A SORDID SQUABBLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 104, 4 May 1922, Page 5

A SORDID SQUABBLE.

J MEMBERS AND THEIR FAT. SALARIES OF MINISTERS. SVD.VEY, Mn.T :i. By frequent application of ;htagainst which strong protests were onterfd, lla- Legislative Council passed ih" Members" Salaries Reduction Bill tliroujrh all stages, and Uiu measure was sont to thi» Legislative Council. There was another heated battle to-day, railing in the Government accepting an atnendment by Mr. Bruxiier, Leader ot (be }'rogrflß«ive party, fixing the total amount allotted as Ministers' salaries tit £18,000, instead of £20.000 proposed by the Government. The amendment was carried on the -voices. In the meantime Mr. J. McGirr's. amendment to tnakp th.s allotment £16,000 had been defeated. The State Treasurer (Mr. A. A. C. Cocks) announced the allotment as toilows: Premier -£2,000, Attorney-General £1.600. Vice-President of the Executive! Council f!KN), and nin% Minietcre £1,300 each. Th« proceedings throughout were of a very acrimonious character. The sordid j squabbles in Parliament and the temporising of the Government over the reductions has caused a ;minful public feeling, and much sarcastic Vreas ana private comment. ; The labour p*xty directly opposed th» j reduction?, but the bulk of (he other' members were pledged to then>. It «as I evident, however, that very few regarded J them in a kindly spirit, and that they j were determined to make the best posi sjl Iβ lurine. P\tns> of poor mwnbors being dependent, on tiicir salaries were strongly urffed. The Governnwnt found itpclf in a tight place between the reealcitrnnts of it* own party and Hit Progressive s-ftion detnrmiiied on obtaining its pound of li«*Ti for any eupiwrt given, and vrap compelled to surrender on several jiuints to ] avert rossible defeat. The Ministers' fi-rht over Ihiir own salaries proved the his! te.et. pan of the little. Kcsidcs plae my them in anything but n faronrtbtf liclit, it dißcloMd that a strunj; "cave" px-iafed, and t'ley had a \rrv tricky Hoae° U> handle. Oir S ,, ■'iio'.e. the ! "cevo" decidedly sc:orpr! i;i lh» first encounter.— (A. jiud X.Z. LaV!?.i