HONORARIA OF MEMBERS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 April 1932, Page 9

HONORARIA OF MEMBERS

A MATTER OF ARITHMETIC f DEMAND ON POLITICIANS’ PURSES EFFECT OF PROPOSED REDUCTION The opinion that a cut of 10 per cent. in their own pay would cause them serious embarrassment has been expressed both' in the House and out of it by a .number of members. of Parliament. They stress the point that a member’s expenditure is necessarily considerable, and urge that in many cases real hardship; would result from any curtailment of the emoluments of their position. A statement of their case has been made by one of their number to the Daily News. “If,” said the member, “the honorarium of £405 per annum were subject to a further 10 per cent, cut a member’s gross payment would be £S6~ 10s.- As there is an election every, three years, costing £2OO, the cost of this distributed reduces the £362 10s to £295 16s 8d per annum. The unemployment levy of Is in the pound on £362 10s reduces it to £277 14s 2d. These are. fixed charges that he cannot escape. “On behalf of the local bodies and constituents he represents a member is lucky if he escapes with less than six , trips per annum to Wellington. Stoppine at the cheapest place possible, these will cost him an average of £2 each —a further £l2 off, leaving £265.14s 2d. As he is required all over his constituency at shows, at races, at public meetings, at bazaars, etc., he is extremely lucky if his. travelling expenses in his own constituency ■do not exceed £5O per annum. This leaves him £215 14s >2d. However, as he is the people’s representative he must -set -a good example in generosity, and .so he is appointed patron of everything and is expected to head every subscription list. He cannot escape with less than another £5O a year, so he is left with £165 14s 2d. THE SESSIONAL COST OF LIVING. “He is the member of Parliament and has. to live in Wellington during the session. He is lucky if he gets accommodation for 25s a week—generally a room 8 by 12. This gives him bed and breakfast. He has to pay 3s a day for two other meals.at Bellamy’s,, and as his work begins at 9.30. a.m., sitting on committees, and carries on ■ till midnight, his exhausted, frame demands afternoon tea or supper, or perhaps' both. Certain newspaper editors and critics would deny the necessity for either. We will allow him. onp. This brings his daily charge whilst in session to 7s per day. For several years now the House has been in session over ix months. Let us say 200 days at 7s; another £7O from £165 14s 2d leaves £95 14s 2d. But he is the people’s representative, and as a consequence -constituents visiting Wellington call on him. He must dispense some hospitality, afternoon tea or supper. Is a fiver too much? ' So doing it all as cheaply as he can, the country member is left with £9O 14s 2d a year on which to keep his family. , “Of Course -we hear of the member's perquisites. He is allowed £24 worth of stamps for his official correspondence. Out of this he can pay . his telephone and bureau charges. He is lucky if his official correspondence leaves him a mar- ■ win sufficient to, pay these. ° .“He has a free railway pass. If he• ; had not the travelling demanded of him by attention to his duties would leave him with nothing to keep his wife and family on. His wife has a free railway pass, and his children are allowed halffares to and from their home to Wellington only whilst the House is in session. These cost the State nothing, as . the trains run anyhow.- ' “PRIVILEGES” AT BELLAMY’S; ■■“ He lias the privileges of paying,9d and -lid for drinks'at Bellamy’s and TA * 6d per-meal for. him’self amTnot more than two of his-family. He; is allowed to o-ive guests meals-at -2s 6d- per meal on days when the House is not sitting; Saturdays and Sundays. -There is a loss on .Bellamy’s but this is-partly; due to’? the cost of the messengers necessary .to ■the' conduct of the House of. Parliament being charged against the account.-,Sure- 1 ly the general public do not-grudge the staff that’has' been wording till 11 p,m. the. free meal which they get. Members’’ have to pay Is for a meat) supper..'.' “This is a' correct statement of; a member’s incomings and outgoings.- If' I he has no other resources he. panno't obtain more than £lO.O a year out .of' the job to keep his wife and famjly' on. ", A city, member can save the £5O for travelling, aud he is not patron of. a ■tenth the organisations a country member is. Think of' them!'Racing clubs, A.-and P. Associations, , four or five • each.; football, tennis, croquet clubs, in each village;, yachting, rowing, regatta, _ motor-boat'and swimming clubs,- arid - others, all weird and wonderful and all apparently incapable of■ functioning except under the blessing of the- member, > accompanied by. a guinea. : * ■ “However,, if. he is lucky: to survive four- elections —that is,-if :his constit*-- - uents consider, he is . worthy-, of their .trust for. four successive Parliaments— . he ig given a railway.pass for life; This * concession is really in, the interests-of the public, because it enables' the local bodies arid others to avail themselves of his experience in financial and poli; ticaLcircles by sending him at little-or no cost to themselves to represent them at important conferences or deputations.

“One privilege, which one can hardly say he enjoys, except in anticipation, is that when he passes out the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, and other M’s.P. that feel like it, will say. nice tilings about him. About the only time they do! I forgot to mention that owing to a House of Parliament being destroyed by a- wax match members are given free wooden matches. As they cannot afford to smoke this does not cost the State much.”