LARGER HONORARIA WANTED BY MAYORS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19060, 3 May 1930, Page 9

LARGER HONORARIA WANTED BY MAYORS.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 2. The honoraria received by city Mayors was a subject of representation to the Minister of Internal Affairs (the iTon P. A. de la Perrelle) by a deputation from the executive of the Municipal Association, which waited on him to-day. Mr J. O'Shea (City Solicitor, Wellington) suggested that the Government should exempt Mayors’ honoraria from the payment of income tax. The Minister observed that salaries of members of Parliament were not exempt. Mr O'Shea: We have no objection to members of Parliament being put in the same position. One member of Parliament told me that it cost him £I2OO in subscriptions to be a member. The Minister: Quite likely. Mr O’Shea said he also knew of a case of a Mayor in receipt of an honoraria of £4OO, who spent £BOO in gifts. The deputation also asked that provision should be made for the payment of honoraria to chairmen of town boards. Mr O’Shea added that the honorarium of a Mayor could not exceed £SOO, and the sum had to be fixed from time to time by the local bodies. Some were generous, and some were not. In his opinion, the honoraria of the Mayors for the seven cities should be fixed by statute at £SOO, and in other cases a system of graduation according to population and ability to pay. The Minister said he agreed that men who gave their services to the community, and who were not in strong financial positions, were entitled to something reasonable. He would go thoroughly into the matter to see what could be done.