POLITICAL JOTTINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10634, 6 July 1920, Page 4

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

HOUSE AND LOBBY TALK NOTES FROM THE PRESS GALLEUY. ' THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN SALARIES. Members’ salaries and the 'proposed superannuation scheme for members of Parliament are, naturally, mutters for frequent discussion in the lobbies at the present time. In this connection there appears to bo a very strong feeling among members, not only on the Opposition side. ,iha.t the proposal to exempt their salaries from income tax is a mistake. In the course of the no-confidence debate last week. Dr Newman, from the Reform benches, condemned this proposal. The general opinion seems to bo that'£-100 a year is not a sufficient salary, and that if members could get £SOO, not free of income tax, and provide their own superannuation, it , would be better.

THE TIMBER, WORKERS. ' A TALK WITH MINISTERS. Various matters arising out of 'the Timber Workers’ Federation annual conference were placed before Ministers' yesterday by a representative deputation, headed by Sir Hiram Hunter (president). As a means to increasing the production of timber, Government assistance to co-operative Workers in the acquiring of forests and milling machinery was advocated. Forest conservation was strongly advocated. Living and working conditions were also, discussed: and in regard to the form'er, it was urged that union secretaries should be allowed to accompany the inspectors when investigating as to, the accommodation provided foil the men. The deputation asked that the, maximum compensation allowed for accidents (£500) should be doubled, and another demand that was strongly stressed was that for an eighthours day “from mill to mill” on tho same lines as the miners’ eight-hours’ day “from bank to bank.”

NAURU PHOSPHATE'S. NEW ZEALAND’S PAYMENT. Referring yesterday to the cable message published in the morning’s papers that the Commonwealth Government had paid over Australia’s share of the purchase money under the Nauru agreement, the Prime Minister said that the New Zealand Government had also paid over its share. “I gave instructions to the Treasury a few days ago to make the payment,” he stated. “The money was paid over on Juno 30th to the Imperial Government, and to-day an acknowledgement was received. So we have now got our share in the island.” CHEAPEN TIMBER. CO-OPERATIVE MILLS SUG- , GESTED. . Spoaking-.ns a member of the timber workers’ deputation which waited upon Ministers yesterday, Mr Hiram Hunter, of Christchurch, suggested that where timber workers were willing to band together for the purpose of providing cheaper timber to the public, the Government should finance them in the establishment of a mill. He contended that such an enterprise ■would merit State assistance equally with that of a settler who claimed the benefits of the Advances to Settlers’ Act. ” , The Minister for Forestry (Sir Francis Bell) replied that the idea of cooperative mills had been under consideration for a long time. But there were mills all over the country now, and the Government took up the altitude that so long as they were supplying timber to* the public, it would bo belter to hold for future use areas of bush not" yet touched. The utilisation of the co-operative mill as a means of reducing the price of timber was also being considered. ■

UNANIMOUS! THE HONORARIUM QUESTION. In connection with the honorarium question referred to elsewhere, a meeting of M.P.’s was held during last week to discuss this important matter. All the members of the Lower House were present excepting of course the Ministers, but - they were soon advised of the resolution passed and recant-, mendation .arrived at, which were to the effect that considering the present high cost of living, the present salary was too iow, and that the amount should be increased to £SOO, I't is confidently anticipated that effect will be given to this decision, and when the bill again comes before the House it will probably be found that £SOO has been substituted for £4OO. All the Labour members attciided the meeting ani the voting in favour was unanimous. All the speakers agreed that £4OO was inadequate. ' It is probable that there will also be an increase in the honorarium to members of the Legislative Council.