CO129-249 - Governor Des Voeus Acting Governor Barker - 1891 [1-5] — Page 591

The ACTING COLONIAL SECRETARY---Yes, and that is about 10 por seat. The report says (a) That the salaries of officers selected in Eng- "land or holding offices which are usually filled "up by offers so selected, having been original. ly fixed on a sterling basis when the dollar was "worth 4s. 2d.. should be raised to the amount "in vurrent dollars equivalent to their original "sterling value. The privilege enjoyed by a few "officers in this class of remitting at the par of "exchange should be withdrawn and all such "officers pat on an equal footing." (c) "That the "salaries of other officers who have suffered from "the depreciation of the dollar but who as u class "may be deemed to be domiciled in the east should be increased by 20 per cent" Now, gentlemen, what is the value of the dollar to-day P 34. 24. What is the difference in porcan- tge between 3s. 2d. and 4. 2a 24 per cent. There is no doubt about that; it is a mora faot of arithmetic, and hon. members having recom- mended that these salarias shoald he increased 24 per cent. I can scarcely believe they were not aware-bacanssin 1889 the exchange was very low -what would be the rosult of their recommend- ation. Then there is another point.although it is not at present in the knowledge of the Council, but I think it will appear in the Government Gazette to-morrow night, and that is that we have received the reports of the actual expendi ture and revenue of last year, and I believe that for the first time for three or four years, not- withstanding that in those three or four years we had the advantage of a loan, owing to the very great care manifested over the expenditure the revenue exceeds the expenditure. That is, Ithink, a very satisfactory state of affairs indeed. Then again if hon, members renolleet when we considered the estimates last year, the estimated revenue for 1891 was a little over $2,000,000 and the estimated expenditure was $1,700,000 in round numbers. Therefore as far as the ordinary expenditure of the colony is concerned there would be a net balance to the colony of $300,000, the so called deficit being caused by the inmense sums voted for extraordinary public works. But it must be borne in mind that the majority of these extraordinary works are remunerative works, markets and things of

the that kind, which will according to timates that have been made bring in satisfactory percentage on the amount expend- ed. I am therefore unable to take such gloomy view of the rerouns of the colony as is taken by some of the bon. members Then again I cannot follow the logic of this mo- tion. First of all the hon. member who pro- poses the resolution compares actual expendi- ture with estimates. Surely that is a fal- lacious test. As rale the difference between the estimated expenditure and the actual expenditure is something like $20,000 a year. Then again the hon. member makes no reference whatever to the new offices that ap- poar in these estimates. For instance, nurses at the Civil Hospital $1,60, four more European constables $2,400, turnkeys $2,400, Colonial Treasurer, making allowance for the previous salary,182,800, two or three clerks $5,000 owing to the transfer of the Audit Office, and increase to the Observatory $2,000. Now, all these amounts should be broughtinto account, and sure- ly when the hon. member broughtforward all those reasons why there should be no increase of salaries he ought to have shown the other side of the balance sheet, the gain of $16,000 from tho abolition of family remittances. Comparing the salaries for 1890 with the estimated salaries for 1891 there is only a difference of $76,000 and from that $76,000 you have to deduct $32,000, $16,000 that are saved by these family re- mittances and as much that must be placed to the credit of new offices. Therefore the absoluto difference is $44,000, That is the net in-

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on salaries for this year, and hon. members may remember that when we considered this question in Finance Committee, I said the probable increase would be about $50,000. Now. gentlemen, taking that as a fact, that the real increase in salaries is only $41,000 and that we are called upon to pay this additional sum for

amounts military contribution, which $114,000, I must say I should have expected the hon. member to have brought forward some ex- baustive motion which would have asked this Council to find some means of making up the whole. But not a word as to that came in. Then, again, I must say I should have expected, considering the hon. member voted for the Widows and Orphans' Bill and for the Ordinance for the abolition of the Civil List, that he would at least by the motion have asked that tho Government would, in addition to repealing the Appropriation Bill for 1891-for that is practical-

ly

ly what this resolution comes to--bring forward a

Bill to repeal the Ordinance cancelling the Civil 585

List Ordinance, which was the Magna Charta of the rights of the Civil Servants of the Colony, and also a Bill to repeal the Widows and Orphans' Bill, which compels a great number of those obtaining the increase of salaries to sub- scribe to the fund. Then, again, the hon. mem- ber who has proposed the resolution says this question was not brought forward as a matter of impulse, and, of course, we accept his state- ment, but so happens that we are enabled to ix the fact that this change of view as to salaries must have taken place some time since the 25th February last, in other words that this change of opinion-notice of this motion was given a fort- night ago-must have taken place between the 25th February and 25th Marok. Now my reasons for this statement are these: it so happens that the very same day on which this increased military | contribution was brought forward for the con- sideration of Council, on that very same day

of the

salary proposed increase to the the present and future Governors of this colony was tabled and hon. members vot- ed for that increase of salary to the pre- sent and fatare Governors without a word of dissent. Their objections to the military con- tribution were overruled. At the subsequent meeting of the Legislative Council what hap- pened? The increase to the Governor was passed without a word and the question of the military contribution was postponed for one week, I think, and at a subsequent meeting the motion of the unofficial members against the contribution was negatived. Then appears the question as to whether the increased salaries have been paid. Thon no sooner are the words out of my mouth that these increased salaries have not been paid, than the hon. ber springs up and gives notice of the motion. now before the Council It seems to me that although this may not have been the action of impulse, yet seeing the very important interests

Ordinances concerned, affecting three the Colony, and the fact that all members of Council approved the increase of salary to the present and future Governors, amounting to some $3,000, it might have been expect. ed that we should have heard something about the general question at that time and that the vote would have been opposed. Under all the circumstances I must say I think the official members are in a sufficiently independent posi- tion to justify them in seeing that the interests of the other members of the Service are not passed over on this occasion, and I think con- sidering the hardships several of them, especial. ly the older ofloers of the service have gone through in the last twenty or thirty years by seeing the purchasing value of their salaries year by year diminish, without any fault on their part or without being ablo in any way to oback it, that every member here is perfectly justified in voting against not only the amend- ient but the resolution.

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Hon. P.RYBIE said with reference to the Hon. J. J. Keswick, he had been absent from some meetings of the Committee appointed, but that he was able to vouch for his having held only one opinion on the matter, he baring expressed that opinion more than once to him.

The PRESIDENT said he had only referred to

The Conneil then dívided on the Hon. J. J. Keswick's amendment.

what appeared over the signature of the hon. mesuber.

FOR.

Hon. T. H. Whitehead Hon. Ho Kai

Hon. J. J. Keswick Hon. P. Ryrie

AGAINST.

The Surveyor-General The Registrar General The Colonial Treasurer The Attorney-General The President

The PRESIDENT-The amendment is lost. Hon. P. RYBIE-And the original motion stands.

The PRESIDENT-Not in this case. The Council will now divide on the original motion. Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I do not quite understand, I have already given my vota.

The PRESIDENT-A resolution was proposed and then an amendment was proposed. Acoord- ing to the rules of this Council the amendment is put first and the resolution afterwards. The amendment having been lost the original resolu- tion now becomes the question before the Coun- cil. I have therefore to ask the Co incil to vote on the original question.

The Council then divided on the Hon. T. H. Whitehead's motion :-

FOR.

Han. T. H. Whitobead Hon. Ho Kai

Hon. J. J. Keswick Hon. P. Ryrie

AGAINST.

The Surveyor-General The Registrar-General The Colonial Treasurer The Attorney-General The President

The resolution was therefore lost by a majority of one.