Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, MARCH 14th., 1932. HOW THE MONEY GOES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 March 1932, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, MARCH 14th., 1932. HOW THE MONEY GOES

pERIIAPS no other part of the Economy Commission’s indictment of national extravagance, —for such in the main describes the preliminary report—is better founded than the allegations of extravagance against the Legislative Department. Parliamentarians, it is revealed, have been very good to themselves, their relations and friends, and no other State Department is more over-staffed. Administration has been maintained on luxurious lines, the dignity of the Legislature, apparently, requiring standards of comfort and ease, unsuspected by the.harassed taxpayers, few of whom ever enter the sacred precincts. In 1914-15 the cost of the Legislative Department was £40,757; This year, it is over £95.00'0. Do the electors think that value is obtained for this over 100 per cent, increase?

Leaving, meanwhile, the question of salaries (or honoraria) paid to Ministers and Members, it is interesting to note the unconsidered “trifles,” which are extracted annually from the national treasury by the demands of the Legislators. “Bellamy’s” the refreshment rooms of the House, costs the country over £lO,OOO a year. Well may the Economy Commission describe Bellamy’s “as more in the nature of a club,” maintaining generous hospitality, mostly at the country’s expense. The Commission’s recommendation that the cost should be reduced by half, is not likely to meet with opposition—outside Parliament. Another avenue, in which Parliamentarians and their connections do themselves proud, is in the. Way of free travelling, always first class, and plenty of it. At present Members of the Legislative are entitled at any time to travel at the public expense between the port most convenient of access to their homes and any other port in New Zealand to enable them to come to and return from Wellington. Members arc also entitled to receive tickets enabling them to travel by service motorear if -there is no reasonably convenient rail-

way or steamer service. The wives

of South Island members (includ-| ing a relation acting as housekeeper if the member has no wife) are granted six return tickets to and from Wellington. In addition, are allowed travelling expenses at the rate of 18/- per day and taxi fares, etc., for members coming to Parliament or returning home after the session. Travelling allowance is payable for each day or part of a day on which > members are travelling to Wellington or returning to. their homes. The Commission urges that reasonable limits should be placed on these travelling perquisites. Members and their wives have free passes over all railways in New Zealand, whether travelling on public or private affairs. Ex-Members and their wives have also been generously treated in this way, and even the families of Members share in the good thing going, being permitted to travel to and from Wellington, at half-rates, as often as they desire.. Meanwhile, many a taxpayer has to go without a holiday visit, because of the inability to pay the fares. The Commission’s protests should be generally upheld. Another direction in which Legislators obtain valuable concessions, is that of postage stamps ami telegrams, and drastic reductions are recommended. “Hansard” expenditure is also denounced; but little comment is needed on this topic, as it has long been recognised that much waste of labour and money is connected with the production of “Hansard,”; and with the printing of many bills and papers few really require. Summed up, the Commission declares that about £33,000 could bo saved each year by the Legislative Department, without any loss to the country’s welfare, and this is letting the Department down lightly. It will be interesting to note the attitude the Members adopt to this attack on their own self-assum-ed privileges. Economy must begin at headquarters, if the demand for sacrifice is to be cheerfully responded to by the nation generally. The lead‘given by the Legislative Department in wanton expenditure must influence in similar direction most' State offices, and it is the clear duty of Parliamentarians to set an early example of less extravagance.