SALARY SHARING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22332, 1 February 1936, Page 12

SALARY SHARING

LABOUR PARTY'S PLAN MINISTERS' HONORARIA DETAILS BEING WORKED OUT [BY TEIjKGRAPH—OWN correspondent] WELLINGTON, Friday Though the Labour Ministry is sharing its honoraria with other members of the Government party, the system lias not yet been fully developed, and the Minister of Finance and a special committee are working out details of a comprehensive scheme 011 a t basis of co-operative service, the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, told an interviewer to-day. " We have a big task to do and there are 55 of us now in the party, each willing to do his bit," said Mr. Savage. "All are expected to do their best, according to 'their ability, experience, and special knowledge. The ideal is simple enough. The Labour Party is pledged to do everything possible for the people as a whole, and it follows that each member is anxious and determined to do his best. Wo do not want any man to feel that he is merely a cypher, a head to count when the jjarties go into the division lobbies. We want to get the best that is in each man's head, and it seems to me that here is another way to got the national job done with the thoroughness and fairness that the people want. "Jt would be unfair —I would not go so far as to say it was an impertinence —to ask how much salary I, as Prime Minister, am drawing under the present arrangements. It is, of course, not so much as the sum allotted to the position, and it is likely to be less, but that has nothing to do with the objective of the Labour Government and the Labour Party. "Already arrangements have been made by which additional members of the Executive who are without folios share in the Ministerial honoraria. This has been done within the limit of the Civil List and without any additional cost to the taxpayer. The same principle will hold when the present system of sharing has been extended to all the members of the Labour Party in Parliament. It is now merely a Question of working out the details. " This does not mean that there will be any division of Ministerial authority or administrative infusion. Each Minister will be fully responsible for the portfolio or portfolios he holds. Parliamentary members of the Pafty who help him will in no sense usurp the responsibilities and decisions of a Minister. It is reasonable, however, that if members share the Ministerial work they should also share the emoluments of Ministers. That is all there is to-it."