The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1097, 17 August 1880, Page 2

The Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter.

Published every evening.

«?::? TUESDAY, -AUGUST: 17;. 1880.

: We- arpiperfectly in accord with the opiniori*expressed' by many of bur ■^contemporaries thatviiQW,; is ; the: ,time and also, the. of reducing the salary of our Governor. Sir Hercules. .Robinson's . salary could '• nb't'be Ibweredj because it was fixed at , --tHe 1 time heaccepted appointment. . But this .does-not hold;with!the coming -Governor. He has -not yet been gazetted, and he. can either take or let alone what.may ., be allowed /him. We] "quite agree with our Wellington contemporary, the and ypuld urge the Government to 'embrace ''the' present opportunity of "effecting a reduction r In the' salary paid to 'the 1 Governor of ''this colony, which is certainly far more than the people are able to afford in .the: present? depressed ■ state off'itS finances'.. Apart from the main argument that;. . .we really cannot afforfirtoocontinuej ipaying 7/X7500 a year to the occupant of Government ; _"Ho"use, i jthere i.is: no - doubt; ithat; the salary; is- •faritoo :. high', /whether 'we f l .cor^ider.the r nature and requirements ""of the^positidn^or compare" it with the salaries received; by the Governors ofßotiierT'cbldnies/'j ; As a^iriatter of fact, the Governor of New Zealand is ! ! better" paid than .» any /British! colonial ! 'Governor l in ; the world, f if?; we*- except p: lier f ' 'Mdjesty's- .'representatives 1 /• in ' >I^t6wa s> a i n i d j; G!eyl^ . : Of ' 'course %c exclude also the. Viceroys 'of India -rand Canada, f wtlb whom 4t £ would not ' bVfair to instirate a comparison. The .Governor r '6i 'Victoria receives £10,000 a year, but then' 'Victoria k'-.'a much ' l weallbiei' > ic'6u'ntry^ ; and -"is « able -to afford such a luxury. The Governor of > CeyTon>'receivesi£Booo- a. year, and taking' into 'consideration; the- nature of the climate,' and: the" fact : that his governorships is? of? a . spmewhat* despotic character, mating, his Excellency really .responsible for the proper condticii of public affaire; the 'amount is probably not top. terg&;/ -The case of the Kew '^eala^jGoyernbr, who comes next on the list, however, is s yas% , l d^en^- i r;,gie . is ' 'unrvMsajly'admitl^l.jto be almost as Dear. -perfection as '-'we' can expect to *S™ sinfuf wbrlcif the political ;duties"are; extremely light; rarely rising • 'atfdvVttie level of^ routine/ work .while if it cannot be said that there are no social) /oft any- |cpnsequenqe upon the occupants.. vOf Government i,B:puse, it may .safely, be ..asserted if -, Iweif may: itakVpaski experience ;.- as a ■i' r guide,nthat^there;iis!no^danger..pf: a New Zealand Governor being ruined { 'W l^ '^o^sehess of ; his rr: hospitaiity 6r f ,the necessity of keeping upatt'elab'brate^afebunt'bf state. A weekly < r receptipii, w ; to give the ladies '' ! of^elliiigtpn>n bpporturiity of talk--1 ing over' the last'newthing'ih bonnets and criticise each other's toilettes, an

occasional ball or kitten party to put the younger members of the fair sex in good temper, and afford facilities for thejoperations of prudent mammas ; with a solemn dinner to official magnates once in a while, constitute really all that is required, or at any rate all that is obtained, in the way of social entertainment from the distinguished personages who are senfc to watch over our political destinies. Taking all these circumstances, we certainly think that the salaries paid to the Governors of the neighboring colonies of Queensland and South Australia — namely, £5000 a year, including allowances — is an ample sum to pay to the new Governor of this colony. It is indeed questionable in our minds whether £3500, the amount paid in Tasmania, would not be ample, but certainly it ought not to exceed £5000. There could be no more favorable opportunity for making fche reduction than the present interregnum, and we hope to see the matter at once brought forward in Parliament.

While we are hearing every^ day of the. absolute necessity of retrenchment, and of the cutting down of the miserable salaries of our Civil servants 1(3 per cent., some of whom have less than £200 a year, why does no one suggest commencing at the head of the Civil servants — the Governor himself ? It has been done by a neighboring colony, when in financial difficulties similar to ours, and approved by the Home Government..; Why should we be taxed to keep up a Government house, of no use to the colony generally, simply to minister to the amusement of the few who frequent it? The Governor receives a salary of £7500,, with a house fully furnished,' and grounds kept in order at the expense of this overtaxed i country ! Is this justice? Is this ( fair ? Half the sum would be ample payment for s all- the Governor has to to; ■■-■■:* ■■«■■<■■■'■■"■' '■ ■" ■;.'''.-