COSTLY PETITIONING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21297, 26 September 1932, Page 13

COSTLY PETITIONING

CLAIMS FOR MANY YEARS EXPENSES ESTIMATED AT £612 [by telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Saturday Twenty-three to Parliament have been presented by William Hodge, of Christchurch. In his latest petition, he estimates his expenses of petitioning over many years at £612. Petitioner, a former employee in the railway workshops, has a longstanding complaint concerning loss of status and wage reduction, and to these causes, together with an injury received during the course of his duty, for which he declares an inquiry was refused, he attributes a total loss of £2107. Loss in wages from 1887 to 1908 is set down at £190; transfer loss at £225; loss through non-reinstate-ment at £125; loss on superannuation (from 1906 to 1932) at £375; and losses of sales of property, £7BO. The cost of petitioning Parliament 23 times, from two days to two weeks, and for three months in 1931, including steamer fares and hotel expenses, is set out as £230. Cost of stationery and telegrams covering 40 years is given as £2OO, and £lB2 is held to ropresent the loss "of time attending tho presentation of tho 23 petitions. "Such relief as may appear honest and j just" is sought by petitioner.