POLITICIANS’ SALARIES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 28 October 1925, Page 6

POLITICIANS’ SALARIES.

N.S.W. PREMIER’S STATEMENT.

CRITICISED BY NATIONALISTS.

at cable—presl. association—copyright. SYDNEY, Oct. 27.. A cable from Auckland, was published in the press to-day that in reply to a cable from M. J. Savage, deputy leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, the Prime Minister (Mr. J. TLang) has informed him that the increase in the New South Wales Parliamentary salaries was granted with the full approval of all parties in the House, and that it was a misconception to believe that Labotir introduced the Bill for its own benefit.

This gave rtse to lively proceedings in the House to-day. Mr. Perkins asked the Premier whether he had written to New Zealand stating that all sections of Parliament were in favour of the salary grab. Amid an uproar Mr. Hill said that all the Nationalist members had voted against the increase. Mr. Lang objected to it being called a grab. He said that if Mr. Perkins felt it was a grab he was taking something to which he was not entitled, and merely had to write to the Treasury refusing it. He added that the members of the National Party voted against the increase, but all were accepting it. In reply to another question the Premier said that only one member, Mr. Lysaght, a Labourite, refused the increase.

Later in the day Mr. T. R. Bavin returned to the attack. He declared that Mr. Lang had made a false statement, and if he had taken the trouble to inform himself of the facts his answer would have been different. He added: “A Premier who answers questions recklessly is almost as bad_ as a Premier who answers questions wrongly.” ‘