Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly FRIDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER 1924 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Supply. [19 SEPTEMBER.] Questions. 96$. FRIDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER, 1924. The SPEAKER (Hon. \V. Bertram, llfarce)' took the chair at 10 a.m. QUESTIONS. USE BY PRICKLY-PEAR COM)!ISSIONER OF OFFICERS OF DEPARTMENT oF PuBLIC LANDS WITHOUT REFERENCE TO UNDER SECRETARY. Mr. KERR (IiJnoggeru), for Mr. KELSO (.Yundah), asked the Secretary for Public Lands- " 1. Is it a fact that the Lands Depart­ ment has authorised the Prickly-pear Commissioners, within the scope of their operations. to use the services of officers of the Lands Department withoLtt refer­ ence to the Under Secretary? " 2. If so, does not he consider this to be subversive of good discipline In the department?" The ATTORNEY-GEKERAL (Hon. J. Mullan, Jilindcrs), for the SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS (HGn. \V. McCor· mack, Ca.:rns), replied- " 1. Yes. "2. No. The Minister expects to get efficient service from the officers of the department, and is determined to prevent the building up of two organisations when ono can do the \\·ork. The Lands Department and Prickly-pear Commission mu ·t work in unison i11 all administrative matters.'' NECESSITY FOR LEGISLATION FOR CONTROL OF' PRIVATE DETECTIVES. Mr. SWAYNE (Jfiruni) asked the Home Secretary- " 1. In view of recent disclosures regarding th., practices of persons described as priYate detectives, is it not time that legislation was iutroducod with the purpose of controlling those pursuing this calling ? "2. Has his attention been drawn to· tho remarks of the Chief Justice in the case of Leslie versus Leslie, wherein he urged the neee,sity of some supervision in this connection?" The HOME SECRETARY (Hon. J. Stoplord, Jlount Jforgan) replied- " 1. The matter is under consideration. "2. No." DATA IN RE RAILWAYS APPROVED BY PARLIA­ MENT. Mr. CORSER (Burnett) asked the Sec­ retary for Railways- " What is the designation, mileage, estimated cost, and amount spent to date of each railway approved by Parliament, classified under the following headings:­ (a) Construction not yet started; (b) started and construction progressing; (c) started and work discontinued?" The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS (Hon. J. Larcombe, I( eppel) replied- " 'I'he information is being prepared " '£64 Primary Producers' [ASSEMBLY.] Organisation Act. GRAZING AREAS SUITABLE FOR SHEEP OPENED maintenance of a Central Council, upon FOR SELECTION IN 1923-24. which all of them shall be re.pre­ sented. Mr. DEACON (Cunningham) asked the Secretary for Public Lands- 3. That this Central Council shall be formed of a delegate or delegates f.rorn " 1. How many grazing areas suitable each branch organisation for the pur­ for sheep all tenures, and over 1.000 pose of conf0rring and taking action acres, wer~ thrown open for selection in upon such rnatters as concern t\VO or 1923-24? more branche; of agriculture or pas­ "2. What is the total number of appli­ toral product:on, but not as rega·rds cants for these areas?" questions in which only one branch of agricultural or pastoral production is The ATTORNEY-GENERAL (Hon. J. concerned. each of which shall be left Mullan, Flinders), for the ;~ECHETAR Y in the cha1ge of ib own branch :FOR PUBLIC LANDS (Hon. W . .McCor­ organisation. mack, Cairns), replied- 4. That the present system of Local " 1. 'When land is opened for selection, Producers' Associations be retained, it is not designated to be open for ~ny but where the produce·rs of more than particular form of pastoral or farmmg one commotlity are inc:uded in the industry. The use to which land selected association's ni.embership, those inter­ is put is a matter for the tenants. ested in each commoditv or grouped " 2. To undertake to secm·p particulars commodities only shall ·vote for the and numbers of holdings taken up and elect10n of reprcscnbtives on branch utilise·d for sheep farming would, apa'l-t organisations coPtrolling such com­ from ascerto,ining the number of appli­ modity or con1moditics." cants, involve a tremendous amount of We must all agree that no more important labour." subject could be bought before Pa-rliament than matters concerning the primary produc­ PAPER. tion of this State. Queensland nmst for many years to con1c dt'lH-'nd for ucc·c3- on its The following paper was laid on the table primary industries. Mr. \V. J. Bryan, ,wf!en and ordered to be printed:- contesting the pr0sidcncy of the lJ mted Report of the Manager, State Advances States, remarked that if the city and conutry Corporation CWorkers' Dwollmgs were both prosperous all was wPll. but if Branch), for the year ended 30th the country \vas Lot prosperoqs and b0came June, 1924. stagnated the grass would soo'd grow in. !he streets of the ritv. If thrrt was the po-'Itwn ir, regard to th<; Pnited Sbtes, how much COTTON INDVST'RY ACT AMEND­ more is it the position in Qu0ensland to-day~ MENT BILL. I do not vvish in any way to n1i• lrni:;;c the efforts of those who have been 0oncerned in INITIATION. the Prin1ary Producers' Organisntions as th<'y The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE stand at present, but the knowledge is being {Hon. W. N. Gillios, Eueharn): I beg to forced on us dav after d:1v th"t these move- nrgani~ations arc ilot pc1·fornling thG func­ " 'I'hat the House will, at its next tions that they should perform. If I had the sitting, resolve itself into a Committee time I could quote report after report of of the \Vhole to consider of the desirable­ Local Producers' Associations. all of which ness of introducing a Bill to amend the denote a ('ertain an1onnt of dissati:-faction Cotton Industry Act of 1923 in certain with those bodies as they exist to-day. I particulars." notice that the Director of the Council of Agriculture, l\Ir. :Yiaegrcgor. is now urging Question put and passed. .:1 scheme for ·ren-:odeEing the organisations. I do not wish to introduce a party aspect to this question. but it is only right that I PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE should point out that it is a matter \Yhich PRIMARY PRODUCERS' ORGANISA­ particularly affects the members of the part:- TION ACT ON COMMODITY PRO­ 1 belong to. They all represent country clec­ DUCTION BASIS. to·ratcs, and from the Yer:,· initiation of the Country party, organisation and stabili~ation Mr. SWA YNE (Jf iran i) : I beg to move- have been leadin--~ planks in its platforn1, " That in the opinion of this House the and action to which I shall rder later on time has arrivell for an amendment beiug has been taken by the party from time to made in the Primarv Producers' time in that direc1ion. On].- to-dav a lead­ Organisation Act, on the" following or ing article appears in one o{ ('Dr claiiv nC'WS­ ·similar lines :-- papers headed "Tr~tged,v of the Land." On 1. That each distinct branch of agri­ reading that articl,., we fi';d thot an inmortant <Jultural or pastoral production have its personage has dr:nvn attf'rti,.Jn to tiH• fae't separate organi:,ation, with power to tt•at in the district of Miles a lonP Pigbty­ raise levies on the product or products oight families hav·c left the land. It is also coming within its scope. '"'timated that 75 per cent. of the boyo in one country school are going to the 2. 'l'hat the levies raised by thc>e cities. The result is that congestions pre­ branch o-rganisations be employed vails in our citie:-., and the question arises, ·solelv in connection with the com­ " What is the cauee ?" I think it is the duty modity or <:ommodities proJuced by of Parliament to no0ortain the cause. Various those it represents and for their benefit, factors bear on the question of why city with the exception of such sum that life is more attractive to our young people these branch organisations shall than country life. For one thing the work mutually agree are necessary for the and anxieties of country parents have a. {Mr. Swayne. Primary Producers' [19 SEPTEMBER.] Organisation Act. 965 bearing on the lives of their children. the farmers engaged in the various branche& Natural causes constitute another drawback o£ a1',riculture will be brought together, to country life, and this is largely a question but the reprcsentativeq of each commodity· out of our reach. Most certainlv natural will appoint their own body to deal with disadvantages may be minimised and dealt matte,·s appertaining wholly and solely to· with to a certaiu E'xtent, and a n1an going their own affairs. Those who are !tcqllainted. on the land is quitP prepared to meet and with the conditions under which the different cope with those difficulties. Then, when the irdustries are working at present will realise· seasons are Louniiful a11d good crops are the necessity for an organisation on these plentiful, a,nother misfortune ovcrtakp•; the :ines. It has been brought home to the· man on the land. Through ihe benefits he Director of the Council of Agriculture, Mr .. derives from nature he is confronted with Macgregor, that something of the kind is glutted markets, and he finds that the prices required. I have a little namphlet here he expected to receive for his products do not entitled " That Agricultural Organisation; prevail. Proper commodity organisation Scheme," which contains a report by 1\h·. would be able to deal with this difficulty. .Macgregor. Right. through you will find If we want to make country life attractive, little paragraphs which indicate the weak­ we. must ensure that the man eng·ar;ed in ness of the present scheme.