The Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1889. Expenses of Parliament.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6706, 20 November 1889, Page 2

The Star. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1889. Expenses of Parliament.

A paper has just been circulated by the Government which may remove some very common misapprehensions. This is a return, obtained last session by Mr W. J. Steward, M.H.K., of the expenses of Parliament caused by payments dependent on the duration of the session. It has been a customary thing with economists to rate the expense caused to the country of an unnecessary day'a sitting of the House of Representatives at a very high figure. We have heard ss much as £300 a day quoted as being the amount which has to be paid by the taxpayer on account of a day's stonewalling. Critics who talk in this way forget that most of the Legislature's expenses have nothing to do with the duration of tho session ; their cost is the same whether the session lasts one month or four. From Mr Steward's return it appeara that the sum spent through an extra day's sitting of the House of Representatives is £16656 d. The Legislative Council's daysaremuchcheaper(astheyoughttobe), and cost the country only .£3 9s. General items not peculiarly appertaining to either i House cause an outlay of £12 123 sd. The I whole comes to £32 7s lid. In addition j to this Hansard becomes a heavy item after the session has lasted fourteen weeks. Up i to that limit it is defrayed by a lump payment irrespective of the amount of printing done. But should the session last more than fourteen weeks (as that of ISBS did) Hansard costs £32 6s 8d a day. Sessions, however, seldom do last more than fourteen weeks. When they do it is because the Government in office is either fomenting quarrels and encouraging delay, or else is too weak to manage the House. Sometimes, as was the case last session, wo have both causes combined.