MORE PAY TO M.P.'S

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24612, 17 June 1943, Page 4

MORE PAY TO M.P.'S

NEW PLAN SUGGESTED REDUCING UPPER HOUSE (S.R.) WELLINGTON. Wednesday There was a lively interlude in the House of Representatives to-day during the Budget debate, when Mr. H. G. Dickie (Opposition—Patea) suggested that Parliamentarj' members' ; honoraria could be increased by reducing the number of members in the Legislative Council. Mr. Dickie, who has already announced his intention of retiring at the close of this Parliament, said that when he first entered the House the honoraria was £'loo more than it was to-day. The present figure was little more than half what a waterside worker received. "Union Secretaries' Club" "1 can point to a method of giving members a 50 per cent increase without extra cost to the country." he continued. "Wo have a Legislative Council which has become straight out a trade union secretaries' club or something like that. J do not know whether it us a Chamber to revise what is done in this House has served any useful purpose at all. ''The abolition of the Upper Chamber was once a plank in the Labour Party's platform and if it does not now want to abolish it the Government should consider reducing its numbers. Here is a chance to reduce its numbers and employ the £20.000 involved to raise the honoraria of members of ihis House." Point of Order Raised The Minister of Finance, the Hon. \Y. Nash, who was acting-Leader in the absence of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Frascr, raised a point of order as to whether it was proper for members to criticise members of another House. Mr. J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour —Grey Lynn) said it would be extraordinary to rule the discussion out of order. The Minister's contention was without precedent in the House. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, said the member for Patea had. been showing how money could be saved to the country and was within his rights. Mr. Nash said the point was not the question of .how money was spent. The member had questioned the capacity of members of the Upper House and it would be wrong to permit reflections in speeches on members of either House. Defending Mr. Dickie's right to pursue his line of argument. Mr. W. J. Poison (Opposition—Stratford' said there was legislation existing by which the Government could remove members from the Upper Chamber by Order-in-Council. The Speaker's Ruling The tea adjournment at 5.30 p.m. interrupted the discussion and on resuming at 7..'i0 the Speaker gave his riding. He said it was in order for the member to criticise the Legislative Council as an institution, which might involve its usefulness of purpose and constitution. It would not be in order to reflect upon individual members. The Speaker said he took the member for Patea's referenco to the Legislative Council as having become a club for trade union secretaries and his objection to be that over-many persons of one occupation or class had been selected for appointment to it. If so that was a criticism of the method of appointment and not of persons appointed. Criticism of Ministers of the Legislative Council in respect to administrative acts for which they were' responsible was also in order, but criticism of members as individuals was not and would be deplorable.