PARLIAMENTARY PAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 147, 19 December 1944, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY PAY

Sir,—lf the M.P.s want more tuuney surely man-power committees could help them during the months of. Parliamentary recess. For the amount of time members spend at Parliament Buildings—this year only 25 weeks, and usually only a four-day week— £450 is ample. As for the Upper House^nuf sed!—l am, etc., ANOTHER PUBLIC SERVANT. Sir, —Regarding the increase of pay for members of Parliament, to be increased by them out of public funds, one would suggest one or two thoughts to them: (1) The majority of members of Parliament have other means of livelihood and therefore are not dependent on their salaries; (2) if one suggested they were not doing a war job there would be offence taken. Why extra pay for it when the country is taxed to the limit? (3) "it is the last straw which breaks the camel's back"; (4) I was under the impression that ! members of Parliament did not" expect to be paid for their services. Some self-sacrifice is expected from them. Their job should be to serve their ! country without thought of reward, and that only a necessary small salary should be claimed by them. It is stupid to argue that they should be paid according to their high office (which, by the way, carries with it many privileges); (5) in any other walk of life a man is paid according to his qualifications, and if a big salary is demanded it is because the person concerned can deliver the goods and the ability to deliver the goods is partly the result of a- long and expensive education. What preparation had they? (6) The sailors, soldiers, and airmen of the Fighting Forces are not demanding increase of pay. It is the time for self-sacrificing service, not the time for "pay us more," or rather, "We will 1 raise our own salary."—l am. etc.. | K. D. ANDREWS-BAXTER.