PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 46, 9 December 1871, Page 15

PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

The honorarium question, as our readers know, received its due share of attention by the House of Representatives, and was not decided until after a Select Committee had taken evidence on the subject and reported. They recommended “ that the payment of members should be fixed at £lO5 per regular session, 40s per diem being deducted for each sitting day a member may be absent from attendance, unless the member be prevented from attendance by illness; special sessions to be paid for at the rate of 20s per day.” These amounts to be exclusive of travelling expenses to and from Parliament. Our readers will be interested in the value placed upon legislatorial services in other countries, as detailed before the committee. Republics seem to pay the best —most likely because they vote their own “ screw.” The rates are as follow :—Spain, nothing ; Victoria, £3OO per annum ; Switzerland, 12 francs a day, and 1 franc 50 centimes a day travelling expenses; America (1806), senator, member, or delegate, £1034 13s 4d per annum, and mileage 20 cents per mile to and from Congress —mileage only granted for two sessions each Congress (four years); Canada (1867), £l 5s per day, if not over thirty days—if over that, £125, and no more in any case. Newfoundland : President of Legislative Council, 240 dollars; each member, 120 dollars; the Speaker of the House of Assembly, 923 dollars; members resident at outposts, 291 dollars ; members residing in the capital, 194 dollars each. Holland : Upper House, nothing ; Lower House, £l6l each, and mileage. Belgium; Upper House, nothing; Lower House, £l6] 15s Id each monthly, during sitting, for members from out-districts; members resident in the capital are not paid. Sweden (1865): Upper House, nothing; Lower House, £66 13s 4d for an ordinary session, and travelling expenses in ordinary cases; otherwise about 10s lid per day : £66 13s 4d is

'die highest amount. Norway : Members of both Houses, 13s 3.,-d a day and all costs to and fro. Portugal: Upper House, nothing: Lower House, 10s a dav for the session : Greece : Senators. 500 drachms, equal to £l7 15s 2d each per month, not limited to the session ; representatives,2so di achmsper month, or £3 17 s during the session. France. The National Assembly had 18 francs a day for the session On the restoration of monarchy, nothing. In Louis Phillip’s time they were not paid ; during the Republic ot 1848 to 1801, durin< T session each received 25 francs a dav,°and under the Imperial rule of Louis Napoleon in 1852, Senators were paid £I2OO per annum, and members of the Legislative Assembly £IOO per month. A change has since been made : the Deputies each receive £4OO for the session, but if it is of unusual length, additional pay is given. Prussia : 9s a day, and travelling expenses. Austria : £1 per day. and travelling expenses. The only European nations who do not pav members of Parliament, are Great Britain, Italy, and Spain. The recommendation adopted was that of Mi Reynolds, with the exception of an amendment by Mr Bunny, that 40s a day should he deducted for absence from duty instead of 20s, as onginall} proposed.