a writ for his salary against the corporation of Harwich. The
practice of the payment of members of parliament gradually
fell into desuetude, and in the second parliament of Charles II.
strong disapproval was expressed of the practice. Its gradual
abandonment was due first to the difficulty of securing representatives
in the early parliaments. Men of business were
unwilling to detach themselves from their affairs, as travel
was slow and dangerous; in addition to the perils of the journey
there was the almost certain knowledge that a safe return from
parliament would be followed by the ill will of the member’s
neighbours, for every meeting of parliament was but a device
on the part of the sovereign for inflicting some new form of
taxation, and a refusal to vote such taxation was but to incur
the royal displeasure. The towns themselves were equally
disinclined to bear the burden of their member’s maintenance,
and some even went so far as to obtain their disfranchisement.
In the second place, the growing influence of parliament in
the 16th century brought about a revulsion of feeling as to
parliamentary services, and the increase in the number of
candidates led first to bargaining on their part in the shape
of undertaking to accept reduced wages and expenses, and,
finally, to forego all. A step further was reached when the
constituency bargained as to what it should receive from its
representative, resulting in wholesale bribery, which required
legislation to end it (see Corrupt Practices).
In England, the House of Commons has on various occasions carried resolutions in favour of the principle, more especially on the 24th of March 1893 (by 276 votes to 229), and on the 22nd of March 1895 (by 176 to 158). On these occasions the resolutions simply specified an “adequate allowance”; but on the 7th of March 1906 a resolution was carried (by 348 votes to 110) in favour of an allowance “at the rate of £300 per annum.”
Appended are the salaries paid to legislators in various countries in 1910.
British Colonies
South Africa—.Before the South Africa Act 1909, which brought about the union of Cape Colony, Natal, Orange River Colony and the Transvaal, each colony had its own legislature. For purposes of comparison, the salaries which were paid to the members of these state legislatures are given below. The act of 1909 reduced the colonies to the position of dependent provinces, entrusted only with local administration by means of provincial councils. The act of 1909 (§ 76) enacts that the members of provincial councils shall receive such allowances as shall be determined by the governor-general in council. Members of the new South African legislature receive £400 a year, subject to a deduction of £3 a day for each day’s non-attendance.
Cape Colony.—Members of either house were paid 21s. a day, and those residing more than 15 m. from Cape Town an additional 15s. a day, for a period not exceeding 90 days.
Natal.—Members of the legislature were not paid, but those residing more than 2 m. from the seat of government received a travelling allowance of £1 a day during the session.
Orange River Colony.—At the end of the session each member received £150, and an additional £2 for each day of actual attendance, but not more than £300 in all.
Transvaal Colony.—As in the Orange River Colony.
Canada.—Federal government. Members of both houses are paid $2500 per session, but subject to a deduction of $15 a day for each day of non-attendance.
Ontario.—Members of the Legislative Assembly are paid mileage and an allowance of $6 a day for 30 days, with a maximum of $1000.
Quebec.[1]—Members of the Legislative Assembly are paid $6 a day during the session.
Nova Scotia.—Members are paid an indemnity of $500 for the session.
New Brunswick.—Members of the Legislative Assembly receive $500 per session and travelling expenses.
Manitoba.—Members of the Legislative Assembly receive $1000 per session and travelling expenses.
British Columbia.—Members of the Legislative Assembly receive $1200 per session and travelling expenses.
Prince Edward Island.—Members of the Legislative Assembly receive $160 per annum and travelling expenses, with an additional $12 for postage.
Australian Commonwealth.—Members of parliament receive £600 per annum.
New South Wales.—Members of the Legislative Assembly receive £300 per annum, and free travel over all government railways and tramways. They are also given official stamped envelopes for their postage purposes.
Victoria.—Members of the Legislative Assembly receive £300 per annum and free passes over all railways.
Queensland.—Members of the Legislative Assembly receive £300 per annum, with travelling expenses.
South Australia.—Members both of the Legislative Council and of the House of Assembly receive £200 per annum and free passes over all government railways.
Western Australia.—Members of the Legislative Council receive £200 a year and free travel on all government railways.
Tasmania.— Members of both houses receive £100 a year and free railway passes.
New Zealand.—Members of the Legislative Council are paid £200 per annum. Members of the House of Representatives are paid £25 a month.
United States
Federal Government.—Senators, representatives or delegates receive $7500 a year, and travelling expenses.
Alabama.—There is a session once in four years, such session being limited to 50 days, during which senators and representatives receive $4 a day and mileage.
Arizona Territory.—A biennial session of 60 days’ duration, during which members of the council and representatives receive $4 a day and mileage.
Arkansas has a biennial session of 60 days’ duration, for which senators and representatives receive $6 a day and mileage.
California’s legislature meets biennially, but there is no fixed length for the session. Senators and members of the Assembly receive $1000 'and mileage for the term.
Colorado’s session is biennial and limited to 90 days. Senators and representatives receive $7 a day and mileage during session.
Connecticut gives senators and representatives $300 and mileage for their term of two years.
Delaware has biennial sessions of 60 days, and may have extra sessions limited to 30 days. Senators and representatives receive $5 a day during sessions.
Florida has biennial sessions of 60 days. Senators and representatives receive $6 a day during the session and mileage.
Georgia has annual sessions limited to 50 days. Senators and representatives receive $4 a day and mileage.
Idaho’s senators and representatives receive mileage and $5 a day during the session, which is biennial.
Illinois has a biennial session, for which senators and representatives receive $1000 a year and mileage. For extraordinary sessions they receive $5 a day.
Indiana has biennial sessions limited to 60 days. Senators and representatives receive $6 a day and mileage.
Iowa has biennial sessions of unlimited length. Senators and representatives receive $550 for the session, with mileage.
Kansas has biennial sessions limited to 50 days. Senators and representatives receive $3 a day during the session, with mileage.
Kentucky has biennial sessions limited to 60 days. Senators and representatives receive $5 a day and mileage.
Louisiana has biennial sessions limited to 60 days. Senators and representatives receive $5 a day during the session with mileage.
Maine’s senators and representatives receive $300 a year and mileage. Sessions are biennial and of no fixed length.
Maryland has biennial sessions limited to 90 days. Senators and delegates receive $5 a day during the session and mileage.
Massachusetts has an annual session, for which senators and representatives receive each a lump sum of $750 and mileage.
Michigan has biennial sessions not of fixed length, and senators and representatives are paid $800 a year and mileage.
Minnesota has biennial sessions limited to 90 days. Senators and representatives receive $1000 a year besides limited travelling expenses.
Mississippi has a session every four years, unlimited in length. Special sessions, also, limited to 30 days, are held in alternate years. Senators and representatives receive a sum of $400 for each session.
Missouri has biennial sessions of no fixed length. Senators and representatives receive $5 a day for the first 70 days of each session, and $1 a day for each succeeding day.
Montana has biennial sessions limited to 60 days. Senators and representatives receive $12 a day during session.
Nebraska has biennial sessions unlimited in length. Senators and representatives are paid $5 a day and mileage (10 cents a mile) for not more than 60 days of any one session. If extraordinary sessions are held the total days paid for must not exceed 100 during the two years for which they sit.
- ↑ Quebec and Nova Scotia have each two chambers. The other Canadian provinces have only one chamber.
