THE HONORARIUM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17250, 18 August 1916, Page 10

THE HONORARIUM.

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

“NIGGARDLY” AND “PAR-

SIMONIOUS.”

In the House of Representatives; during tho recent session, Mr H. G. Ell, M.P., complained of the “niggardly” way in which members of Parliament, are treated in New Zealand. Ho said that ho did not ask that members should be given one penny extra honorarium during tho war, but he contended that tho time was ripe for an increase in the sum given. Tho change had to be brought about by the House itself, as the electors could not do it. At present members had to pay their own travelling expenses in the recess, and to pay full fare when they went to Wellington on public business. _ Apparently the Government was afraid of what tho newspaper Press or a few parsimonious electors might say as to members receiving what was their due. Every member should bo allowed up to £25 a. year for travelling expenses on vouchors showing what ho had done for tho money. Members at present were paid £3OO a year. They had to keep two homes going for practically four months and a half. They were paid their travelling expenses to the opening of Parliament and from Wellington at the close of the session, but not in the interval, and in the recess tho Union Steam Ship Company charged the full fare, less the courtesy of throwing in a deck cabin, but ho understood that even that had been stopped. They paid for their own telegrams and postages except on letters to Ministers. Every telegram tney sent on public business had to be paid for. They had a concession on telegrams, but it was seldom that a private member could send a telegram on public business for less than Is or Is 6d. He often had paid 3s or 4s for one telegram, and had, paid as much as 10s. Members paid full rates for telephones and had no concession in connection with stationery. The stationery concession was withdrawn because somebody carried away a sheet of notepaper to Australia and used it there to write back to New Zealand, and the Minister was afraid that something mi'dit ho said about it. In Australia Labour Parliaments paid private members £6OO a year and gave them other cor cessions. He thought that the Government should deal with tho question itself and not shoulder its responsibility on to a parliamentary committee.