THE COLONIST PUBLISHED TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND SATURDAYS. ' NELSON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1875.

Colonist, Volume XVII, Issue 1869, 30 January 1875, Page 3

THE COLONIST PUBLISHED TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, AND SATURDAYS. ' NELSON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 1875.

I PAYMENT OF MEMBERS.

I Payment of Members of Parliament for their services is now becoming general throughout; the Colonies, and the system is found generally to be productive of good results Still, however, there &re many people who

are opposed to it, and the chief reason for this opposition is that if members are paid, the Assembly would soon be composed entirely of adventurers who had embraced, politics in order that they might be able to earn a livelihood in the easiest possible manner.

One of the strongest arguments of the othei side is, that unless there is some remuneration attached to a seat in the House of Representatives, the country would be governed by one distinct class, that is, the moneyed class, to the utter exclusion of less wealthy but, perhaps, abler men. We thoroughly agree with these sentiments, because it is clear that no ordinary man would think of giving up his business, by which he supports himself and his family, for the mere honor of being a member of Parlia-

Iment, Ui course squatters and large merchants, who had servants to look after their interests in their absence, could attend the session without personal inconvenience or pecuniary loss, but the majority of those who now hold seats in the Assembly could not do so. Discontinue to pay members and the people—the working classes—would have no representatives, and the consequence would be that the Colony, as a whole would suffer. The Victorian members ot Parliament receive £300 a year, and those of New Zie&land £157 10s per session. Since the honorarium in Victoria hp.s been fixed at the amount named, a poorer but much abler class of representatives has been the result, and foe people generally acknowledge this. Everybody in New Zealand knows that in our Parliament there are many useless and brainless men, and it is the duty of the people to get rid of these at the earliest opportunity, and substitute others whom they think will be more desirous of promoting the welfare of thecountry. Wehave all heard the story of one of the hon. members who, during the whole of % session of 1873, only brought forward one motion, and when the time for its consideration arrived, he was absent from the House playing billiards, and consequently it was thrown on one side. Je do not pay our representatives in order that they may be provided with money to play billiards when they, should be attending to their duties, and it is such men who would be got rid of as speedily as possible. Certainly, by offering a " big" honorarium, *g shocid 'hold out an inducement to needy Wventi >• Is to court the good opiuion of winit icicies, but the same inducement *ould be offered to many deserving men who JJff rauuot afford to place their services at wMispreal of the public, and the electors woulri, vre have no doubfc, be possessed of Jjffii lent intelligence to discriminate between wo two. Some persons have a. good deal to say against "professional politicians," jwna they affect to look upon with conte!tyt, jbat we can only say that it the of a country were left to politicians, the quality of the "jnment would be poor indeed. Prom ' to would the amateurs learn their busi ,1 if not from professionals? For our s*.° P"t we have uo faith in amateur poli•^3, and sincerely . Lope that we may be governed by such a body. We there are such .things as born policould, if they had the A make their power felt throu.rV-out ( , jH but; many of these are the servants ; others, or are'engaged in' callings that permit'them/to-be absent jVorn I^l' P^ce of business./unless they liked to •Jko their calling. (Surely it would be T ,.h virile to make tho honorarium of bucli k? 6 dfc suck men cauld afford <o devote !. ''J to a profeeWon in which they - It would/ never do to have * 1 :' 1

! an exclusive " class" legislature, and we look ' forward to the day when the people of New \ Zealand will be able to offer inducements to talented men, no matter how low their station inlife may be, to come forward and assist in the good government of our Colony.