The Manawatu Daily Times Salaries of Members

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7326, 29 November 1933, Page 6

The Manawatu Daily Times Salaries of Members

Some members of Parliament who are not enjoying the privileges of Ministerial office and personal authority are complaining that, relatively, they are not so well cared for as are the Speakers, the Chairmen of Committees or even the Clerks of the respective branches of the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives. Times have changed, one way and another. In ISB4 members of the House of Representatives residing a distance exceeding three miles received £2lO a year; within three miles, £140; in 1887, members of the Legislative Council residing beyond three miles received £IOO, within three miles, nil; members of the House, £IOO, with the addition of £SO to those residing beyond three miles and £ls to those within three miles; in 1892, members of the Legislative Council received £l5O, members of the House £240; in 1901, members of the Council £2OO and members of the House £3OO ; in 1920, Council £350 and House £SOO, while in 1922 reductions w'erc made, relatively, to £315 and £450 respectively. Another reduction of 10 per cent, was made in 1932, after a lapse of ten years, and a third this year, making an aggregate reduction oC £135, It is a fact that the members of the New Zealand Parliament at the present time are among the lower paid representatives of the kind within the British Empire. They receive lower salaries than do members of the Australian State Parliaments, Avith the exception of South Australia and Tasmania, which in this respect are not so widely burdened as is this Dominion. Members of the Australian Federal Parliament recently raised a storm of protest by increasing their salaries from £BOO to £875 a year, and it is said that the loud protest this proceeding raised is likely to prevent any further step of the kind within the CommonAvealth for a very long time. The general tendency in this Dominion at the present time is not towards a further reduction in the salaries of members of Parliament, but rather toAvards substantial reductions in the numbers of members of the House of Representatives and a complete resuscitation of the Legislative Council.

Misses Claire Dennis and Frances Bult, tho two Australian champion swimmers, arrived at Auckland from Sydney by the Monowai yesterday for a three-weekly tour of the Dominion. H.M.S. Diomede arrived at Gisborno yesterday morning on a five days’ visit. An extensive programme of entertain mont for the complement has been arranged, including a naval ball, athletic and aquatic sports, concerts and rifle shooting. Something unusual in lunar manifestations is to be expected next year, reports Captain F. W. Cox, harbourmaster at Greymouth. He states that the moon will be full twice during January, on the first, of that month and again toward tho end of tho month. In February there will be no full moon, but in March it will again be full twice. It is calculated that 18J years, or 235 moons, will go by before there is a similar double event again. A comparison of the systems of motor registration in Hew Zealand and Great Britain, to the detriment of the Dominion, was made in tho Christchurch Supreme Court by his Honour Mr Justice Ostler. His Honour commented that for years in England the system had been to placo discs on motor vehicles each year as fees were paid, the plates not being altered. This method was different from the ridiculous method in New Zealand which compelled the changing of numberplates each year,

New half-crowns to the value of £70,000 were landed at Auckland on Monday from the Rangitane and distributed among the banks. At 5.00 p.m. on Monday Harry Husc, a youth residing at 38 Rangitane street, came to grief while riding his cycle in the Square. It appears that ho Avas carrying a large suitcase on the handles of tho machine, and in negotiating the corner at tho junction of Broadway with the Square, he caught his knee on the bag and so capsized. The lad was conveyed to the public hospital suffering from head injuries and slight concussion. His condition is reported as quito satisfactory. Mr Wilfrid Kingsford Smith, Avho arrived at Auckland yesterday by the Monowai, said that Sir Charles Kingsford Smith would definitely make his Tasman flight in the lirst half of January. Lady Kingsford Smith was not likely to come. Sir Charles will return to Sydney in March and probably leave for England in July to prepare for the Centenary Race to Melbourne. He believed that the winner of tho race would have to cover 4000 miles daily and complete tho journey in 3$ days. He proposed to carry two co-pilots. It Avould be his last long flight. Mr Wilfrid Kingsford Smith says his brother also had in mind tho establishment of an air service in the Dominion without a Government subsidy.