Queensland
Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]
Legislative Assembly
WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST 1940
Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy
Address in Reply. [28 AuGusT.] Questions. 109c
WEDNESDAY, 28 AUGUST, 1940.
Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. E. J. Hanson, Buranda) took the chair at 10.30 a.m.
QUESTIONS. MARGARINE PRODUCTION IN QUEENSLAND, 1939-40. JUr. WALKER (Cooroora) asked the Secretary for Agriculture and Stock- '' What was the tonnage of margarine produced in Queensland in 1939-40 ~" The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, Barcoo) replied- '' Complete figures are not yet available, but it is estimated that approximately 920 tons of margarine were produced in Queensland in 1939-40. Of this quantity,
by far the1 greater proportion was of animal origin.''
ALLOCATIONS OF STATE TRANSPORT RoAD FuND. 1\'Ir. NICKLIN (Murrumba) asked the Treasurer- '' 1. In 1939-40 what amounts of the Heavy Vehicles Road Fund were allocated to-(a) the Main Roads Commission; (b) local authorities; and (c) consolidated revenue~ '' 2. What were the details of the allo .. cations to local authorities~" no QuestionB. [ASSEMBLY.] Questiom.
The TREASURER (Hon. F. A. Coop~er, authorities on account of the contributions Bremer) replied- which would otherwise be due by the local authorities for maintenance.'' " 1. (a) £18,228 lls. 3d.; (b) £9,803 13s.; (o) £26,913 7s. 10d. 'The Heavy Vehicles Road Fund no longer exists, it REPORT OF WOOL ADVISORY COMMISSION. having been superseded by the State Trans Mr. MAHER (West Moreton) asked the port Road Fund when the State Transport Premier- Act of 1938 became law from 2 January, 1939. " 1. Having regard to the remarks made by him on 20 an·d 21 November, 1939, when t' 2.--..j he stated that the recommendations of the Wool Advisory Commission were being Local Authority. Amount. investigated by the departments concerned, ---- and that the Government would subse £ 8. d. quently give full consideration to them, will Atherton Shire 16 14 11 Beaudesert Shire 7 16 8 he now advise the House of the outcome Beenleigh Shire 18 12 2 of this investigation and consideration~ Boonah Shire .. 19 10 9 Booringa Shire 62 10 5 '' 2. Will he advise the House which, if Bowen Town .. 13 0 0 any, of the recommendations of the Wool Brisbane City .. 4,858 19 5 Advisory Commission will be implemented Bundaberg Town 78 13 0 Bungil Shire .. 115 12 6 by the Government~' ' Bnrrum Shire .. 22 14 8 Caboolture Shire 30 1 8 The PREJUIER (Hon. W. Forgan Smith, Cairns City 145 8 g Mackay) replied- Cairns Shire .. 0 8 11 Card well Shire .. 1 0 0 '' 1 and 2. The Government is not pre Chinchilla Shire 41 7 8 pared to accept without reservation the Cleveland Shire 2 16 1 Coolangatta Town 2 10 0 recommendations of the Payne Report. The Dalby Town .. 24 0 1 Government has given valuable concessions Drayton Shire 24 2 2 to the pastoral industry, and will continue Eacham Shire 0 4 1 Esk Shire .. 0 6 10 to do so as circumstances warrant and Fitzroy Shire .. 3 11 10 permit.'' Glengallan Shire 49 1 5 Goohurrum Shire 16 13 7 {}ympie City .. 128 0 11 TAXATION REVENUE, 1939-40. Herberton Shire 1 16 3 Highftelds Shire 7 0 5 Mr. lUAHER (West Moreton) asked the Hinchinbrook Shire 5 0 0 Treasurer- Inglewood Shire 0 12 0 Ipswich City .. 822 17 9 '' 1. What were the amounts of tax J ohnstone Shire 146 0 1 revenue collected, in 1939-40, under the J ondaryan Shire 172 12 5 Kilcoy Shire .. 39 1 6 following headings:-(a) Consolidated Kilkivan Shire 7 8 6 revenue-licenses, registrations, fees of Kingaroy Shire 24 18 8 office, &c.; (b) 'Trust Funds-(i.) motor Kolan Shire .. 6 10 10 Laidley Shire .. 13 16 4 taxation, ( ii.) other licenses, &c. 1 Landsborough Shire 0 12 9 Livingstone Shire 0 11 4 '' 2. What was the total tax collections, Mackay City .. 37 6 10 in 1939-40, under all headings~'' Maroochy Shire 37 3 3 Maryborough City 65 12 7 The TREASURER (Hon. F. A. Coop~er, Millmerran Shire 26 8 5 Bremer) replied- Miriam V ale Shire 2 11 0 Murgon Shire .. 6 14 7 " I. (a) £238,893; (b) (i.) £960,433; N oosa Shire .. 1 2 5 Normanby Shire 0 17 11 (ii.) £86,524. Perry Shire 2 2 0 '' 2. £8,842,930. Whilst license fees, regis Pine Shire .. 6 7 10 Pioneer Shire .. 12 16 4 tration fees, and items of an analagous Pittsworth Shire 83 12 10 nature are classified by the Commonwealth Redcliffe Town 55 11 4 Statistician as taxation, it ia obvious that Rockhampton City 451 9 4 RomaTown .. 10 9 7 revenue frolll these sources represents fees Rosalie Shire .. 70 14 0 paid for services rendered.'' Sonthport Town 8 10 5 Tamborine Shire 274 2 10 Tara Shire 76 18 8 RATION RELIEF AND UNEMPLOYMENT, 'Tiaro Shire .. 4 12 3 30 JUNE, 1940. Tingalpa Shire 16 18 7 Toowoomba City 695 3 10 Mr. MAHER (West Moreton) asked the Townsville City 441 3 3 Wambo Shire .. 357 17 0 Secretary for Labour and Industry- Warwick City .. 46 2 6 '' In view of the anticipated short session, Waterford Shire 38 16 8 Widgee Shire .. 33 5 3 and the fact that the annual reports of his Wondai Shire .. 1 15 9 department are usually not tabled until Woothakata Shire 4 8 5 November or later, will he kindly furnish £9,803 13 0 the information asked for J:>,y me on 21st instant~'' The allocations are strictly in accordance The SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND with the terms of the Acts governing same. INDUSTRY (Hon. T. A. Foley, Normanby) 'I'he Commissioner of Main Roads uses the replied- portion paid to the Main Roads Fund for '' Every effort is being made to table the maintenance of roads and relief to local annual report of the department at an Questions. [28 AUGUST.] Questions. lH
early date, and the information desired ment with a request to make this institu by the hon. gentleman will be contained tion available to the Air Force for training therein.'' purposes. The Board >ms informed on 10 April last that the Queensland Govern ment was agreeable to make the premises ''GOLDEN CASKET'' AGENTS AND available to the Commonwealth Government CoMMISSIONS, for war purposes on terms and conditions Mr. NIMMO (Oxley) asked the Secretary to be arranged by the Public Curator with for Health and Home Affairs- the Commonwealth Government. So far no definite action has been taken by the Air " 1. How many 'Golden Casket' agents Board. The last communication the are there in-(a) Brisbane; (b) elsewhere department has had with the Air Board in the State~ was dated the 8th instant. '' 2. What was the total commission paid '' 2. Eight. The balance of the informa in 1939-40 to-(a) Brisbane agents; (b) tion sought will be contained in the other agents in Queensland (in each case Auditor-General's report.'' excluding the Golden Investment Com pany); (c) the Golden Investment Com panyW" NEw LocOMOTIVEs, 1939-40. The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE 1Ir. YEATES (East Toowoomba) asked AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, the Minister for Transport- Barcoo), for The· SECRETARY FOR '' How many new locomotives-stating HEALTH AND HOM.E AFFAIRS (Hon. E. class-have been delivered to the Railway M. Hanlon, Ithaca), replied- Department during the year ending 30 "1. (a) 192; (b) 267. June, 1940 ~" "2. (a) £36,694 lis. 5d.; (b) £27,216 The 1HNISTER FOR TRANSPORT 5s. 6d.; (c) £17,257 lls. 10d." (Hon. J. Larcombe, Rockhampton) replied- '' Nine. Eight BlS! and one Diesel. TAXATION INQUIRY CoMMISSION. Six more locomotives will be placed in service before the end of December.'' 1\Ir. YEATES (East Toowoomba) asked the Premier- ACTION TO COMBAT COLDS AND INFLUENZA. '' 1. Is the roval commission on taxa tion still functio:r;'ing ~ Mr. YEATES (East Toowoomba:) asked the Secretary for Health and Home Affairs- '' 2. If so, about when is it expected that the investigations will be finalised and "Will he state what action, if any, has the report made available W" been taken by the Health Department of Queensland, or in co-operation with the The PREMIER (Hon. W. Forgan Smith, ]federal health authorities, to combat by Mackay) replied- scientific methods the common cold or ''1. Yes. influenza, which causes a loss of many thousands of pounds, plus inconveniences, '' 2. The commission's investigations will to the community each yead" be completed shortly.'' The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE JUBILEE SANATORIUM, DALBY. AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, Barcoo), for The SECRETARY FOR Mr. YEATES (East Toowoomba) asked HEALTH AND HOME AFFAIRS (Hon. E. the Secretary for Health and Home Affairs- Hanlon, Ithaca) replied- " 1. Are there at present any inmates of " None. Such an investigation would any kind at the Jubilee Sanatorium, require much greater resources and facili DalbyW If not, when were the last patients ties than are possible in any small country. removed W Researches are being carried out in '' 2. How many persons are there America and elsewhere, where the greater employed at this institution, and what was prevalence of this disease makes success in the total expenditure for (a) the year end investigation more likely. Queensland ing 3 0 June last, and (b) since the last could not contribute materially to success inmate departed~'' in such a huge piece of research, but is in a position to profit by applying any The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE discoveries made.'' AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, Barcoo), for The SECRETARY FOR VENEREAL PROPHYLACTIC CLINIC, BRISBANE. HEALTH AND HOME AFFAIRS (Hon. E. M. Hanlon, Ithaca), replied- Dr. WATSON BROWN (Gregory) asked the Secretary for Health and Home Affairs- " 1. No. 28 December, 1936. Arrange ments had been completed to open the '' Have any arrangements been made with Dalby training farm for backward youths the Departments of Defence, Air Force, and which was established under the Backward Navy for the establishment of a venereal Persons Act of 1938, but the Common prophylactic clinic in the city of Bris wealth Air Board approached the depart- bane'" 112 Fruit Marketing, &:c., Bill. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply.
The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE to consider of the desirableness of intro AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, ducing a Bill to amend the Fruit Marketing Barcoo), for The SECRETARY FOR Organisation Acts, 1923 to 1934, in certain HEALTH AND HOME AFFAIRS (Hon. E. particulars, and for another purpose.'' M. Hanlon, Ithaea), replied- Motion agreed to. " No. This is a matter for the Defence Department.' 1 BUFFALO FLY CONTROL BILL. PAPER. INITIATION. The following paper was laid on the The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE ;table:- AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, Barcoo) : I move- Proclamation, dated 22 August, 1940, under the Electric Light and Power Acts, 1896 '' That the House will, at its next sitting, to 1939, and the State Electricity Com resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole mission Act of 1937. to consider of the desirableness of intro ducing a Bill for the purposes of the control and/or eradication of the buffalo LEAVE OF ABSENCE TO MEMBER. fly (Lypero8ia exigua) and other diseases MR. G. A. MoRRIS. affecting cattle, and for other purposes." The PREJUIER (Hon. W. Forgan Smith, Motion agreed to. Mackay) : I move- '' That leave of absence for this session DISEASES IN POULTRY ACTS be granted to Mr. George Alfred Morris, AMENDMENT BILL. membc·r for the electoral district of Kelvin Grove, while serving with His Majesty's INITIATION. Australian Navy.'' The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE Motion agreed to. AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, Harcoo) : I move-- ''That the House will, at its next sitting, DISEASES IN STOCK ACTS AND OTHER resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. to consider of the desirableness of intro INIT'!ATION. ducing a Bill to amend the Diseases in The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE Poultry Acts, 1923 to 1937, in certain par AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, ticulars, and for other purposes.'' Barcoo) : I move- Motion agreed to. '' That the House will, at its next sitting, resolve itself into a Committee of the MINING ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. Whole to consider of the desirableness of introducing a Bill to amend the Diseases INITIATION. in Stock Acts, 1915 to 1936, the Dairy The SECRETARY FOR MINES (Hon. D. Produce Acts, 1920 to 1939, and the A. Gledson, Ipswich): I move- Stallions Registration Acts, 1923 to 1934, each in certain particulars. ' ' '' That the House will, at its next sitting, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole Motion agreed to. to consider of the desirableness of intro ducing a Bill to amend the Mining Acts, BRANDS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. 1898 to 1930, the Coal Mining Acts, 1925 to 1939, and the Mining for Coal and INITIATION. Mineral Oil Act of 1912, respectively, each The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE in certain particulars. ' ' AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, Motion agreed to. Barcoo) : I move-
'' That the House will, at its next sitting, ADDRESS IN REPLY. resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider of the desirableness of intro RESUMPTION OF DEBATE---'THIRD ALLOTTED ducing a Bill to amend the Brands Acts, DAY. 1915 to 1917, in certain particulars." Debate resumed from 27 August (see Motion agreed to. p. 109) on Mr. Collins 's motion for the adop tion of the Address in Reply. FRUIT MARKE'TING ORGANISATION Mr. J. I. BROWN (Logan) (10.50 a.m.) : ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. I wish to congratulate the hon. member for INITIATION. Cook and the hon. member for Toowoomba on moving and s.econding the .Address in R-eply. The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE Those two young members made excellent AND STOCK (Hon. F. W. Bulcock, speeches. Barcoo) : I move- Another thing that pleased me was that '' That the House will, at its next sitting, the Government decided to open Parliament resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole without all the falderals that have been Address in Reply. [28 AuGUST.] Address in Reply. 113 at.\ached to that function in the past. I pany, Limited. This young company was think it was a step in the right direction, virtually at a standstill for many years, but and I hope that the future openings of Par since Labour obtained control of the Trea liament will be carried out in the same srury benches in Queensland it has never manner. looked back. The Brisbane ''Courier-Mail'' As far as I can remember, you, Mr. Speaker, of yesterday published the photograph of a are the only man who has sat in that chair lighter, one of a number of naval ships being without wearing the robes of office. I con constructed by the company in Brisbane. This tend that you are just as good a Speaker lighter will be launched in the near future, as any other man who has, sat in that chair five months ahead of schedule. That is a with all the robes on him. I notice that the credit to that company, and I am Lord ;Mayor of the city, Mr. Chandler, has satisfied that it will progress by leaps decided to do the same thing. It is remark and bounds. It has kept abreast of the able that many people follow the lead given times. It has the necessary plant, and by the Labour Party. I congratulate the I look forward with confidence to itsr being Lord Mayor of the city on deciding to fill a very large concern in Queensland and Aus that office without wearing the robes. tralia. The executives are energetic men. We never had the office of Lord Mayor I know Colonel Evans very well. I served of the city until the Moore Government came m1der him in the militia years ago. He is into power. I happened to be a member of full of the quality commonly known as ''go.'' the Brisbane City Council when the office The company is to be congratulated on estab of Lord Mayor was created. The late Alan lishing an Australian record in ship-building Oxlade was the first to move that the at its first attempt. I hope it will not machinery be put into operation so that we be the last.. I am given to under could have a Lord Mayor for the city. The stand, too, that the company has done a Labour Party always opposed having a Lord really good job. I have inspected its works, Mayor. I maintain that the first mayor of the wl1ich are up to date. Greater Brisbane, Alderman Jolly, was just In Brisbane there was also the firm of as good a mayor as he would have been if Monteath Brot,heJ:s. It was good to its he had the title of Lord Mayor. employees, but never moved with the times. Another thing I wish to congratulate the For that reason it has closed, not because Government on is the passing of the Patriotic of taxation imposed by the Queensland Funds Administration Acts Amendment Act Government. The Government and the City {)f 1939. Every hon. member of this Assembly Council gave the firm every possible encour must agree that that was essential. During agement. I remember that the defunct Metro the last war hundreds and hundreds of pounds politan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, that were donated for patriotic purposes were when calling for tel.lders for the supply of utilised for other purposes. The object of the Government in introducing the Bill I sewerage pipes, offered Monteath Brothers mention was to prevent that SIOrt of thing and 10 per cent. preference over Southern ten it has already been a great benefit to the derers, but the difference between its tender people. It is reassuring to know that the and those from the South waSl too great, and moneys collected for patriotic purposes will the orderii went to Southern firms. The State be used solely for those purposes. During Government cannot be blamed for that. The the last. war men went round collecting with blame lies with the firm itself, inasmuch as boxes, and returned to the back yard where it continued to use the old method of con the Strand Theatre was and opened the structing pipes. boxes, took the money out, and threw the Over 100 men have been dismissed from boxes into the rubbish bin. I saw that Monteaths simply because the orders went happen not once but several timesr. That South. The Government cannot be blamed abuse has been prevent.ed by the action of for this, because they were willing to allow the Government providing that patriotic that firm a margin of 10 per cent., and efforts must be gazetted. perhaps a little more, in order to keep the Mr. Yeates: Did I not ask them to do work in this State, but there is a limit to iH all things, and Monteaths' tenders were so high that the orders were sent South, with Mr. J. I. BROWN: I don't know whether the result that the works is closed to-day. the hon. member asked the Government to do Evans, Deakin, and Company, Limited, on it, but I am quite sure that this Government the other hand, is a go-ahead firm. It is are intelligent enough to do these things keeping up with the times. Some of the without his assistance. best men from the shipbuilding yards in I was very much surprised, Mr. Speaker, Scotland are working out there, and I am that the Leader of the Opposition should quite satisfied that it will forge ahead by ask that £1,000,000 from the State develop leaps and bounds in its shipbuilding work ment tax collections be given to the Com in this State. monwealth Government for war purposes. I was amused when I heard the hon. mem The hon. gentleman has always complained ber for Wynnum speaking about this Govern of this tax, and knows perfectly well that ment's having been returned to power on if his request was acceded to the tax would the minority vote. I have paid 5s. to see a have to be increased. comic opera on many occasions, but I think I take this opportunity of offering my it was worth 10s. to hear the speech delivered .congratulations to Evans, Deakin, and Com- by the hon. member for Wynnum in this 114 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply.
Chamber yesterday. I propose -to give the Mr. Ebbage 1,050, and Mr. Greene 2,290. The true figures for the last State election. hon. memJ;>er for Wynnum got only 3,687 There were 11 parties in the field. Of votes agamst the 7,381 obtained by the the total primary votes, .265,950 went to other three candidates, and yet he accuses Labour, 127,170 to. the Country Party, and this Government of being in power on a 69,178 to the Umted Australia Party. I minority vote. Why, 7,381 votes were cast against him, and I do not know how he can have always looked upon the Country Party have the audacity to say that this Govern and the United Australia Party as being ment are in office on a minority vote. one. The total votes gained by those two parties were 196,348, so that Labour had a Mr. Yeates: You might as well say that majority of 70,000 votes over the two com I should not be here. bined. The Protestant Labour Party was succ·essful in gaining 48,608 votes, but in Mr. J. I. BROWN: If the intelligence of my opinion, 40,000 of those were r~ally the people had been observed the hon. member Labour votes. I say that because I know would not be here. I say that the hon. mem that in my electorate over 1,000 of my votes ber for Wynnum is here on a contingent vote. went to the Protestant Labour candidate. Looking at the contingent voting for the The Social Credit Party obtained 26,030 Wynnum electorate, hon. members will see votes, and the Independent Party 2,857. I that the hon. member for that ele
Mr. CLAYTON: It is, but not from the charged with patriotism. On the other hand, monetary point of view. I do not intend to stand here to-day and criticise the Menzies Government for their The interest-free loan has been well sup effort. New Zealand, with a population of ported. I think I am right in saying that approximately 1,000,000, has only one Govern £5,000,000 has already been subscribed. The ment, whereas Australia has a large area and large amount in straightout gifts to patriotic is administered by six State and one Com funds must be encouraging to the Common monwealth Parliament, and consequently the wealth and State Governments. task of the Australian Governments is much Mr. Russell interjected. more difficult than that of a dominion con trolled by one administration. The Menzies Mr. CLAYTON: As the hon. member for Government, although faced with difficulties, Hamilton states, these patriotic funds are have done everything possible in bringing being collected, not in one centre, but about the conditions that exist in the militia throughout the State. The town of Goomeri, at present. When one considers that the in my electorate, has only a small Commonwealth Government had to make the population. The proprietor of the picture-show change from peace to war conditions that we in that town put a notice on the screen that have seen in less than 12 months it is evident he would give £5 5s. to the patriotic fund if that those in control have been exceptionally 10 others would do the same. Within a fort active. Instead of indulging in pettifogging night the people who were willing to subscribe criticism of their efforts we should get "b·ehind were invited to come to the Hall of Memory them and give them every possible assistance. in the town. They did so, and, after a There should be unity throughout Australia. patriotic demonstration there on a Saturday I cannot understand why there should be afternoon, the sum of £760 was subscribed. criticism of Mr. Menzies. He is the man selected to be placed at the head of affairs Honourable Members: Hear, hear! in the Commonwealth Parliament. When Mr. lUr. CLAYTON: That money was sub Churchill walks into the House of Commons scribed not by the town people, but by to make a statement he is cheered from every farmer~ in the surrounding areas. But they part of the House, and I think it would be a were not satisfied with that effort. Many great gesture on the part of the people of made gifts in kind that amounted to a very Australia if they got behind the man who large sum. One man gave a horse to be sold has been selected by the people of Australia to help the Patriotic Fund, and others gave to control the destinies of the nation in this cows, calves, and other livestock that were difficult war period. salable. The result of these two efforts was The Treasurer: I think they did criticise £1,400. The people of Goomeri desire that Mr. Chamberlain. their contribution be used in the purchase of a bomber for Australia. 1Ur. CLAYTON: They may have done that. .:Honourable Members: Hear, hear! The Treasurer: He was the Prime Minis The Treasurer: The small town of ter when the war broke out. Do not forget Kilcoy also raised over £1,000 one Saturday that. afternoon. Mr. CLAYTON: It was a critical time ~Ir. CLAYTON: I am very pleased to in the war when Mr. Churchill took over. They hear that. Large amounts have been obtained do not criticise him; they cheer him. in a similar manner to that which I have men I was very disappointed when Mr. Cm·tin tioned in the towns of Murgon and Wondai. failed to take advantage of Mr. Menzies 's offer to take him and :five or six of his col Getting away from straightout gifts to leagues into a national Cabinet. Had he patriotic funds we come to the wonderful accepted the offer we should have had all rffort being made by the people in the pur sections of political thought repres!ented in chase of war savings certificates. That is of the Commonwealth Government. It would assistance to the Federal Treasurer and is have been a :fine gesture on Mr. Curtin 's alco a good inYestment. They can be pur part. He and Mr. Menzies are very friendly chased to the value of £250 only, but what and each praises the other at various times. appeals to me very much in connection with I am afraid, however, that some outside them is the way the children attending State junta prevented Mr. Curtin from accepting schools are contributing week after week to that very wise offer. I should like to quote the purchase of certificates. the follo1ving extract on the matter from It is ver? gratifying to see the combination the Maryborough ''Chronicle'' of 16 May, of the various dominions in their effort on 1940:- behalf of the Empire. New Zealand, Canada, "No All-Party Government. and Australia are getting behind Great ''Mr. Curtin Declares Stand, but Praises Britain in her hour of need. Much criticism Mr. Menzies. has been levelled at the progress of Aus tralia's war effort. I know that New Zealand, ''Mutual Co-operation. with a Labour Government, has done excellent "Canberra, 15 May.-Labour's unwilling work, and I congratulate the Prime Minister ness to participate in a national Govern of that dominion for the splendid work it ment was declared in definite terms by has done. He has shown that his veins are the Leader of the Federal Labour Party Address in Reply. [28 AuousT.] Address in Reply. ll7
(Mr. J. Curt.in) in the House of Repre· of unanimity of effort throughout the length sentatives to-day. An opportunity for the and breadth of the Commonwealth-he said no House to declare its attitude towards a matter to what part he went he found an intense feeling of unity everywhere. Con national Government was afforded by the tinuing his speech, however, he criticised Mr. adjoumment motion moved by Mr. W. J. Curtin for not joining a national Cabinet. Hutchinson (United Australia Party, Vic I think it might be as well for me to state toria), who urged party leaders to come one or two things that hon. members in this together and form an all-party Govern House seem anxious to forget. It should be ment as an example of unity to the nation remembered that Mr. Curtin made an offer to Mr Menzies for the formation of a War in its war effort.'' Council. They even adjourned the House in an endea Mr. RusseU: Absolutely useless. vour to bring all political sections into the C:tbinet, but were unsuccessful. Mr. Yeates: With no responsibility. That article continues- The TREASURER: It is all very fine for the hon. member for East Toowoomba ' 'Stating that he was quite Slatisfied with to think that a War Council would be with the manner in which the Government was out responsibility. The way "'aS/ open for constitution of a War Council to direct the gentleman had brought down from the war effort of Australia in harmony and in mountain a tablet containing the 10 Com association with the British Empire.'' mandments, and he also reminded/ them that the world was not observing all the Com An Opposition ~Iember: It was qnly splitting straws. mandments to-day, although it had had 4,000 years to get into line with them. If an The TREASURER: He did not withdraw organisation is not entirely successful, that the offer; Mr. Menzies declined the offer, does not mean we should obliterate it and I say again that it took him three weeks altogether. in which to come to a decision on the point. That fact assures me that it was a genuine I am not worrying at the moment whether offer. It was an offer that took an amount Mr. Chamberlain did the right thing, or of consideration, and I am not going to enter whether he did not. All I know is that we into any argument. here as to why it was are in trouble and it is up to us to see what refused by Mr. Menzies. I am not going we can do about it. As the chap who sits up to make insinuations that this member or that aloft in the Press gallery said in his gallery particular member objected to its formation. notes, the house is on fire. I want to alter After three weeks' consideration Mr. Men that phrase a little to say that it is onr zies declined .it and made another offer. house that is on fire. If our own home was (Opposition interruption.) on fire and, while we were endeavouring to do our best to quell it, someone came along, Mr. SPEAKER: Order! tapped us on the shoulder, and said, ''What about a fire insurance policy on the next The TREASURER: I have no desire at house you build~" what should we say~ We the present time to enter into any discussion should say something to him that would on the question who is to blame for the war. scorch worse than the fire scorched him. All I know is that a war is raging, and I Our job at the moment is to put out the fire, think it is up to us to do something about it, and we should bend every energy in that as we have been doing and as the whole of direction. I want to emphasise this point the Commonwealth admits. I also want to more than anything else-that it is our say I think that this is a bad time and a house-and when I use that phrase I also poor time to be fighting about the failure use it in the narrow party political sense. of the League of Nations, or to be saying I want to point out that the Labour move what the League of Nations should have ment claims that the house is just as much done or what it failed to do. I know that our house as it is anybody else's. There has 50 per cent., 60 per cent., 70 per cent., and always been an inclination to exciude the 80 per cent. of the people who criticise the Labour movement from anything of this League of Nations failed to raise a finger to kind. help it. I have read the criticism of certain gentlemen about the League of Nations, but iUr. Edwards: Now you are getting down when I turned up the papers associated with to it. that great organisation to see what their The TREASURER: I am not getting contributions were, or whether their member down to anything; I want to get up to it. ship subscription was paid in respect of the There has always been an inclination to League of Nations or its various commi.ctees, exclude the Labour movement from these I was unable to find any evidence of it. things and to speak of it as though it did These men simply criticised a splendid organi not matter, and as though it were not in it. sation without any attempt to give it prac I want to tell hon. members that right along tical support. The League of Nations was the line the Labour movement has been in an earnest effort by earnest people to find the house and has always regarded itself as some way out of a difficulty and to remove a part owner of the house. The idea among a scourge that had a:flli0ted the world ever certain people has always been that the since the world began. It failed in certain Labour movement has no time for the Empire, particulars, I know, but that is no reason and that it has no time for the British Com why we should wholeheartedly condemn any monwealth of Nations. attempt to overcome this dreadful scourge that has afflicted civilisation for so long. Mr. Yeates: No, we do not say that. Mr. Moore: It was successful in many The TREASURER: I know that hon. respects. members opposite do not say it, but they do not relate the facts. I want to relate the fa0ts The TREASURER: I agree with the hon. hurriedly, if I may. member for Aubigny, that it was very suc cessful in many ways, and in passing might Before the foundation of our Commonwealth I refer the House to the remarkable state there were two main political parties in the ment of the gentleman who was responsible various colonies. They were known as the for the 18th Amendment of the American Free Trade Party and the Protectionist Constitution~ The story is that when he Party. They offered no,thing really to the died and went to Heaven he was twitted with nation except their squabbles of t~e day as the fact that his 18th Amendment had to which would be the best pohcy under failed, 'that it had not prohibited the ~on which to live. In both cases narrow political sumption of spirituous liquors in the Um~ed views were held for the personal gain, or States of America. He had to put up With personal betterment, of the particular section a considerable amount of jeering because of of trade. There was no very great feature that but in self-defen0e, he reminded his about protection. The protectionist argued jeer~rs that 3,000 to 4,000 years ago a certain that his policy would give more employment Address in Reply. [28 AuGUST.] Address in Reply. 119 to the people. He was the man who wanted monwealth in order that we might take advan· to start industries. The freetrader, who tage of the greater possibilities that existed. wanted to exist virtually by importing things The federation of the States of Australia from other countries and dragging them off into the existing Commonwealth was the a ship, argued that we should have a free forerunner of the formation of other federa• breakfast table and it was cheaper to live tions, which with it now forms the British under a free-trade policy than under a pro Empire. The great trend of the unions has tectionist policy. But ·what Australia needed been for unity all along the line. at that time, more than any other, was a lead; it was not getting that lead in any way in Mr. Yeates: Nobody wants the La·bour the fight about those things. It was the Party out of the war movement. Labour Party that gave the lead. The TREASURER: You are pretending In those free trade-protectionist days there it is not in it. I want to say that it is in it. was a definite republican party. Republican The hon. member for East Toowoomba is views were very freely expressed by leaders inviting us to come in. That is the astonishing of the political parties. If I am not mistaken, part of it-to think they are inviting us to George R. Dibbs was known in the 90's as come into our own house. I want to say it George Republican Dibbs. You can read is our house, that we recognise that it is our that in the political history of New South house, that we are part-owners of it; and the Wales or the papers of those days. I am idea of inviting us to come into our own house not sure, but I believe that the' Sydney is a ludicrous thing. ''Bulletin'' had a policy that was called in those days ''Cutting the painter.'' That Mr. Yeates: You are welcome to come. was the policy of cutting free from the The TREASURER: The hon. member Empire. That policy did not come from the says we are welcome to come. Fancy the son Labour section of the community, but the meeting the old man as he comes home and other political parties. The good Labour saying: "Welcome, father." It is just about movement never stood for that sort of thing. as absurd. We have helped to build this house The Labour movement grew out of the union movement; it realised that unity was strength. :md it is the strongest and best house the world It realised that, as in the case of the nation, has known. We do stand for that house, not so in the things they really desired, unity in the obstinate, domineering spirit that made for strength and that it also made for some people think you have to adopt if you power. It stood for union, which is evidence are going to stand by Empire, believing that that it did not stand for disintegration. you have to stand on top ·of a step and sing: The union movement in Australia sprang "We don't want to fight, but, by jingo, if we do, we've got the men and we've got the from the good old union movement in Eng ships and vve 've got the money, too.'' That is land. England was the cradle of the union the olcl jingo boastful spirit. I do say we have movement. We had not much to go to in stood for greater unity because v\ e believed foreign lands for the union movement. It there would be a greater liberty, a greater was the natural descendant of the Chartist measure of justice, that you cannot reform movement and the positivist movement, and the world by dividing it, that you cannot reform all those other movements that stood for the the house by dividing it, you cannot reform betterment of the people of the land. We are any institution by dividing it. You must proud of the fact that the union movement, have it on a solid basis, and the Labour move as we know it in Australia, is good for the ment is altruistic; it has had some faith that nation. :Most of our old unions, such as the its movement would lift mankind to a higher Amalgamated Society of Engineers and the plane, and it is old enough to know that Moulders' Union, still have their affiliations uplift has taken place. It has the satisfac with the great trades-union movement in tion of knowing all its propaganda, all its England. The union movement knows that effort and work right from the nineties till the greater the unity the greater the strength. to-clay have had a tremendous effect upon the The Labour movement grew out of that. present position in ~\.ustralia. Not only upon In the 90's there was a great strike in the individual State or the person, but upon Sydney. There was talk of bullets. I under the vvhole Commonwealth of Australia, we stand at that time a train left here bristling believe the effect of the Labour movement has with gatling guns for the purpose of shoot operated. ing down the strikers. I know that in New Mr. Yeates: Labour lost the chance of South Wales there was talk of bearing arms its life by not coming in. and the great advice tendered to the Labour movement in those days was not the use of The TREASURER: The hon. member bullets but the use of the ballot. The unions says that we lost the chance of our life by in those days took up that slogan-not bullets not coming in. We honestly offered to form but the ballot-and in 1890 the Australian a War Council that would control the war Labour Movement sprang into being. Before effort. Mr. Curtin wanted to make it par that time there had been signs of the roots ticularly clear he was not concerned with of that party, while before that again the internal matters, that he was content to leave party had been in evidence in England. It all these things to the Government that had developed into a strong political party. It been elected by the people of Australia for stood for adult franchise and equal represen that purpose, but he was anxious that he and tation. It was strong for the federation of those associated with him might help Mr. the colonies so that we might have a Corn· Menzies in the war effort by means of a, 120 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply. War Council. Nothing can be clearer than not do as New Zealand has done~'' We want that. them to do as New Zealand has done and we wanted them to do it before it was done Mr. Yeates interjected. in New Zealand. Hon. members opposite just The TREASURER: The hon. member for cannot see that point. They want it their own East Toowoomba says that it is the others. way, and if they cannot get it their own What others~ Mr. Cameron~ Mr. Thorby~ way they will not have it at all. We say He was not very definite. I do not want to there is some decency to be observed when enter into those things; this is not the time. considering the destinies of other people. I wanted to clear up any misunderstanding I want to remind hon. members opposite that this Labour movement has done nothing that the Labour movement has stood for to promote national unity in the house that making Australia a greater nation and fit to it believes it has itself built. be with the other nations of the British An Opposition Member interjected. Empire, because almost from its inception it has had one thing in its platform and that is The TREASURER: No political party in the culti\ ation of an Australian sentiment. Australia has done more towards national There cannot be a nation unless there is a unity than the Labour movement. The Labour national sentiment, and the Labour movement movement has stood for national unity right has not only attempted, but has succeeded in from the very outbreak of this war. It has creating a national sentiment-an Australian made every possible effort for national unity. sentiment that one can find wherever one goes. The hon. member thinks that national unity Right from the time of the men who began is fully expressed and the whole thing is done the exploration of this country, through their when certain members of the Labour Party zeal, enthusiasm, and risk they were prepared walk into a Cabinet that is formed by the to make-one can read through all those who national Government. That is not national have written of Australia-the building of unity, that is only joining a Cabinet; but so this Australian sentiment that makes Aus far as this country is concerned, no political tralia what it is to this day. One can see the party in Australia has done more for unity thing personified. One can see it before one of Australia than the Labour movement. when one reads of the deeds of men who Government Members: Hear, hear! went from Australia in 1914 to 1918 to bear the burden of the Empire in that great clash. The TREASURER: This Queensland We honestly and sincerely believe that these Government, time and again, have offered to men acted with the Australian spirit, the the Commonwealth Government all their Australian sentiment that the Labour Party resources and all that they can do in the had been endeavouring, and successfully endea matter of the war effort. They have offered vouring, to build for them in many years. to do whatever the Commonwealth Govern· We have never decried Australia. We have ment ask. never decried the manufacturers of Australia. Mr. Clayton: Why would not. the Labour We stood and we stand for everything that Party walk into the Cabinet~ Can you tell was and is Australian. You, Mr. Speaker, in your short lifetime, know how people have us why they would not~ gone into a shop and when told that some The TREASURER: It made the offer of thing was an article of Australian mauubc a War Council. It believed a War Council ture have refused to take it. They would not to be the supreme thing. It did not want look at it. They wanted something from any part in the sentiment belonging to the overseas. Nationalist Party. It did not want to l:>·e associated •with the internal policy of the Mr. Yeates: I always ask for Australian. present Government of Australia. That is The TREASURER: I will give the hon. their concern. member credit. I do not think he has dealt :Mr. Edwards: It should a·ccept that in anything else but an Australian product-! responsibility. will say that for him-but it happened to be Australian soil that was here long before he The TREASURER: We wanted to accept started. (Laughter.) the responsibility of helping in the war effort. That offer is still open to Mr. Menzies when We have stood for everything Australian, ever he likes to accept it. He took three and we can understand the swell of pride i.n weeks to decline that offer, and that is some the bosoms of people who come from another thing that he has to explain. I do not want part of the Empire when that section of the to labour that point. community is mentioned. It might be rather difficult for some people to understand why Hon. members are somewhat concerned with others swell with pride at the mention of their things that have been done in other parts of native land or that from which their fathers the world. What are Mr. Morrison and Mr. came. I can understand it. I know what it Bevin doing in England~ Are they worrying means to me to read of the explorers and to about the internal government of England~ think of our waratah and our wattle, our wide No, they are part of the War Council. What open spaces and sunlit places-all these things are those gentlemen, members of the Oppo mean something to me. sition in New Zealand, doing~ Are they part of the New Zealand GovernmenU Not at all. "Breathes there a man with soul so dead, They are part of the New Zealand War Who never to himself hath said, Council. Hon. members opposite ask, "Why 'This is my own, my native land.' '' Address in Reply. [28 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 121 I am not an Englishman, but I can under be put under our heel while people pretend stand the swell of pride in the Englishman's that we are being invited into this house of breast when he hears the lines- Empire that I say we did diligently, OVJlr the last 50 years, put all our endeavours into '' This happy breed of men, this little building correctly and properly for the people world ... of Austmlia, which I believe we have suc This precious jewel set in the silver ceeded in doing. sea ... This bless 'd plot, this earth, this realm, Government Jllembers: Hear, hear! this England.'' Mr. POWER (Baroona) (12.4 p.m.): I I can understand his bristling with pride at desire to congratulate the mover and seconder that. I can understand how the Premier and of the Address in Reply on the very able those people associated with him feel a quicken manner in which they handled their case and ing beat of the heart when they see a tartan or the very plain way in which they put it before hear a Scottish sentiment. Similarly, the the people of Queensland. In a very clear and Leader of the Opposition must have some concise manner they placed before the people quickening of the heart muscles when some the attitude of the Australian Labour Party. body says something about the dear little I say ''Australian Labour Party'' because Shamrock or something else in Ireland. Then of the repeated interjections from hon. mem those gentlemen who come from the little bers opposite asking, "Which Labour Party~" principality of Wales, when they hear sung, There is only one Labour Party in Australia ''The land of our fathers,'' must feel some -the Australian Labour Party. surge of pride through their veins; we recog nise all these feelings and are, therefore, Certain people who have been rejected by willing, even eager, to band together all these the Labour movement have been setting them peoples for the better prosecution of this war selves up as a party and claiming that they and its ultimate success. For that reason belong to the Labour movement. They have above others we have stood all these years adopted the same tactics as were adopted for democmcy. We believe in democracy. We by the Opposition for many years. For believe that the people should rule and should quite a number of years our opponents have a say in the ruling of the country. We have been known under various names-first know what it has meant to us. It has been of all they were called the Conservative Party, bred up in us through the centuries. It came then the Liberals, the United Australia Party, to us from England, where the mother of and the Country Party. They have changed Parliaments lives to-day-from England, the their name many times for the purpose of place that was the cradle 'Of trade unionism. trying to mislead the public as to their true identitv. The men I refer to are the people But democracy lives in not so many pbces who ·were thrown ·out of the Labour movement to-clay as it did 30 or 40 years ago; it lives in -a sound and wise movement-and who, for England and in the British Isles, it lives in their own individual benefit, and not for the New Zealand, it lives in Australia, it lives ~n benefit of the people of Australia, are still South Africa, and it lives in Canada. It lives claiming to be members of the Labour Party. mainly in all those places that go to form the We are members of the only Labour Party British Commonwealth of Nations, and if that exists in Australia to-clay; that party we Jose in this effort we lose all those thin<;s is known as the Australian Labour Party. that the forefathers of all of us have fought for. IV e boast of the pioneers and the work The mover and seconder of the Address in that the pioneers have done, and we should Reply placed clearly before the people of not be worth a second thought from the Australia the policy of our party with regard pioneers if we refused to do all that we can to the defence of Australia, which defence clo to hold all the things that they gained for we consider necessary to preserve the democ us and to better all the things that they racy under which we live. _As a resu_lt_ of gained for us .. I believe that we are worthy Labour legislation we have bmlt up conditions of those people and I believe that Australia far superior to those existing in other parts is making an effort, that every part of Queens of the world. The only way to preserye those land is making an effort, because we believe conditions is by throwing our weight_ into ~he that we arc in this and this is no time for successful prosecution of the war m which us to worry as to who set our house un fire. we are engaged. No hon. member, or no person resident in Australia, who is not willing tu All I want to emphasise is that we recog throw his whole weight behind the British nise that it is our house and we are responsible Empire in this, our hour of crisis, has the for the building of it and we will take, as far right to live or exist in this country of ours. as we possibly can, the responsibility for its It is the duty of every decent citizen in Aus preservation and its re building after the scraj;) tralia to throw his or her weight behind the is over. It is because we recognise all these Commonwealth and the British Empire to things that we want to be sure that we will defeat the Nazis and the Fascists. I feel be in a pusition to rebuild it as we want it, sure that we are all playing our part in that that we shall be in a position to make it the direction. house that we believe it should be, the house that ;ve have been building for the last 40 or Hon. members of the Opposition would lead 50 years, and we clo not want to see anything the people of Australia to believe that they relinquished that will help in the rebuilding are the only ones doing anything and that of this great house of ours when this oppressor the Labour Party is not playing its part. is finally put under our heel. But he cannot At the outbreak of war, the Premier, on 122 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply. behalf of the Parliament and people of radio stations throughout the Commonwealth) Queensland, informed the Prime Minister of and his associations could well be described Australia that he would place the whole of the as a radio ramp. At the moment the Com resources of the Queensland Government in monwealth Govemment are looking round for the hands of the Commonwealth Government increased revenue, but there is one direction to help them in the war effort. I am sorry in which they could obtain many thousands to say that they have not used those resources of pounds if they only had the courage to to the full, nor in the manner in which they adopt my suggestion. It is well known that should have been used. We have heard a the number of licenses for B-class radio great deal about the question of a national stations is limited, but we also know that the Government-we have read about it in the license fee is only £25. However, the rates Tory Press, and over the wireless. We know for advertising and for the use of the station that those people who are endeavouring tq usually are out of all proportion to the fee of get the Australian Labour Party to join with £25. If a member of Parliament used a the Commonwealth Government in a national station to make a political speech over the Cabinet are desirous of obtaining the support air, he would be charged £5 for a quarter of of the Labour Party so that that party will an hour. Listeners' licenses cost £1 Is. a year, sink its identity and accept the responsibility but they have no option but to listen to a for many of the tragic mistakes made over a lot of tripe and dope that is pnt over the air number of years by the present Menzies from time to time. This matter requires Government. investigation. l'I'Ir. Y eates: The man who makes no Mr. Moo re: They are not compelled to mistakes made nothing. listen. The Premier: The hon. member must Mr. POWER: The ra:dio stations are have made a lot. forcing this stuff into their homes, and the people have no control over the matter. For Mr. POWER: The father of the hon. instance, they may tune into a radio station member who interjected made a mistake. One with the idea of listening to a certain pro of the main reasons why the Commonwealth gramme, and in the middle of it there comes, Government want Cm·tin and company to join as a kind of flash, an advertisement for a in a national Government is the number of certain line of products. defeats they have suffered at various by-elec tions; they are beginning to realise that the Mr. Moo re: It is the only revenue that position is serious, and they believe that if the radio station can get. the Labour Party joined them they would Mr. POWER: I should like to own one. have the golden opportunity uf postponing the forthcoming general election and therei:Jy :illr. }Ioore: You can. be able to carry on for a longer term. I am happy to know that the Labour Party did not }fr. POWER: I cannot, because the agree to the formation of a national Govern number of B-class radio licenses is limited. ment, and, at the same time, I am happy to The Commonwealth Government should cancel know that it was willing to help in the forma all B-class licenses, and call public tenders tion of a \V ar Council in order to give all for the right to conduct B-class stations, help for the successful prosecution of this instead of continuing the present system of war. licensing a number of stations upon payment of the small fee of £25. If my suggestion The Menzies Government are more interested was accepted, the Commonwealth Government in :finding highly-paid positions for their would receive many thousands 0f pounds, and political friends than in winning the war. I the revenue could be spent in many useful have in mind two appointments, one being ways. that of Sir Keith Murdoch to the position of On the one hand, we have Sir Keith :i\fur Director of Information. We know that Sir doch, a supporter of the Menzies Govern Keith is associated with the Murdoch Press, ment, in a highly-paid position, while, on the and that he has control of a number of radio other hand, the men doing the actual :fighting stations throughout the Commonwealth. for the Empire are not receiving anything Recently the Press gave it out that he was commensurate with the risk they are taking. seeking a seat in the national Parliament The treatment that has been meted out to under the anti-Labour banner. By virtue of men who have enlisted, or who have joined his position as Director of Information he the militia, and who later have been found has the right to give whatever informa:tion physically unfit, is simply scandalous. I have he thinks should be published, and when one in mind the case of a man who joined the reads the newspapers on subjects relating to militia because he was over the military age the war, one is inclined to liken the news to a for actiYe service. I-Ie was passed by the doctor boarding-house stew-the same thing dished and sent to a place that I do not propose up differently in the various columns from to mention. After he had been there for a day to day. The people of Australia are while he became ill and had to go to hospital. entitled to a frank statement of the real This man made an allocation of his pay to his position. W~ are tol~ that we are :fighting the wife. I will not give his name, but if hon. system of diCtatorship, but here in our own members opposite doubt my statement I wi!J Commonwealth we have a dictator in the furnish them with it. This man was admitted person of Sir Keith Murdoch, Director of to hospital, where he remained for some Information. I mentioned earlier that Sir months, his allocation in the meanwhile being Keith also exercises control over a number of paid to his wife. It was then discovered that, Address in Reply. [28 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 123 because he was an inmate of a hospital, he possible way, and their friends in Opposition was not entitled to receive his allowance, and, in this Parliament urge economy on this consequently, his wife's allotment was Government. stopped. His wife had no money to pay her I decided to have a look at what was being rent and feed herself and child. I say that done at Redbank. If the work had not been if a man enlists for active service, or in the done for the time being by the Main Roads militia for home duties, nothing should be Commission there would have been a further too good for him, because he is endeavouring waSite of money. E I have here many other pamphlets issued Governor in a very efficient manner, and it. by the Australian Workers' Union. That was quite in keeping with hiB past perform union is not associated in any way with the ance to tour the State to impress on the Communist Party. In fact, it has done every people the enormous task confronting the thing it possibly can to awaken the workers British Empire. Of course, we are well aware to a realisation of the aims of the Com of the difficulties that have been created by munist Party. For a number of years Com the failure of neutral countries surrounding munist candidates have on numerous occa Germany to take the steps that they would sions urged their supporters to give their have liked to take in this war. At the preference votes to the opponents of the moment Great Britain is almost isolated, and Labour Party. In the recent Brisbane City it may be said that she is fighting agaioot Council elections the Communist supporters very strong forces in the interests of the gave their second preference to the Tory entire world. The airmen of the British candidates. I know that of my own know Empire, which, of course, includes Australia,. ledge, because I was present when the votes Canada, and South Africa, are doing excel were counted. We know that the Communist lent work in keeping the foe at bay. Party is definitely opposed to the Labour Party, and we have evidence to prove that We all realise that to-day the . British on one occasion at least the Tory Party paid Empire is facing the greatest crisis in its the expense of a Communist broadcast. The history. It faced a great crisis 25 years ago, Commonwealth Goverp.ment have done at and, at the successful conclusion of those four least one good thing in declaring the Com years of war1 we all thought that peace had munist Party an illegal asSiociation. It is been won. The reason why that peace was not high time that Communism was stamped out a success is not what the Premier attempted of Queensland, and indeed out of Australia. to convey to us. One of the causes of the We as th~ members of the Labour Party failure of the peace wa's the leniency shown have no time whatever for the Communist by Britain and her allies to their defeated Party, and we are not associated with Com enemy. They did not march into Germany and munists in any way. If a number of the occupy her territory and so humiliate her Communist leaders only knew the m('t.hods people, because they realised that, as a adopted by the Communist Party in collect Christian and educated people, their enemy ing ~nd us~g its funds they would not be should be placed on an equal footing with associated With that party. For instance, I themselves. Another reason was the considera have here a copy of a balance-sheet of the tion Britain and the whole of the dominions Communist Party published on 27 January showed their people and industries. In other 1939. ' words, they reduced taxation at the expense of armaments, whereas Germany put most 1'\'Ir. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! Is it of her income into armaments in order the balance-sheet of the Communist Party~ to build up an army and ,air , force to Mr. POWER: It is a copy of it. enter a war of revenge and kill practically the whole of the civilised world. We hope Mr. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I rule it out and trust that 99 per cent. of the Australian of order. nation are behind the British Empire in this Mr. POWER: All right, Mr. Deputy struggle, and that we shall emerge success fully, although it will take a particularly big Spea_ker; you~· ruling is consistent with your prevwus rulmg. I was endeavouring to effort. The Governor made that quite clear explain the methods adopted by the Com in his Speech. In fact, there are two or three munist Party. It is not associated in any references in it which are worth repeating by way with hon. members on this side of the hon. members in the forthcoming election H_ouse, but on the contrary, is associated campaign. I take my hat off to His Excel With the hon. member for Oxley and other lency for his remarks. I do not know whether hon. members opposite. they were included in his Spee0h by command or whether they were an inspiration, but, Mr. WALKER (Cooroora) (12.43 p.m.): irrespective of how they came to be uttered, During this debate we have listened to a they are worthy of repetition to our people. number of speeches, but the one that appealed The Governor set an example, not only to to me mos:t was that delivered by the Trea the people in this Chamber, but the people up surer to-day. I was impressed not only by North, and in the rest of the State, and the subject-matter of his speech but by his throughout Australia. Unfortunately, the choice of language and the fluency with advice he tendered has not been followed in which he delivered it. It must have appealed this House. The debate on the Address in to all fail·minded hon. members. Reply has degenerated into a political quarrel I am sure I can say that 99 per cent. of that is doing a lot of harm, nvt only to our the people of Queensland and of Australia selves, but the whole country. I congratulate realise that we are confronted with a very the mover and seconder of the motion for the difficult task in bringing the war to a suc adoption of the Address in Reply, but I was cessful issue, and that they are viewing the sorry to listen to some of their remarks, as matter very seriously indeed. His Excellency some of the subject matter should never have the Governor gave a very fine lead, indeed, been touched on in this Chamber during such when upon the outlJreak of war, or shortly a war. It has, however, been mentioned afterwards, he decided to make an extensive throughout this debate. We hear hon. members tour of the State for the purpose of stirring opposite, for example, criticising the national the people to the greatest. possible war effort. Government for not doing a certain thing, He has always carried ::~ut his duties as but they really do not know what they are Address in Reply. [28 AuGUST.] Address in Reply. 127 talking about. They forget that the national require tremendous organisation. Strategy is Government, in their war programme are one of the greatest qualifications of a leader. guided by the advice of experts. Tak~ one matter only, the transport of our soldiers and I regret the line the debate has developed. foodstuffs overseas. That is a big problem. I shall continue to support the Government The problem is not the growth of our food· the same as I did in 1914, irrespective of the stuffs but transporting them to Britain. We politics of that Government. We have much do not know when transports are coming here. to lose, and it should be remembered that a Even some of our boys have had to leave these little help may be of great value to the shores at short notice and have not been able Government in this trying time. to say good-bye to their relatives. This must We all realise what it would be like to show to each and every one of us that the have to live under a hostile country. Our national Government must at all times in a savings and the lives of our young men are at war emergency act on the spur of the moment. stake. While we have the opportunity of con In this respect we are no different from any ducting our own affairs we are able to enjoy other country that is at war or on the verge liberty. If we lost the war the chances are of war. that we should no longer have that liberty. The people of Queensland are looking to We might even be ruled by the Italians. We Parliament for a lead, and some of the might cause no end of trouble. We might speeches we have heard during the past few hm-c a re;-olution, but we should not be able days have nut been conducive to unity. Unity to go forward because we should be disarmed. in Parliament is not as important as unity of Everyone must share in the fighting or pro the people. Irrespective of which party is ducing. If we cannot fight, then surely we returned at the Federal elections, it is abso can produce, but that must be done with lutely essential that we continue to put for organisation, by the co-operation of the State ward our maximum effort in the interests of and Commonwealth Governments. It is for this country and the Empire. them to say what each State and what each one should do. The Commonwealth would gain I adopted the same attitude when this war very considerably by that. Surely the very began as I adopted in 1914. Even if Mr. fact that England, Canada, and New Zealand Curtin is returned I shall not criticise one of have seen fit to co-operate in an alliance con his actions, because I know nothing about the vinces us that it would be well if we could inside movements of the Commonwealth or fall into line with them and say: ''Yes, we the Briti:3h Empire. A Govemment often acts are right behind the British Empire. We are on information of which the average man lias right behind uur respective Governments.'' Politics should be left out completely. Would no knowledge. When the last war broke out that not be a wonderful incentive to our young in 1914 the late Mr. Andrew Fisher was in men who are to do the fighting~ They would po>yer, and, unde~ the voluntary system of refer to ''Our Australian Government.'' enlistment, approximately 350,000 Australians They would not care whether it was a Govern· went overseas. At that time we all worked in ment uf a Labour or a United Aus'"·~::a v• unison. There was no criticism of Mr. Fisher; any other party. They would look to the we stood loyally behind him and gave him Government for relief, guidance, and assis every help we could. We went further than tance after their return home, as with the that; we complimented the Government for returned soldiers from the last war. New many things they did. The same thing should Zealand has done particularly well and living have taken place in regard to Mr. Menzies. conditions there are similar to those in Aus It does not matter whether you are with him in politics; you are with him in the war. tralia. As free Australians, we have the right to The hon. member for Baroona related the criticise-r do not deny that-but criticism grievance of a certain man about his pay. No doubt, that is an isolated case. All I can say should be sound and constructive. We should is that the men are being treated much better not criticise what we do not understand now than they were treated in 1914. One clearly. Some of our military men may know never hears complaints nowadays in regard to all about strategy and the conduct and move food, accommodation, or leave. Their treat ment of an army on the field of battle, but ment is excellent and the pay is a little better when it comes to questions of equipment than it was during the last war. This proves and conveyance of our troops overseas, conclusively the Menzies Government are the Government must be trusted. They will doing the be9t they can for our soldiers. play the game because it is their Australia as well as ours. The best that can be done Complaints such as the lack of uniforms will be done. The Government of Australia ~nd. the need f_or ~efrigeration in camps are did great things in the last war, and the mev1tahle, cons1denng the tremendous organi present Government have done remarkably sation that is essential to carry on a war. well up to the present in this. Anyone who has a knowledge of what war is like realises the gigantic task confronting the Without in any way desiring to make com Commonwealth Government. During a war parisons, I would say that the same remark conditions alter rapidly and arrangement~ applies to the British nation. \Ve must not have to be made to meet them. At the begin forget that in certain things they have the ning of this war we had our best infantry in 1914-1918 war as a guide. It is a gigantic France, then our Navy was engaged in undertaking. One can scarcely imagine its Norway, and now we are relying on the use ramifications. For instance, take the evacua· of aeroplanes. These changing conditions tion from a small fort near the Red Sea. 128 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply. The retirement of the British forces involved State Governments and agreed to take our the destruction of enormous quantities of food over-production at remarkably good prices and armaments. These losses must be made from the producer's point of view. Knowing good. Ships have to be got for that purpose; all those things, those people should be one can visualise the ramifications of the ashamed of their selfish attitude. If England whole thing. did not come to our aid to repel an invader, what should we do with our over-production~ The enlistment, examination, treatment, and It would become a burden to us and cause the training of recruits in Australia has been misery throughout the land. Surely hon. a gigantic task, but we must admit that the members can see that it is only right that work has been well done. We see our recruits we stand behind the British Empire~ marching through Queen street or on their way to camp and we observe that they are We have heard many statements that muni thoroughly trained. Then there is the Air tions are not being made here. Those hon. Force. It is not every man who is suitable members who made those statements know to form a member of an air crew. These men perfectly well that only a few year,s ago have to be educated. For a night flight, par munition-making here proved to be a failure. ticularly, they must have a sound knowledge Since then, however, we have impToved and of navigation. Taking it by and large, it modernised our plant, with the reSIUlt that requires a man with a fair education to be munitions are being made in Queensland trained to reach the complete efficiency with all plants working to capacity. The required by that arm of our services. The only way in which Queensland's output of Commonwealth Government are doing that, munitions can be increased is by installing and, consequently, we have nothing to fear so more lathes and other machinery and obtain far as our air, land, and naval forces are con ing more tools for the manufacture of the cerned. many things that are needed for war. And that reminds me that we have in this The place in which Australia can give Assembly two men who have seen fit to enlist most aiel in this war is the 11iddle East. for overseas service. I wish them good luck Australia is not in the front line of the and a safe return. We who remain probably fighting. The Middle East, from what we are basking in reflected glory. can gather from newspaper reports, is about At 2.15 p.m., to become the front line of the fighting. The best thing for us is to keep the enemy quiet Mr. SPEAKER resumed the chair. and as far away from Australia as possible. lir. WALKER: It is very difficult for us Another matter that should receive con laymen to give advice, or even criticise with sideration is the equitable treatment of sol any degree of accuracy. \Ve must be guided diers, sailors, airmen, and their dependants. by the responsible men who are in power. We were fail'ly &nccessful in our efforts in J'''aturally, we try to do our best, and I am this clireetion at the conclusion of the last sure that the present Cabinet endeavour to war, but we should go further and see that do their utmost, according to the Govern returned men get preference in all \York ment's policy, always having in mind the that is offering, all other things being equal. nee(l to show fair play to all concerned. I A full use slwuld be made of all Common think it is only right that we should believe wealth, State, and local authority machinery the same thing about those in charge of and we should co-operate with the Common affairfj' in the FedeTal sphere, especially when wealth Government as much as possible. Local we remember that at least seven Cabinet authorities and public bodies should co-oper ::Vlinisters in the Federal Government are ate with the Government, and if effect can be returned soldiers. Those men will have cer given to this co-operation much good will tain ideas as to how war should be conducted come of it. Let us all try to work in onr with overseas, and I think we can safely say that the other. Any man with a grievance should organisation and training of men will be hold it over until the war is finished or their responsibility to a great extent. KnoY: compel his opponent to keep quiet. In ing these things, I say we ought to be careful England many of the industrial workers are about criticising or attacking the Federal working 12 hours a day for seven days a Government's actions. week, with no complaint at all. In the stress of war we have many in Australia to-day I was sorry to hear one hon. member say who are squealing because they are asked to that we should never send a man away from work six hours a day. Australia. 'rhat hon. member, and those of his colleagues who advocate these things, Finance is another problem on which there is a diversity of opinion among people who would squeal the loudest if Australia was attacked and the Royal Navy did not come are not altogether conversant with it. I to our aid. The only way to remain strong doubt if there are more than two hon. mem in thes:e matters is for the whole British ber~ in this Chamber capable of giving an Empire to stand united. opinion upon finance. It is, no doubt, a very big question, and one that is causing great Another matter that those who use these concern not only in Australia but also in selfish arguments should remember is that other parts of the world. We know that \Ye are essentially a primary-producing coun money to finance the operations of a country try, that we are relying upon England in has to come out of loan funds, taxation, or particular at the present time to take the the expansion of credit. The consideTation whole of our over-production. The Imperial of expansion of credits is a matter for the Government have met the Commonwealth and experts of the Commonwealth Government Address in Reply. [28 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 12!} in power for the time being. Natura~ly, the without fear beside Britain. Where she directors of the Commonwealth Bank m con we go. Where she stands, we stand. junction with other financial institutions are only a small and young nation, but It should advise us on this matter. was very v>e march with a union of hearts and souls. interesting to read what took place in New Zealand. Even in that dominion there was to a_ common destiny.'' much diversity of opinion. Their loan expen i::)cutimcnts like those fill me with admiration diture is far greater than that of Australia, because I realise that the Empire is faced but their system appears to be sound. It is with an enormous task, but I am confident a very big question if it is to be carried out that she can bring it to a successful issue. Our successfully. We have floated loans in this policy should be to support whatever Govern country at 31! per cent. Surely that is cheap nwnt are in power, whether Liberal or Labour. money. If the floating of loans has proved If a Labom Government are returned at the inadeqHate or not effective and we have to EPxt :Federal elections I shall support them conscrlpt wealth, let us conscript. it. I am because I honestly believe that they of opinion, however, that it is har~ly worth imbued with the same sense of fair while doing that because any man wrth money play to all subjects and with the same desire at his disposal will invest it in war loans to prosecute the war successfully as any other or buy Commonwealth savings certificates Government. I am sure that they will be returning him 3! per cent. on his investment. imbued with the same sentiments that fired I have pointed out the need for us to keep the late Mr. Andrew Fisher who, when Prime together. VIe must remember that we in :Minister of Australia, said of the last war Australia made mistakes, Great Britain has that Australia was with Britain "to the last made mistakes, the Allies have made mistakes, man and the last shilling." and I think by the way he is going on Hitler is making a mistake that will mean the end Dming this debate I had hoped that the of him. A very fine feeling has been demon Secretary for Agriculture and Stock would strated in this House, with one or two possible have given us an outline of how his department exceptions; we must continue to live up to proposes to increase the productivity of the that standard. Both the Prime Minister, Mr. State. Time is getting on, we are now in the Menzies, and the Leader of the Opposition, spring, and if we propose to increase agricul Mr. Curtin, set a splendid example to the nation when they agreed to confer not on tural production we must get a move on now. ouestions of party policy but on vital ques Thel'e is no use in btJginning in, say, a month tions concerning the war with a view to estab or two hence, because it will then be too late lishing the hest defence arrangement possible and so a further 18 months will elapse before for Australia. the leeway can be overtaken. If we move now we can increase production considerably in At 2.26 p.m., six months. I do not know whether the Uom Mr. BRASSINGTON (Fortitude Valley), momvealth Government have given the State one of the panel of Temporary Chairmen, Government any idea of what commodities relieved Mr. Speaker in the chair. shoultl be produced in greater quantities, but it would appear from the Press that ~Ir. WALKER: The Prime Minister spoke gl'eater quantities of agricultural produce very appreciatively of the attitude of Mr. arc still required. lhrst of all, we must grow Curtin when he said- eilongh to feed our own people, but it behoves " John Curtin has day after day sat in us to grow enough to meet demands overseas. my room and discussed the business of the That is the only way in which we can make war with me. I would ask for no more the country solvent. We must rely on our honoural:11e and co-operative leader of any expm·t trade to meet our liabilities overseas. Opposition. Indeed, he has given me very One of the difficulties confronting the United frequently in these dark days a human States of America to-day is the fact that friendship and a human comfort that I she has not given adequate attention to a have valued, and I acknowledge it to-night. scnsil1le scheme of e:;,.-port. He knows, as I know, that there can be It llas been rightly suggested that there no national Government in Australia worth anything to you, worth anything to the is room for increased production of cotton in winning of this war, that does not mean this country. It can be grown in almost that Labour members of Parliament will ewry distJ-ict throughout the State, although not only bring themselves into the Cabinet perhaps not quite so prolificly as in the Bur but will also bring with them the great nett or Callide V alley area. When cotton pro trade union movement of Australia.'' duction was first launched in Queensland it was grown as far south as Laidley and is Does that not clearly indicate that both Mr. even grown there to-day. Let us double our Menzies and Mr. Curtin are actuated by a production of cotton and, moreover, let us be desire to bring the war to a victorious con moving now, otherwise there may be the fatal clusion for us as speedily as possible~ loss of 18 months in agricultural production. Similar sentiments were expressed by the I should like the Secretary for Agriculture late Mr. Savage, Prime Minister of New 11nd Stock to nominate bands of volunteers Zealand, who said- to explain a policy of increased production to the agriculturists throughout the State. ' '\Vith gratitude for the past and con Indeed, I should be happy to be nominated fidence in the future, we range ourselves the leader of one such group. I know other 1940-F 130 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Add1·ess in Reply. hon. mrmber~ on both sides of the House who cotton production, instead of being 14,000 are also willing to do similar work. or 15,000 bales, would go very nearly to the maximum of Australian requirements-35,000 Tl1e Secretary for Labour and Industry: or 40,000 bales. As I said, if increased butter 'That is already being done. production is required the dairy farmer will ~Ir. WALKER: This is necessa;y in require to sow some feed crops in the spring order to imbue farmers with the necessity of with a, view to increasing his production. increasing cotton production. Possibly, he could also increase his pig pro duction. He might be persuaded not to get The Secretary for Labour and Industry: rid of his second -class milkers, but keep them We are doing that now. for this and next year. They would be of some value. There is also the question of lUr. WALKER: The hon. gentleman fat,'' and pig meats required more particu might be doing that in the Rockhampton larly on the other side of the world. district, but that is only a small area of the State. This increased production would not only keep the English soldiers fighting but also The Secretary for Labour and Industry: assist Australia to keep her machinery going No, it is being done throughout the State. uniformly without turmoil and materially ~Ir. WALKER: It is quite necessary that assist her economy by creating a favourable tins work should be undertaken in the Rock trade balance, which is a very big factor hampton district, but, as I have said the indeed. Queensland is doing wonderfully area there is limited. Take for instanc~ the well in primary production owing to increased Brisbane Valley, the Mary Valley and' the supplies from year to year. The sugar indus Burnett Valley districts where c~tton has try need not be shut out of our consideration. been grown extensively. Many of the farmers The English worker has shown that he is willing to give us a protection of approxi there kno"w onl;y: ~ne variety, that is, Durango, but, as the Munster knows other varieties mately £4 a ton on our sugar. That is show are being very successfully' grown. Surely ing an Empire spirit, and yet we have people we can take some step in the direction I here who, if they had their way, would have indicated, as many farmers have pad prevent us from sending soldiers to the other docks fenced off and the necessary sheds and side of the world to fight in order to defend machinery for the growing of cotton. This and preserve our Empire! I am diffident about speaking on war matters because, like wo_ul~ not mean that they would give up dmr;·mg, but merely utilise an additional most hon. members, I know nothing about 5, 10, or 20 acres. them. The metropolitan papers are our main source of information on what should be done. The Sec!etary for Labour and Industry: I have merely endeavoured to treat the matter We are domg that now. in a c,ommon-sense way. Mr. WALKER: We have not read of or The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS seen the results. (Hon. H. A. Bruce, The Tableland) (2.35 p.m.): The Address in Reply gives us an The Secretary for Labour and Industry: We are even financing farmers to enable opportunity of reaffirming our loyalty to the them to install irrigation plants to ensure Crown· not that I think that is necessary, the successful growing of cotton. becaus~ I believe every member of this Assembly and every person in Queensland is Mr. WALKER: We must go further and loyal to the Crown. send lecturers round, because the varieties of Various opinions have been expressed in cotton might be new to the farmers. regard to the war position, but I think one The Secretary for Mines: Field officers thing was omitte·d-the question of ~ot have already been sent. separating British defence a11d A ustrahan defence. :Many hon. members maintain that !fr. WAI,KER: These lecturers could the two are wrapped up in each other! bl!t t~e advise farmers on the cultivation methods position to-day is that Great B'rltam IS to ensure a good crop of these new varieties. fighting the whole of Europe on her own front. My suggestion applies to many rural com She has all the fighting forces that she po_s modi~ic,~ we are producing to-day. Take, sesses, with the exception of a few troops_ In ~or mst_an:e, butter. The butter industry outside places, within her o:vn. boundane~. IS flounshmg and expanding. Previously The main thing in Great Bntam to-day IS large areas of cotton were sown in the ::\Iar; probably foodstuffs; therefore, _Great Britain V alley, but the farmers in time discovere~l is not likely to require any further troops that they could make more money out of from :mv of the dominions. There are dairying; in other centres, however, some of Australiai1s in Palestine, apart from our air our agricultural industries are dormant and I men who are overseas, and it is the duty should like to see the Secretary for Agricul of Au•tralia to reinforce those troops in ture and Stock, in addition to what he is Palestine if it is necessary for the defence already doing, act with the Secretary for of that part of the E~pir~. I think, .from Labour and Industry to form committees in the general view of thmgs, that that IS all various parts of the State with himself or we shall be called upon to do, as far as the say, Professor Murray, as president, to 'fur: cJnfence of Great Brit~in is crmcerned. ther. this movement. Professor 1\Iurray is a pa~t~cularly keen man and thol'oug;hly The Labour Party have affirmed that prin Bnbsh. If that was done we should have ciple of the need for reinforcing the troops something doing inside a few months, and who have gone overseas. At the same time, Address in Reply. [28 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 131 >Ye are naturally anxious, in common with lUr. Nimmo: Were we not looking after many others, that the defence of Australia our own mining industries 9 should be properly looked after. 'rhe defence of Australia, as part of the British dominions The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC '\'fORKS: is a vital matter. Several Commonwealtl~ I wish the hon. member would not make Governments have failed to take the advice ridiculous interjections. He will have his that Great Britain had plainly given them for opportunity to speak on this motion. I am !'Pars past-that is, that they should attend expressing my opinion at present. Queens to the defence of Australia. ·I do not blame land and other States could have supplied that copper had provision been made in the ~1e Menzies Government only; more than one matter of price. One cannot expect miners 1' ederal Government have failed to take the to produce copper when lhe value of that advice offered them by leaders of British metal is not sufficient to give them a liveli thought and those in authority in the Old Country that >Ye should attend to the adequate hood. . Leaving the copper belt, we come to the Herberton area, in which tin to the value defence of Australia. of £200,000 or £300,000 is produced annually. No-one can reasonably assume that the The Tableland Tin Dredging Cumpmq is Labour Party does not stand four-square for produc-ing an average of a bag of tin a day. the support of the British Empire and the defence of this country. The Secretary for l\1ines: A ton of tin. ~. day. :Various opinions ~:;v.e been expressed during th1s debate and cntlc1sms have been offered The SECRETARY .FOR PUBLIC WORKS: but that is what we are here for. We ar~ l am corrected by the Secretary for Mines. here to express our opinions freely. It has That is a very important factor to Queens been stated by our opponents that caucus has land and Australia, and also affects our repr~ssed members of the Labour Party and defence. forb.1dden them to express their opinions. Cabinet timbers, unexcelled in any part of Durmg the course of this debate our members the world, are produced on the Tableland .. have expresse~ .t~eir opinions freely, and they If we work on them at the present pace have been cnhc1se.(l for their expressions. or even exceeding that pace-for the next That has happened on both sides. Everyone 100 years, there will still be cabinet timbers has freely expressed his opinion, and I am to work upon. The land when cleared is pleas~d to have the opportunity of hearing some of the richest dairying country in the v1ews that haye been stated. Australia, and together with other parts of The. main complaint that QueE-nsland has is Australia, produces very large supplies of that, m the defence of Australia, Queensland butter. These are valuable products for the· ~a~. I_Jeen neglected. Considering the poten prosecution of a war. ha11h:s of Quee~sland for the production of Coming further south, we find some of matenals essential for war, it should have those products mentioned by the hon. member been the first State to be developed for those who has just resumed his seat as being purposes. required by the Commonwealth Government. We have areas that have produced tobacco Before the last war had reached the stage leaf that has for many years attracted the of the present conflict, William Morris highest price-I do not say the highest aver Hughes,, then in charge of the Common age price-reached in the market. Irrigation wealth Government, hail a]Jpointed Dalgety would increase our tobac·co areas considerably. and Company, Limited, to buy metals. Prices The land is already cleared, and is of a type were fixed and miners knew what they were that does not require much clearing. Our going to receive. In Queensland there are production of tobacco could be considerably many metals very valuable in the production increased. of armaments, and it is well worth while to Molybdenite, wolfram, and a number of en~1mera te our resources in these and other other rare metals that are extTemely valu thmgs. Coal seams are to be found from able for >Yar purposes are to be found in one end of the State to the other. Fish ~onsiderable quantities in Queensland, and abound along the Barrier Reef-sufficient to nothing has been done so far to collect them. feed a nation. The Northern hinterland to After all, I think we all agree that we shall well into the coast is our cattlE' country. haYe plenty of men, but we want also the Sheep, of course, are grazed in many places. necessary machinery to enable those men to Gol~1 .1s found in Queensland. There was an meet the enemy on an equal footing. What ex~1lnt of £10,000 vvorth of gold at a recent we have to do is build up the proper type Ca1rns show.. That is quite a tidy sum of of mechanical defence so that the men who money, an.(! 1t was a nice piece of gold. arc willing to face tl1c enemy for us will be That gold represents only a fraction of the adequately prepaTed to do so-armed and p-old that has been won, and can still be won, equipped. The whole downfall of Europe m the area from which it came. That was >Yas due to the fact that HitleT had built fro~ one ~ine, . and there are other gold-pro up his mechanised units to such an extent ~ucmg mmes m the peninsula, but little that flesh and blood could not stand up 1s known of them. Copper mines are also against them. \Ye have had ample time to there. To-day we are importing 15,000 tons take steps to prevent onr being caught as of copper to meet a shortage in Australia, the European countries -were. Had adequate measures been taken, that coprer could have been produced in Queens Further down the co8st we have several' land. million-pound sugar tovms proilucing sugar,, 132 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply. and we have gold also. The :'lfulgrave River further south we arrive at Ipswich, the point has been bored by various mining companies of commencement of our coal areas. and ~onsidcra ble gold is known to exist in it, but It also serves a very rich agricultural I have only made a brief survey, because area, and ,ylwther gol had a Defence Department worthy of the an invader in check until support was sent, name. 'l'hey should have had a Defence say, from Brisbane, after Brisbane had been Department manned with efficient defence notified of the invasion and had set up its officers, just as we have departments of State own defences. Similarly, Sydney and Mel with officers to carry out the duties bourne would be notified of the invasion and to them. I am not suggesting would have time to prepare their own defences , in times of peace the defence policy and to send reinforcements to the small band ohould be expanded at a war-time rate, but that was holding the invader in check in the at least thev could have established a sound North. \Ve must also have a fleet of aero nucleus of ; defence scheme to be expanded planes in Western Australia, the Northern as required, just as the Depart- Territory, and Queensland, with reserve fleets \Vorks in this State increases and reserve supplies in Melbourne, Sydney, its activities and employs more men as and Adelaide. circumstances warrant. Then, to use a phrase often adopted by the Premier, there would Unless these precautions are taken Queens have been an orderly and well-planned system land will be exposed to great danger and of defence. North-Western Australia and probably the whole of Western Australia will be sacri The appointment of Mr. Essington Lewis ficed to an enemy. If an invader gained a to an organising position in the Common foothold in Queensland he could establish him wealth sphere has been criticised, but I do self fairly comfortably in the North and at not join in that criticism, because I realise a suitable and convenient time march South that as the Commonwealth Government did ana seize control of Sydney and Melbourne. not have a proper Defence Department they We should not feel happy about that. bul to ion\ outside for someone to organise such a scheme for them, and I am satisfied The point is that Queensland and her that no better man could have been found than importance as an integral part of 'this Com Mr. Essington Lewis. The trouble with the monwealth, have not been recognised. To Commonwealth Government is that they support my contention, I have only to quote omitted to spend reasonable sums upon the the allocations made by the Federal Govern development of a proper Defence Department. ment for defence work throughout the Com In Queensland there are 10 departments of monwealth. The aggregate expenditure is State, but there are fewer, although bigger, £20,946,570, allocated as follows:- Commonwealth departments, which are called £ upon to deal with bigger subjects than those New South Wales 5,596,550 dealt with by State departments. My point Victoria 4,327,282 is that the Commonwealth Government failed adequately to build up a Defence Department, Queensland . . 1,383,818 otherwise they would now be in a position to South Australia 4,217,348 expand their defence activities. Western Australia 1,194,098 Someone asked if I had a proposal to make Roughly speaking, New South Wales, Victoria, to remedy this defect. I have a proposal to and South Australia absorbed £14,000,000 of make. Under the proposed national training this vote. That huge sum was spent within a scheme or militia system, all militia men are small triangle with its apex on Melbourne, and to be brought to big camps for a period of embracing Sydney and Adelaide. I want to twining and then, I suppose, scattered emphasise that only £1,383,818 was promised throughout the State, again without arms or to be spent in Queensland. Already millions any military equipment. Roughly, my pro have been spent on defence in the area I posal is that the State should be divided into mentioned. There might be an argument, and a sound one, too, that engineering and four or five divisions with suitable militia mechanical appliances centred in this triangle camps in each. When the camps are dis have forced the national Government to spend banded the men should be issued with .303 larger sums in this area than in Queensland, rifles, machine guns, and anti-aircraft guns, but if we examine the position we see how for serious use if necessary and not for pur fallacious it is. poses of practice or play. Then the militia men could be of service in the various parts The neglect of this State by the Federal of the State instead of their being confined, Government is, I think, due to a lack of say, to the Brisbane district. These militia knowledge of Queensland and what Queens units in the different divisions of the State land can do. Too much money altogether has would prove very useful if we were invaded. been spent in buildings in all States. Most I can tell hon. members seriously that the of the £1,383,818 is to be spent in Southern people in the North are worried about what Queensland on buildings. The fact is that the may happen at any moment. necessary tools are not to be had to be installed in them. Some time ago the Federal In the time at my disposal I can deal only Government were talking of getting second in a very sketchy way with my proposal. If hand tools from America by 1941, but, I '"e were attacked the militia units in the understand, since then considerable advance North, who would be armed with proper has been made in this connection, and steps military equipment, would be able to hold are now being made to manufacture them in off an invader at least for a while. They Australia. Tools must be available before would have a thorough knowledge of the hilly manufacturing armaments. My complaint country of the North and of the sources of about much of this expenditure in defence food supplies, and so would be able to hold is it comprises bricks and mortar, and the 134 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply. difficulty will be get machinery to install the question. Everybody knows that power in the buil.cJings. It is machinery that is alcohol can be produced from any form of vitally necessary to manufacture implements vegetation. Some people think that the third of war necessary for our adequate defence. boiling of sugar could be used for the making of power alcohol. Thc1·e is one other factor showing how slow the }'ederal Government havP been to Mr. lUoore: It could be used, but is it recognise industry in Queensland that economical~ would be of material aid in national defence. 'fhat Government have now appointed a 'l'lle SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: committee to investigate the possibilities That is the question. It has been stated by of the manufacture of power alcohol. people in the sugar industry that it is a Although the manufacture of po>wr alcohol question whether the amount of power alcohol o btainecl from the third boiling of sugar would has been discussed in this Parliament more than equal the value of the sugar on and this State from time to time, it is only the overseas market. That has to be decided. in recent weeks that the Federal Government have appointed this committee to make I conducted the negotiations regarding investigations, as they consider this spirit to power alcohol with various companies, and I be an important factor in the defence of obtained information on the subject from Australia. The power-alcohol industry has South America and various European coun been considerably assisted by the Government tries such as France and Sweden, where I represent. In 1933 the Motor Spirit pow~r alcohol is being used entirely in driving Ven-dors Act was introduced by me in this heavy vehicles. \Ve have also had experience House. It made it compulsory for all in the use of various petrols containing power Queensland motor companies to include a alcohol, and there is no doubt about its effi proportion of power alcohol in all petrol ciency; yet the Federal Gove;nment have s_een marketed by them. At that time the distillery fit to appoint a board to go mto the question, at Sarina was producing only 100,000 gallons thus wasting much money that could be used a year. At the present time, power alcohol in building more tanks for producing that to the _exte~t of approximately 1,000,000 product. gallons 1s bemg produced by this company. By regulations made in January, 1935, the Another matter I wish to draw attention to number of gallons of power alcohol to be is that from the declaration of war to 30 June purchased and paid for by the holder of a last the expenditure by the State Government motor spirit Yen cl or's licence for eYery 100 on providing special patrol watchmen for gallons of motor spirit sold by such holder Government buildings amounted to £5,186. I was H per cent. By regulations made in was asked by the Federal Go:ernm.en~ to January, 1939, such number of gallons of appoint these watchmen to pubhc bUildmgs, power alcohol to be so purchased was and the whole of that expenditure has been increased from 1 !i to 2 per cent. By further borne by this State. No part is borne by the regulations made in January, 1940, the Commonwealth Government. The Main Roads number of gallons of power alcohol to be Commission has to date incurred an expendi purchase-d was altered and further increased ture of £9,129 for special guards un bridges from 2 to 2!i per cent. on main roads. I venture to say that no other State has been asked to expend this money ~he. ~roduction of power alcohol is purely for this purpose. From time to time I have a distlllmg process. The greatest expenditure passed through New South yv ales. by car and is in the building of the large concrete vats I have found uniformed sold1ers with bayonets to hold the molasses from which it is pro watching the bridges in that State, and also duced. Smaller vats are necessary for the in Victoria, whereas in Queensland the distilling operation. The smaller vats are Government were asked to put men on, and only rivetted, therefore it would cost little the State has borne that expense. money to increase the plant that is now at Sarina for producing power alcohol. When As members of Parliament, each and every the plant was established at Sarina they had one of us has the honour to represent some to pay a large amount of money in royalties part of this wonderful State of Queensland, t? some J!'renc~ iirm; but even if those patent but a gentleman appointed by the Comm~n nghts stlll exist, seeing that France is now wealth Government to inquire into the faclli occupied by the enemy, we should not have ties and equipment for the training of artisans to pay the royalties and the cost of building for defence purposes in queensland, Mr. _E_. P. the plant would be comparatively small. Eltham, now Federal D1rector of Trammg, on his iirst visit to the State, spent two clays There is no necessity to institute an inquiry in Brisbane. This wonderful State of Queens as tu the efficacy of power alcohol as a mix land took up two whole days of this gentle ture with petrol. That can be regarded as man's time. And what did he find~ He had proved. I have driven cars thousands of time to come in and say '' Good-ilay'' and miles since 1932, and I have used Shellkol ''Good-bye'' to me. He must have be.en busy and other mixtures of power alcohol. Shellkol looking at our equipment for the remamcler of or any mixture. of power alcohol, with petroi the two days, but when ~ went South to makes automatically an anti-knock mixture. attend a conference I discovered he had All the information in regard to the use of decided that the State of Queensland could power alcohol in European countries, such as train 11 titters. The Commonwealth represen Sweden and France, is available to the tative, after a complete survey, decided t~at Federal Government, yet they think it neces Queensland could train J 1 fitters for a penod sary to appoint a board of enquiry to go into of 24 weeks. AddreBB in Reply. [29 AUGUST.] QueBtionB. 135 At a subsequent meeting of the Australian asking for more men because she has the Educational Council, the urgent need for the whole of her fighting forces within her own provision of adequate means of training boundaries and probably will not want to fill ground staffs for the Air Force and the pro extra months when she has the men and equip vision of technical training for defence pur lllCl't there, thnt ,\.u.,~ralia is an essential part poses >Yas stressed by the Commonwealth of the British Empire, and that we should Government's representative. We had met in give time and deliberation to the training and Hobart previously. They then did not appear equipping of men for her adequate defence, to realise any need for this, but at Canberra as well as supplying men to those out,tations they stressed the need for ground staffs. Mr. such as Darwin, Singapore, and other places Spenuer was the Commonwealth representa that are vital to the defenc-e of this country. tive. At the conclusion of that c-onference I Debate, on motion of Mr. McLean, sent the Director of Education, Mr. L. D. adjourned. Edwards, back to Brisbane direct with instruc tions to put into operation any action we The House adjourned at 3.17 p.m. could take to assist the Commonwealth Govern ment in qualifying men for the Air Force under the State department. A scheme was formulated whereby Queensland could under take the immediate training of 100 men as fitters. 'rhis offer was conveyed to the Federal Government, and the late Mr. Fairbairn, Minister for Air, sent me a telegram thank ing me for, and congratulating me on, the work that was done. Subsequently, I received a telegram from the Air Board. It regretted that it could not accept our offer, and had I not published these telegrams, not only in the locnl but also in the Southern Press, 1 guarantee that we should not be taking any more than 11 fitters to-day. The exposure of what they were doing, their refusal to accept what we were trying to do, made the members of the Air Board change their minds. They lmow nothing of Queensland. That was pal pable. They refused this offer for the pre liminary training of 100 fitters. With proper assistance we could be training 500 fitters and machinists, men urgently required for building up the defence that is necessary. At the present time there are being trained in Queensland- 26 fitters for the Royal Australian Air Force, though the present equipment at the Central Technical College is sufficient to train 50 and the present building can acrDnm1odate 100. 20 turners and machinists at the Central Technical College and 12 at the Ipswich 'rechnical College. - 10 artificers for the Australian Army Ordnance Corps. As a result of the action taken by the State Go1 ernment and the Department of Munitions, it is expected that within a fortnight there will be 80 men being trained in Brisbane as turners, and as soon as additional equipment is to hanrl, 40 in Ipswich. 3Ir. ::'\immo: Did they have to get that equipment from outside~ The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: We had the equipment. We were ready to do this. We told them we could train 100 fittrrs and machinists straight away, but this gentleman from the South told them we could trnin only 11 fitters. I think I have built up a good case to show that I stand for the voluntary reinforcement of tho',' Australians who are alrcadv at the front, that Great Britain probably will not be