PAYMENT OF LEGISLATORS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16946, 22 September 1920, Page 6

PAYMENT OF LEGISLATORS.

SUGGESTED INCREASES.

TO "THE PRESS.") * WELLINGTON*, September 21

The Committee's report on the Civil List Bill was presented to tlio House of Represents tires to-day. The Committee recommended that the following list of payments should be adopted: £ Speaker Legislative Council ... £00 Chairman of Committees Legislative Council ... ... 400 Speaker, House of Representatives ... ... ... 1000 Chairman of Committees, House of Representatives ... ... 700 Members of Legislative Council 350 Members of House of Representatives ... ... .... -500 It recommended thattheso payments be made from the date of election of the members of the House, and _in the case of members of the Legislative Council, from the same date or _ the later date of their individual appointments. The Committee also recommended that a fund be created (by annual allocation) for the purpose- of aiding exmembers and their families requiring assistance, applications to participate in such fund to be dealt with by a committee, consisting of the _ Prime Minister, the Leader of the Legislative Council, the two Speakers, and the Leader of the Opposition. Another recommendation is that exmembers who have served for three Parliaments in either Chamber, or conjointly in two Chambers, shall be allowed to retain their railway pass with the privilege attaching thereto. Finally, the Committee recommended that the Leader of the Opposition be provided by the Government with a private secretary and typist, to be appointed by the Speaker of the Hbuse. A suggested amendment will, if agreed to, give Ministers of the Crowri their honorarium in addition to their. Ministerial salaries, which will mean another £500 each per annum.