Legislative Assembly Hansard 1949

Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 12 OCTOBER 1949 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 778 Questions. [ASSEMBLY.] Questions. WEDNESDAY. 12 OCTOBER. 1949. SUSTENANCE PAYMENTS TO EX-SEBVICE SETTLERS. lUr. H. B. TAYLOR (Hamilton) asked the Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. S. J. Brassington, Premier- Fortitude Valley). took the chair at 11 a.m. '' In view of the fact that the t welve months' sustenance period provided in the QUESTIONS. \Var Service Land Settlement Ao-reement Act is proving quite inadequate to ~eet the BURDEKIN DAM-COMMONWEALTH practical requirements of settlers on heavily CoNTRIBUTION. timbe~ed blocks whic~ require lengthy pre paratwn before cultivation and which in lUr. NICKLIN (Murrumba-Leader of the any case are subject to seasonal hazard, Opposition) asked the Premier- will he make representations to the Com '' In view of the published report tha~ monwealth Government for an extension o:' Jthe Burdekin Dam scheme is being investi the twelve months' sustenance period in gated by a Commonwealth committee of those cases where hardship is being experi four, and that Commonwealth financial enced under the Act as it now stands f'' . .assistance will depend upon the results of such investigation, on what did he base his Hon. E. M. HANLON (Ithaca) replied- statement last month that he expected the " Various aspects of War Service Land Commonwealth Government to bear at least Settlement, including certain provisions of .:50 per cent. of the cost of the dam~'' the War Service Land Settlement Agree ment, which is a joint agreement between .lion. E. M. HANLON (Ithaca) replied- the Commonwealth and State Governments, '' The hon. the Leader of the Opposition have been receiving the attention of the Sec ·appears to have just learned that the Com retary for Public Lands, who administers monwealt1l Government has appointed a the War Service Land Settlement Agreement Committee to examine the Burdekin Dam Act and also the War Service Land Settle project. In this connection, I would refer ment Act in this State. In fact, consul the hon. gentleman to the stat ement I made tations have already taken place at the on my return from the Premiers' Con Minister's di1·ection, between the L and ference and which appeared in the 'Courier Administration Board and the Deputy Mail' of 5 September, 1949. In that state Director of War Service Land Settlement ment I said that, following the detailed in Queensland. Further discussions are to submission which I made on behalf of the be held this week with the Commonwealth Queensland Government, the Prime Minister Director from Sydney." expressed very great interest in the Burde kin Dam scheme; that a Commonwealth L IMIT TO ADVANCES TO EX-SERVICE committee was investigating the economics SETTLERS. of the scheme; and that an early decision lUr. H. B. TAYLOR (Hamilton) asked the on the amount of assistance which the Seeretary for Public Lands and Irrigation- Commonwealth would contribute could be expected. At the same time, having regard '' 1. Have any representations been made to the nature of the discussions which I to him by the Agricultural Bank or by any had with the Prime Minister, I expressed other institution or person urging a review the opinion that I expected the Federal of the limit of £5,000 advance provided in Government to bear at least 50 per cent. of the War Service Land Settlement Act~ the cost of the proposed Burdekin Dam "2. In any case will he give the House project. I see no reason to alter the an indication of his attitude on this opinion which I expressed on that occa question 1' ' sion.'' Hon. T. A. FOLEY (Normanby) replied- GRAZING SELECTIO NS FOR Ex-SERVICE lVIEN. '' 1. No. I would mention for the hon. member's information that Part III. of the Mr. NICKLIN (Murrumba-Leader of the War Service Land Settlement Act of 1946, Opposition) asked the Secretary for Public which relates to financial arrangements, Lands and Irrigation- is administered by the hon. the Treasurer '' 1. As from what date did the pro through the Agricultural Bank. vision operate that 50 per cent. of areas "2. So far as I am aware the present opened for grazing selection are reserved limit of £5,000 has, up to the present, exclusively for applicants who are ex-service proved adequate. Should the occasion arise menf and circumstances so warrant, I will take '' 2. How many grazing selections have up the matter with my colleague, the hon. been acquired to date by ex-service men the Treasurer.'' under that provision~'' Mr. HILEY (Logan) asked the Premier- Hon. T. A. FOLEY (Normanby) replied " In view of (a) the continuous fall in '' 1. 30 April, 1946. the purchasing value of money, and (b) '' 2. Thirty-f our. Ex-service men have the marked disparity between the costs of also had the right to compete for the blocks preparation for use of one land settlement made available for general competition, and block situated in open plain country and have been successful in drawing some of a second land settlement block in a heavily these biocks. '' timbered area, will he make representations Questions. [12 OCTOBER.] Questions. 779 t o the Commonwealth Government for a GALVANISED 1Ro:-<, DALBY DISTRICT. r c'Yiew of the limit of £5,000 imposed on advances under the v,rar Service Land Mr. RUSSELL (Dalby) asked the Settlement Act ~ " · Secretary for Public Lands and Irrigation- " In view of the fact that War Service Hon. E. ~I. HANLON (Ithaca) replied- land settlers in the Dalby district have at ' 'I would refer the hon. member to the last acquired a considerable amount of :mswer •;hich I have already given in reply expensive agricultural machinery, the bulk to questiOn No. 3 (a)." of which is standing completely un~ro ~Ir. RUSSELL (Dalby) asked the tected from the weather, will he make Prunier- special representations to the appropriate '' In view of the provision in the War authority in order to ensure that supplies ·Service Land Settlement Act that improve of galvanised iron are made available for ment s of a previous owner operate in effect the protection of such machinery~'' as a deduction from the advance ·of £5,000 made available under the Act and as this Hon. T. A. FOLEY (Normanby) replied- in many cases restricts the amount of the " Representations have been made hy advance available for p urchase of necessary the Department to the Co-ordinator-General plant, will he make representations to the from time to time, but as the hon. member Commonwealth Government for an increase is aware, galvanised iron is in extremely in the maximum advance allowable in any short supply and is not released for roofing such case1'' or building of machinery sheds-houses have priority. Following on these represen Hon. E. ~1. HANLON (Ithaca) replied tations the Co-ordinator-General has '' I would refer the hon. member to the recommended, and the Government has answer I have already given in reply to approved, that tenders be called for 500 question No. 3 (a)." tons of corrugated galvanised iron from overseas to meet requirements of War Ser ALLOWANCES FOR CLEARING AND FENCING TO vice land settlers.'' Ex-SERVICE SETTLERS. Mr. H. B. TAYLOR (Hamilton )asked the LOCAL AUTHORITY RATES OF Ex-SERVICE Treasurer- SETTLERS. '' 1. Is he aware that, at the time War Rervice Land Settlement blocks were open ~Ir. RUSSELL (Dalby) asked the for selection in the Dalby district, the Secretary for Public Lands and Irrigation- Lands Department officials promised the '' Where a War Service land settler enters selectors that a sum would be provided as into occupation during a financial year, is an allowance for clearing and fencing it the policy of his department to require and that should the settler personally carry such settler to pay local-authority rates on out portion or whole of these works, he the block for the whale of such financial would be allowed an appropriate sum for year~'' such work ~ '' :,l, ls he aware that officials of the Hon. T. A. FOLEY (Normanby) replied- Agricultural Bank are refusing to honour '' It is not the function, let alone the the promise made by the officials of the policy, of the Lands Department to deter Department of Public Lands and that, in mine what rates or for what periods rates consequence, hardship is arising~'' shall be paid by War Service land settlers, Hon. J. LARCOMBE (Rockhampton) or for that matter by any other settler. replied- This is purely the function of the local '' 1 and 2. I would be pleased if the hon. authority.'' member would give me particulars of any alleged refusals to honour promises made CUSTODY OF CHILDREN APPLICATIONS. and I will investigate them.'' ~Ir. WANSTALL (Toowong) asked the INTEREST-FREE PERIOD, Ex-SERVICE SETTLERS. Attorney-General- '' Will he give consideration to amending Mr. HILEY (Logan) asked the Premier- the Guardianship and Custody of Infants '' In view of the substantial delays in Acts, 1891 to 1928, so as to make the simple securing plant by vVar Service land settlers, procedure of section 6 of those Acts, by with consequent losses of benefit of the which a uother obtains an order for cus interest-free period prescribed by section tody of a child, also available to a fat·her 14 of the Act, will he consider an amend seeking custody of his child, thereby replac· ment whereby the twelve months interest ing the· cumbersome and inappropriate pro free period operates from the date upon cedure by writ of habeas corpus which is at which the money was expended rather than present the only remedy open to a father from the less suitable date upon which the in such circumstances~ ' ' lease commenced~'' Hon.

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