FOOLISH EXPENDITURE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 65, 18 March 1908, Page 4

FOOLISH EXPENDITURE.

♦ When Parliament was in session a suggestion was made that the Leader of tlie Opposition should receive a i salary, but it Mras not seriously enter- , tamed The matter cropped up again at a meeting at Shannon recently, when Mr Field, the Member for" the district, stated that it was highly desirable that Mr Massey should be paid £1000 a year, and be provided with a private . secretary, costing probably £500 more. No doubfc it would be Ci highly desirable '' —for Mr Masso;/ or any other gentleman who might' happen to be the Opposition loader. But what - about the country? The members of the Opposition are never tired of making allegations of Government extravagance, and showing how economy could be practised, yet do not hesitate to propose such an unwarrantable expenditure as the payment of a fat salary to the' Leader of the Opposition. A regular annual outlay of £1500 would- do much towards improving the condition of the roadless North, and that would be preferable to devoting- such.- a1 sum to paying any Member for the purpose of decrying , the country, deriding the Government policy, and generally crying "stinking fish/; which apDearsto be i \he hard work to which. Mr Massey devotes his political-energies. "No man in New Zealand works harder," says Mr Field. • It is a pity his work is along lines so opposed to the coun- > try's best interests. But that he • should be paid for his continued advocacy of a policy so long discredited in New Zealand is a proposition that has .not the most remote chance of being regarded favourably by the tax- " payer. >