SIR JOHN FORREST'S PENSION.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12757, 1 April 1910, Page 4

SIR JOHN FORREST'S PENSION.

A candidate -who passes through the Di'deal ol' a contest od election usually has i'eu- Eocrots iei't i'or tlie Day of JiulyiueJit. Sir John Forrest, tho Federal Premier, has battled through many a hustings. campaign, and still hold soinptiiiiig back, hut lit; met his Waterloo the other day in Perth (says tlie "Sydney Daily Telegraph"), and was obliged to ma Ice a clean breast of "that littk' pension matter." It ap-nea-rs that \v!u:n rcsponsililu government was granted Lo Westeni Australia, certain executive officers wore c^iiipeusated for tlie loss of their positions. The Colonial Secretary (Sir itialoohn I l ' riser) received a pension of £750, the Treasurer (Mr Lefroy) got £GjO. ami Sir John Forrest himself received £500. This happened nineteen years ago. But while the two lirstnamed gentlemen drew their pensions regvilariy, Sir John— and this is whoro he turned the. table on his questioner — refrained from claiming .a penny of his

ns loiiß as he held office under tho On;\vn. whether as Premier of West Australia, or as a member of the Com-liKjjj-.vcalth Government. When out of oifice for about two aud a-half years he did draw the pension, but all he had received in nineteen years was £1200, though he was entitled to draw about £9,j00. He had presented the other €8300 to the country !