OUR LORDS.

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 839, 28 July 1916, Page 6

OUR LORDS.

Are They Underpaid ? THE Hon. Mr. Paul made out a good case, from his point of view, for an increase in the screw —we beg pardon, £he honorarium—with which a more or less grateful country rewards the inestimable service rendered by our "Lords" to the State. No doubt it is rough on the Councillors to see the gentlemen in "another place" drawing a monthly cheque for £25 while the former are fobbed off with a pa'ltry £16 10s 4d. But seeing the relative shortness of the sessions of the last two years and the consequently much-shortened period during which the Councillors have to remain away from home, the £200 which is paid them should very amply meet all requisite disbursements'. If the principle is to be laid down that we shall have a class of purely professional politicians, who will do no work other than their legislative labours and who will, to use a colloquialism, "live on the game," then by all means let the honorarium of a Councillor be raised to say £350 and that of the common or garden M.P. to £500. * * » » We, doubt very much, however, whether such a principle would be accepted and approved by the great majority of the taxpayers. There are even, in this country, quite a number of sceptical people who doubt whether New Zealand is one whit better governed by members of Parliament who draw £300 a year than they were in the days before the much-discussed "Great Steal." When the relatively small number of days when the Council has anything to do and the remarkably short time in which it manages to get through its heavy toil axe remembered, it will, with not a few people, be a moot point whether the £200 is not quite enough. We say this with all due respect for Mr. Paul's opinion. He himself—as does sturdy Mr. Earnshaw—sets an excellent example to his fellow-legislators by working at his trade during the recess. All the same, most people will consider it is just as well that, during war time at least, the honorarium should not be increased. ,