SESSION COSTING £807 FOR EACH DAY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 77, 31 March 1931, Page 7

SESSION COSTING £BO7 FOR EACH DAY.

NO BUSINESS DONE, SAYS PRIME MINISTER. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, March 31. “Not one single item of business has been transacted, and the cost of the session up to date is over £15,000,” commented the Prime Minister when handing to the “ Star ” correspondent the following details of the expense involved in keeping the parliamentary machine in motion. The Treasury statement gives the following details: — For Session. Per Day. Special £5,507 £290 General * £9,832 £517 £15,339 £BO7 The standing charges of a’session are enumerated, and the total worked out for nineteen days. The items are:— £ Honoraria of members and allowances to members and officers 2,473 Salaries, including Bellamys 2J)35 Cleaning, fuel, lighting, etc 517 Postages, telegrams, stamps, tele* phones 299 Printing and stationery 853 Rent of buildings 1,575 Railway concessions and travelling expenses of members .. 1.522 Depreciation on furniture, etc. .. 360 Interest on capital 303 Miscellaneous [ 517 The special expenses associated with this session include £1035 for salaries of Bellamy s staff, £7OO for cleaning, £2500 for printing and stationery, £415 for railway concessions and travelling expeases of niembers, and £l5O for extra attendants, breakages, etc., making the special expenses £5507.