THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1944. PARLIAMENTARY SALARY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32517, 15 December 1944, Page 4

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette With which is Incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. “Public Service.” FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1944. PARLIAMENTARY SALARY

After years of hesitation Parliament has taken its courage, in both hands and decided to increase the salaries of members. How some of the members who have no alternative source of income have managed to pay their way is something of a mystery, for members have been receiving only £450 a year and are faced with heavy and inescapable expenditure and taxation. They are expected to be at the head of every subscription list, to accept honorary membership of numerous organisations and actively to pursue their care of the endless wants of the electorate, all of which involves expenditure. They must keep up appearances and maintain two homes for a considerable part of each year. In their zeal to set an example to the public they even refrained from restoring to themselves the “economy cuts” in salaries which have long since been restored to the public. It was, however, less embarrassing to raise other people’s salaries than their own. It is seldom that Parliament attracts anything but criticism these days, which is a condition inherent in the nature of its work, but on this occasion the public as a whole will be glad to pay a tribute in a practical way to its representatives, who perform many thankless tasks in the country’s service. The arguments in favour of increased salaries have been traversed many times. The only obstruction has been the understandable reluctance of members to help themselves to increased remuneration and, more latterly, to upset the system of stabilisation. The principle of stabilisation, however, was never intended to prevent the adjustment of anomalies, and this was an anomaly calling for correction. With remuneration for members increased to £750 a year New Zealand parliamentary representatives are placed on a par with British members, but will still receive lower salaries than Australian, Canadian or American Parliamentarians.