CONCESSIONS TO M.’SP.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 August 1931, Page 2

CONCESSIONS TO M.’SP.

(To the Editor). Sir, —In regard to the discussion re travelling allowances and concessions to members of Parliament at the executive meeting of the Farmers’ Union held in Stratford on Saturday the mam point in the discussion was evidently overlooked in your report. The gentleman who introduced the subject took no exception to members’ passes, but asked for an explanation from Mr. Polson of the following items which appeared in your recent report on the Budget: The sum of £l4OO is set aside in the estimates for the passage of members and their wives last year; for railway passes and concessions to members and ex-niem-bers, their families, relations etc., the sum of £'25,000, as well as £1250 for sleeping berths, Mark the contrast in the expenses incidental to the maintenance and repairs to roads, for.we have £11,700, or not half what is being allowed for members, their wives, families and relations, etc. Surely when it has become necessary to severely tax the necessities of life, cut all salaries and wages, and then on top of the cut impose a wages tax also, if members of Parliament were consistent they would not put such a huge sum as £25,000 on the estimates for the cheap travelling of themselves, their wives, families and relations, etc. Surely the relations could be cut out and allow the starving portion of our people cheap sugar, tea and a few other of the necessities of life. Some M.’sP. made quite a dramatic display of refusing the £5O bonus to their salaries at the first session, yet they offer no objection to the £25,000 allowance, which they are intending to cut up in cheap travelling among their families and relations. —I am, etc., A POOR RELATION. Stratford, August 3, 1931. i