NOVEL CHRISTMAS BOX

Evening Star, Issue 20328, 9 November 1929, Page 3

NOVEL CHRISTMAS BOX

NEWSPAPER CRITICISM [Special to the ‘ Stab.’] AUCKLAND, November 8. Under the caption ‘‘ A Novel Christmas Bos” To-night’s ‘Star,’ in an editorial, says: “It is to be hoped that no serious attempt will be made this year, to carry into effect the proposal

which appears to have been mooted in Wellington to increase the salaries of members of Parliament. We are quite prepared to admit that £450 a year is an inadequate recompense for the loss of time and money that many of them sustain through attention to their parliamentary duties, and we also admit that th“ salary is not large enough to allow a member to devote the whole of his energies to public business throughout the year. But there are at least two serious objections to the suggestion for raising members’ salaries • just now—one is that all parties in the House have been earnestly preaching the doctrine of economy and insisting upon the reduction of all unnecessary public expenditure. But, quite apart from the country’s financial position, Parliament can hardly expect the country to forget that it is a very few days since the House refused the request of the Civil servants for financial consideration. The rejection of the appeal of the Civil servants for the restoration of the “cut” salaries may be defensible, but it will be very much more difficult to justify if members' now proceed to vote for the increase of their own ■ remuneration. Yesterday evening the Minister of Justice told the House that there would be no increase in the salaries, of the, heads of departments this year. This, too, may be _ justifiable, but the arguments by which tliCi,e decisions have been supported apply strongly to the proposed ‘Christmas box’ for members. We think that members will be well advised to postpone their appeal, for financial relief at least till ‘this day six months.’ ”