The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published very Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, February 14, 1891.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 570, 14 February 1891, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published very Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, February 14, 1891.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

Another little scandal has arisen over the payment of honorarium. The following extract from the Post will convey a full explanation, which readers may reflect upon for themselves :—The rumor to which we recently alluded as to two members of the Legislative Council who were not present at the last session, one indeed being a new member and not even sworn in, having nevertheless drawn their honorarium, turns out to be correct. The members in question are, it is said, the Hon. Captain Morris and the Hon. J. BWhite. They arrived in Wellington after the Council had finally adjourned, but before the proclamation proroguing Parliament was actually signed. The payments are understood to have been certified to under sub-section 2 of clause 5 of the Parliamentary Honorarium and Privileges Act, 1884, which provides that deduction from the honorarium for absence shall not be made ‘ where such absence is caused by reason of illness, or from any other cause which shall by the Speaker of the House giving the certificate hereinafter mentioned be therein stated to be unavoidable.’ Still it is monstrous that full honorarium should have been paid to these honorable gentlemen for the late session. Mr Whyte’s absence was not unavoidable. He could have been in time had he chosen. Captain Morris probably came as quickly as he could, and though both might in equity be entitled to their expenses in coming to Wellington they certainly should not have got the honorarium in full. The Hon. Sir George Whitmore, who also arrived late for the session, although he started by the first available opportunity, has declined to ask for more than bare expenses. Another singular claim for honorarium said not to be yet decided is that of the Hon. M. Holmes. Mr Holmes has resided for several years in Wellington, and has, of course, not received any honorarium. This year he has claimed it on the ground that, having determined in future to live in Otago, he has broken up his Wellington establishment prior to the session, and remained there solely to attend to his legislative duties.