Legislative Assembly Hansard 1947

Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 1947 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Financial Arrangements, &:c., Bill. [6 NoVEMBER.] Questions. ll89 THURSDAY, 6 NOVEMBER, 1947. The CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES (Mr. Mann, Brisbane) took the chair as Deputy Speaker at 11 a.m. QUESTIONS. HOTEL LICENCE, MEANDARRA. Mr. RUSSELL (Dalby) asked the Attorney-General- " In view of his statement on 4th instant that an inspector of the Licensing Commis sion had reported that virtually there were only two goats and a dog at Meandarra, 1vill he kindly authorise me to make an inspection of the report in question~'' Hon. D. A. GLEDSON (Ipswich) re plied- '' This was a iigure of speech and could not be taken as literally correct. Police reparts are coniidential and not open to inspection.'' Bus TRANSPORT FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN. Mr. NICKLIN (Murrumba), for Mr. LOW (Cooroora), asked the Secretary for Public Instruction- '' In reference to the free rail passes granted to Rural and High School pupils, will he kindly give consideration to the granting of a similar concession to such pupils who have to use bus services to attend those' schools, in order to place all pupils on the same footing in regard to essential transport for educational purposes?'' Hon. H. A. BRUCE (The Tableland) replied- '' As previously announced in this House, the whole question of road transport of school pupils is receiving consideration.'' C.S.I.R. AX:U' STATE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. :&Ir. AIKENS (Mundingburra) asked the Secretary for Agriculture and Stock- '' 1. Will he inform the House of the nature and scope of the agricultural investigations and experiments proposed to be undertaken in conjunction with the C.S.I.R. on the State Government experi mental farms in the Ayr districH '' 2. Will he instruct his officers to seek the co-operation of farmers' and other organisations in the area with a view to securing advice and acquiring any know ledge of local or other conditions which may assist in conducting such investigations and experiments~'' Hon. H. H. COLLINS (Cook) replied- '' 1. The nature and scope of the investi gations and experiments to be undertaken in conjunction with the Council for Scien tiiic and Industrial Research at Ayr are as follows :-(A) Main Objectives: The Papers. 1190 Questions. [ASSEMBLY.] "3. Will he take immediate steps to study of pasture and fodder crop produc ensure that these requests an-d claims are tion in the Burdekin Valley, under irriga immediately given the most careful tion. (B) Initial Investigations:. (a) p;re liminary observation under grazmg w1th consideration~'' selected grasses and legumes not included in (c) ; (b) study of fodd<=r crops---;-both Hon. T. A. FOLEY (Normanby) replied- grasses and legumes-for the reg10ns; " 1. Letters dated 9 August, 1947, and ('c) to determine the value (under grazi_ng) 11 September, 1947, ad~ressed to th~ of selected grass-legume mixtures as rrn manager and signed by var10us _member~ of gated pasture in the Burdekin Valley. the staff of the State Coal Mme, Collms '' 2. This is a standing instruction to ville were received by the mine manager all State field officers handling investiga and' forwarded to the Supervisor of State tional and experimental work.'' Coal Mines Brisbane. The first letter was an applicat:io~ for adjustment of salaries of COLLIN SVILLE·SCOTTVILLE ROAD. staff members equivalent to the increase of 3s. per day granted under the award Mr. PATERSON (Bowen) asked the to day wage employees as from 4 August, Treasurer- 1947 by the Coal Industry Tribunal. The '' 1. In view of the fact that road tl·ans seco~d letter dealt with the same matter and port is the only means of transport between also asked for an interview with the Supel: Collinsvi!le and Scottville and in view of visor, preferably at Collinsvill~. The. apph the urgent need to improve the amenities of ca tion fo•r an increase in salanes eqmvalent residents in country areas, will he give to the award increase granted to day vmge sympathetic consideration to the need to employees was considered favourably and have the Collinsville-Scottville road gazetted salary increases of 15s. per week as from under the Main Roads Act~ 4 August 1947, were granted on 3 Novem '' 2. If this road were gazetted, what ber 194 7 to the engineer0 two under would be the approximate annual cost to the =~agers,' the overman-rope splicer, the Main Roads Commission~ electrician, and the surveyor. No '' 3. What, in detail, are the reasons for equivalent increase was granted to the previous refusals to gazette this road~'' clerical staff. The mine manager was advised on 3 November of the increases Hon. J. LARCOMBE (Rockhampton) granted. replied- '' 2. Yes. On 4 November, 1947. This '' 1. An application for the gazettal of letter enclosed a new and comprehensive the road from Collinsville to Pelican Creek, log of wages and conditions claimed by Yia Scottville, is at present under con the staff members. The rates of wages, sideration by the Main Roads Commission. &c., sought are very considerably in excess '' 2. The cost of the work would depend of existing rates. The claims made are upon the nature of the work agreed upon receiving consideration. ootween the Council and the Commission, and on the apportionment of such cost. "3. See 1 and 2 above." '' 3. Previously the case for gazettal of this road, on the basis of service to the PAPERS. community and need fo·r works, was insuffi cient to give it priority over other The following paper was laid on the table, applications.'' and ordered to be printed:- SALARIES AND CoNDITIONs, CoLLINSVILLE Report of the Agricultural Bank for the STATE MINE. year 1946-1947. Mr. PATERSON (Bowen) asked the The following papers were laid on the Secretary for Mines- table:- '' 1. Did the manager of the Collinsville Orders in Council under- State Mine receive letters dated 9 August The Lessees Relief Acts, 1931 to 1902. and 11 September, 1947, from the two The Pu•rchasers of Homes Relief Act£, under-managers and other members of the staff, asking for an increase in their salaries 1930 to 1932. or wages and for an interview with the The FinanCial Emergency Act of 1931, Supervisor of the State Coal Mines to place the Financial Emergency Relief Exten before him their views on the salaries and sion Act of 1932, and the Law of conditions of the staff at the Col!insville Distress and Other Acts Amendment Mine~ Is it a fact that, up to 31 October Act of 1934. last, no reply was sent~ If so, why were The Financial Emergency Act of 1931, these letters not acknowledged~ the Financial Emergency Relief Exten '' 2. Has the Supervisor of the State Coal sion Act of 1932, and the Contracts Mines received a letter dated 31 October, of Sale of Land Act of 1933; 1947, from the staff employees of the extending the provisions of those Acts Collinsville mine complaining about their to 31 December, 1948. salaries and conditions and placing before The Supreme Court Act of 1921. him their log of claims on wages and conditions of employment~ What action Regulations under the Navigation Acts, has been taken regarding this letter~ 1876 to 1939 (23 October). Supply. [6 NovEMBER.] Supply. 1191 SUPPLY. I have here also a report of an addres'S delivered to a gathering in Sydney, New South Wales. It is in printed form, in a RESUMPTION OF COMMITTEE-ESTIMATES paper called ''The Witness,'' and it sets out SEVENTH AND EIGHTH ALLOTTED DAYS. the personal experience of the visitor to one (Mr. Devries, Gregory, in the chair.) of our prison farms. These are matters that can be studied by hon. members themselves. EsTIMATES-IN-CHIEF, 1947-1948. The a·mount under this vote shows an increase of £4,020 in s•alaries and a decrease of £2 465 in contingencies, a net increase of DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. PRISONS. £1,555. Additional officers are provided f_or at the Comptroller-General's office (1), Ens Hon. D. A. GLEDSON (Ipswich bane (5), and Townsville (4), whilst the Attorney-General) (11.12 a.m.): I move- staff at Rockhampton has been reduced by one a'nd at Marburg by three. The institu '' That £73,627 be granted for tion at Marburg now comes under the Depart ' Prisons. ' ' ' ment of Health and Ho:qJ.e Affairs and is run This vote is considerably in excess of the as a home for inebriates. The basic-wage amount appropriated last year, and I hope and award increases account for the balance that hon. members opposite will not keep of the increase in s-alaries. During the last us as long a's they did the other dayi running financial year two tractors wer~ bought f~r from Colorado Springs to Banff, Buffalo, and use at Palen Creek and Nummbah. Th1s other places. accounts principally for ~he de~rease. in the amount required for contmgencies this year. This is an important vote. The money will These tractors are used in the hauling of be expended in both corrective and reform timber. It was found very difficult to get measures. The question of prison reform and the timber out of the mountains by means management has been before the public eye of horses and the tractors are doing useful for a considerable time, and we have obtained excellent reports on the ~atter, some of which work. have come from the Umted States. Vote agreed to. I took the opportunity of visiting Victoria an_d New South Wales and inquiring into the PuBLIC CuRATOR. pnson systems there. I found that the autho Hon.

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