THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18. 1896. OLD AGE IN POLITICS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 2746, 18 February 1896, Page 2

THE New Zealand Times. (PUBLISHED DAILY.)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18. 1896. OLD AGE IN POLITICS.

With which are incorporated the Wellington Independent , ectablished 1845, and the Now Zealanddr,

It must have given a shook to many of out politicians to read the letter addressed by Sir Henry Parkes to the Sydney auctioneers who are to sell his books. The shook would not necessarily bo on account of Sir Henry altogether, or even principally. Sir Henry is a bad instance to quote in connection with the subject of making politics attractive by giving financial security, so far as it can be given, to politicians. The principle of payment of members has been put in force in many countries in order to take away the reproach that only the leisured and moneyed classes could hope to use their abilities for the good of their country. Mankind generally, in fact, lias agreed that it is not enough to declare that careers must bo open to the talents. The talents must, it has been further recognised, have something substantial to help them towards the open careers, for the simple reason that even men of ability cannot live on air. What applies to members of the Legislature applies of course with even more force to members of tho Executive. The principle of paying these has been adopted in every country under tho sun. Sir Henry Parkes during bis public career has received a good deal of public money in this way. The unfortunate destitution of his old age is not an instance of the inadequacy of emoluments in his case. Ha has received, ns a matter of fact;, more than public moneys. His case is typical not of the poor man of ability struggling against the adverse fortune of poor pay. It is typical of the extravagant man who never takes care of his money. Nothing Was more universally recognised than this only the other day, when an attempt was made to get the Legislature to make him a grant of some kind. There was another thing against him on that occasion also; a thing growmg out of his own conduct also. More than anyone else he had distinguished himself by opposing grants to men who had served the State by tho prolonged exercise of state-craft. The latest example was in ISB6, on the occasion of a grant to Sir John Eobertson, when Sir Henry delivered himself as follows: —" I am anxious that the Parliament in this young country should go on free—entirely from public grants to politicians and from pensions to politicians. If man come hero, let them take the consequences. If they neglect theii own affairs, let them pay the penalty; but do not reward them by grants of public money, or by pensions from the public revenue." The words gave offence at the time, and they wore quoted with something like alacrity the other day in the Assembly. The seqnel is that Sir Henry is selling his library and his colics* tions, which are said to be valuable ; and that he has pointedly appealed to the public by stating that he has no other means of satisfying the claims against him, and of providing tho necessaries of life for those dependent upon him. The moral of the story is, a 3 we have said, not the

moral of Sir Henry Parked career. It has a general application. In this Colony, the” story of our ablest statesmen, who have spent themselves in the public service, his enforced tho moral that the political career is not as other careers are. It certainly does not offer inducements to men to devote their talents to it. On two occasions during the last five years Parliaraont has recognised this, and acted accordinwly With becoming generosity. No one, be’it said to the credit of the Legislature, which knew tho facts in each case, thought of raising the ground objection which Sir Henry Parkes upheld in his more prosperous days. But this method of recognising a patent fact is not satisfactory. Itis a case in which prevention is a better thing for the commonwealth than the spasmodic cure of individual instances. Prevention is to be found in the adequate payment of Ministers. We write without consultation with any member of the Ministry on the subject, and we remember that the Opposition press has expressed the same opinion on several occasions with creditable unanimity. We conclude by hoping that the Legislature will be invited to consider the matter, and settle it on a proper basis.