A SALARY GRAB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19622, 28 October 1925, Page 7

A SALARY GRAB

KEW SOUTH WALES MEMBERS’ SALARIES. • CABLEGRAM TO MR SAVAGE. LIVELY SCENES IN ASSEMBLY. Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SYDNEY, October 27. (Received Oct. 27, at 11.30 p.m.) A cablegram from Auckland was published in the press to-day that in reply to a cable from Mr M. J. Savage, deputy leader of the New Zealand Labour tarty Mr Lang had informed him that the increase in the New South \Vales Parliamentary salaries was granted with the full approval of all parties in the House, and that it was a misconception to believe that Labour had introduced the Bill for its own benefit. The message gave rise to lively proceedings. Mr J. A. Perkins asked the Premier if he had written to New Zealand stating that all sections in Parliament were in favour of the salary grab. * Amid uproar Mr T. H. Hill said that all the Nationalist members had voted against the increase. Mr Lang objected to it being called a grab. He said that if Air Perkins felt it was a grab he was taking something to which he was not entitled and he merely had to write to the Treasury refusing it. He added that members of the National Party had voted against the increase, but all were accepting it. In reply to another question he said that only one member, Mr A. A. Lysaght, a Labourite, had refused the increase. Later in the day Mr T. R. Bavin returned to the attack. He declared that Mr Lang had made a false statement. If he had taken the trouble to inform himself of the facts this answer would have been different. He added: “A Premier who answers questions recklessly is almost as bad as a Premier who answers questions wrongly.” MESSAGE TO AIR SAVAGE. MR LANG’S CABLE CONTRADICTED. SYDNEY, October 27. (Received Oct. 28, at 0.20 a.m.) Seen after the Assembly adjournment Mr Bavin said that Mr Lang had been notified that certain members of the Nationalist Party had intimated that they did not intend to accept the saalry increase. Mr Bavin added that he had cabled to Mr Savage to-night that Mr Lang’s statement to the effect that the Salaries Bill had passed the Assembly, with the full approval of all parties was entirely incorrect. It was carried on a division against the opposition, with all the Nationalist members voting against the increase.