Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

THURSDAY, 9 OCTOBER 1919

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

[9 0CTOBEH.] Que:_;,t{ons. 127::>

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

Tm·R~JJw, 9 OcTOBER, 1919.

The S:•EAXEH (HorL iY Lr•nnoll, fl,rfurl) took the chair ar half-pa. bebv·cen his C~overnn]u;t a 1nl the Commonwealth for the sale (>f tJul't._).usland's output of ru\Y .. ~ugar Ulid('r \~ hich uul' sugar i.:; sold at u, price of £:21 pt'r tou, ,Ja~~a sugar j-:, 1J(•ing in-rrodw'('d fol' consumption in ~\nstra1ia. ~!t ~: cc~, of .:C52?"

(Hnn. E. (;. Tl:eudorc,

~Il' ELPHI::\"STOSE (Oxlr p) a->k(·d th~~ Sncn·~ar\- fu·· )tgrieultnrP and Stoc~;:--

FT "s his attr·ntion been t iH' for brandiJI[.!; -stod.;: ! JY y-Qtr-rinnrv Offj\ e.:r· Tt.JJ'i1;, i'( cakll1ah•d to '!'l' :t 1 1UUJll in dw Ynl~JC of

he take otcps to of the schcrrw ,,-ith a

iu this Statr~ '?"

T\w :·mCHE'l' . .\HY FOR AGHIC:TL'f\JRE I ifer1. \\;. ~. Gillic•, Eucham) rep]j,;.cl---

.. L y(''· ·· 2. T tun aware of

.-.,dH'IJH'. hLtt hesitate to ha~ been 1n·oyeJ that it thY) asked thr> .:b,;istant :\lini· tt•r for .Ju::;tir0--

" 1. \\-erp any a::;sistant ufficcr:~ rJppoint.xl jn.;._t prior to Shtl• , !eetions of 16th :VIarc'n. 19Jc: .,

1276 Supply. [ASSE:JIBL Y.] SI.I}J]J:.'l·

'· 2. If Hl. upon what date wore they :.·o a-ppointed?

·• 3. How manv of tlwm had Sc'rved at the previous St;t(\ Plections of 1915 in a ~irnilar capacity?

'~ 4. \Y ere assistant Teturning officers appointed upon the recommendation of, or aft,,r consultation by the ·department \vith. rnturning officers; if not, "\Yhat pro-ccdur0 \Ya.s adDptHJ ju selcC'ting assistant r0turning offieers?''

Hox. J. LARCO;yiBE replicd-"1 to 4. The dPpa rtment, after full

consideration of all cireun1:-tances. ap-poiut{~d the assistant returning officers ,:vho. it \Vas considen'a. \V(\rC the n1ost·

Supply. [n OCTOBER.] Supply, 127~

Hox. \V. H. B,\RNES: Yon haYe the Hgun•s, and I could haYe got t,hem if you hr~d lwen sufficicutlv courteous to ha Ye handed them tD 1110. 1 ·,Ynnt to point out that, accordjng 10 thl~ Trcafiurr-r's O\Vll figures~ quoting from page 279 of the Journals or the Hou-~. the' amount on the 30th September "'a> £522,779. l want to draw attention to the fact rhat t.hc e'cnenditme for three month~; hot.r Loan Account was £957,959. It will be

ouce ,;cc•n that nead,v £320,000 pn :ttonth la:::t ,Ju:n: has bee-n spent frorn Loan

and l "m.Jcl o.sk if that account has rc'pler:i::-,hC'd. I ~\ant to a"k \\-hl'rc a l'l'

·we drifting to, and l10w an~ ·we going to pay ., A~ an i~x-Trcasurcr I kno\v that

LrJ:lll . \_c -'Ot!~;t C

1278 Suppiu. [ASSEMBLY.] s :pply.

this Lw! that i~ {'UlTt•t·L thP nbsoluteh !llnn· t htL1l

tllt' whcle. · TakJus .. :: tlH· lv 011l' . dpl], ered fairlY la to in thP vcar ~--that this amount IYU< £451,250 over· thH t~',,tinlate. In addit:ion to that thf• l'('Yf'YltH~ j, c£296.880 {)\'~)' t,lw EstirnatPo.

The TRE.\Sl-KER: YoH kno\Y 1 1nadc a11 ~tclditional ('StiinatC' in rc-,Jx•ct of rc•tro;:;.:pc•ctivc bt-xatin1!. Von an• ita·ltlrhng- hoth.

Hox. \\~. H. IL\TI"I\;l~S: 1 referred to ilw estimatr) the hon. gf'uth.•nlan rnnclc 1.vhh re-gard to r(•trospc·cti n' tnxation and the c-:.tinlatf' hl' 1nadc foe 1norwy;:; that should

to H Sl )Pcifie purpo~e-to \Vi} lC out dr>ht-and di{l !'JOt p;o to tlL~t pur-rcfern•c1 at the (·oJnmencP!ncnt of

to th(~ fact that nu-. Trc'asurcr and instr_,nd of iLlJ1:ropl·iat-

proppr f'hanaPl he did ~Onle-J)o not lr·t it De too-

corroction. hut l I a1n a.

Sttpply. [D OCTOBER.] Supply. 1279

C ::

j 280

h{' got':" oa to 1nak(' his CDUI; lariEOn. flu points out that in 1913-19, frou1 inco1ne 1-nx alonat the Chairn1an of Comrnittee~-the 1Tie1nber for ~·farce-is one of the fain;::·st n1en who has bccu in thr chair. I i

Supply. [9 OcTOBER.] S'hem ,•d a credit balance of £30.000, that the A udi; nr-Gcr~.cral pointed out that it shonld ruallv han' bot'll a dc:icit of £100,000.

Tl•c Tm: ; lHER: :\o, ho did not.

::\Yr. Vi l\YL ES: The Auditor-General dis-tinctly said that if tbo previous year's prac-tice had been carrit)d out, then instead of shoFin.. a surplus of £30.000. the Trea-

h lanc.,-shoot would have disclosed a oi £1r0.000.

The 'l'HEASrmm: Do you say that was the firct balance-sheet?

l\Ir. YOWLES : Ycc. Tlw TRCASL'P,EH: Then it must have been

+he balance sheet of the Donham Govern-Jncnt.

l\h, VO\YLES: In the following year the Government had a deficit of £250.000, then followed a deficit of £409.000, and the year just closed ended with a deficit of £171,000. \Yo kuow that there were n1onevs roce]vcd bv the Tn ~ts.urcr as excess taxation vYhich should ha,·c been credited to the previous year·, but it w.cs paid into the consolidated roYcmw fnl' the follo1Ying year. Those monc~-:3 \YC·:rc roliPcted for the purpose of

pi_!t jt jr:_?

prc•·ions deficits. Had those allotted as was intended hy

imtoad of paying them into the rCYPnuc, then in~tf'ai! of last with a deficit of £170.000, it

ended with a deficit of £485,000. : Will yon toll me wh

Ol282 [.-'cSSE:\IBLY.] Supp'!J.

::lwnld hc1Ye VLti! tltc l...:t 01 ti~Cllllt :ng 1 o dJ:.:illU'I'l'lll('lll

Supply. [0 OCTOBER,] Supply. l:!S3

~he sa1ne state of in " Enother \Y h v should to f

1284 iASSE~lBLY.] Supply.

:\lr. VO\VLES: lie subsnibcd his name lo nn article la the "DaiJy Bta.ndard" pri11ted in German. I do uot k110\r lw1v lw ('i.ltl have ·· von" in his naJno if he is not a Gt>rrnan.

Tlw TnE.\Snnm: You might :c,k how Mr. Barnc5 gut ·· J-Ic't'l'" ro bi, YH1llH' during the late ekction. (Government laughter.) ·

~Ir. \'0\YI..ES: It sPem::; a. ren1arkaGJo thing to HH' that a Gerrnun artide al)lJCaring in a Ilri,bnne cL: ily paper should lJ, signed "A. L. lioltze and li. T. von D"K" llc'"ley." That doe's 110t sonud Yery English. "BQas-lcy :· doe.:;. not sound V( ry Germa.11; but, when you find a ·· YOn" iu front of it. you begin to "\"ond

Supply. [0 OcTOBER] Supply. 1285

which had disappeared havi.' not b~e·n paid. I have been a victim on two occasions. but only for small amounts; but a constituent ~f mine the other dav lost £150 worth of skins. and thcv ha vc ri:ot been traced. It is high time the" Railway Department realised tape. A parcel is supposed to be haiH:h•l from one pery c1l'l_H1l'h-llent

of one--we do not knrYi\ 1n dlf' ~tate ~ration,.,.

a ]lUpC'r lm]anct', whoh'~fllt'. in Hlllnber onlv a

of a c·crtni!L y~ lul\ It i:"J

1286 Supp!y~ [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

tll[lt there Js nothing in the suggestion that tlJ~r c;ovcrnnwllt, on this occa~ion, are lauuchin~ ont tPt an innovation b~ po~tpon~ ing 1lH• Finan-c""U1l Statf~n1cnt, or b:v~ a~king for Supply ou the Recond of'casion, before the: dctrtib of the iinances are pl~ccd before mc'mbcrs. The hem. me mbcr for Bulimba endcavourf·(~ to llHtkc a point out of his dj Jicnlt.T,- in getting certain information from the Tr~·a ur~- to-t1a-v, and tried to sho,,-tliat ho was tratccl discourteous]:>· by myself. I \Yonld lik0 to o:.ay there is no desire on rny part to treat disc:onrtf'ously any hon, 1nem~ ber in the House in the matter of getting inforrnatiou. I arn OJJly too ·willing to give itdl'l'Hlutiou ·whic:h is available· in thv dl·part-ment, HJ!d \shich it iS; bett.Pr for lllClllhPn; to u::::k for_ But the hon. n1Pillb('J' cnnH' 1lt tlll'· la~l H10Blf'tl1.

Hon. \Y. H. BARXLS: '\o. that is not correct.

ThP TREAStTtEH: I do uot. know when the hon. member came. At any rate, it came before n10 only at. the last rn01nent.

Hon. \Y. H. B..IR:- Government had no possible enntroi a~ fat as coiH'•~rns tho ~trcatcr por-tion of the~ incrr•ase. I \Y.ill refer to that Lltcr ntt in ddail. The hon. member wants t'J k11ow wby thr- rctrosper~tive land and. ineorrH' t nx was diverted fron1 it~ propo:tr )HH)I

Supply. [9 OcTOBER] Supply. l28'T

Coninlittt'l' with th•

i11 eonnL'(·tiuu and itH'OU!l'

tUl to undcr-~tand tlu:: posltion, and h{-' wa,.; four vcars at the 'f'rcn~"-nrv. Can tlw l'OlJ. ~ a!j..:."\Y{'l' rne the Vla.in qttc~t;Oll t,J fund ]t could haYe lwen put to

}Jan. \\'. n. BATixf.~: I rd ·r :-ou to tlw Aud1 tor -Ut'n'-'l'a 1.

Th;• THEA::ol·rn:·:ft: I am iner:n~;~l:r what fund lt ( unl(l to.,, 1 rH' hon. IJIPIU!wr, who v.-a::: .

:.1 i n•;t·VPlltH.' Fun,d.

ITE8: You al'c' going to ('U J"l",\" it DY0l' '!

The TREASlJEEH: So a> to liquidate it iu ·111 hone-st 1nanncr; not pa')S it on to p< stcrit~·, as was done by Administrations with whieh the hon. gentleman was con-llt'Ct.cd.

Hon. "\Y. lL BARNES: That is not correct. All i ho timP I was there we had a surplus"

'l'lH' TREASURER: Not all the time tht' hon. tll..(·nlher \vas therf'. The hon. n1cmber \\as in rho Hou"o while the Administration 1H~ \Yh," ~upporting had a deficit vyhjch was. liquidated by the ;,,sue of Treasury bills. That :i~ g-oing back .;:.n1ne years, ncv the l1on. membr;r. Onlv a few the qunrt

!288 Supply. LASSEl\IBLY.] Supply.

The TREASURER : Does tlw hon. g·entle-man want me to make a daily budget'!

Mr. VowLES: No. The TREASURER: It is only a few day"

ago that the quarter closed, and the full information will be publiehed m thQ " Gazette " of all the operations and trans-actions in connection with the different balances. Nothing more than that can be done. Every month the Treasury returns are mado availabl!: to the public., showing the rccci pts and expenditure in conr. cctlon with the various funds. The information is given with as full dc•bil as possible. I might explain to the hon. member, when he was alarm

Supply. [9 OcTOBER.] Supply. 12811

extravagance' Does the hor:. gentleman refer the cxtra £6,400 spent in connection with

Bri,bane General Hospital as extrava-c;ant '! The sum of £16,800 was spent in con-nPction with outdoor relief on•r and above l.Yllat lV~ts provided for on the 1~stin1ates. VYe , and should not 'havP lH'L'n jnC'urred. 'Tltnt is tlH· cld '''"Y of l'man.ciw;. T wonkl rathCI' lt

l2GO [ASSE::\iBL Y.] Supply.

Hon. \Y. H. B.iP.i'~R: I never made such tt Etatnnld1t.

The TREASL.:HER: 'The hon. member cut down wage;; y;herevcr he could, and endea-voured to chccscpare in Jiffereut directinns. If an,un· tah:~ s notice of the hon. me-mber i or ~\ ibert, he will see that he would operate on the financial policy in another direction, and instc ad of putting the taxation on the shoulders best able to bear it, he "ould distribute it right throughout the· whole com-munitv. I think I have traversed in dctail all tlie stutemcnts made by the tlvo hon. geutkmcn who ha,-e spoken. I may say that .an ('arly opportunity '\ill be taken to 1~orc fttlly explain the· financial position when I am presenting the Financial Statement. The :Financial Statement is delayed this year

as con1parcJ with previous years [5.30 p.m.] for reas0ns which are 0bvious

enough to hon. members, but there "-ill be 110 at!Pmpt to check clisc!1ssion on the Financial Statement. The Standing Orders set out the tinw allotted to it. as well ns the time allotted to the discussion of the Estin1a tes. Thero is uo dm:.ire tg delay it h0yond what is irnpt~ratiYely necessary, when you take into consideration the neces-sity or' considcnng the Eetiinates and {le·aling with tl1P· nutny disturbing factorf) in regard t•:) public finanS as muc:h.

::\h. W. COOPER: \Yhy Ehould not they do it all?

::'>lr. :FRY: I arn 'Very glad to he:cr that intc'rjeclion. You admit, hy interjection, that th(y are doing son1ething, yet up to the pre,ent you have claimed that th1n fron1 the CotnnJoJnvcaltb U.on•n11n~nt. lt is just as 1ovell for the pubE'J to l.:..no\V thi:-:.

Tn -colllh.:ctioH ,,-ith tlw la.1Hl settlen1cnt for ::-,o]di

Supply. [!J OcTOBER.] Supply. 129.1

ri:::c alJO\"{' tlH· llW':--tiun of tlv• hrothc•r!tood of men. I :-;ny ,,.e haYP 110 ri;;;·ht to l:h~ here, beeau:::l' it .-~hu\\ that \\'P arc' only hen· for a job, ;-111d not. fn1· tlH' good of the· conntry-. Th{'l'(' i" no OllP in .\ustralia. to \rLo}ll ·we should :dHJ\\ I1lOl'(' "'.Ylllpai-h~v than to the lliCn vvho \H•llt awt1y to f:ght, und nHllJ)' of ·whorn haYe hC'f'll \HJHIH-ll'd and. pcrhctp~. had thc·jr live~ fJlHn·teut·d. l c1l..;o \\-cnt. to BPerburrnm with a lllf'nlh-r thinks I atu di~hon-r,-.. t. 1 Ulll sorry I n:m actuated by honc:3t purpo:::cs.

J1fr. Fry.]

l\292 Supply. [ASSE1IBLY.] Supply.

ThP TREAST:RER: \Vo have set aside £15,000 a year for hvo years. \Ve have expended • :£30,000 on that object, and the money is in the hands of trustees, and "'C• ha v0 no control over it.

l\1r. FRY: The Treasurer informs me that the money is expended. It is expended in this way: it is placed in tho hands of trust0es who are appointed bv and under the direction of the Government

Tho TREASUHEU: No direction of the Go· ·vernrnont.

Mr. FHY: Thev have failed to distribute the fund~ as Parliament intended they should be distributed.

The THEASl'REH: 'Why criticis0 the Govern-ment?

Mr. FHY: Because they appoinb'd a com-mittN• i-1 administer the funds advanced bv Parliament, and their own nornin.ees arC not carrying out the wishes of the Govern-ment. Is not this the right place to brino-up the subject? o

The THEASUHEH : JYlr. Gordon Graham is u;sponsibl~.

Mr. FRY: If Mr. Gordon Graham is re-sprmsihlP for the distribution of this money, and, if it i• not being dietributecl in a right and proper way, it is tin1e for the I\1inister to dissoln• the board and appoint another QllC.

The 'l'nEASURER: This board is getting a ;:-eprrscntativo upon it of the returned soldiC'r~' organisation.

. Mr. FRY: I am very pleased to be told b;; the T.rr'.~surer tl:at the 8oldiers are gPtting '.:"E'JHt'"'-CntatJon on 1t 110\V, because they have agitat,•·1 for it for a long time. l challenged the Ylinister to disprove that. because I kno\\- t1F· facts. '

'J'h,• THEASVRER : You do not tell the fact£. 1\1t· .. FHY~: I know the [;~cts as far as the

repn.:sr-ntation on that board is concerned, and I ehallongo the Premier to get publicitv ~th~. -

The TREA.SUHEH: The L:pper Hou:o tried ~lefcnt us in regard to advancing the

mmtl',';:o ligbt. \Ye· canuot l1~;Y rnu io11 un rPhn·nt~d :-;o\dil J ;:;.."

IYill do g·ond. A . ..: long a~ am I nni gouJg to rai-;e thC';;..'('

[ilfr. Fry.

qu0stions. as I am ft('l'l' to do what I can for the soldiers .

:Mr. BEHT!l.DI: Some of them are not very proud of you.

Mr. FHY: I do not wpposo your friends arc. l might tell you that the rcepectable people on my side of the rin'r arc not proud of you. I do not want to list

Supply. [9 OcTOBER.] Supply. 1293

nf instances that could have been curtailed if not cut out rrltogether. The items may not haH\ been very big separately, but the aggrc·gation of them means a lot of money. ·we find that the Public ·works Commission has cost £7,694 cince it was brought into b~in;:r, and I do not believe that the result has been the construction of a single rail-way in Quecndand that would not have been constructed without it. I have not a word to say against the members of that Com-mission-! darcsay they are carrying out their duties to the bQst of their ability-but, considering that wo lmve been going through a very stringent time on account of the war, what is the good of bringing forward rail-ways which we have no money to build? \Ve have this Commission roaming all over Quc~nsla11d, and taking evidence on rail-ways thCLt will net be constructed, and are not likely to be constructed for generations. I think that is one item of waste ''e could very well :save. 'rhcn, again, 've have ex-pQrin1cnts in coaln1ines, such as the Warra coalmine. The loss there was £47,453. That could have been saved, I think.

Mr. DERTRA~I: \Vhat about the arsenic mine?

Mr. GUNN: ?\fobocly knows what is going to ha pp en there, but I weuld like to say that the man in charge of the arsenic works in my eJ.:ctorate is doing good work. It will not be his fault if it does not pay. But we do not know what the rJrice of arsenic is going to be. 'I'he pre-war price was £9 per ton. If it gets dewn again to anything like the pre-war price, our arsenic mine will go by the board.

'I'h~ TREASl:RER: What is the present price of arsenic?

Mr. GU:\"N: T,he present price does not bear on the subject, but I believe it is £60 per ton.

The T!!EAS"CRER : \Vhat do you think we should sell arsenic for?

Mr. GU:'\l'\: I think that if the Govern-ment put down an ar,Gnic mine they ought to make it pay. I do net know what it costs to produce arsenic, and ho'v can I tell what it should be sold at? That is ono ef the things that might come eut on top, But look at all tlw othel' fcilurcs of the Go.-crnment. \Vhat is the good of the lime: crushing plant? It is a pure loss. You sec this extravagance in oven little things. There was a jollification at the Exhibition some time ago, on the eccasion ef the declarrrtion of peace. A film was taken of the celebration. It coet the country only £82, but still that is a dead loss. It was only shown onco by a dc,f( atcd Labour candidate who had the nse of thP nim for nothing. Then we ha re 111ore n1otor-cars than wo arc justifiC'·d in posse':~ing, consiJeriug the finunf'CS.

The 'TREASURER: Would ydu have the inspectors go on horseback ?

Mr. GUKN: No. If I were running affairs, I would have llO State cars con-nected with thQ departments, except, per-haps, the Premier's car. I would instruct the Under Secretary or whoever it might be to go out en the street when neces"ary and get a car from a garage.

The TREASGHER: That would cost more than -the present system.

Mr. GUNN: When you have a chauffeur to look after a car, it is used on Sunday, it is used to go to the races, and all sorts

of thi1ugs, but when you have te go on the stJ·ef>t, and get a car when you want it, :vou ,-,·mdd only get it wh~n it was needed. The Estiwat

Supply, [ASSEiviBL Y.] Supply.

b UNN : ThE> State children did not all that money.

T!: TREASl:RER: They took £100.000 of it.

\Yhat JS £100,000 in

not take rnuch of n-tuno~~ .

. 'Til;AScREll : They took £60,000 of it.

\lC:\lng done a Ladder." A of tho hill; it w -,~ made

place. "nd then all at once the' cl·ci'·~t>d. \Yhat has ;;appcncd '? yv·e

ha Ye hcnnJ D lot of talk a bo"t Harclctcre"s Park. ·whc•re tho Xornwn School no\v stands, and !JO"ibly the Trades Het!] ;, going to. be bt1ilt on that ~itP. and Jn~te

1 D 0< ronrc:n.] l2\i5

-_rl-ll"' ri'R.F\8,{ Hr·~R: "TtH~ \\"j:-·h ;,., fnt-hf'r to hP t~:fJup:ht.''

. C.

fol' dr·penr~s upon

pl't)' p(~"it·y of the Stab:.~. ~t }s the J?:t'i-proot!Ccr~ •,vho aro prar·t1cady b0anng

whole burden of the direct taxation in

f:!d. 1 h

1296 Supply. [ASSEl\IBL Y.]

condition of those -,.yho arc 1,lpon those lands·~ It is a singular thiug that we harP tl1c ver~· organ hich ull Dll'llll:c:rs on the otl1cr sid-u swear advoc;Jtiu!.:!,' this in its i-;sue uf tho 1st of n1ou t h--

position of th(: railways ~~~l'Ul:-; to going fron1 bad to wor~0. T~1o last f~naucial t!ar thcL~ v .. -u-; a deficit of £l,023,00~. for dw year cnrh•d 1918-19, accordiug to the Auditor-Gl'nera!', report tablr•d yesterday, it is £1,421,328. _)Ju{'h uf thL' lll:']';,_;;l:-:c j .... due to Yariuus caU.':'l'~, such as laek of freight~, 0 1,-iug to drought. an(l o-and-so s~titl. ,;-:\.\•.;;.,

lllU""t ha\· eulr:lllC

Suppl!J. [I) 0CTOBE11.j 129'1

HJl to tl"' r•JJOrmnus &nl!l ot £44.768,468, the fPr.n~J to a-:; pru!li·c·t•r-: and c·s, runny of t~1osc unfor-TUIHdc·, would uot h the Goyern1nont parlian1enta.ry SGC're-t·Iry :-

:\foved, seconded, and carried unamr-ously-That in view of the expect,o

1298 8appl·t.

g< to n1nk(•

lea f 1:\\'t'lVt' lliOlltb opt:oa of u fine.

I would like to refvr to the A·dtni11lstta tion,

ae:tiun uf thl'

·~rcrrt. '\Votk. and "" tcl'mcd ~ " the ~tato."

'l'llCd.

0PPOSIT10~ :VJniBEHS: Hear, hear:

Ilox .. J. G. A PP EL: The\· h v(' ~ivC>n CYC'r~y ahi~.tnnC"o to whu'teYer tration 1nigln occup_y the Tn•a;·mr:-··

local that

{ ur 11 n~ight

nf thP

""Cntil the Adt:lini:-itt·ation ca1Tlt' into CUf,tolu \\ hvre no no;nina-

Yacanc\, for tin· J-In.lw lor:al a'uthoritv~ if tlJc''.

t1v· loc,;l

That if a mnn ha·l hc'Phold it. 1-Lt\-iLJ{ ri---kc•d hi~ Iiff', fc11' his collntr\· ancl thP honour of he is to Le~ trcn_h•d

Supply, tO 0CTOilEH.] Supply. 1:299

'Onld he rcfe:t· to 1t ·w\wn li Le~ :?\.Tr. \dten it c1:d nr)t exl- t? Tlti:"

For ~----rPk-- and the public tL·lmk:l

1 n the B~orne Se," Thn }IcntE SECHEl'AR'f: Yon delu,l!'J yout-

._;plvcs.

lllC'. rnu~st be YOn.

iO SOITJC>thing cmnection \Ylth

\va~- SC(~il going in, but it c.Jnling out.

It E.£'('Yl

ThP FIO:\lE SECRETARY: DtJ ~ny that thYPck' and months. It is on(.: of the n1ost arnusing things con-nectc'd \Yith the prc::-t•nt GoYC>rnnwnt. :.Fiolv-cver, I 1:vjll pass over that; is uot a g-ricTall

131)0 [AS.'v thand_ thn ing. \Ye· do ho!1. lu(~Irdlt'l' 1HH,;,t fl'{ll1l that idea.

tai!··q1vs in order borrow mow!y lo and if in build-

c.-' 11 e1uplny on~· 1ncn \Yagc-.:, so Innctl t1Jr:

to ('u~· ing and bettc

T!F· TBE.\SCRER: Tlwrr- ai'c too nu1ny "ifs~l nbout it.

}fr. Bl

Supply,

"'18\:e~· SL'Cn before. \Vhe1·c- i~ there a higher t:>ehgH)fl than that; that nwn ~hould givo th,,i,- live' for children whom thev had never ueen? rrhat \VU8 all because thev ha.d 110 reinforcements. The ships of Nm;- ~oaland that took men to the front, broug-ht tirC'd, \7i,'Cary l11CII baek. r_rhe Now Zealanders "\YOl'O not compelled to stop there. That is tho ~Jiffercncf'. Then, again, ...._L\u~t.ra1ia. dre·,\· on her industrial population. Out of ·.·our rail-way sel'Y ice you took 11early 2.000 ~mC>n, and

took alruo'i'it e>vcr\· uYailablP n1an front fannlng inr1u~trv ~on d1c• Downs. :-· .. a i'( _,1\· a n1an 'to be had on

froul t hP ra.cccour~e:-:\ } llttp-po:::q;.. you did not n1jsc.. onP.

l\Jr. K_lRWX.'\: Bri-0an8 ha:-: ti11· hight·-..t-,oen·Pntugc of atJ~' (•]:"{·tornt•· l11 ihf· ( 'o!n-moltViTalth.

;Yir. BEBBINGTOX: :\othiu" ,,j 1 lH· ,urt: -rt WilS fron1 t lw industrial IH~pulation aud not from th< th0 racceour:-:it'S and holds ur' rhe li \\·un1d hn.n• hilppcnccl.

J\.h. Kmw.IK: You tdl tlH' pc•Jpl•· that at t;he ConllHO!'i'i''ealth t:•lf'ctio11. and S('CI ho'V thev \-Vill l'f'CPiYe ~~011. ·-

~~1r. BEBBE\GTON : C'crtaiuh. l will tell dl(·Ul. The rwople who oppO~'t'd' COltS{·J"'ini ion :n the p,~st

[ASSE:\IBLY.

:\h. BI~BT\1:'\CTO:'\: :'\ot always; I l' t)f ('on eripts , "\Yh(J wcrP on tht \Vf'stcrn front .. \\ ith frl':-;h n'infon~uncnts. \\ere n.ot .t-JkL'n there to stop the Ccnnat,l Gnrn~h: Jt. will s~ rtnd to rhe {'Yf'rlasting "~'':dit of the Australian ,o\dier.s that tll" onlv Yolnntcc~~· nrn1v 011 tlw \Vestt•rn front had to be called in' to saYe .Amiens, and to prevent a wedgP lwing drivQn in bet1veen the Briti'h and French armiec,. To-da v ::VIr. Hughcs, after haYiJ)g slandered the mc;J. who opposed conS

Supp/1!. [9 0CTOBEK] Supply. 130~

1914. ju~t prc:Yiou& to a Federal elt-:~tion. It sa vs-

. "Of course. the majority of the Ger-nwn population kno1y that the Prirnc Mini,tcr (~Jr. Cook). tlw ~\Tinist T for Trade and Customs (l\Tr. L. E. Groom). the Premier of Qu~ Secretary (Mr. Appol), and other Liberal leaders haYc:. one and all, rcpratcdl0- spoken in Yery dt;Gnito tenns of praise uf tbe Uc nnan people in ..:\uE>tral ia. and expre~sed tho sincct·6 hope that nothing wonld occnr to dis-tnrb the good f~eling~ subsisting Lctwocn thc British and the German people in this fair land."

J\'ow. I hope we "ill hear no more of these statements, that hon. gentlemen opposi\te ar0 disinclined to admit thcv made a bid for the Gern~an vot~e. As a ;natter of fact, when I was in South Anstralia at the last Ff>dcL·al E'lf'ction, no lcfls g p(•rson than the Minister for Home Affairs-Hon. F. Glynn-threc clays befor~ the election issued a pam-phlet in German to those German people who the other day were described by Senator Bolton as being- a lot of disloyalist''· He had no hf''iitation in app~aling for their votes. I have aleo a copy of that pa.rticular docunH'nt, ancl it mig"ht, if necc-,s,uy, be inserted in " Hansa rd." but I will not ask for tl1::1t now. ThP prcvio11s aJ\~,·rtisPln('nt.~ that of tho hon rnembcr for Bulimba--refer.' to the record of thc- late Liberal Go.-emmcnt, snyi11g tltP·" brought in_ old-a:;-~c· nen~ions. tht' \Vorkers' 1hYf'1lings Act, and other lYlC·a~uref., of a sin1iiar dpseription. [ v~·ill let it n;-=:t ut ihat. 1 ha,-c lidE•Jlcd to the n•tnarks of th.-ho11. nF?in 1uer for Dra~'tou l'Pf';ardillg the treat~ 1nent of t.ho rPturned 3o1diers bv thjs Go\~prnnJenr. This fjon-~rnuH ir valuo in son1e C'ases. . ;\h. KIRWA:'\: The hon. grntlem;n said c::o111ethi11g about a certain place bcjng paved wit.h good intentjons. If one of tho reqni:3itee for going- tlwrt~ i.~ jnggling- with tho trnt.h, the h011. gcntkm:w ,,-ill ilucl himself there.

:\TL BEBDTXGTOX: I haYP be! n on stat:io11·~, J.ncl lun·c ~ecn that you could buy thf'n1 for a !hircl of t.he 1Jric• you 5avc.

JYir. KlR\Y.c\.1\: I rcrncmb~r th0 tinw wlwn could buv butt('!' for 6d. a lb. in Bris-

Yon cUnnot buv it now. You cndd a pair of boots' fot 15s. 6d. a pair. :oou lnJYe to pay £1 17s. 6d. You could b,,,.f for ld. and 2d. a lb .• now you pay

and Bel.: and had a 1\ationalitit Govern-n1ent been in pO\'i"f'1' 1 you won1d ha\-c had te> ]':t.' 1'. 6cL

!\lr. BEBBiXGTO~.;: You alt-o l1ad io pay le'-.' for pnhticians.

c1 lr. Kfl\W.\X: If th·· i""'· ._/q, .... llLl 1l1irJk hl' }--.. \\"f;l'~!l tHUl'i'

a."' I. di Scuven d. llnmedi atch oll the of tlw hc:v and hi~ rt't u'rn tu hi-.: JW1'f'1d:-:, the pO'·,itlon \Vas dl:--

tlwi· tlti;-:, nwu hacl hl!l'Jl Vving- f(H UJtd('f t}Ie }JO'Hd1.~. Df a iri."~O "\'i'ith hi~.

11if" ""d Ji,-p

1304

flc lic·r·n -eYould haYc that OW' ]o,t, too, there would be no di sL'riml nation.

:\fr. }L\RTLn· Did YOil a k tlw 6 o'clock dosing pt!(l[l]t> whcth.f•r the 1Jl'iition W!lR 1 ~l'l)St'lltcd?

l\fr. 71100RE: I do not neecl tu go to tbPrr.. I take the reports. The hon. n1ember hirnsdf said that the petition was presented.

}'.It·. H · RH.l:Y: Y eo. the pcti tion for a poll in tbe loc;d O]Jtion areas.

:\lr. ::VIOORE: I am not talkir,g abont the lu8n1 option are,1s. I an1 ta.lkir:g about the petition that \vas pr( ;cntr•d n.ftt'r that poU \\",t' taken.

~\!.r. fiunu 1.·: -:\o: there "\Yas. no pdition ] )n:,sentc:lL a~'~ :=>r i:hat.

:.lr. \7"(1\VLE,, · The St'Cr0t::tl'Y for :!\lin('S said

T" · P Srr·;n:'I-_\ HY ron _i)r·-~. H' I:~ ·i' ~-( TIOX : -\· (;ll !;.n•J •,- )t ''· ns l1 1Jt prc~C'·ntl·tL

Supply. [9 CkTOBF.R] Suppiy. 1305

no provision fo:t thl' hour r,£ dosing; it 'imply makes provi•.ion for accepting a petition thal; hac. already been signed as a, JWlition withill the rne

1306 .':up ply. [ASSE:UBLY.j S' tpp!y.

not Tl1, llOt"

rililJ" t' at ll:"lPu lo('OJl~)· i \"'-'"' \V ho

Tlu· H0:11E SEc'RE'LIRY intcr.ivted.

::\lr. ::\]()()l1E: I did, nwl J ' ill 1 kt• ir «~;ait:. lH~cau:--e ibt' Thl' y,l),·kt'r ~~d"' 1t a ..... :1,·itt. Thf· fal'l!l!'l' h;-~~ 10 1lll,\' b pPr t'l'lll.

llh'

Tiw J ltDJE ~i!:C'H' T_\nY: \YlJd; ;1bnit dJ•' .'a!'Ilh r \\ho ~~ .. ,~ -: not 11ay:·

?\11'. ~I(JOHE: ll.c• La..; t() pay 1l11Yl't•· alJ tl11· ·1ntP. T1e t'\ Pl! had l)}~h·ict Court ·w.TY \\.hy tll'f' ts an PllO:r 1uou:-: deJJutatiw: lll~ would not ::shuffio or \YO;')lJlP 0~-('J' tht• 111-

1'f;t.' 'j_'R!·.\~1~!'1-T; \\ JH'l'!.' 1"' tb· 1wtiti011:

.\J1·. :\I{)CH_~E: Tiwi i:-:. t' ·t··tl~- ''hat \\;.: \\

nf li1e H!Ult11Cl' -iu which quf'Htio!"J(\ :J q-..1' /'l'''d h,\ thr· Uo\·i~rl!!JH·nt rh

Supply. [9 OcTOBER.] Supply.

he" ·i()JJ. ThP right to ask quc.3tion~ is onr:~ \vhicb l!winlwl'~ :-~b01dd of tlH' rt'a:-:nn . ..:, \\~ith rc•-

tn :t g-1 llll!l•): ·'K aH tlw dt'Pl'lHI

[ ASSE~IBL Y.] Snpply.

h:!:~r~i:::r!'l' ('~naiH questio11s ln 0011S•'qut'ue:n of i ht.h'r that 1 hnd l'l'CCiYPd,. nn {~xtract of .,ltich I \HJ!lld like' to l"Pad to the Housc. [ t('{'f•ivhl Uny such anB\Yer to any que.:;tion. Re-tul:ned soldiers have L0en en1ployed in the Railway Department to the uumber of wmo thou,•mds, and ld hands.

The State is dividc·d into thrcH [_9.30 p.tn.J divlB1or~s for purposes of iho

3.\\"anl~-- Xorth. Centrn. and fhnth. The 1' ~tt.' of p·~~- is J1iu:hcst in fh0 North,

in tl1c Central diYi~ion, anL1 still lowr-;· Southt\rn d}yi-.:ion. ,.\ fte1' hr~n·jng-t\e judge. i11 l1is '"" isdom, ca.n1e to

th t it was fa.ir t.o all narties Pro'0rpin0 shou1d be ·placed

·(li\'1:-.lou. Vea1· to lJn-,r .

tu

"1. J, it e feet that. th() award of the coart

Supply. [9 OCTOBER.] Supply.

Bureau of { 'entral Sugar to the waS:'PS 11nd conditiol!~ for the XortlH'.fn di\'i-..ioJJ h~·in12: npp1if'.d to thP t'lllpln~·c-1' in tlw Pro:-;Prpinp ~\I ill·:

\Yi ll not the illtTt"J~cd cu, t Yc,;;ultlng fr01n thi~ con-

..:\u~tra1ian \YDrk(•rs· L-nion jn tl1P cost of lnHllH-

a:-;c_. ill the pH~" the gTOiYC'C for

rro thai: qtH~~tiun he got the btraightout reply, "-~les." In other "--·ords, ibis con-er ::;ion ,;- lS gra.ntcLl, not at the ex pen ,e of the 'J'r0asury, but at t!w Pxpcmc of the grO\YCl':". OYer and OYCl' aga,in it has been assertr·cl bv hon. members this side that GoYern.mC'Dt control of or of large bodic~S of cn1plo} cc.~ not in the best int~rcsts of cHJcicncy, our contention js borne out by the n1nnag~n1ent of these :~:nilh. For instance, the Did.;:son a-;,yard \vas made retrospective for three months. The question was thrash{:d out in the courts, and on appeal it was decided that the award in this \YUS invalid, aud thl'rC \Vas no

to n1ako tho puyn1cnts rctro,--pcc-ti n:. But a dr•nuJ nd \vas 1nade in co:nnec:tion ·with the rnills under GovC'rnincnt control that this rctrospectiYe payment should be made, and I found from answers to questions that c£6,000 was taken out of the pockets of farn1ers to n1cct that dcn1aud. Of course, grower has to foot the bill en·ry time. though there was no legal compulsion, that 1nonc'y ·was handed oYer to the cn1ployecs of tho_:(' mills, sltnply because they \Ycre rcpre-sentod by a powerful politi< a! union. En-couraged by their succes,- last year~ a similar demand was made this year at the Proscrpino on the gTowor, although he had been mnktod by tlw :lncrea~cd cost of \Vorking the n1il1 la~t year, through having to pay the Xorthern rates. 'This year thL·y demanded that they should be p of C'Xln'nJ.i, I a""k'( d ano1 her quoniun of the hon. Inan 1rho is charged IYith tho tiou of nnd otlH~r rni!lB, but he wr; igHon!nC'P of the fact '"a~ -dl( _.·A.ll I can StlY j;) that"

'

r'llO A]>Jfi'O}JI'ialio 1 Bill, !'{o. 2. [ASSEl\lBLY.]

br(;ught up