FEDERAL MINISTERS’ EXPENSES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 14, 29 December 1911, Page 3

FEDERAL MINISTERS’ EXPENSES.

NEW SCALE IX OPERATION. j (Mail News.) Mflhourne. Dec. 22. i In tlrn last hours of the sitting of the' Holls ' of Reprosi-ntati’. ,-s on Wcdnes- j day <”.'(mit;g, the Primo Minister (Mr. I Fisher) msitle a staromont with regard I to payment of tratelling allowances t<-; Federal Ministm-s. For the futur” thi j Prime Minister is to be allowed 10 - [:e: I ■lav travelling exp'ns.'s. and other Min-I i-t ts 25 - per day. The history of this ‘pie tion i< i:t-r ting, in the Pnrli.t- i nemts of all the States .Ministers emolumen: .- ar.- confined to th.' fix'.'i. ] al'owance under the ('oust it ution Acts.] and th '.v do rot draw the reimburse-j tm-’it ol C3OO per annirn paid to th< • > dinary member. In the early day I ot F"d'ration, lion ever, it was est e lisbed that Mi:iist”.' s .should, in additie:: to the emoluments of £12.000 fixed 1 by the Constitution, each draw the sal ' ary of £101) per annum payable to privat" members. This det >rminat:o:; i gave rise to a del,at? in the House of R.'present.itii es. and upon division en a motion expres-iiig disapproval of tli.'•onrse .Mr. Fish":-. Mr. Tudor, .ml -Mr. 'i’homa :. three membc:'s at pi-.’' '>it i: the Ministry, vet -d with the “ aves. | Th" Prime .Minister of the day 'Sit i Edmund Barton) said at the time that I his Minin ts would regard the £lOO a? a substitute for th" travelling expense: i ;.f Mini-ters wliil ■ on official duty. ]

The present Federal Ministers hav< ; d 'pt’-’. ted from this arrangement. They | d-aw the atncmit payable to Minister: t">d:'r th:' Constitution. In addition they each draw the £ 100 pnr annim. payable to private members (they <b. not participate in the more recent increase to £(>00 per anuum). Now it if rl -t ■rmine'l to claim travelling expense: as well. it will lie seen that the view; of Mi’. Fisher. Mr. Tudor, and Mr. Thomas have be-n changed since they uic private members. Mr. O’Malley i has boon consist 'nt. He has alway: ■ voted for any proposals to increase tin ■ salaries and allowances of members until Ministers.

The Prime Minister (.Mr. Fisher) wav j asked to-day when the new scale oi I expenses would commence to operat?. , He replied that he thought the scale o> allowances would operate during the | pre:.’tit financial half-year (which end.* ; on December 31st). but without being | retrospective. Mr. Fisher added that.: so f ir as the discussion on the .subject ; during Sir Edmund Barton’s Prim; j Ministership was concerned, ho though., that tioub] - had arisen in that instance ; lie'-ailse Mini.'t 'l’s were charging >'X- ; p mses for themselves and their officer. I travelling to and fro l.etw .Melbonrn' and Sydney during the sittings of Parliament.