UNDERPAID GOVERNORS

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 152, 24 December 1921, Page 8

UNDERPAID GOVERNORS

RESIGNATIONS IN AUSTRALIA.

(nOH OUR OTfH C0R7.58F01.'D8\7.)

SYDNEY, 6th December.

Quite an exodus of State Governors ia pending in Australia, and in two cases the reason given is tnat the salary is inadequate. In ;South Australia Sir Archibald Weigall, who is regarded as tho most democratic representative of Royalty the (State has ever had, has made no bones about the matter. In tendering his resignatibn, he stated quite candidly that his salary was insufficient to cover the cost of his official duties, ajid ho did not feel disposed to utilise his private income for the entertainment of official guests. In any case, he explained, the high rate of British taxation was an exorbitant demand upon his income. The Tasmanian Governor, Sir William Allardyce, camouflaged bis intention by announcing his decision to take a trip lo England, but this lias now been followed by the official announcement that he will not be returning. It' is n.n open secret that the reason lor this is that the salary of £2750 a year is inadequate, and it is necessary for him to draw considerably upon his private means to meet the expanses of the position. In Queensland the matter has been decided by the Labour Government. Tho Treasurer (Mr. Fihelly) announced a couple of days ago that ho won Id introduce s Bill fpr the abolition of thp onice of State Governor, notwithstanding tho fact that the Bill would be quite illegal, because tho Governor was an Imperial appointee. Still, ho said, the abolition of "tho State Governor wa3 one of the lm,x>rtant planks of tho Labour Party s platform, and people could safely expect that tho office would be abolished very shortly. „