LEGISLATORS’ SALARIES

Evening Star, Issue 17959, 4 May 1922, Page 5

LEGISLATORS’ SALARIES

NEW SOUTH WALES ASSEMBLY. " SORDID SQUABBLES." Prem Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. SYDNEY, May 5. In the Assembly there was a heated battle! of tho Ministers’ Salaries Reduction Bill, which ended in the Government, accepting an amendment by Mr Uruyner. Leader of the Progressive Party, fixing the total amount allotted as Ministers’ salaries at £IB.OOO, instead of £20,000, ns proposed by tho Government. Tho amendment was carried on the voices. Meantime Mr M'Girr’s amendment to make the allotment £16,000 had been defeated. The Treasurer announced tho allotment as follows: —Premier, £2,000; AttorneyGeneral, £1,600; Vice-president of the Executive Council, £900; nine Ministers. £1,500 each. With freorient applications of the gag, against which strong protests were entered, tho Bill was taken through its remaining stages and seat to the Council. Tho proceedings throughout were of a very acrimonious character. The sordid squabbles in Parliament and the temporising by the Government over tho reductions have caused a painful public feeling and much sarcastic Press and private comment. The Labor Party directly opposed tho reductions, but the majority of the other members were pledged to them. It is evident. however, that very few regarded them in a kindly spirit, and were determined to make tho best possible terms. The pleas of poor members dependent on their salaries and even of poor members’ wives wore strongly urged. Tho Government found itself in a tight place between the recalcitrants of its own party and tho Progressive section, which was determined to obtain its pound of _ flesh for any support given, and Ministers were_ compelled" to surrender on several points to avert a possible defeat. The Ministers’ fight over their salaries proved the hottest part of tho battle. Besides placing them in anything hut a favorable light, it diseased that a strong cave existed, and that Ministers have a verv tricky House to handle. On the whofe, the cave scored in the first encounter.