to whother the interests of tho colony will be forwarded to a greater degroo by solariod members than is at prosent tho caso. The proposal of course is before Parliament on the motion of the members who are presumed to have tho interests of those who live by manual labour uuder their especial caro, and the reason given is that unless this payment is made men from their ranks will be unable to seek oloction. This is most distinctly an exaggeration of tho position, and the argument would apply much more strongly to the cases of professional and business men who lose much more by absence from their homes than does the mechanic or labouter. The presout rate of p:-iymont, £150 per annum, may bo taken as nearly the maximum amount earned by skilled labour, why therefore should tho country bo callod upon to pay him a whole yoar's wages for tbreo months' work ? This is so under t he present rate, and if the addition takes place the question will be still more difficult to answor. There may bo somo reason in the statement that no representative should lie at monetary loss, but thoro is none certainly why tho rato of payment from the Treasury should place him in a bettor position than he held as a private citizen. It has hitherto been the assumption in this colony that men have come forward for election to Parliament because they imagined that they had a mission to fulfil, or, constituencies asked them to do so because they believed them to bo tho men bast lifted to represent them. If the pay, we purposely drop tho term honorarium, is increased to i'24o, a eiuAS of men will offer themselves f >r election for tho sake of tho payment. Tho House will be flooded with professional politicians, that is to sav, men who will look upon politics as their means of livelihood; those, in our opinion, will most certainly be of a lower stamp than tho average of present representatives. The Labour members at tho present time are free from the imputations that other than patriotic motives, or a desiro to benefit their fellows, have led to their presence in "Wellington. As regards thoso who aro forcing tho hands of the Government, they cannot possibly clear f hemselves of the chnrgo of ignoring the best interests of tho colony for tho sake of their own aggrandisement. It is of the utmost importance that there should be Labour members, aud it is right and just that this class should be represented, it is equally so that their attendance on Parliament should not be at a personal loss. But the caso is quite difforent, when they claim highor wages for three months as politicians for which they have not been trained, than they can earn iu twelve at tho sailing of which they aro masters. It is to bo sincerely hoped that the constituencies who have returned the men who are aiming at i'-MO per annum as reward for their servicos, will bring such pressuio to bear that they will not dare to establish the pernicious institution—a paid Parliament. The honour aud integrity of tho labouring classes is involved and it has to bo yet discovered whether thoy will riso equal lo tli" occasion. Tho Promior aud his Ministry have bowed to the voting power, this is not to bo wondered at, as one of tho lirst principles of the school to which they belong ia, that the majority must exercise its sweet will, no matter how complete the ruin en-

j tailed ii[>ou tho smaller number. I The civil servants who have boon I roti(Mich"il belong to the minority, ! but those who, after pledging themselves to exercise the most oeononiy, demand that an additional I'lOO per annum shall be doled out (o them, are tho representatives of the many.