Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

THURSDAY, 4 AUGUST 1949

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

36 Questions. [ASSEMBLY.] Questions.

THURSDAY, 4 AUGUST, 1949. -to provide farms for 10 soldier settlers­ is approaching completion. Water will be pumped from the Burdekin River and sup­ The AC'l'I~G SPEAKER (The CHAIR­ plied by means of channels and pipelines MAN of COMMITTEES, Mr. Manu, Bris­ to the farms. The main crop will be bane) took the chair at 11 a.m. tobacco. The main Burdekin River Project of which the Clare scheme is a part, pro­ QUESTIONS. vides for the construction of a dam to a TULLY HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME. height of 138 feet above the general level of the river bed for the provision of a llir. MAHER (West Moreton) asked the useful storage of 3,600,000 acre feet. Pre­ Secretary for Public Lands and Irrigation­ liminary designs for a mass concrete dam '' 1. Has any construction work yet been have been prepared. Preliminary contour commenced in connection with the Tully surveys for the Burdekin Project have been Falls scheme~ carried out for 100,000 acres of the 500,000 '' 2. What irrigation or hydro-electric acres of potentially irrigable lands esti­ schemes have reached the constructional mated to be available. Diamond drilling stage, indicating the locality, the estimated by the Mines Department is in hand at tot:;tl cost,_ the expenditure to date, and the the main storage dam site at the Burdekin mam obJects of each scheme, respec­ Falls. Surveys have been completed of tively~'' the ponded area, and aerial surveys of some 3,000,000 acres of the ponc1ed area and Hon. T. A. FOLEY (Norman by) replied- potential irrigable lands have been made. '' 1. This question together with that (d) Weir on Burnett River at Mundubbera portion nf part 2 relating to hydro-electric -estimated total cost, £114,000; expendi­ schemes should be addressed to the hon. ture to 30 June, 1949, £59,444. This is the Minister for Mines and Immigration. the first of a series of works on the Burnett . '' 2. The following works of the Irriga­ River, and will provide a storage of 4,000 twn and Water Supply Commission for acre feet for irrigation purposes. (e) irrigation purposes, are under construction Weirs on Three Moon and Monal Creeks, at the present time. (a) Weir on Walsh near Monto-estimated total cost, £25,500; River near Dimbulah-estimated total cost expenditure to 30 June, 1949, £9,019. £44,500; expenditure to 30 June, 1949' Object: To provide storages of 405 acre £38,335. Object: To provide a storage of feet for irrigation purposes mainly in con­ 800 acre feet for irrigation of adjoining nection with fodder crops. (f) Weir on lands, principally in connection with Balonne River at St. George-estimated tobacco growing. This storage is the com­ total cost-weir, £62,000; irrigation mencement of water conservation works on scheme, £42,500; expenditure to 30 June, the Walsh River for irrigation purposes 1949, £37,129. Object: To provide a stor­ and is the beginning of a scheme to build age of 3,900 acre feet. The water will be dams on the Walsh River and the Barron used to irrigate 1,200 acres, and provide River to provide a total storage of 140 000 a water supply for the town of St. George. acre feet, with a Barron-Walsh dive;sion (g) Weir on Mcintyre Brook near Whet­ channel, irrigation channels and further stone-estimated total cost, £20,000; expen­ weirs. It is estimated that such a scheme diture to 30 June, 1949, £12,497. Object: would permit the development of 32 000 To provide a storage of 410 acre f_eet f?r acres under irrigation and increase the pro­ irrigation of adjoining lands mamly m duction of the Mareeba-Dimbulah area by connection with tobacco and fodder crops. £1 ,500,000 per annum. At the present time (h) Weir on Dumaresq River near Bon­ illvestiga';ions of the foundations of the shaw-estimated total cost, £31,500; expen­ proposed dam site on the Walsh River, near diture to 30 June, i949, £3,549. Object: Nullinga, by diamond drilling, are in pro­ To provide a storage of 930 acre feet, for gress. Topographic surveys are being made irrigation purposes, fodder crops, tobacco, in the Dimbulah area from the proposed and fruit. This is the beginning of works dam site to below Dimbulah and further provided for under the Queensland-New weir sites are being surveyed. Arrange­ South Wales Border Rivers agreement mel_lts have been made for carrying out an which provides for a major storage clam at aenal survey of the area that might be Mingoola with 11 other weirs. (i) Weir submerged by the N ullinga Dam. (b) on Barker Creek near Nanango-estimated VVeir on Tinaroo Creek near Mareeba­ total cost, £10,000. Construction has just estimated total cost, £15,500; expenditure been commenced. Object: To provide a t? 30 June, 1949, £4,884. Object: To p:ro­ storage of 125 acre feet for irrigation pur­ YF]e a storage of 220 acre feet for irriga­ poses for fodder crops. In addition to the tion, most of wbich will be utilised by works enumerated above, the Irrigation and passing downstream to lands below the Water Supply Commission is proceeding weir. (c) Irrigation Scheme at Clare­ with investigation of the water resources estimated cost, £250,000; expenditure to of the State with a view to the eventual 3? June, 1949, £37,304. This is the begin­ construction of further water conservation mug of the Burdekin Irrigation Project. works, and the Bureau of Investigation ~s The Clare portion, which is designed for providing assistance in relation to sml construction in three stages, provides for surveys of the patential irrigable I an ds. an ultimate development under irrigation Works scheduled for the current year's of 88 farms, with a total area of 6,920 works programme provide for the con­ acres. At present the first of these stages struction of 13 weirs, the development of Questions. (4 AUGUST.] Questions. 37

areas in the vicinity of existing weirs, "2. (a) Tractors-25 Massey Harris together with domestic and stock watering 55K tractors, 4 Massey Harris 44K tractors, schemes, and the establishment of water­ 2 Model LA Case tractors, 33 Fordson ing facilities on stock routes. Information Major Diesels tractors, 4 Caterpillar D.6 regarding irrigation schemes constructed tractors, 1 Ferguson tractor. (b) Har­ during previous years is given in the vesters-29 No. 4 Sunshine headers, 1 Annual Report of the Commissioner for Shearer header. (c) Combines-48 24-row Irrigation and Water Supply for 1947-48." Suntyne combines, H. V. McKay-Massey Harris; 4 Shearer 24-row combines; Hi NORTHERN TIMBER RESERVES. Horwood Bagshaw 24-row combines. (d) Other machines (ploughs, harrows, &c.)- llr. MACDONALD (Stanley) asked the 12 14-disc Sandercut ploughs, 12 14-disc Secretary for Public Lands and Irrigation- Shearer ploughs, 1 14-disc Horwood-Bag­ " What is the total area of timber shaw plough, 12 18-disc Horwood-Bagshaw reserves north of Townsville W'' ploughs, 25 18-disc Shearer ploughs, 24 20-section H. V. McKay-Massey Harris Hon. T. A. FOLEY (Normanby) replied- harrows, 1 15-section H. V. McKay-Massey " Timber reserves, 1,827,733 acres; State Han·is harrow, 20 Suntrail harrows-H. V. forests, 352,806 acres; total, 2,180,539 McKay-Massey Harris, 17 15-section acres. In addition, there are in this region Shearer harrows, 1 H. V. McKay-Massey sixty-one National parks with an aggre­ Harris mower, 1 H. V. McKay-Massey gate area of 224,696 acres.'' Han·is binder. (e) Wire and wire netting-- 262 x 5-chain coils pig fencing, 232 x :l:-mile coils barb wire. (f) Galvanised iron-64 QUEENSLAND-BRITISH FOOD CORPORATION. tons 26-gauge galvanised rooting iron, 10 Mr. lUciNTYRE (Cunningham) asked tons 24-gauge tank-making iron, 2 tons thP Premier- 72 x 36 x 26-gauge plain iron, i ton ' ' 1. What holdings have been acquired 72 x 36 x 24-gauge plain iron, It tons for the purposes of the Queensland-British 72 x 36 x 22-gauge plain iron. Food Corporation, showing the area of '' 3. Harvesting operations have not yet each holding, the price paid respectively, been completed, consequently the net value and the total acreage acquired to date~ of the crop has not been estimated at this '' 2. What are the particulars of the fol­ stage. lowing machinery and materials obtained to '' 4. Classification of the grain for export date for the purposes of the operations of has not yet been completed. the Corporation scheme, viz.:-( a) tractors, '' 5. Financial results from the start of (b) harvesters, (c) combines, (d) other operations to 31 March, 1949 (the close of machines, (e) wire and wire netting, and the Corporation's financial year) appear in (f) galvanised iron W the Corporation's first annual report '' 3. How many bushels of sorghum have which was tabled on Tuesday last for the been harvested by the Corporation at Peak information of hon. members. Downs and what is its estimated net valueW '' 6. Total number of cattle (bullocks '' 4. What proportion of the grain has and cows) purchased to date, 13,179; been classed as export quality W number sold, 2,900; number still owned by '' 5. What is the expenditure to date Corporation, 10,279. '' chargeable against grain production, ex­ cluding outlay on capital assets~ BORINGS FOR COAL, NEBO. ' '6. How many bullocks have been (a) purchased and (b) sold to date, and (c) Mr. EVANS (Mirani) asked the how many are still remaining in possession Premier- of the Corporation~'' ''In reference to the statement in the Governor's Opening Speech that the Elec­ Hon. E. 11. HANLON (Ithaca-Premier) tric Supply Corporation (Overseas) Limited replied- has assigned its rights and responsibilities '' 1. On 10 March, 1949, in answer to a to the Central Queensland Coal Develop­ question asked by the Leader of the Opposi­ ment Company Pty. Ltd., has this company tion, details of properties acquired by the been given a right by either order in council Queensland-British Food Corporation at or permit to conduct boring for coal opera­ that date were given to this House. Since tions in the N ebo area~ If not, are such 10 March, 1949, the following properties operations being conducted by the Govern­ have been acquired by the Co-ordinator­ ment~'' General of Public Works under the provi­ sions of the State Development and Public Hon. E. :fil. HANLON (Ithaca-Premier) Works Organisation Act on behalf of the replied- . Queensland-British Food Corporation:­ '' I understand that M. R. Hornibrook Marmadilla, 25,000 acres at 16s. per acre; Pty. Ltd. have conducted certain boring Retro, 71,764 acres at 18s. 3d. per acre; operations in the Nebo area, on behalf of an area near Bajool, 678 acres at a total the Electric Supply Corporation (Overseas) price of £6,025 10s. All these prices Limited. No order in council was neces­ include improvements and plant. In addi­ sary to enable this to be done. The agree­ tion to the above, negotiations have been ment between the Electric Supply Corpora­ completed for the acquisition of Orion tion (Overseas) Limited and the Queens­ Downs, 69,809 acres at 15s. 10d. per acre. land Government, which of course has since Questions. [ASSEMBLY.] Questions.

been assigned to the Central Queensland SUGGESTED VISIT TO COALFIELDS BY PREMIER. Coal Development Co. Pty. Ltd., entitles the company to obtain coal within a radius Mr. PIE (Windsor) asked the Premier- of five miles, from the railway station at ' 'In view of the reported success of the Blair Athol. The agreement also authorises back-to-work meetings held by the Federal the company to conduct boring operations Minister for Information on the New South in any other area or areas to enable the Wales coalfields and in the Sydney Domain route of the proposed railway line to be on Sunday last, and in view of the indica­ determined so that, if possible, the rail­ tion from the unions in this State that the way will pass through other coal-bearing Queensland miners' decisi~n co~l~ . be in­ areas. There is nothing in the Act to fluenced will be-(a) Consider VIsitmg the prevent any other interested person pros­ Ipswich' coalfields himself and addre~s~g pecting in those other areas. ' ' the miners; (b) lead a group compnsmg both sections of the House to addres~ them; RENTS OF RAILWAY DEPARTMENT HOUSES. or (c) arrange for the honourable members for Bremer and Maryborough, who have Mr. CHALK (East Toowoomba) asked had a long association with the miners, to the Minister for Transport- use their influence to get them to return '' Has there been an increase in the to work, by addressing them~'' rental charged to railway employees living in Railway homes owned by the State Hon. E. 11. HANLON (Ithaea) replied- Government~ '' I have no personal knowledge of any '' 2. If so, has a standard percentage overwhelming rush by New South Wales been adopted in each case, or how have the miners to return to work as a result of the increases been arrived at~ particular meetings to which the hon. '' 3. Has such increase been approved by gentleman refers. So far as this State is the Commissioner of Prices~ ' ' concerned I do know my Government has done and will continue to do, everything Hon. J. E. DUGGAN (Toowoomba) possible within its constitutional powers replied- to encourage an early resumption of work '' 1. Yes, in the principal centres of the on all Queensland coalfields. In support State. of this policy, it will be recalled I made a '' 2. A standard percentage has been State-wide broadcast a little over a week adopted in all cases in which increases were ago. My message which was delivered as made. Leader of the Government in this State was, I have reason to believe, heard by a "3. No. It is not a matter which comes far greater mining audience than could within the jurisdiction of the Prices Com­ possibly have been the case if I had n;terely missioner. The formula adopted gives a delivered an address in one particular lower return on capital invested than would mining centre. Reference has been made be the case if charges were levied by the to the hon. member for Bremer and the Queensland Housing Commisson, Privatl< hon. member for Maryborough. Unlike the Trustee Companies, or the Public Curator.>' hon. member for Windsor the two hon. members referred to know something of the STATE HOUSING COMMISSION HOMES. coal-mining industry and the. men engaged Mr. CHALK (East Toowoomba) asked in it, and, in this connectiOn, I would the Secretary for Public Works, Housing and remind the hon. member for Windsor that Local Government- it has been truly said actions speak louder '' 1. Relating to The Governor's Opening than words. ' ' Speech, which indicates that the Queens­ land Housing Commission, during the NATIONALI'l'IES OF ASSISTED I"'IMIGRANTS. twelve months ended 30 June, 1949, com­ Mr. BJELKE-PETERSE~ (Nanango) pleted 1,015 houses, had 618 in various asked the Secretary for Mines and Immigra­ stages of construction, and had approved tion- of an additional 670 to be commenced, will he inform this House of the number of ' 'Will he kindly supply the :figures relat­ Commission homes-(a) finished, (b) being ing to assisted immigration to Queensland built, (c) approval granted, for the twelve since 1946, showing the total number _d:rr­ months, in the following areas:-( a) Metro­ ing that period and the number of Bntish politan, (b) South-Eastern Queensland, migrants and the number of each other (c) Toowoomba and South-West, (d) Cen­ nationality included therein? tral and Mackay, (e) Northern. Hon. W. M. MOORE (Merthyr) replied- "2. If he is not prepared to furnish this "The State Department of Immigration information, will he inform the House fro:m has within its jurisdiction migration from what source the State Government Statis­ the United Kingdom only. Matters relat­ tician obtains similar information for in­ ing to migration from other countries come clusion in his statistical bulletins dealing within the jurisdiction of the Common­ with building approvals, and will he table wealth Department of Immigration: Trans­ that information~'' port of British migrants to Austraha under Hon. W. POWER (Baroona) replied- the present free and assisted passages agreement did not commence until 1947 " I. (a) 3,137; (b) 618; (c) (1) 1,091; (2) 56; (3) 55; (4) 61; (5) 220. and from July, 1947, to date, the total number of British migrants to arrive in "2. See answer to No. 1.'' this State is 5,385.'' Supply. [4 AuGusT.] Supply. S9

IPSWICH BY-ELECTION. From the Trust and Special Funds t'l!l_ sum of £5,500,000; and ~Ir. WANSTALL (Toowong), without notice, asked the Premier- From the moneys standing to the credit of the Loan Fund Account the sum of '' Can the Government state why the date £3,000,000. has not yet been fixed for the by-election for the electorate of Ipswich, which be­ COMMITTEE. came vacant on 14 May, almost twelve weeks ago~ · (Mr. Hilton, Carnarvon, in the chair.) "Is there any truth in the current rumours that the Government have delayed Hon. J. LARCOMBE (Rockhampton-­ setting a date for the by-election until Treasurer) (11.24 a.m.): I move- the coal strike is over~ ' ' ''That there be granted to His Majesty on account for the service of the year Hon. E. Ill. HANLON (Ithaca-Premier) 1949-50, a further sum not exceeding replied- £15,500,000 towards defraying the expenseo '' The date of the by-election will be of the various departments and services of fixed by the Government in due course and the State.'' the hon. member for Toowong, like every­ The financial needs of the State render a body else in Queensland, will be informed. Bill of this kind necessary early in each Ses­ I remind the hon. member that rumour is sion of Parliament. Such Bill has historic a lying jade.'' significance and serves to remind hon. mem­ bers of the many constitutional and even INTERJECTIONS DURING ANSWERS physical battles that were fought to obtain TO QUESTIONS. :J.nd retain the power of the purse. It also serves to remind hon. members of the power Members of the Opposition interjecting of Parliament-that hon. members have that during the Minister's reply to Question No. 1. power without intimidation. The ACTING SPEAKER: Order! Hon. One historian states that on a certain members complain if a Minister refuses to occasion an impecunious King of England answer a question. They have the privilege said to the Speaker of Parliament, "Get that of asking questions and they should give Bill through tonight or off come.s your head.'' Ministers the opportunity to answer them. I am not suggesting anything sinister about the chairman, the Leader of the Opposition PAPERS. or his party but I shall certainly be pleased if this Bill is passed by Parliament not later The following papers were laid on the than by tonight. Fortunately the Government table:- are not impecunious. We believe that the Orders in Council under the Rural Fires Chamber will provide the extra supply that is. Act of 1946 (14 April, 23 June (2)). asked. An Appropriation Bill reminds us that we should not forget that we do owe a great debt of gratitude to those SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS. who established our parliamentary insti­ tutions and reformed them. TEMPORARY CONSTITUTION OF COMMITTEES OF SUPPLY AND WAYS AND MEANS. Last year an Appropriation Bill was passed in which provision was made to meet Hon. E. lU. HANLON (Ithaca-Premier): the financial commitments of the State for the I move- first period of the present financial year. '' That so much of the Standing Orders That supply is almost exhausted and it is be suspended as would otherwise prevent now necessary to supplement it. Money is the constitution of Committees of Supply required for the payment of salaries _and and Ways and Means, the receiving of wages to public servants; funds are reqmred Resolutions on the same day as they shall for housing, for advances to Agricultural have passed in those Committees, and the Bank borrowers, for public works, for loans passing of an Appropriation Bill through and subsidies to local authorities and for all its stages in one day." various other purpose.s. Motion agreed to. In the Bill I will present for consideration provision is made for the following appropria­ SUPPLY. tions- Consolidated Revenue Fund £7,000,000 VoTE ON AccouNT-£15,500,000. Trust and Special Funds £5,500,000 £3,000,000 MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR. Loan Fund The ACTING SPEAKER announced the Total £15,500,000 receipt from His Excellency the Governor of a message recommending that the following The TEliPORARY CHAIRliAN: Order! provision be made on account of the services I ask hon. members to tone down their con­ for the year ending 30 June, 1950 :- versations. There is far too much noise in From the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Chamber. Those who are interested in the Queensland (exclusive of the moneys stand­ very important remarks the Treasurer is ing to the credit of the Loan Fund making would like to hear them. Account) the sum of £7,000,000; Honourable Members: Hear, hear! 40 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

Mr. LARCOMBE: It reminds one of two had about the same conditions as a cattle­ liines from Goethe, the German poet- buyer operating on a rising market. Over the last year or two Treasurers. have bee.n •' Cursed devils, how they murder, going through a honeymoon penod, but It All attempts at keeping order. '' seems to me that the indications are now Appropriation Bill No. 1 approved by that the financial holiday is nearing an end Parliament last year made the following allo· :-w d our Treasurer will have more difficulty cation- in making ends meet and car!ying on the activities of this State and endmg the finan­ Consolidated Revenue Fund £7,000,000 cial year with a surplus. Trust and Special Funds £5,500,000 Loan Pund £3,000,000 As I have said it is not possible to con­ sider State financ~s without looking at Com­ £15,500,000 monwealth finances also because under the present financial set-up the two are v:ery Hon. members will note that the closely bound together. Our total tax rece1pts :amount asked for in this Appropriation Bill for the year 1948-49 were £12,833,000, but is exactly the same as voted in No. 1 £8.832 000 of this amount came from the Appropriation Bill last year. In due course Comm~nwealth as income tax reimbursements the Estimates and Financial Statement will grant We are dependent on the good will supply full details of the financial trans­ of th~ Commonwealth for about two-thirds of actions for 1948-49 and also outline the policy our tax revenue; we are very dependent on for 1949-50. Therefore, I can usefully defer the amount of money we receive from the till later on in the session a full-dress debate Commonwealth. on the financial problems and affairs of the, The Treasurer knows very well that the State. I Commonwealth Treasurer is a hard man. to get any additional money from, not:nth­ Mr. NICKLIN (Murrumba-Leader of standing the fact that ~e has enJoyed the Opposition) ( 11.29 a.m.) : As the revenues exceeding even his own expecta­ Treasurer so aptly stated, the privilege we tions. In the last three years, as a result of enjoy this morning of passing an Appropria­ the joint efforts of the State Treasurers, they tion Bill is one of the greatest privileges hnve managed to get from the Commonwealth enjoye.d by a British Parliament. It is a Government an annual increase of the moneys privilege that was gained after a hard fight the Commonwealth gives to them. The total and it is a privilege we should endeavour to increase since 1945-46 bas been £3,011,000, retain at all costs. I can assure the Treasurer that is over 51 per cent. for three years. that his fears in regard to both his head and It has 'been certainly required to cope with til(o passage of this Bill can safely be allayed the heavy cost of the 40-hour week and the because the Standing Orders provide that thi~ basic-wage increases which, with the standard Bill must be passed by tonight. I can assure hours of work, have been to a great extent the Treasurer that so far as the Opposition are responsible for the extra cost. When we look concerned he ncerl have, no fear that they back we find that since the institution of ilie will eh op his head off just yet. 40-hour week we have set in motion a spiral of rising costs and wages that is not ~nly Mr. Hilton, the financial position of the State continuing but appears to be acceleratmg. is such that it no doubt gives the Treasurer a little bit of satisfaction in at least one There does not seem to have been any check respect, that is, that he has again managed or review of the rising spiral of costs that is to finish the financial year with a small sur­ causing such a deal of worry to the Trea­ plus. In this respect he has been more for­ surer no doubt because of the additional tunate than some of the other State Govern­ burd~n placed on State finances by increasing ments of Australia. No doubt that result wages and salaries: In addi_tion, there have has been achieved very largely as a result been substanital mcreases m the cost of of the policy followed during those years material and increased payments for overtime when the State had ample finances and was in departments where the work can~ot . be unable to spend them, of putting aside sums done within the standard hours. Considenng of money into the Post-War Reconstruction these facts it is impossible to estimate with and Development Trust Fund. That has any degree of accuracy the total amount of helped to bring about another balanced the various costs imposed upon the State's Budget. finances because of the 40-hour week. \Ve have asked questions in this Chamber in re­ However, we have to look at the finaneial gard to the cost of the 40-hour w_ee_k to the trend generally as it affects the State and Railway Department and the Munster for the Commonwealth because in these davs the Transport has answered the questions as far finance_s of both are bound up very closely as he could but he intimated that it is impos­ one with the other. The present financial sible to state exactly what effect it has had. trend indicates that from now on the affairs Similar replies have been given for other of the State will have to be treated with a State departments. I should say t_he addi­ great deal more caution than during the in­ tional cost imposed on the State serviCes as a flationary war and post-war periods, when result of the decrease in hours from 44 to 40 the Treasurer had large surplus revenues a week would run into millions of pounds much of which was placed in the fund I from the time the 40-hour week was intro­ have mentioned. The Treasurer will remem­ duced. So far, the increased expenditure has ber that during that period his Government, been met from increases in railway fares and as well as other Governments, were almost freights, increased transport fees, and the embarrassed by the surplus of income. They increase of over £3,000,000 in the amount of Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 41

the Commonwealth reimbursements. This will be able to continue while they have to latter sum was given to the State principally depend, as they do now, on the bounty of the for the purpose of meeting the extra costs Commonwealth Government to cope with the imposed by the 40-hour week. additional charges imposed upon them. It is Look back over the years and realise the becoming a very serious question and must be position this country was in at the end of the giving great concern to the Treasurer who is war. We were virtually unscathed as a result a very serious-minded man and who must be of our engagement in the war as far as well aware of the enormous burden he haSl material damage was concerned. During that to carry as a result of the 40-hour week. period we were able to go into top gear for In addition there has been an expansioill war-time production and so the machinery in the note issue since 1939. We find that was ready to go ahead with peace-time pro­ since 1939 the note issue of the Common­ duction to meet the urgent needs of the wealth Bank in the hands of the public has: country. When peace came we had to try increased from £35,000,000 to approximately to make up the backlag of production that £185,000,000. The issue of paper money is: could not be put into train during the war one of the ways by which wars are financed. years-thousands of houses required, the It is the easiest way of robbing the people of rehabilitation of our railway system that was their incomes and reducing their savings .. run to earth in the war effort and so on. The expansion of currency has gone on since All these things had to be done. All our the war ended and has added greatly to this: great primary-producing industries had years spiral of rising costs and this unfortunate of backlag of repair and maintenance work. growth of inflation in our midst. There has \Ve were confronted with this position and in been a tremendous increase in the amount of addition-and this in particular must not be currency in circulation. forgotten-we had a world market waiting for The position would not be so bad if we our products. But at a time such as this, had the volume of wealth production to back when the greatest need of the country was that increased currency. Unfortunately we additional work we find that for political have not. When we examine the production purposes hon. members opposite and members figures we find that instead of increasing they of their socialistic party throughout Australia, are going down. Hon. members on the Gov­ instead of facing up to realities and doing ernment side will possibly quote money figures everything possible, instead of rolling up our in an endeavour to show that production is sleeves and getting into hard work to rehabili­ increasing, but money figures do not mean a tate Australia, gave Australia the biggest thing; all that counts is the actual units of setback she ever had when they introduced, production. On the whole, our units of pro­ as hon. members did for electioneering pur­ duction are going down. poses, the 40-hour week, which took 4 hours' wc,rk from the output of all workers in the Mr. Theodore: Production of sugar has community working under award conc1itious increased. and thus hampered the necessary increased Mr. NICKLIN: Sugar has increased over production so much required. th previous year, because we have had one of Mr. Foley: Production figures are the best sugar seasons this State has ever greater today than before. experienced. Even so, sugar production stil1 is not up to what it was a few year~ ago. .IUr. NICKLIN: What nonsense! Hon. Certainly it is better than it was the previous: members opposite said when they introduced year, but it has yet to equal what the sugar thl' 40-hour week that production would mdustry of this 8tate is capable of doing if increase, but what do we find~ Production ~t is relieyed of the costs that are worrying on every hand has decreased. There are today 1t so senonsly now and of the iniquitous greater shortages of manufactured material l;mrden it has to carry as a result of the than ever before in the history of this country. introduction of the 40-hour week. Hon. members opposite know it, just as they 'l'hat is the position we have to face. know that the only reason why they intro­ Mr. Chifley has stated on several O(Casions duced the 40-hour week was to help them with that either production must increase or ten election. The same action was taken by we shall be faced with disaster. That is their colleagues in New South Wales and now the Treasurer, who has to care for the finan­ only too true, but what is Mr. Chifley doing cial affairs of this State, is suffering greatly to bring about increased production? Unfor­ in his endeavour to make ends meet, because tunately, nothing. Everything that his. of the heavy increased costs imposed upon Government have done has made it harder to• the departments administered bv him. All bring about increased production. I refer other service departments, such as Transport, pm1icu1arl;v to the exorbitant taxation thaL are also having their headaches m1d tro:tbles has been imposed. Mr. Chifiey has done the­ as a result of the additional burden imposed best he cnuld to kill the incentive to produce upon them by this 40-hour ·week. That is Dnd as a result has brought about a se.rious. the reason for the increasing s11iral of prices decline in the real production in this com­ and why nobody is able to check this increase, munitv and at the same time he has started which has been brought about by the rot that an orgy of extravagant governmental expendi­ was started when, for J•olitical reasons, the ture that has made no small contribution to 40-hour week was intrmluccd in our com­ thP unfortunate financial poEition we find'· munity. ourselves in. Increases in prices anll shortages of The position financially is not a happy one· materials are growing worse, and it is now and the States are in a very unenviable posi­ becoming a question of how long the States tion. As I have said, one of the main reasonSJ 42 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. that has brought about the present financial are land-sales controls having at the present position has been the fact that Labour Govern~ time' None whatsoever. The best way in ments h~ve. failed to face up to the realities of which we can allow land to find its true. value the position and have thought only of their is to have a free market. I venture to say own political skins and not of the things that if land-sales control was abolished, land, that really matter. There w:1s the appalling and especially rural land, would be sold at politi<.,al experiment in regard to the introduc­ prices lower than it is bringing today on the tioJi of the 40-hour week at a time when it black-market. Do not forget, too, that the had a most se.rious effect on this wmmunity Treasurer is losing a considerable amount of 11nd made it very difficult financially for th1s revenue because of the practice of selling land Stne and its Treasurer. on the black-market and he for one should Mr. Foley: Is not the 40-hour week on impress upon his Cabinet colleagues the abso­ your platform' lute need for immediately throwing land-sales control overboard. At the present time he is Mr. NICKLIN: By legislation, no. Our losing revenue from stamp duty and transfer platform is conciliation and arbitration; we fees which he would get if the sales were aim at a reduction of hours when the time is made on the, open market and in the light of opportune. It is not in our platform that we day. should bring in the legislation at the most While we have these controls we also have inopportune time-whe.n we had so much t-o the delays that take place in the approval of do and when the people were prepared tD transactions. Anyone who has had any de~l· do it if given the lead by their Governments. ings in connection with land-sales control Will linfortunately we had Governments in charge know what delays can take place, especially of the Federal sphere and the States of N eF South Wales and Queensland whose only idea through the interpretation of ce~tain regula· was to save their own political skins. For the tions dealing with these transac.twns. T~ese purpose of re-election, they introduced a delays are making the people sick and tued shorter working week and as a result we are of this whole business with the result that suffering today and shall continue to suffer they resort to the black-market to get their for some considerable time. sales through. I suggest to the Treasurer that he give this matter his immediate attention Bound up with this question and one of the and that he bring all possible pre.ssure to bea-r t!Jings adding to costs and bringing about on his colleagues to stop these l!nnecessar;y dec:reased production in our community is that controls that exist at the present time, especi­ Wi' still retain many unnecessary war-time con· ally land-sales control, which are helping trols. This is something that is always materially to nullify the efforts of fr~e e~ter­ associated with a socialistic Government prise in this country and are playmg mto tecause they endeavour at all times to retain the hands of the Communists. The Govern­ as much control over the I ecple and the ment would be making a start on the journey affairs of the people as they can. The fact back to individual liberty and progress and that it was essential during time of war to away from the goal of the COJ;nmu.nist:s, by establish various controls was seized on with abolishing land-sal&s control which IS ~Imply great joy by hon. members opposite and they creating an undesirable black-market m our are continuing to hold onto those controls and restrictions like grim death and, as I midst. said, many are unnecessary. We thought that I wish I had the time to deal with other when the powers were stripped from the Com­ controls and restrictions in operation at the monwealth by the people the States would present time but as my time is limited I can take some notice of the people's wish in this only suggest at the moment tha~ land_-sales respect and relinquish controls as fast as they control should be abolished 1mmedrately could. The State is still hanging unnecessarily because such action would be of great on to many of the war-time controls that advantage to the people of the State and a could be wiped out immediately with great advantage to. the Treas~rer too, because advantage to the entire community and par­ it would enable hnn to get m a great deal ticularly to the finances of the State. of revenue that he is losing today. It would The first control that should be. thrown over· also rPmove from our midst that ve.ry unde· board immediately is land-sales control, which sirable state of affairs so evident at the the Government are hanging on to like grim moment, the disregard of the_ law and. the death, for some reason or other. encouragement of black·marketmg operations. Mr. Larcombe: What about butter? JUr. JESSON (Kennedy) (11.55 a.m.): I should first like to thank the Leader of the Mr. NICKLIN: I will tell the hon. Opposition for being so kind yesterday as gentleman all about butter at the proper time to recognise my great work on behalf of ~he but at the moment I am dealing with land-sales northern people by calling me the champion control. These controls are continued alleg­ of the North. That is quite true. All the edly for the protection of the people, but people there know that for ·15 years. I have actually they are having the other effect been their champion. I hope that ~f I. do because the people are sub,iected unnecessarily not get into any more trouble by runmng mto to a black-market with virtually every land big transport trucks I shall represent them sale that takes place today. If the land­ and be their champion for many years to sales control was removed, black-marketing come. would be eliminated, just as the bla~'k­ market in used cars disappeare.d when contrQl I want to put both the Committee and the in that respect was abolished. What value people right. Yesterday the Leader of the Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 43

Opposition blamed the State for what he will not be tricked by this political trickery. described as the North Queensland lag. He He is reported in the "Courier-Mail" of the is reported in the Press as stating- 2:3 November, 1948- '' He had attended the inaugural meet­ , 'Northern Country Party executive ing of the North Queensland Development member, Mr. E. Evans, M.L.A., said last League in Townsville, and had been night that the N.C.P. felt it could not trust impressed by the sincerity and purpose of the Q.P.P. after· its manoeuvres at recent the very large number of people present.'' conferences. I will not accuse the Leader of the Opposi­ ''He said that the Q.P.P. had suggested tion of stating an untruth. I have always amalgamation only for publicity purposes. looked upon him as an honourable gentle­ ''.,They know we cannot and will not man and one who is not guilty of telling an amalgamate, but that we will co-operate. untruth, but I have in my hands a Press The Q.P.P. also knows that its parliamen­ report of the first meeting of the North tary members have agreed on a basis of Queensland Development League. It is co-operation, which is equitable. headed- '' 'They know, too, that we will not be '' N.Q. Development League Launched. dictated to by vested interests and political All Sections of North Attend Most job-hunters.' '' Enthusiastic Gathering.'' The report then goes on to mention those I take my hat off to the member for Mirani. present and the election of vice-presidents If my congratulations are worth anything, he and committee. It also proceeds to state has all that I can give him for exposing the that three Parliamentarians were present, political hypocrisy of these people who try namely, Messrs. A. M. Blain, M.H.R., Mr. T. to gull the people about co-operation at elec­ Aitkens, M.L.A., and Mr. F. Paterson, M.L.A., tion time. There is no more co-operation hut not a word about the Leader of the between the Country Party and the Liberal Opposition in the Queensland Parliament. Party than there is between a wild bull and a quiet bullock. It is only for political lUr. Nicklin: I was one of the mob. rE'asons. It is only proper that the people should be warned. Mr. JESSON: If the hon. gentleman was one of the mob he was not keen to disclose Let us go on a bit further with the North his identity. He hid his light under a bushel. Queensland Development league. Somebody Can anyone tell me that the Leader of the interjected that it was non-political and that Opposition is politically unknown to the was why the Leader of the Opposition did people of Townsville or the Tory Press~ not make himself known. The chairman of Either he was grossly ignored by· the Press the Townsville Electricity Regional Board, in Townsville, in other words insulted by it in Mr. Kelly, whom the member for Windsor ·not mentioning his presence, or he was dis­ talks about so often-- guised by a big curly mo or he was not there at all. Moreover, he got a very brief note }fr. Pie: He will oppose you. of his report in the "Courier-Mail." It appears that the "Courier-Mail" has dropped Mr. JESSON: That is what the hon. him too. member hopes. I can well imagine the member for Windsor yesterday, when it came over the For a Leader of the Opposition the speech air that I was slightly injured in a motor the hon. gentleman made yesterday in this accident, saying, ''We nearly had him that Chamber was tragic. He devoted at least time." That is the only chance he has of about 20 minutes of his time to talking about getting me. The league did not send an me and likening me to Sir Galahad. I very invitation to the Townsville Electricity much appreciate the tribute paid to me by Regional Board, which is one of the biggest the Leader of the Country Party for my work Government instrumentalities in the work of in my electorate, which is a primary-produc­ developing North Queensland. They did not ing area. It is one of the biggest tobacco invite Mr. Kelly, because they know he is producers on the coast and it is one of the chairman of the Labour council. They did biggest sugar producing areas. Its sugar not invite the Hinchinbrook Shire Council turnover is about £2,500,000 per annum. Not­ because eight out of nine of its members withstanding these facts, his party allowed belong to the Labour Party. the Kewpies, or the Queen Street party or the Liberals of Victoria, to run a candidate An Opposition Member: They sent you against me at the last election instead of an invitation. running a candidate supporting its platform. Such a tribute from the' Vmder of the Mr. JESSON: I did not go, because I am Opposition is very gratifying. He looks upon political. I am honest. I could have said a Labour man as a champion of the northern it was non-political and I could have got my people. They were not game to run a candi­ name in the paper. They have sabotaged the date in opposition to me and allowed the cement works of North Queensland for Q.P.P.-Liberals to run one. This is an donkeys' years. The Premier told them important point. about the money subscribed. Only £6,000 was subscribed up to about the middle of I give the hon. member for Mirani top July. marks for a statement he made at his party conference. We must give him credit for }fr. Gair: A canvass by my officers being wide awake to political moves. He is showed very little support for a North Queens­ not being gulled at Mr. Menzies and Mr. land cement company with Government Fadden 's speaking off the same platform. He backing. 44 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

ltir. JESSON: That confirms my state­ "Mr. Lawrence said he was disappointed ment. Various merchants in Townsville con­ at the response so far from business houses trol the cement industry. Before the war in the appeals for funds to carry on the they imported Portland cement and the North Queensland Development League.'' Queensland railways carry cement to North There it is-they have had the splash. They Queensland for virtually nothing so that it find they are in the hands of the Communist can compete with the overseas product. They Party, and the Big Business groups. There say that 60,000 tons of cement are sold north are not very many Big Business people in of Mackay. The commission on it is about Townsville. The Big Business people are the 10s. a ton, so you can realise what a colossal big merchants who control the big houses. sum the merchants whack up between them. 'I'he small people would be interested in it and Do they want to put money into the cement be putting money into it if they were not works when they can get huge dividends out getting a good deal, but they are getting a of the imported cement~ good deal and consequently this organisation Mr. ])luller: Why not form a co-operative ca,mot get sufficient funds. society~ An Opposition ~Iember interjected. Mr. JESSON: The hon. member must be ~Ir. JESSON: There were no workers on deaf. I spent a quarter of an hour on Tues­ this, only Commas-the secretary of the Sea· day telling how I tried to form a co-opera­ men's Union and the Waterside Workers tive society for the canning of fruit. were represented. They held a meeting not long ago and those were the sort of people An Opposition Member: Talk English. who attended it. Who have been the cause of any neglect in North Queensland~ The lUr. JESSON: I have fought for my Commas control the Seamen's Union and the country and that is more than the hon. waterside workers are controlled by Commas. member has. I can talk English just as well They have caused increases in costs. They as he can. have been the cause of preventing shipments Mr. Muller: If your argument is of iron from coming to the North because sound a co-operative society must succeed. there were no ships available, yet at their meeting they have the audacity to condemn Mr. JESSON: Of course it would. It this Government and the Federal Govern­ was quite obvious that it would have suc­ ment. If the people are mugs enough to ceeded if it ·was built, but the big men of the take that, they will take anything. town would not let it start. Where would the money be got to build a co-operative In my speech in moving the adoption of fruit cannery~ This State Government and the Address in Reply I referred very fondly the Commonwealth Government were pre­ to the hon. member for Cooroora. But that pared to support it in every way, but the big hon. member was very angry and said he did people of the town knocked it down, yet they not sav what I told the House he had said. continually condemn the Government for what At the time I told him I would produce the they have not been able to do. There is not p1:per-I can produce all these sorts of one grazier or producer or any person who things if I want them. In the Herbert River works in industry on the committee of the ''Express'' of 9 June, 1949, we find the North Queensland Development League. All following:- those in it are members of various organisa­ ''Country Party. tions of Big Business. Although they say "Herbert Candidate at Ingham. the North has gone to the dogs, their business ''A Country Party meeting was held in with the South has increased. If these people Ingham last Thursday evening in support who are continually knocking the North as of Mr. D. D. Jeffrey, who has received the they have been knocking it boosted North party's endorsement for the Herbert elec­ Queensland, they would be doing a greater torate at the Federal elections this year. service to the people of the North than they The speakers were Mr. Jeffrey, Mr. T. are. It is quite obvious that they are out to Flood Plunkett, :M.L.A., member for Albert gain their own ends. in the Queensland Parliament, and Mr. D. A. Low, M.L.A., member for Cooroora. Mr. Dalgety & Co. have just bought out the C. Mylrea presided and introduced the establishment of McKimmins in Flinders Street, Townsville. Samuel Allen & Sons speakers. ' ' Pty. Ltd. have improved one of the large Mr. Jeffrey did not say a word about Federal stores it controls. Why, the hon. member for politics. He spoke about the State Labor \Yindsor established a branch of his business Party and Mr. Low spoke about local authori­ in Townsville. I am not complaining about ties in Queensland, making many wrong state­ that-in fact, I congratulate him on it-but ments that will be pulled to pieces at the the fact remains that these people would not right time. go to the North if the North was so neglected, th1·own to the dogs and forgotten, as they The article continues- contend it is. It is merely political propaganda '' The second question asked related to that comes up every election time. the pollution of the Herbert River and the serious menace it was to the health of the This is an extract from the Townsville people. In view of the fact, the questioner "Daily Bulletin" of 21 July, 1949, of a continued, that there was an estimated report of the chamber of commerce meeting wealth of £50,000,000 worth of tin still to held in Townsville on Wednesday, 20 July be won in the Mt. Garnet area, was it not 1949-- ' justified that the interests concerned should Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 45

be obliged to provide the means of diverting As a matter of fact, this morning I sent the the sludge from the river to another area hon. member for Cooroora a copy of the where it would not be a danger to the speech I made last year so that he would people, seeing that the cost was approxi­ know all about it. The article continues- mately set down at £80,000. '' He thought they must have been asleep ''Mr. Plunkett said that land to the in Parliament when the pollution was dis­ water's edge was owned by the individual cussed. He moved that the Leader of the in many cases, but water in a stream Country Party, Mr. Nicklin, be supplied belonged to the people and his view was with a dossier of information regarding that if anything was done to endanger the the pollution of thE1 Herbert River. people's health by interference with that Seconded by Mr. Ridge and carried." stream, then the operations of the company should be suspended until such time as I will leave that matter for the time being they provided the means of effectively because I have one in mind that has me a dealing with the danger.'' little worried. At the present time we are Even the hon. member for Windsor said they in the grip of a war between the Communist should be suspended during the last election Party and the people of Australia. I have campaign and he said that if they were no brief at any time for these people, who are returned to office they would deal with it dictated !o by a foreign policy, and if I had straightaway. my way m the matter I would ship them all back to Russia or put them on an island by lUr. lUuller: What are the Government themselves where they could practice Com­ doing about it~ munism. Lord Mavor Chandler who at one lUr. JESSON: We are doing what \VC ~ime batoned the workers in a tr;mway strike, can and we will close it down. We will give 1s reported in this. morning's paper as having them plenty of rope with which to hang them­ urged the formation of a Freedom League. selves and then out they will go. He wants a league to fight the Reds. IUr. Pie: You have put a Bill through_ ltir. Muller: Which side will you be on? Mr. JESSON: We have put a Bill :rtir. JESSON: On England's side-the through to obtain money from them in an side I have always been on. Mr. Chandler C!tdeavour to abate the nuisance. The com­ wants the formation of a Freedom League and pany has set aside £75,000 but it does not he appealed to the Ipswich Rotary Club mem­ want to do the work. I know for a positive fact that one of the directors said at a bers for a public movement to protect human meeting in Sydney some time ago that they rights, human liberties, and human freedom. cculd abate the nuisance if they wanted to In other words, he wants to take constitutional but they did not want to spend so much government out of the hands of the Govern­ money. The hon. member for Logan knows ment. Do not forget that Victoria is run by that what I say is true. a Tory Government, and what are they doing about it~ But listen to this- JUr. Hiley: They cannot. '' The first move to take action along the :ilir. JESSON: They can. lines suggested by Alderman Chandler was :ilir. Hiley: Tell us how. taken immediately after a meeting. Ec and beveral Rotarians visited the home of lUr. JESSON: The hon. member knows another Rotarian and plans to form a how they can do it and they are going to be Freedom League were discussed.'' forced to do it if they will not do it volun­ tarily. He wants to start a form of Fascism, the same as Hitler. The Little Hitler of the Mr. Plunkett, the hon. member for Albert, Brisbane City Council wants to start a Fas i't said that the operations should be suspended Party to fight Communism against constitu· until such time as they provided the means of bonal government. The same thing happened effectively dealing with the danger. Then in Germany 15 or 16 years ago. This is infimn­ Mr. Low, the hon. member for Cooroora, said, ing the minds of the people to take control according to the article- of ln.w and order out of the hands of the '' Mr. Low said he had only recently constitutional GO\·ernmcnt. There is constitu­ heard of the pollution in the river and the tional government in thiR country and we will mrn:tce it was and he endorsed all that Mr. deal with it in a democratic way. Plunkett said. No matter what the value of production was the people's health was I will prove t·o this Committee and t · e the first consideration.'' people of Queensland that Alderman Ch"IH1l ,. The hon. member denied yesterday that he has Fascist instincts. Let hon. members had said this. opposite read this article for themselves. Now I propose reading another article. It JUr. JIIaher interjected. states, at the Chamber of Commerce meet­ ing- :i\I:r. JESSON: You said you would line " Mr. J ohnson said the other night he the Communists up and shoot them against asked two southern politicians what their a wall. attitude was towards the pollution of the Herbert River. One said he did not know }Ir. 1\IAHER: Mr. Hilton, I rise to a about the pollution until he arrived in point of order. The hon. member for Kennecly Ingham. The other said he had only stated a deliberate untruth when he said tbat recently heard about it.'' I advocated lining people up against a wall i6 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

and shooting them. I never made that state­ Mr. Gair: Can you prove that he is a ment in this Parliament or out of it. I never Communistf said it. The remark is offensive to me and I ask for its withdrawal. Mr. HILEY: He is a Communist member of the House of Commons. The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN: I ask Let us consider the effect of the inflationary the hon. member for Kennedy to accept the trend on the citizen of the State and finances denial of the hon. member for West Moreton. of the country-I think we should consider just what are the gains and the losses of ~Ir. JESSON: I accept it. the inflationary trend. Looking at it first Mr. MAHER: I go further than that and of all through the eyes of the citizen, we say that it is an offensive and untruthful see that the tendency of inflation is to rob statement and I desire that it be withdrawn. the average citizen. Every holder of insur­ ance-and that goes for the great majority Mr. JESSON: I withdraw it uncondi­ of the citizens of this country-finds the tionally. I will go through my book and value of his contract shrinking in real benefit bring out his statement, and when I do I because of inflation. Every holder of Govern­ hope the hon. member will resign. ment bonds realises that the promise of the Government to pay a certain rate of interest The TEMPORARY CHAIR~IAN: Order! on the money he has invested is, because of The hon. member for Kennedy has with­ the inflationary trend, being honoured in drawn unconditionally. He has also depreciated currency, something that will exhausted the time allowed him under the buy infinitely less today than the money Standing Orders. which he lent at the time he subscribed in response to the Government's appeal. Mr. HILEY (Logan) (12.20 p.m.): When the Leader of the Opposition was speaking .'iir. Paterson: The same with war on the Address in Reply yesterday he drew gratuities. the attention of the House to the fact that Mr. HILEY: Exactly. Let us see how the hon. member for Kennedy was cast in inflation touches the Government. The point the role of Sir Galahad and apparently for I want to make is that whereas the average this session the hon. member for Kennedy citizen is the pitiful victim of inflation at is to be the chief forensic mouthpiece of work, many aspects of Government activities the Go-..ernment on all important questions. actually benefit and gain by inflation at Here to-day we still find him cast in the role work. In the first place, Government revenue of Sir Galahad, which reminds me very much rises, and I propose to give some directions of the story of the person who went to the in which it very clearly rises. fancy-dress ball clad in armour as a knight of old. He went to the ball all right, but I Take sales tax, for example. The inflation do not suggest that he enjoyed himself in at work and the rising price levels of the that rigout. When he came home he had community, with no more goods in circulation the mortifying experience that he could not because of the rising price levels, mean that get out of his suit of armour, and his state Government revenues are soaring with every of mind is described in a song thus- passing day. Take income tax, particularly. '' With a shoehorn and a shoer they got During the period of inflation there is an me in all right, illusion of great profits simply because rising But here I am stuck fast and can •t prices give in a measure an annual profit get out.'' but it is merely an apparent figure gain, and the merchant knows that the same money One of the significant features of Appro­ reinvested in stock will only buy a smaller priation Bills has been the extent to which number of the articles in question. Govern­ they have reflected over the passing years ments who impose taxes on business revenue the increased requirements of the State and find their revenue up because of the inflation the ever-mounting tide of the cost of govern­ at work. ment. They reflect the general inflationary It is equally true that many items of trend at present throughout Australia, but Government expenditure rise as a result of perhaps on this occasion there is one special inflation but anyone who sets himself out to reason why we expect it to be high. On seek the net result of inflation cannot but this occasion the Government have to pro­ form the conclusion that the Government who vide for something that they have never had impose a tax on incomes and turnovers do in to provide for before and I hope will never fact show a net benefit as a result of inflation have to provide for again. On this occasion at work. They are still committed to paying they will have to provide for the cost that the same rate of interest on loans but they this State will have to bear for its imprudent pay that interest in a currency of depreciated intervention in the bank case, an intervention values, whereas it is creating increased revenue that placed them on the wrong and losing in depreciated pounds. side. When that cheque is drawn it will not be a mission to Moscow, but will be a. The conclusion I form is that the Common­ subscription to Moscow. It will remind the wealth Government, who impose taxes on people of this State not only of the cost turnover in cases of sales tax and collect incurred by the Government but of the fact income-tax revenue, actually gains through that the counsel it employed was one of thQ the process of inflation at work. What of best-known Communists in Great Britain, Mr. the States~ Under the present system of Pritt, K.C., who will receive fees provided income-tax reimbursement it is true that the by this country through its Treasury. formula does offer to the Treasurer some Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 47 prospect of enhancement of revenue but if This problem is not new; it has not escaped the cost-of-living index rises there is a notable attention in other parts of the world. There lag between the increase in the cost of living have been many approaches to this question and its realisation. The result is that to the of trying to make arbitration function. Some extent of the lag at any rate the State Gov­ countries-I think unwisely-have adopted the ernment do not make a commensurate gain attitude of totally prohibiting strikes; others as a result of inflation at work. -Western Australia is an example-have The moral is that when we consider the adopted a system of insisting upon a cooling­ machinery devised for controlling the powers off period between the development of the of inflation, that is, the Central Bank policy circumstances that lead to a strike and the of the Commonwealth Government, citizens permitting of that strike to come into opera­ generally cannot feel themselves safe in repos­ tion. During the time when the strike is ing solely in the hands of the Commonwealth clearly becoming imminent, arbitration, the power of determining the extent of infla­ instead of refusing to operate, puts its head tion in Australia. That Government are the down in an effort to carry out the task that only body in the community that stands any arbitration was devised to carry out, in order prospect of benefiting as a result of inflation to solve the problem. at work. Today inflation is striking a cruel blow at many of our citizens. The mass We have more of a high-brow approach of people who want to build, and the mass to this question. We do not insist on a of people who want to furnish their houses, cooling-off system. We say that the minute a as well as all of us who experience the general strike is imminent the parties must notify rise of living costs-the way in which it rises the court and the court must hear and deter­ in such services as increased telephone mine the issue. On paper that is an excellent charges, increased electricity and gas charges, approach to the problem, but in practice and so on-might very well remind themselves that precaution never operates because it is that at a time when they have to pay those never allowed to do so. It does not do so increased costs the Commonwealth Govern­ because the facility of arbitration ceases to ment gain as a result of inflation at work. operate the minute a strike is in process or We should all remind ourselves that the Fed­ when a strike threat is issued. We find that eral Treasurer, who is personally charged the tendency in this State-as in this dispute with the power of directing the policy of the -is for the Communists to prevent arbitra­ Commonwealth Government in the matter of tion from functioning by getting the men the Central Bank, is the sole beneficiary of out so quickly that arbitration goes to shelter inflation at work. and refuses to act. The second matter I want to have some­ We know there are three basic points in thing to say about is the evidence we have connection with this present dispute. They of the failure of Labour Governments to com­ are long-service leave, the 35-hour week, and mand a permanent solution of the industrial a rise in pay. Of those three points, the problems of this country. I accord to the 'first reached the point where arbitration Labour Government, and other Governments showed that it was going to function and it who have consistently adhered to the prin­ was going to grant it, and the date was ciple, the credit for devising the very great fixed so that the necessary amendment could principle of arbitration and of gradually be written in to make that provision in the improving and perfecting it to its present industrial laws. standard. But, Mr. Hilton, I want to remind the Committee that arbitration is not work­ What happened ! Opportunity was taken ing as it was intended it should work and as of this weakness in our approach to the ques­ it could work. It is not working because tion of arbitration by threatening to strike Governments in Australia pledged to the insti­ or by getting the men out on strike before tution of arbitration are letting arbitration the Court could write these benefits into the down. The Premier told us in reply to a award. The result is that with a weakness question without notice this morning that the like that-and it is a weakness similar to Government were taking every constitutional what occurred on other occasions, the railway means within their power to deal with this dispute and others-we have to devise some dispute. That statement is not true, because method of ensuring that arbitration is not there are several constitutional means open to be treated only as an ideal approach to to the Government that they have not taken. our industrial problems but becomes a system It is a constitutional means for the Govern­ that functions inexorably, irrespective of the ment as an employer in that industry-and the threat of stoppage. This business of putting biggest employer in Queensland-to go to the a whole system of arbitration away in the Federal Coal Commission and ask for a ballot c~;,pboard and forgetting it because men are to be taken. That is one of the constitutional threatening to strike is the very weakness on means available to the Government; and 'Which the Communist relies. You will notice nobody has any doubt about the result of that, Mr. Hilton, on these three issues the such an action. The trouble with Labour's Communists never gave arbitration a chance approach to arbitration-the very instrument to function. As soon as they saw the long­ it parades in its platform as the most intelli­ service leave benefits were to be given they gent approach to the industrial problem-is "ent on strike to stop the court from that Labour will not treat arbitration as a operating. As to the other two benefits, the compulsory branch of law, but as something question of hours of work and the increase that can be used if both sides want it and in pay, before the court had any possible if one side says, ''\Ve will flout you,'' Labour time to deal with them the two applications will not take steps to ensure that arbitration were withdrawn in order to onsul'e that arbi­ is made to function. tration could not funetlnn, 48 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

The immediate challenge of the present Mr. Pie: What are you, a Socialist or a hold-up is to see that the strike is ended. Communist~ The Government charged with the responsi­ bility of the community should exhaust every Mr. BURROWS: I should hate to tell possible means open to them. These are the the hon. member what he is. Take the Yery words of the Premier himself. This Callide that the hon. member challenged me Government should immediately, as an to mention this morning. There is no need employer, exercise their right to go to the for him to challenge me because I will speak tribunal and ask that a ballot be taken. That on the Callide mine and on coal. I believe i3 the plain right and duty of the Govern­ all the time that the coal position is capable ment. That is their short-term responsi­ of being improved because coal plays such an bility. The long-term responsibility in this important part in our community. The emergency is to ensure that the sort of trouble position with respect to Callide is that certain tl1at happened this year, last year and the men hold leases there. They buy the coal year before will not be written into the pages from the Govemment at 6d. a ton and pay the or every year of our history. So long as this tremendous rental of Is. an acre a year. fundamental weakness remains in our concep­ When a Bill was introduced here last year tion of arbitration and so long as it is alm?st e_very hon. ~ember. opposite protested possible for a person to get men to threaten ~gamst It because It contamed clauses requir­ to strike or to go on strike and by so doing mg leaseholders to work their leases. stop arbitration from functioning and so long One of the causes of our inflation is the as it is possible for this sort of thing to occur price of coal. One leaseholder at Callide year after year, this, the front guard of the is a commission agent in Queen street. He Communist Party, will stop our chosen instru­ buys coal from the Government for 6d. a ton ment of arbitration from working. If we a:1d the Go.vernment, indirectly, are paying have any sense we shall recognise this weak­ him approximately 2s. Sd. for every ton of ness and diagnose a possible cure. coal they buy from him. Of course in the eyes Opposition, it is all right' for the Mr. BURROWS (Port Curtis) (12.38 p.m.) : ~f ~he Listening to the political quacks this morn­ commissiOn agent to do that because they ing diagnosing the causes of our inflation, represent the commission agent, the man who from which we undoubtedly suffer, I have neither toils nor spins. We never hear the not been impressed by the remedies they have Opposition branding such men as Communists suggested. They use the same old catch-cries. bnt there would be far less Communism in They concentrate on the unfortunate person, t~is country if there were fewer of the poli­ the worker, who has no organisation or forces h~al colour of hon. members opposite. It is in reserve to protect him, as have the classes With such people that we find the breeding hon. members opposite represent. It is all grounds of Communism. We shall never very well to condemn men for being Com­ destro;: Communism by swatting the Com­ munists. That is a catch-cry. It is a popular munists one at a time· we should get at t~1eir breeding grounds ~mongst the Opposi­ cne but is over-used. There are a number of tion. other reasons for the inflation from which \\8 are suffering than Communism. Take the position of a leaseholder who can sit in his office without working in the mine Jir. Pie: Tell us about your neglect of and who can sub-let the mine to another Callide. company that ma~es a profit. ~ do not grudge lUr. BURROWS: I will not disappoint any ;nan profit If he make It by his own the hon. member. I met him at Callide the exertwn. These parasites who have never other day but he came in by the back door. I worked in a coal mine in their lives are able invited him to come to Gladstone and we to sit in their Queen street offices ~nd draw VT•uld take him in at the front door. At 2s. or 3s. for every ton of coal that comes C'allide we are going ahead and we there fr?n; up there-and believe me, there are welcome everybody through the front door. milliOns of tons in those leases. These men There is no tradesmen's entrance there. are able to do that because they get leases The Treasmer, in his Financial Statement, over the people's coal from a benevolent quoted figures and these to a very great Government. I bet that such a man would extent are influenced by the price of coal. be embraced by the Queensland People's The Government are the biggest consumers Party, or as it now calls itself, the Liberal of coal in Queensland and I propose to illus­ Party. If any action was taken by the Government to remove this anomaly the trate an anomaly that arises. We hear hon. members opposite and their parties talking Governmen~ would be attacked by hon. mem­ bers opposite to their fullest abilitv. about a capitalistic democracy, the strangest and most puzzling words I have ever encoun­ I want hon. members of the Co~mittee to tered in my studies of political science. I know what happened when Mr. Kent Hughes am always amused to hear such conflicting was up l:ere this time last year. He told me words used to describe a party's policy. Hon. wha~ pnce he was prepared to pay for members opposite claim to represent a C'alhde coal. The negotiations between the capitalistic democracy. I can never reconcile ~Rllide men and Mr. Kent Hughes took place capitalism with democracy and I do not think m the room I occupy downstairs. I was anyone else can. They might have fooled the present at the time. It cannot be said that unfortunate people 50 years ago with such a M_r. Kent Hughes has any political association doctrine, but, thanl's to our educational 1nth me-he wears a different coloured tie to system, with these words they are lucky today mE' politically-and when these men asked to gain even the few seats they hold on the Mr. Kent Hu~hes. for 5s. 6d. a ton royalty Opposition. and for the VIctonan Government to pay the Supply. [4 AuausT.] Supply. 49 working costs of the field, Mr. Kent Hughes cause why his lease should not be forfeited. turned and said to me, ' ' If you were a The same should apply in connection with member of the Opposition and you knew that coal leases. In the case of coal lessees their we were paying 5s. 6d. a ton royalty, would value to the country is nil. you be silent~" He also s.aid, "As a mem­ In conclusion I suggest that the next ber of the Government, how can I justify time the Government :find it necessary to­ that W'' I said, ''You cannot justify it for bring in legislation to prevent people from five minutes; I would not be a party to drawing exorbitant and unearned profits. anything like that." I told him that I did hon. members opposite will develop a con· not blame him for refusing the Callide coal science, get in behind the Government, and at 62s. lld. f.o.b. Gladstone because I knew help us to do something really good for the· in my own heart, much as I wanted to see the country. Callide coalfield developed, that I could not be honest and ask anv Government or con­ Mr. EVANS (Mirani) (12.54 p.m.) : I sumer to pay such a ridiculous price for listened with interest to the speech to-day coal. by a northern member of the Government, Mr. Pie: Do you know what it cost the the hon. member for Kennedy, and I as. City Electric Light people~ another northern hon. member accept his apology for the statements he made in his. ~lr. BURROWS: Mr. Chandler's state­ Address in Reply speech on Tuesday. ment was that he was paying £6 a ton. Notwithstanding the various statement& ~lr. Pie: No, the City Electricity Light made by the hon. member for Kennedy as to Company. the Government's interest in the development of North Queensland, there is polluted water ::\'Jr. BURROWS: He said that they were running in the Herbert River through the paying £6 a ton for their coal. I would tell main town in his electorate, Ingham. Mr. Cornwall that the price delivered in Victoria as soon as this industrial trouble Mr. Jesson: Ask Tom Hiley about it. is settled will be below £6 a ton. If he is forced to pay £6 a ton I suggest that he JlJr. EVANS: I am not concerned with review his arrangements because I can say Tom Hiley, but I am concerned with the definitely that it is mnch too high. It will Governmm1t and the power they have to not be much over £5 a ton for that coa1 rectify it, yet they have not the guts to do· landed in Victoria. it. Mr. Pie: The handling facilities here Opposition Members: Hear, hear! put the price up. .Mr. EVANS: When I was in the Ingham Mr. BURROWS: If Mr. Chandler had district I saw people living along the banks foresight he would have made preparations of one of the most beautiful streams of and looked ahead far enough to prepare for Queensland, whose water was polluted. It is a contingency such as that. a shame. It is the duty of the Government I will admit that at the present time it is to see that it is stopped. Why do they not :< .:;ase of cofl:l being cheap at any price, that stop it? It .IS a questiOn not so much of economy in pnce as economy in time in producing it. JUr. Gair: It is like the molasses from However, the time ·will come when we must the sugar mills that runs down the water­ get down to an economic level, but it can courses too. only be achieved by eliminating all unneces­ )Jr. EVANS: A special Act of Parlia­ sary charges such as the royalties I have ment was brought down to abate that nuisance. mentioned. The sugar mill I am associated with spend& Jir. Pie: Road tax. thousands of pounds to divert its polluted wat·er. No force. was brought on us to keep lUr. BURROWS: Road tax. If I am our streams clean. successful in my efforts there will be no road tax, there will be an up-to-date railway line, lUr. Gair: That is why the Act was not a road. When I advocated that in this passed. Chamber two years ago, did I get any support from hon. members opposite~ No. ~Jr. EVANS: It is the duty of industry Am I likely to get any support from them if not to pollute our watercourses and it is the duty of the Government to sec that such I advocate it again W No. Last year when I rose to support an amendment of the beautiful stTeams as the HeTbert River, whirh Mining Act to compel these speculators, is in the Kennedy electorate represented by these people who neither toil nor spin but th£ hon. member for Kennedy, are protected grab leases, eYery hon. member opposite to from sources of pollution. I can only come a man rose and defended the rights of these to the conclusion that the hon. member for lessees. They were not even genuine Kennedy is recreant to his duty as the mem­ prospectors. The poor unfortunate people ber for the district or that the pc.ople of who discovered the Callide :field died mother­ North Queensland are different from the less broke. Take the case of a man who has people of other parts of Queensland. taken up a grazing selection, decides to live in Queen Street and to draw a royalty in li'Ir. JESSON: I rise to a point of order. respect of every pound of wool and every I want to say for the benefit of the hon. mem­ bullock taken off his property. He would ber for Mirani that two-thirds of Austrnlia '~ not last long. He would be asked to show tin yie.ld is produced in that particular area, 50 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

and that the Government have spent over Mr. EVANS: The Minister knows that £G,OOO up to date to try to rectify the wrong the State will not take it over. He knows being done by the huge tin-mining company that there is a clause in that agreement concerned. contrary to common law that allows it to pay interest on dividends and that interest ilr. EVANS: It is the duty of the is charged to the cost of construction. Government to see that the health of the people is protected, notwithstanding what Mr. Collins: The State can take the amount of tin is won from that area. The whole concern over. sugar industry last year had a turnover of £23,000,000 worth of sugar. Practically every Mr. EVANS: Can the hon. gentleman tell me why that clause was put in~ The sugar mill in Queensland has refuse water that Government have to take it over at cost. would pollute. streams if it was run into them They are not going to. They will allow it but it is dealt with. It is their duty to do to go on. They have allowed the con;pany so. If they do not, then it is t11e duty of to assign it and there has been . a considera­ the Government, if they govern, to see that tion in that assignment. If that 1s democracy they do so. But the Government do not govern. I am pleased that I do not b~long to the That is the sole cause of our industrial trouble Socialists but that I have the mdependence today-we have a Government who are afraid of being a member of the Country Party. to govern. They do not know which way to turn. They do not know which are Socialists Mr. Theodore: You used to belong to and which are Communists. them. lUr. Power: We know where the Fascists Mr. EVANS: I could not stay with them. are. When they got so bad that they got away from the policy, enunciated in the years gone ilr. EVANS: That is so; they are with by, decent people had to leave them. But the hon. member's party, where the Commos there are people who will stay with them. are. There are people who are there honestly, The Speech refers to the people's coal. Let and there are people who will stay with us hark back to last year when the Govern­ them because it is a job. I did not come ment gave a franchise over one of our very here to look for a job. I have made my own rich deposits of coal. One wonders whether way by my own eff~rts. I am not. c_oncerned the Deputy Premie.r has just come into the with the remuneratwn of my pos1t10n as a party or whether it had agreed to hand over Member of Parliament. I came here because I was requested by all sections of _the com­ one of our greatest and rich~;st coal deposits and he merelv consented to it. On that occa­ munity; and I beat one of the leadmg mem­ sion we were:misled. \Ve were told about the bers of the Government when I came here. \Vith this zoning they may alter my elec­ value of the land and how the company holding tomte but thev al'e not going to put me out. the franchise would develop this coal deposit. I >Yin' come b·ack again. We were told that it had the financial resources and the necessary materials to do so. ::llr. Theodore interjected. But what do we. find~ We find now that the total resources of this company are 44.000 JUr. EYAKS: The hon. member will have lousy quid. to look out. He only has to look at your local authority elections to see that he is Questions were asked in an endeavour to down to zero. Hon. members opposite tell show us that we were wrong. \V e were told us that the North is all right and that every­ about all the interests this company had. thing in the garden is lovely. Apparently Before lunch I was talking of the state­ they have not analysed the Townsville local­ ments made by the member for Port Curtis authority elections, which show that indus­ about capitalism and democracy: I was trial labour polled thousands more than wondering, after listening to him and the official Lnhour. There are an anti-Labour hon. member for Kennedy, what they repre­ local-authoritv chairman and council. What sent, whether they represent democracy or has happened in Mackay~ T~e people are whether they represent capitalism; because sincere and they have proved 1t; they have the signing over, the handing over of the shown the Government that at the ballot box. franchise to the Electric Supply Corporation An anti-Labour mayor received a majority (Overseas) Limited and further, the allow­ of 200 at the previous election and this year ing of the transfer shows that they have he received a majority of 1,500. fallen down on their job. Thi:r. Power interjected.

Mr. Collins: Do you not agree with ~Ir. EV ANS: I welcome an interjection private enterprise~ from the Secretary for Public \Vorks. Their election there was fought on the town plan, ilr. EVANS: I agree with private enter­ but what happened~ Mackay threw out prise but not with monopolies. This is a Labour neck and crop. monopoly. It is a monopoly because it has the sole right to handle that coal. The JUr. Power: The Mclnnes plan. Government have handed over our greatest asset, coal, to a monopoly. The Act states that Sir. EV ANS: In Labour's headlines they the Corporation has the exclusive right to had, "No more Dr. Langer, No more town­ handle only their own coal. planning." What did the people say~ The Secretary for Public \Vorks was guided Mr. Collins: The State can take it over unwisely by a bunch of individuals who are at any time. now on the scrapheap. Supply. [4 AuGUST.] Supply. 5)!

Mr. Power: Baroona was the only elec­ are the Government of this State and talk torate in the city of Brisbane in which Lord about its potentialities and the development Mayor Chandler was defeated. of its resources. \Vhy do they not introduce· legislation that will develop it~ Why do Mr. EV ANS: The Lord Mayor of they not do what the Premier said in Towns­ Brisbane, Mr. Chandler, got a larger majority ville it is the duty of the Government to do­ than ever. build transport facilities so that then it was Mr. Power: He got well beaten in up to the people to develop the resources. Baroona. of the country~ That is the duty of the Gov­ ernment and that is exactly what I have· Mr. EV ANS: The hon. gentleman knows been saying. As to the building of railways. that his party is on the run. Listening to -I say this in all seriousness-if a railway the Governor's review of Labour's legislation creates development and settlement I am not and forecasting suggested legislation and the concerned with its being a profitable under­ millions of pounds to be spent but the Labour taking or not. I believe that settlement. Government are not spending them, merely comes iirst and population and defence come talking it. They talk about weiring rivers from the settlement. This is not political, but they were going to weir the Pioneer this is only common sense, and a Government River in my electorate 10 years ago. Last knowing their job and doing their duty by December, when the river was almost dry and the people and justifying the sovereign mills were stopping crushing, I wrote to the powers reposed in them, will build these Department of Water Supply and Irrigation railway lines. Then we ·Australians will and asked that a private sugar mill be allowed develop our resources. to weir the river to protect the water supply We have heard talk of exporting millions. for the farmer's cane. This was refused and o:l' tons of coal. The Government are giving the reply stated that the department was it away. Blair Athol has been estimated as still planning, that there would be further having 200,000,000 tons and the Government. investigations and that weirs would be built are giving it away for £600,000 or £700,000. at suitable sites-the Government were not going to give a monopoly. Giving permission We want industry in Queensland, we want for people to dam water is not giving a mon­ transport facilities, and this Socialist Govern­ opoly. The weiring of a river conserves water. ment have proved that they are not big This weir would not only conserve water, enough to do the job. By their legislation they which flows down the river into the sea but have said, "We have the greatest coal deposit replenishes the underground water supply. in the world but we are not bothering; it is This Government refused permission for the too far away from Brisbane.'' mill to dam the river to conserve water for The Government can give away £700,000 to itself and for its cane-farmers. Nevertheless prevent the people of Brisbane from being the Government talk about expansion! Where required to pay for the Story Bridge and they is this expansion to be found~ The people of can give away £1,800,000 for the sewerage. North Queensland were justified in passing scheme. A few days after that they introduce their resolution and they were justified in the a Bill and talk about the electrification of· decision they gave in the local elections. Brisbane railways. What about the country­ A Government Member: How did the side~ They do not represent the country mayor of Cairns get on 'I people. They have not the knowldege, they lllr. EVANS: He was always Labour, have not the capacity to do the job they have although he said he was not. The hon. mem­ been elected to do. Then we have the Govern­ ber knows he was. ment saying, "We are not going to lose· power, we are going to stop here,,'' and they ~Ir. Power: How did the mayor of bring in a redistribution. Ipswich get on~ In order to show how dissatisfied they are, ~Ir. EVANS: I am talking of Mackay, I would tell the Committee that a meeting not Ipswich. was held of the citizens of Mackay and What has been done in the way of develop­ district. The hall was packed to overflowing. ment~ As I said formerly, the Government I was present, not in a political capacity, have handed over-sold out-the greatest but as a citizen, because I live there. At that coal seam in the world. They are now allow­ meeting a petition was signed by 11,700 men, ing the company to bore and trying to con­ and I was asked, in conjunction with the· vince me and other people who know that hon. member for Mackay, to present that district that the reason it is allowed to bore petition. The hon. member for Brisbane was. is to build a railway line on the location of handling Mr. Graham's correspondence. I the coal. Nothing is further from the truth. received the following letter from the mayor These people are not boring for that purpose of Ma0kay- but because, as I told hon. members when I spoke on the Bill giving the company the ,' Dear Mr. Evans, franchise, there is coal at Nebo and they ''A public meetingo of citizens of Mackay want to come to Nebo. They do not want and district, at which I presided, was held to develop Blair Athol. They will not go in the Town Hall on 19th instant, when it to Blair Athol. If the Government did their was unanimously decided that the members· job and carried out their duty to their for Mackay and Mirani, be requested to co~­ country, as they found out that they were jointly approach the Premier, to ascertam go-getters and had put it over them, why do when and where it will be convenient for· they not cancel the contract~ Why do they him to meet a deputation, desirous of pre­ not stand up to their responsibilities~ They senting to him a petition, signed by 52 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

a_pproximately 12,000 people, asking that a when you get a Premier of a State prepared hne be built from Mackay to the hinter­ to stoop to these depths to deprive me of the land. representation of those producers in the elec­ "Would you please contact Mr. Graham, torate I represent and who elected me, I tell and with him ascertain from the Premier you that he is not fit to be a Premier of the his views on the matter of receiving the State. deputation~'' Hon. J. E. DUGGAN (Toowoomba­ I arrived in Brisbane with that letter Minister for Transport) (2.31 p.m.): I was before Mr. Mann received his letter. I want rather surprised that the Appropriation Bill uo be honest here and say that I am sure has been resisted so strenuously by certain Mr. Manu delivered the letter to the Premier. hon. members of the Opposition. I think the I waited. I would not deliver mine. Treasurer presents his Appropriation Bills very carefully; they reflect careful prepara­ Mr. Power: \Vhere does Mr. Mann come tion in presentation and in reply he invari­ in~ ably justifies the requests he has submitted to this Chamber. Mr. EVANS: He was handling Mr. Graham's correspondence. I waited. for Mr. The Opposition have chosen this particular Graham. I told. him I had been talking to de bate to indulge in propaganda to bolster Mr. Manu anfl he had passed the matter on up a case for the forthcoming election. We to the Premier. I said, ''I want to have a are consequently entitled to examine the talk to you befo're I write to the Premier arguments they have advanced as reasons because the letter requested you and me to why the Appropriation Bill should not be approach the Premier conjointly.'' Mr. passed or that we should forfeit the support Graham had received a reply from the of the people who placed us in control of the Premier. I wrote to the Premier. I did my government of the State. The hon. member part of it honestly. In that letter to the who has just resumed his seat, and the Leader Premier, I said- of the Opposition particularly, seemed to "Dear Mr. Hanlon, have made a great deal of the point that we ' 'I am enclosing copy of a letter which I haYe neglected to develop this country, that we have failed to implement a policy of have receive.d from Mr. L A. C. Wood, decentralisation and they have attacked us Mayor of Mackay, regarding a conjoint because of our alleged i1iahility to cope with approach to you by the honourable member the industrial situation, and they say that for Mackay and myself respecting the intro­ we have not attracted industry in volume to duction of a deputation from the people the State and that generally we have been of Mackay to present a petition signed by recreant to onr responsibilities as a respon­ approximate.ly 12,000 people asking that a sible Government. line be built fom Mackay to the hinter­ land. It is true that this Parliament is assembled ''I would appreciate it if vou wou1 d at a time when the Australian economv has 0 kindlv let me know at an earlv date when been gravely disrupted. It is a matter for 0 you would he able to meet smh a regret that those in control of the mining deputation.'' industry of Australia, through the Miners' Federation, have seen fit to embark upon a This is actually in my electorate. A.cmost poli~,v repugnant to the ideals of the ordin­ the whole of the line is in my electorate, and ary trade unionists in this country and have this is the reply I received from the Premier 1:sed the instrumer:talities of their organisa­ this morning- tion for the pm·pose of introducing a politi­ '' I am in receipt of vour letter of the cal philosophy into Austr;'lia contrary to the 29th .July concernii1g a proposal to prcsen t wishes of the great majority of the Austra­ to me a petition from a number of pc.ople lian people. That has been the real problem in the Mackay district seeking the con­ that has arisen since the war. No person struction of a railway from Mackav to interested in democratic government can fail 0 0 the hinterland. to recognise the challenges that have been ''Mr.}~. D. Graham, M.L.A., has already prcsente.c1 to responsible Governments in all been in touch with me in connection with parts of the ·world. It does not matter the matter and I have undertaken to advise whether it is a demoeratie Government, a the cleputationists, through him, as to the republican or n monarchial form of Govern­ date on which I will receive the deputation.'' ment, the economies of all countries haYe been ehnl1ewrer1. In manv countries there Is that right~ Is that the procedure that iR cvidenc., of the shakini of the economic Labour Ministers adopt~ Is that correct? foundation of those countries. Is that det>ent? I have talked about the gutter bnt I cannot get down to the depths J\Ir. J\Iaher interjecte-:1. of the people who will do such things as liir. DUGGAN: The hon. member who this. It is ridiculous, it is unfair, it is interjected, about whom I shall have some­ unclean, it is not worthy of the Premier or thing to sa~· at a later stage, will probably any other Minister of the State! pnt forward Franco-Spain. It cannot be I, and the other hon. members on this rPg:uded as a Socialist country. It is not side of the Committee, respect most hon. on]~· crnmbling hut disintegrating and the members sitting opposite, but I expect an standard of living has been subjected to a example of dignity anfl decency from the serious decline not because a Socialist party Premier. If I fight him herl,l I fight him is in control but because of the failure to honestly, as I should fight anybody else, but organise its economy and to give it stability. Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 53

In most of the European countries today with their policy of nationalisation, because challenges have been made, all kinds of they had received a mandate on the subject regimes have been installed, and the ordinary from the English people. Those who have person in the community is very disturbed at been dispossessed of their assets in Great the trend of world events. Britain have been adequately compensated, The people in the democracies today are and that is a fair and logical arrangement. looking for stability in government. I am The Australian Labour Party has never prepared to say that the thoughtful members repudiated any of its obligations, nor does it of the community who ordinarily might be intend to repudiate any of its obligations. prepared to vote for the Liberal Party or It has been said that the Labour Govern­ the Country Party or the Queensland People's ments are spineless and unable to measure Party are looking to an increasing extent to up to their responsibilities, but I can recall the Labour Party and are prepared to back with some interest the formation of the the Labour Party because they realise that Hallway Government in Victoria. Mr. Hall­ during the war years, when this country was way was regarded not as the champion of subjected to the possibility of invasion and the North, as the Leader of the Opposition their assets were perhaps in danger of being dubbed the hon. member for Kennedy, but captured by a foreign foe, that party did as the champion of democracy, a man who not object to the introduction of the measure would bring pressure to bear on the Com­ of control and regimentation of this country munists. What has happened in Victoria~ which enabled a strong force to be mobilised Like other southern States, Victoria has the in Australia and resources to be built up misfortune to lack an adequate supply of with which, with the aid of the American black coal. Army, we were able to repel the invader. But, the moment the country is free of the lU:r. Pie interjected. risk of invasion and their assets are preserved they want to abandon and relinquish those Jllr. DUGGAN: Let me digress for a controls. Yet the same forces again today, moment to address a question to the hon. because of the evidence of what has happened member for Windsor. Is he sincere in his overseas, show clearly that they are looking desire that coal should be won by the open­ for stabilised influences in government to cut method in Queensland or Australia~ I prevent them from being dispossessed of know of nobody in Queensland who is doing their assets should any foreign ideology come a greater disservice and placing so many into being. All this talk about the Labour obstacles and obstructions in the way and Party's being hand in glove with the Com­ creating more political and industrial em­ munists is only so much bunkum. These barrassment than he. people come forward now and say that the lUr. Why? Labour Governments are inactive and do Pie: not do anything to control the present indus­ lUr. DUGGAN: The reason why he is trial situation. Anyone who says that either doing it is that he is politically inexperienced has no intelligence or is deliberately trying and unbalanced. to mislead the people. Let us get back to i\fr. Hallway. Because JUr. Russell: Have you not the same the State of Victoria is in great need of black objective as the Communist Party~ coal, the Hallway Government imported coal last year from India and South Africa. lUr. I>L'GGA~: The objective of the Australian Labour Party is clearly defined JUr. Maher: What a joke when we have in its platform and no-one on this side of s1~ch deposits of coal here! the Chamber need go out and be ashamed of the objective of the Labour Party. Mr. DUGGAN: Never mind about the joke. In February this year 7,000 tons of Government )!embers: Hear, hear! coal was imported from India by the Hollway :llr. IiUGGAN: However, we disagree Government at a cost of £6 a ton. 'l'he ship funclamentallv with the Communist Party bt·rthed in Melbourne. Because of union diffi­ in that the Labour Party believes iil culties it was not possible to unload that an evolntionary constitutional and trans­ coal. As a result of inactivity or the inability itional trend towards the ultimate objec­ of the Victorian Government to negotiat'e tive of the public ownership of the with the A.C.T.U. or proper waterfront union, means of production, distribution, and the ship incurred heavy bcrthage dues. They exchange. Will anyone say that if the will aecumulatecl to a figure in excess of £30,000. of the people demands the public ownership Ultimately, because of the dangerous situa­ of the m~ans of production, distribution, and tion facing gas supplies in Vic.oria, an ulti­ exchange we should repudiate that mandate~ matum was served by the Hallway GO\·ern­ The r~abour Government of Great Britain ment on the trades-union movement that unless have a mandate from the English people ac-tion \Yas taken to unload this ship free for the nationalisation of industry there, and labour would he emplo:·ecl to do so. Hon. I have that from a Conservative from Great members will see in tlle library advertise­ Britain, the general manager of an English ments in the Melbourne '' Argus ,·, asking for railroad company who recently came to labour. Thousands of responses were sup­ Australia to report on transport problems posed to have been received to the advertise­ for the Victorian Government. He told me ments but there was a very great reluctance quite clearly that although he was a Con­ on the part of the Hallway Government, servative and disagreed with the Attlee despite the spending of these large sums of Government politically, he had no quarrel money on advertisements to recruit free Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. labour, to use that labour. The action that banking and insurance, refused to put more Mr. Hollway ultimately took was to appeal money into Queensland unless it came under on his knees to the Prime Minister. the control of the Liberal organisation-and Hear, hear! his party says that the only way to preyent Government Members: the Socialist trend is to sweep from the Mr. DUGGAN: After incurring £70,000 Treasury benches those incompetent people expense in importing 6,000 tons of coal who at present are entrusted with the man­ Mr. Hollway ultimately asked the Prime agement of the affairs of the people. They :Minister to arrange for the unloading of this say that because they are not prepared to coal. That is an important point to remember. stand up to their responsibilities they should be replaced with more virile men. They are What is happening at the present time~ so endowed with these qualities of political We find that the Leader of the Federal sagacity and robust knowledge that they have Country Party, Mr. Fadden, and the leader to be coached by a man who is a dramatic of the Federal Liberal Party, Mr. Menzies, critic. They are taught how to speak and are touring Queensland in complete amity how to reply to interjections and they are and accord, yet in Victoria the official Oppo­ even furnished with the interjection. They sition to the Hollway Government is none lack the facility to handle an ordinary ques­ other than the Country Party. tion and they have to be coached by Charles Let us come nearer home and consider the Porter, who has a flair for dramatic art. position of that great person who is going They are taught to speak with silky suave to revive democracy and restore to the common tongues, which is considered to be the hall­ person his complete freedom. I refer to none mark of political efficiency. If some of us other than .John Beals Chandler, Lord Mayor are regarded as rough old sorts I prefer that of the city of Brisbane. We remember when rather than the silkv and suave speech of he represented a blue-ribbon seat in this some of these gentlemen who cannot speak Parliament but because he could not take for themselves. heckling and could not ''take it'' in general We have too the charge that this Goyern­ he resigned his seat and wenc haek to ment are neglecting the country areas. I administering his responsibilities of Lord was not permitted to be present at the last ::\ilayor and, more recently, the forming of a convention of the Queensland People's Party, freedom party in Queensland. Yet it was the but in the case of the Darling Downs constitu­ provocative action of this very man that ency, represented by the Hon. A. W. Fadden, caused a tramway strike in this city, and that that hon. gentleman was afraid to face the cf 26 members. Of prison at the present time for contempt of these 22 represent Brisbane city elector­ the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and ates 'one represents the city of Ipswich, Arbitration, but has coal been won~ It has one' represents the city of Rockhampton, not, despite the fact that these leaders have one represents East Toowoomba, and one been gaoled. The gaolings are perhaps Ingham.'' indirectly responsible for the prolongation of ''The Political Education Committee of the strike. (Opposition interjections.) nine members is composed entirely of repre­ All this talk about how they will control sentatives of Brisbane city electorates. these things is so much clfLptrap. What is The Policy Committee of seven members the remedy~ They say all these things are has six representing Brisbane city elector­ due to the fact that Labour Governments were ates. The Constitution Committees of nine composed of men who were not able to handle members are all representatives of Bris­ the situation. Mr. Charles Porter is the bane city electorates. The Services Com­ director of the Queensland People's Party­ mittee of 17 members are all representa­ and one of the reasons why it has elected tives of Brisbane city electorates. The to change its name is that those great finan­ Women's Advisory Committee of 16 mem­ cial interests in the South, particularly bers has 15 members representing Brisbane Supply. (4 AUGUST.) Supply. 55

city electorates. The Credentials Commit­ Mr. TURNER (Kelvin Grove) (2.53 p.m.) : tee of one is a representative of a Brisbane The hon. member for Mirani endeavoured to city electorate." discredit the Government and also the hon. Is it any wonder the Queensland People's member for Kennedy as to the pollution of Party saw fit to change its name. Its mem­ the Herbert River. That hon. member knows bers should hang their heads in shame. very well that the hon. member for Kennedy has continually urged in this Chamber that As to all this talk of neglect in the develop­ something be done to abate that nuisance. ment of this State, in His Excellency's Speech He moreover chides the hon. member for read in this Chamber only a few days ago we Logan, as a representative of that company. learned of the Government's expenditure in for not doing something in the interests of development. What was the expenditure the people of the Kennedy electorate. He incurred to develop the transport facilities in knows, too, that the hon. member for Kennedy this State1 The sum of £400,000 is being has raised this question in this Chamber; at spent on the elimination of the rack railway least, if he does not know that, he must have from Rockhampton to Mount M organ; not been absent on every occasion. only has it been authorised but tenders are open at present. The sum of £100,000 is As the result of the efforts of the hon. being expended on regrading the Emerald­ member for Kennedy, the Government have Blair Athol line to permit of the haulage of made many attempts to abate this nuisance. the heavier trains of coal. During the On one occasion it was suggested that the present restricted train services, how have the tin dredging project be closed. I under­ country people been affected~ Not one load stand that the greater part of £3,000,000 has of cattle, one load of wheat or sugar has been invested in it. Australia requires 3,000 been refused. To the primary producers of tons of tin annually for local requirements. this State we have given absolute priority. Two thousand tons of these requirements are Train services have been curtailed in my own produced in this State and two-thirds of that electorate. Services in the metropolitan area production comes from this project at Mount have been drastically curtailed. We have Garnet. It has been suggested that the pro­ drastically curtailed the services to Too­ ject be closed until this nuisance is abated, woomba and to Gympie but as far as the if it can be. primary producers are concerned we have not Would the hon. member for Mirani sit done so, as we appreciate the work they are here and agree to the closing down of that doing and we are prepared to allow the people project and in a year's time have no tin to of Brisbane and the other closely settled make containers for the treacle, syrup, and areas suffer some inconvenience in order that other by-products of the sugar in which he the primary producers may market their is interested~ I venture to say that he would products as freely and as speedily as before. not. The Government are not prepared to Where are bridge projects being under­ close down this project. taken~ Not in Brisbane but in the North­ It is generally agreed by all hon. members the Burdekin, Haughton and Elliott Rivers. that the Co-ordinator-General of Public These bridge undertakings are going on at Works, Mr. Kemp, is the most able man in the present time. The only expenditure on the Commonwealth. He and all his scientific railway station buildings is at Cairns and officers investigated the matter at the request despite the jibes of the hon. member for of the Government and have been unable to Mirani, I would remind him that although find an absolute solution. The Government these people are a thousand miles from Bris­ also obtained the loan of the services of Mr. bane thev do not show resentment at Govern­ Strom, a member of the Victorian Sludge ment poiicy, as was exemplified at the muni­ Abatement Board, who made a thorough cipal elections of a few months ago when investigation of the matter, and the only they returned record Labour representation solution he could offer was to get rid of it in the municipality of Cairns. by evaporation. The Secretary for Public ..Ifr, Pie: What about the Rockhampton Lands has had a conference with the repre­ railway station~ That was promised. sentatives of the company, who are happy to do anything humanly possible to abate the lUr. DUGGAN: Work is proceeding on nuisance. The only suggestion that can have that at the present time. Tenders have been any claim to success is too costly. We have called for the buildings at Cairns and so soon to decide between spending a tremendous as the plans are completed-and the archi­ amount of money on abating the nuisance tects are working at the present time on the and closing down the enterprise. prepnmtion of plans for Rockhampton-that will be proceeded with. If I have the honour It is wrong for any hon. member to come to remain the Minister for Transport the in here and attempt, as the hon. member for next railwav station to be built will be at Mirani did, to discredit not only the Govern­ Ipswich. That will be the order of con­ ment but the representative of that electorate, struction. who has done so much at every possible oppor­ The time has been inadequate to deal with tunity to get the Government to do some­ all the charges made against my party, but thing, while the Government in their turn I feel I have answered some adequately and have done everything possible to overcome believe that the mass of the people of the difficulty. In their efforts to defeat the Queensland are satisfied with the majority hon. member for Kennedy at the last election, representation in this Parliament and that the representatives of the Liberal Party told the record of achievement we are able to show people in the electorate if they were returned will be reflected by the majority we shall they would abate the nuisance. If these attain in the 1950 elections. people have the capacity to abate the '\( 56 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. nuisance, they now have an opportunity to of sugar out of each container of give the necessary information to the Govern­ canned fruit coming from the South, you ment so that it can be done in the interests can imagine the quantity of sugar these of those people about whom the hon. member people are saving in the tinning of their for Mirani claimed to be so concerned this commodities. And if you took out 3 oz. morning. of fruit from each tin, you can imagine the The Leader of the Opposition did his best number of extra cans that would be got out to bolster up the appeal for another State in of a given quantity of fruit. I say to these North Queensland. I suggest that the people people who are urging a new deal for the who are so active in this movement should north of Queensland that they should first become bigger Queenslanders before suggest­ of all make themselves good Quecnslanders. ing that we split the State up. I have The Secretary for Health and Home Affairs returned only recently from the North, and disclosed that his department has spent I was horrified to find that among the people £3,500,000 on hospitals in the area north of most prominent in this appeal for a new Mackay, and that figure represents £1,000,000 State-they were the big merchants and more than was spent in the area south of business people of the North-in 95 per cent. Mackay to the border. Does that sound like of the cases have big displays in their windows neglecU offering goods from southern States. They sell very little from their own State. Their lUr. Kerr: That is not right. windows are dressed with southern foods, ~Ir. TURNER: It is right and I defy jams, and preserves. Hon. members of the the hon. member for Oxley to deny it. I Country Party are keenly interested also in think that these people should start to look this big concern into which the Government after Queensland first and get the people have put £300,000, the C.O.D. cannery. in the North to become big Queenslanders. ~Ir. Nicldin: The Government have not During the remaining time at my disposal I put one penny into it. wish to deal with charges made against the ~Ir. 'rURNER: They have guaranteed it State and Federal Governments that they to that amount, and I venture the opinion are retarding the progress of industry in that the project would not have been under­ this State by taxation. The hon. member for taken if the Government had not given that Logan made reference to the subject this guarantee. Why are not these country repre­ morning and, said that people were tired of sentatives up in the North urging those people all this taxation. I cannot repeat his exact in business there to try to create sales for words, as I was not in the Chamber. During this enterprise, which is working entirely in the last election campaign Mr. Chifley, in the interests of the fruit and vegetable delivering his policy speech, told the people growers of this State~ that he would reduce taxation when and where possible. He made no promises of any kind. At this stage I wish to pay tribute to the Mr. Menzies came out and said that if his, mighty job done by this cannery and I wish party was returned to pmYer he would reduce to say something in its defence. As one taxation by 20 per cent., and within a few who has been keenly interested in food pro­ days Mr. Fadden said that his party if duction over the last 29 or 30 years, I issue returned to power would reduce taxation by a word of warning to these people that if 28 per cent. The newspapers tried to embroil they do not take action very quickly and get the Prime Minister in a con troversv on taxa­ the Government to gh·e them protective legis­ tion as to which party would make the greatest lation against unscrupulous southern competi­ reduction. The Prime Minister, however, tion, they will go to the wall. Those who replied that he would not enter into a con­ have interested themselves in these industries troveTsy with these people but repeated that of ours and know what is going on will view he would reduce taxation when and where with alarm the quality of goods coming into waTranted. I contend that since he made Queensland from the South. that statement he has done more than he JUr. Luckins: Why don't you protect expected to do. them by law~ The reduction in taxation by the present Mr. TiJRNER: I am bringing the matter Fcdcrnl Labor Gon~rnment since the end of before the Committee today. According to the wnr amounts to 86~ per cent. Today the laws in relation to the export of canned taxation is lower than it has ever been in fruit to other parts of the world, a certain the history of the Commonwealth. From quantity of fruit has to be placed in each 1 July a single worker earning up to £500 tin and the syrup or juice has to have a a year pnys no income tax whateY.er. Did certain density. You do not find that in the anyone ever hear of a better concessiOn than stuff coming in from the South, because some thatf of the tins coming from the South have as Mr. !Iaher: I suggest that the hon. low as 17 ounces of fruit in them and the member should go and speak to the dairymen. syrup in the containers does not measure up to the density of that reqt:ired by law for Mr. TURNEit: I did speak to the dairy­ export. men and I proved conclusively to them how little the hon. member for West Moreton }[r. Jlorris: Do not the Pure Food knew about the dairying industry. He contra­ Regulations control that~ dicted me when I said that it took two Mr. TURNER: No; I am urging that gallons of milk to produce one pound of some form of legislation be brought in to commercial butter. Some time later a remedy the matter. If you take a teaspoon farmer's journal issued by a co-operative Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 57 company endorsed my statement, yet the hon. fair share to meet war costs, the re-establish­ member for West Moreton stood up and told ment of our ex-service men and women and me that I knew nothing about the dairying other necessary post-war commitments. indnsiry. I know that he does not forget the Taxation is not crippling industry. That remark he made about the goat on the same taxation is not crippling industry is indicated night as he contradicted my statement. by the large growth of industry throughout Let me get back to the subject of taxation. Australia and the large amounts of British From 1 July a man with a dependant wife and American capital that have been invested and five children under the age of 16 years here. can earn £995 and be subject to no income This is important. Mr. S. Ricketson, chair­ taxation. Did anyone ever hear of such a man of Capel Court Investment Company, an thing before 7 Let me give hon. members organisaition holding investments in no fewer these interesting figures showing the amounts than 217 companies, mostly in Australia that may be earned by the different classes and New Zealand, said on 22 March, 1948- of taxpayers from 1 July, 1949, without '' Some Australians may perhaps over­ being subject to income taxation, together emphasise their own political and industrial with the amounts prior to that date. troubles, but careful examination of poli­ tical, financial and economic conditions in Prior to From all countries will disclose that Australia 1st July, 1st July, now is predominantly the best practicable 1949. 1949. field, the one offering the most attractions Per annum Per annum for investment of British capital, both £ £ directly or indirectly in the stocks of exist­ Single taxpayer »1thout de- ing stable and expanding companies.'' pendents ...... 315 500 Taxpayer with dependent wife 501 660 That is the statement of a man who does Taxpayer, dependent wife and not support these cries about high taxation. one child ...... 613 771 Taxpayer, wife and two child­ The following table bears out this state­ ren 827 ment:- Taxpayer, wife and three children 883 Taxpayer, wife and four Profits Income Profits Divi- children 939 Year. before Taxes after dends Taxpayer, wife and fi~e Tax. Paid. Tax. Paid. children 995 ------1938-39 .. 84 15 69 27 Hon. members opposite say that taxation is 1939-40 .. 99 19 80 30 1940-41 .. 108 29 79 33 ruining the country, that it is bleeding the 1941-42 .. 116 45 71 36 country white and preventing production. It 1942-43 .. 123 48 75 35 would be interesting to hear the opinions of 1943-44 .. 135 50 85 38 Mr. Menzies and his colleagues over the years 1944-45 .. 134 58 76 35 1945-46 .. 131 53 78 34 on the subject of taxation when they were 1946-47 .. 155 51 104 36 in control of the Federal Government. Mr. 194 7-48 .. 167 67 100 41 Menzies is reported in the daily '' Tele­ gntph'' of 4 April, 1946, as follovvs :- Yet they tell us that taxation is retarding ''The Government must risk taxation production! What has produced these high cuts to increase production.'' profits~ Has it not been greater production~ In the same year Dr. Page said- The most important thing to me is that the ' 'If the Government would ha! ve taxa- <1iviclends paid have increased, too. That is tion it would encourage production.'' exemplified in the following table:- Year. Per cent. That was when they sat in Opposition and their opinions differed widely from what they 1941-42 36 said IYhen they were in Government. 1942-43 35 1943-44 38 This is what Dr. Page said in 1920 and 1944-45 35 his remarks are contained in '' Hansard'' at 1945-46 34 page 5565- 1946-47 36 , 'I make no complaint of the incidence 1947-48 41 of taxation. I do not complain of its That table reveals that an increase of 52 being high because in my view, now is the per cent. was paid in dividends to share­ time when we should tax ourselves with the holders. Does that sound like high taxa­ object of 1·educing our public debt.'' tion crippling industry and retarding produc­ tion~ As the hon. member for Bremer pointed He then sat in Opposition. Speaking in 1921 out last session, the greater demand is causing he said- the present shortages rather than a shortage '' Ho,,. can taxation be reduced if our of production. indebtedness and interest bill is increased.'' The promises made by the Liberal-Country Mainly on account of the war, our public Party to reduce taxation must be considered debt and interest bill have increased consider­ in the light of previous experience. In the ably and although Australia is today in a past they have given taxation reduction that better economic position than it has ever been has benefited the wealthy and have often done before, the Liberal-Country Party asks that so at the expense of the least favoured people. the wealthy man, the large commercial and In 1933 the U.A.P. Government made remis­ financial interests, be relieved of paying a sions in taxation that benefited 700 people, 58 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. of a population of 7,000,000. The salaries of paid during the war on corresponding incomes. these people averaged £5,200 a year. This In making these reductions the Government was done at the expense of those in less have had special regard for those on the fortunate circumstances. The Government lower and middle incomes. saved these people £500,000 in taxation! It I think that proves conclusively that the will not be forgotten that in the depression Government have been able to do what they years of 1932-33 the U.A.P. Government promised. Having done it, they have earned reduced pensions and at the same time made the praise of a Sydney daily paper, the taxation reductions that considerably bene­ ''Sunday Herald.'' I quote from the issue fited big land- and property-owners and com­ of that paper dated 30 January, 1949. panies to the extent of millions of pounds. They were not concerned about the poor ''Financial Review. creatures walking the streets looking for jobs ''Australia is Rapidly Becoming a and without a loaf of bread. They reduced Creditor-Nation. old-age pensions and at the same time reduced ''Strength for Emergency. the taxation on wealthy people to the extent "Australia, 17 years ago one of the of millions of pounds. world's embarrassed debtors, is now within Nor will it be forgotten that although there measurable distance of becoming a creditor­ were thousands of people unemployed in 1936, nation. Two or three export seasons like 1937 and 1938 the Liberal Government made the present one should enable this milestone available only £150,000 to be spent on works in national maturity to be passed. as Christmas relief for 1936; £100,000 in ''A net amount of only about 1937 and nothing in 1938. They were not £195,000,000 is now owed to residents of concerned a scrap about the poor people who Britain and America. were unemployed. They did not care whether ''Reserves of international currency (in they had anything on their table for Christ­ gold and balances abroad) of more than mas dinner, or whether they could give their £338,000,000 offset long-term debts of children a happy Christmas or not, so long Commonwealth and State Governments as they were able to give big tax reductions amounting to £533,000,000.'' to the people they represented. As I notice you are about to tell me that The Liberal-Country Party during those my time is up, Mr. Keyatta, I will conclude. years of distress would not ask the wealthy to pay a little more to help those who had lUr. lliAHER (West Moreton) (3.19 p.m.): nothing and were on the dole. As a conse­ I notice from the Governor's Speech on the quence, it was no wonder that Archbishop, opening day that the receipts in the Consoli­ now Cardinal, Gilroy, declared in November, dated Revenue Fund for the year ended 1940, that the Government's plans for 30 June, 1949, amounted to £32,979,078, and increased taxes to help finance the war showed the expenditure to £32,929,355, showing a that- surplus of £49,723. I note, too, that the '' Before the war they were guilty of Treasurer apparently made a bad blue that cant and humbug in saying they could not would necessitate brushing up his mathe­ find the money to relieve the unemployed matics, because he was no less than £1,486,000 and homeless.'' out in his estimate of expenditure in the Railway Department for the year. That statement appeared in the ' 'Sydney Morning Herald" of 25 November, 1940. That is an enormous sum for the 'rreasurer to be out in his forecast for t-he ye.ar 's opera­ The reason for the Liberal Party's advo­ tion and by the same token he was deeply cacy for an all-round reduction is obvious. It would mean that the man with a large astray in his expected railway revenue for income would receive very considerable reduc­ the year, as £1,403,000 more than his estimate tions, whereas the man on the lower income was actually collected. Had I mulir an error would receive only a small benefit. For like that in the days when I went to school instance, an all-round decrease of 20 per cent., in New South Wales the schoolmaster would as proposed by Mr. Menzies in August, 1946, have called me out for a '' sixer.'' would have meant that a married man, with It would be well for members of the Gov­ a wife and two children, earning £300 a ernment to realise. the tremendous drift taking year, would benefit by £2 7s. a year, 10d. a place in this country in respect of the depre­ week, whereas the man with a wife and two dation of the value of our currency. It is children on £5,000 would benefit by £569 a all very well to point to figures showing the year. value of production and the treme11dous Labour Governments realise to the full that increase in the monetary turnover in every in sacrificing portions of his income the rich direction today, but let us not forget the man does not make sacrifices that are physical. cold fact that the value of our pound is at He is still able to live in comfort and afford least half what it was and is still tending the many luxuries that money can buy, and downwards. Hon. members of the Govern· as a consequence should be willing to con­ ment should read the very timely remarks of tribute largely to the expenses brought about Mr. Colin C!ark before members of the by the war and to effect an amelioration Economic Society, in which he pointed out of the conditions of the people in less favour­ the dangers inherent in the present inflationary able circumstances. drift. He pointed out that unless the Govern­ Since the war the Government have pro­ ment were pre,pared to face up to it and gressively reduced taxation, with the result take remedial action, unpopular though it that most of the taxpayers now pay half­ might be, we could find ourselves in the di:ffi.· and many less than half-of the amount they cnlties that other countries in the world have Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 59 had to face because of the failure. of demo­ knfJwledge that the Queensland Government cratic Governments to face the same issue. are not prepared to do all in their power to The hon. member for Logan pointed out that break the stranglehold that the militant different sections of the community were strike leaders have on the miners. lt is being paid today in what is, in effect, bad generally agreed by close observers in New money-the pensioner or the person deriving South Wales, and in Queensland especially, income from investment in bonds and ·shares that the majority of the miners today want is not receiving any increase in the fixed to get back to work. The le.aders, however, amount. in conferences in New South ·wales, have decided against the calling of aggregate meet­ l'\Ir. 2Uacdonald: The new poor. ings of the striking miners and therefore the lUr. MAHER: They become the new striking miners have no method of escape poor in the community. The fall in the value from the vice-like grip in which they are of our currency is responsible for much of the held by those militant leaders. unrest in the industrial life of the nation The Premier, in a broadcast on 25 July, today and something must be done alout it. urged the miners to return to work, and I It would be well for the Treasurer to give want to give him credit for that. This was some. thought to this important· m;;tter. '!'he the broadcast in which the Australian Broad­ wrole country could be ruined, and nobody casting Commission refused the Premier the worse than the workers, because in every right to talk over the national network. I country it is the worker who suffers the most. found a certain measure of grim humour in It was the working man who suffered the the Premier's wrangle with the Australian most in Germany and in Russia when the Broadcasting Commission. The Australian value of the currency there fell after the Broadcasting Commission represents a first world war. As Mr. Colin Clark quoted, nationalised radio system. The Premier is. a this is so in Pvery instance. It was a Minister Socialist who has signed on the dotted line of the French Parliament who told the for the. nationalisation of industry. The worke.rs of Prance, if they were to get £50 humour lies in the fact that the Premier, a week, they would not be better off than being a staunch pillar of the nationalisation in the days of £3 a week because the increase of industry, became the victim of the machine would affect the cost of everything produceq in which he believes and which he seeks to and manufactured in the. country and this impose. upoi1 the will of the community a;nd would also make it increasingly difficult for which he helped to create. If the Premier the countTy to export its goods in competition of a sovereign State can be denied the right with other countries in other parts of the of speech over the air on a nationalise.'! radio, world that had sound currency. That is only what chance has the ordinary citizen goH a passing thought, but I should like the If we apply the same principle in another Treasurer to give some consideration to it. direction, I can visualise the Premier, if Mr. Y etse.rday I asked the Premier a question Chifley were. to get his way-God forbid in to which he made this reply- the interests of the country! -and establish '' It would be highly improper for the nationalisation of banking wit·h one gigantic Queensland Government to press the Prime monopoly of banking by the Commonwealth, Minister ror the provision of a secret ballot as he proposes, going into the manager of to afford the miners an opportunity of the one and only bank and asking for an de.c;aring for a return to work.'' overdraft and being refused. Where does it •beeo'me improper for the He could be refused just as he was ref~sed Government of the Stat·e that is feeling the by the nationalised radio system of the nght effects of the coal strike, that has miners on to state his case. When there is only one strike-and the.se miners are covered by banking system or authority, where all opp?­ Federal awards-to press the Prime Minister s1tion is swept aside in the interests of th1s to afford lawful means whereby the miners nationalisation of industry what chance has might declare themselves, under secret condi­ a man got when the powers that be say ''No'' tions, in favour of going back to work? The to a legitimate request~ What redress has Premier's answer that it would be highly he got~ Where can he turn~ Th:re is no improper, and his general evasion of the pro­ competition and if the bureaucrat m charge posal will be coldly received by thousands of does not like the colour of the applicant's hair workless people in this State and across the or if the applicant does not wear the old border in Ne.w South Wales, by aged folk, school tie that he wears, he can say, ''No,'' by small business men, and by women and and there is no appeal from Caesar whatever. children who are suffering from the effects In this fight that the Premier had with the of the coal strike. A.B.C.-I had a good deal of sympathy with him-he became the victim of the system he JUr. Theodore: The Premier said he believes in and of the tyranny he is trying thought the Prime Minister was quite capable to impose upon us all. It reminds me of of handling this question without any the storv of the man who invented the guillo­ interference. tine in France. His head was the first to fall into the basket from the machine of his own lUr. ~IAHER: The Prime Minister has proved himself signally incapable of handling creation-hoist with his own petard. That the situation and a little stimulus from other was the position in respect to the Premier directions might help him to see things in and the A.B.O. the right perspective. The victims of the In his broadcast the Premier referred to strike will derive no consolation from the the coal strike as senseless strife and he 60 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. went further and said that the community is are plenty of men willing to work the open­ conscious that a war is being waged upon it cuts in New South Wales and Queensland, and true to its Australian character is fight­ and good unionists at that. Why use the ing back. Those are the Premier's own members of the armed forces when you can words. Quite right that the community ie get good unionists who are prepared in. the lighting back, but what support is the com­ hcur of crisis in the nation to do the JOb~ munity getting from the Queensland Govern­ Mr. Chif!ey atso provided for the freezing ment'? What have the State Government done of union funds but did so in such clumsy to get the miners back to work~ Talk gives fashion that the unions concerned were able very little help indeed. We heard an eloquent to withdraw their funds from the banks and interesting contribution to the debate before the law became effective. Although bv the Minister for Transport but not a a number of strike leaders have been ga?led, 1vord of what he said would bring in one the gaoling was not done by any ac~ o: dll'ec­ more skip of coal or offer constructive thought tion of the Chifl.ey Government. It IS Import­ to getting the men back to work. The majority ant to note this as the Prime Min~ster's of the men want to get back to work. apologists are using this argument as evidei_tce Of that I am sure. I ask again: what of his strength in dealing with the strike are the Queensland Government doing~ leaders. The men in gaol are there becau.se What have the Government of New South they violated the rules of the court by dis­ Wales done, a Government led by Mr. McGird obeying the court's order. I say that Mr. Hanlon has pursued the same technique in the present coal strike as he )Ir. ][oore interjected. did in the meat strike, which dragged on for four long months, and in the transport strike, Mr. MA HER: The Secretary for. Mines that lasted for six or seven weeks. He is does not like this. He does not hke the sitting tight and hoping to wear the strikers truth. It hurts him. Why is no move made down by attrition and to force them back to by Mr. Chifley 's Government to give the men work in due time. His colleague in New a secret vote on this issue~ Why does he South Wales is doing the same thing. burke the question' Again why does the Prime Minister not Mr. Chifiey is not prepared to give the move to 'ban the Communist Party and impose miners a secret ballot because it would offend drastic penalties on Communists others who trade union leaders who derive much of their o: disobey our industrial laws~ Agam, why does power over big bodies of men by the open he not move to debar Communists from hold­ vote at mass meetings. The men in many ing executive office in any trades union~ It cases are afraid to speak and from my talks is too great a risk to the safety and well­ to them, watersiders and coal-miners are being of this country to have men. of doll;bt­ terrified in many cases to raise their hands ful loyalty in full charge of key mdustr~es. ac··ainst the demand of the union executive. But, no, Mr. Chifley will continue hi~ pohcy I~ today's Press we read of bashings in New of appeasement like Mr. Hanlon, hke Mr. South Wales by the extreme element and of McGirr, no matter who suffers or for how the police being called in. long he suffers. It is fear on the part of a large number This appeasement policy is not new. It of workers of being bashed or being framed was the policy adopted towards the southern or being hounded off the job that causes them miners during the war period by the Govern­ to vote for a strike when a decision is made ment led by the late Mr. Curtin. Away back by a show of hands at a mass meeting. That in 1942, on many occasions, ~Ir. Curtin col!-­ is why the secret ballot is essential-to give demned the actions of the m111ers and thmr these men the opportunity to vote according leaders. On 26 February, 1942, he said- to their consciences, according to their inclinations and decisions made in the quiet " The action of two New South Wales of their homes with the advice of their south-coast pits in stopping work is ~on­ families. temptible and contemptuous. Appropnate action will be taken by the Federal Mr. Chifl.ey has been urged time and again Government against all concerned.'' in the Federal House and in previous disputes I could quote you a doz.en ot~er statemei:ts to introduce the secret ballot. He has been made by Mr. Curtin, but bme Will not permit. pressed on all sides during the present trouble Despite all these passionate appeals by ~r. to give the men this democratic right but he Curtin and strong statements that Mr. Curtm has remained adamant and fixed in his deter­ made in the Federal Parliament and through­ mination not to do so. Mr. Chifl.ey, however, out the country, when it came to a show-down is prepared to use the armed forces to break Mr. Curt.in invariably gave in and al?pease.d the strike in New South Wales, quite con­ the striking elements. ~ ow Mr: Chlfl.ey IS trary to the platform and policy of the doing exactly the same thmg. It IS the cumu­ Australian Labour Party, which clearly says lative effect of continuous appeasement by that the armed forces shall not be used to our Federal Labour Governments who have break up industrial disputes. He has vio­ constantly yielded ground that has encouraged lated his own policy in employing the armed the extreme elements in Australia to believe forces. This method, I will admit, is at least that they could with safety paralyse industry bringing in some coal but in my opinion­ dominde Governments and run the country it is only my own personal opinion-the by R:1iferty rules. armed forces should not be used to mine coal except in the last resort, when every other Newspaper reports suggest that. the Federal lawful method has failed. There is no need elections will be deferred until December to use the armed forces to mine coal. There although they are due next month on the Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 61

ground that it will give time for the people because it has been difficult to get adequate to forget the failure of the Federal Labour and competent labour to handle the cane Government to defend the people's rights at required to keep the mills going. I_nstead of this critical time. There should be an urgent having a surplus of cane to start with at ~he demand on Mr. Chifley to fix the election beginning of the week, we f~und that owmg round about its due time to give the people to the 40-hour week the crushmg was reduced an opportunity to deal with those who are te> 35 36 or 37 hours. In order to overcome responsible very largely for the industrial that 'difficulty we shall have to adopt the lawlessness, mass unemployment and disrup­ practice of burning and cutting sufficient tion of industry in Australia today. cane in each week to carry us over the week­ end. That will have a detrimental effect ~lr. THEODORE (Herbert) (3.43 p.m.): This debate lends itself to the discussion of a on the economy of the industry, owing to wide scope of subjects and criticism of the deterioration. various policies or subjects affecting vital As I said, no-one in the sugar industry questions. The Opposition have taken full complains about go-slow on the part of the advantage of the opportunity afforded them men engaged in it, but it is. apparent that to criticise the Government in their activities there is serious interferenee m many other and to condemn their actions without industries. I believe this is not beca11se of restraint. We know that at the moment the desire of the men themselves to adopt conditions are very disturbed. We know too these methods, but because of interference by that our economy is upset, not as a result of people who are ei;lleavouring ~o _create a something that the Government have not done position that will smt them by. brmgmg ~bout or are doing but as a resalt of the intrusion dissatisfaction discord and discontent m an into this country of a set of circumstances industry and 'in its trai:r; misery a_nd w~nt and people who are endeavoming to destroy among the iPeople. This r~sult I~ bemg our political economy. 'rhey are endeavour­ f'Xploitecl by those who are m an mdustry ing to destroy the GoYernment aml our insti­ for the sole purpose of creating disruption. tutions. They are endeavouring to make the 'l'his has accentuated the opinion that the people believe that their representatives are introduction of the 40-hour week is respon­ not acting in the interests of the workers they sible for a great deal of lag in production have been elected to represent but are acting and that sort of thing. Certainly it has in the interests of people opposed entirely to resulted in some shortages, but nobody would the interests of the workers. By this means complain about that if the men working the they are attempting to introduce into this 4U-hour week were allowed to give a fair day's country an ideology quite foreign to the people and one that the people do not desire work. at all. We realise that these attacks are Mr. Morris: What do you mean by being made not only in this State but ' ' allowed? ' ' throughout the Commomvealth. 'l'hey are directed principally against our institutions Mr. THEODORE: As I have pointed out, for the sole purpose of destroying them and there is interference with the men by Com­ our Australian way of life. The action of munists and the result of that interference i11 these people has created many of the prob­ the adoption of go-slow tactics and that kind lems and difficulties that confront the Gov­ of thing. It is idle to close one's eyes to ernment. the fact that this is being done. Very often The Leader of the Opposition has attri­ stoppages oceur because some man eomes. buted to the 40-hour week a great deal of the along and has a short talk with a few men loss of production and loss of revenue to this 011 a job and then other workmen are. held State, but the responsibility cannot be laid up. This is an easy matter. for such . diSruJ?­ entirely at the door of the 40-hour week. tionists. They are well tramed. It IS then job to interfere with production by causing I believe that members of the Opposition hold-ups. This is witnessed almost every did not think the 40-hour week would be week throughout the State. detrimental to the economy of the State if those, who benefited by it played their part I believe there is some ground for com­ and made a fair effort. If the men worked plaint, as alleged by some of the membe~s and gave good service the 40-hour week would of the Opposition-that the 40-hour week_ IS. not seriously affect the economy of the State responsible for some loss, but I would renund at all. The trouble is that in ce.rtain indus­ them that members of the Oppositicm sup­ tries the workers have been interfered with ported the Bill introducing that system and the result has been a detrimental effect when it passed through the House. They on the economy of this country. When you rerdisecl that it was a step in the right direc­ examine the industries where the workers are tion. It will be of advantage to the country not int·erfered with and where they are giving in such a time as we must experience in the the employers a fair deal, you find that those near future or perhaps later, when there will industries are not eomplaining about the 40- be unemployment, and when it will be only hour week. The object of the 40-hour week reasonable to expect people to share what­ ever employment is available.. That is _one of was a sound one. The only thing is perhaps the logical reasons for the mtroductwn of that because of the lack of man-power and the 40-hour week. However, at the present the great demand for goods it was introduced too soon. time there is more work than men: there are numbers of jobs going begging, and certai? In the sugar industry we do not complain persons have taken advantage of that posi­ about the work of the men under the 40-hour tion; consequently the 40-hour week has not week. It has had some effect in our industry worked out immediately as it was expected '62 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. it would do so. But I believe it is a step in this opportunity of making reference to the .the right direction. It is not only here that proposed expansion within the industry. That the system has been adopted; New Zealand proposed expansion is of vital importance to .has had a 40-hour week for years, and there many people who have long lived in North .it has worked very satisfactorily. Queensland in the hope that some day they The Leader of the Opposition blamed the would get out of the rut they are in at •Government for the loss in production. We present. Part of the 137,000 tons added to are not getting the production which we are the mill peaks will be allocated to bringing entitled to expect, for various reasons. up the acreages of some of the growers who are now regarded as having less than a living I do not know of any country in the world D.rea. The extra assignments to these men that is not suffering somewhat similarly from will not account for much of the 137,000 thE: same causes, but to say that production tons, because there are not many in that is falling in all industries is not correct position and a considerable amount will be because, as I pointed out by way of inter­ allocated to new farmers. jection this morning, the sugar industry pro­ duced a record crop last season. The Leader It is very desirable that new farmers be of the Opposition said that was due to the brought into the industry. The new men will good season. That is a contributing factor, but be keen cane farmers because they have a the fact remains that the crop had to be har­ guaranteed market at an assured price and vested. It certainly was harvested, but under they will devote their energies to the job. I difficulties because, owing to the war and all believe that the extra assignments should be the other things that follow as the result of given in the first place to those men who have war, we had new and inexperienced men in so long lived on the land and who failed to the industry; but notwithstanding that we get assignments when the mills were first harvested the crop. built, many of them because they lived just outside the areas of those mills. Now they I wish to emphasise that the Government will be included in the assigned areas, given cannot be blamed for any loss of production assignments of cane, and lifted out of their that is caused by matters over which they present difficulties. have no control. It is only fair to point out that often they are blamed wrongly for No-one owning a large tract of land will things that happen through causes over which be able to sell the land at high prices to those they have no control. As I have stated, in buying it for the purpose of sugar-growing. the sugar industry, which is conducted effi· Established men with mixed-farming areas ciently, we get satisfactory results from the who, because of their inability to make a men engaged in it. living from their holdings, have had to take employment under local councils or do other I come now to the vexed question of the work to get sufficient to live on, should get Herbert River pollution. This is an import­ consideration. It is desirable that prefer­ ant matter and a small part of my electorate ence be given to those men, most of them is affected by that pollution. It is time that married with families who have lived in the some drastic measures were taken to deal sugar-growing areas in the hope that some with the problem. Whether the Government day the time would come when they would would have power to close down the dredge get assignments. It was expected, for until some means of coping with the nuisance instance, when the Tully sugar mill was built was discovered, I do not know. If the that the Australian consumption would Government decided to give the company the increase to the extent of requiring a new mill alternatives of closing down or remedying equal to the Tully mill every three years. the trouble, I doubt whether they would have But things have not worked out like that. power to order that it should close down. As a result of the introduction of new The fact is that something should be done varieties and better methods of cultivation, to meet the position. That hon. members our production per acre has increased opposite who are concerned with the problem enormously. stated during the last election campaign that they would immediately cope with the pl'ob­ The necessary increase therefore has largely lem if they were returned to power shows been made up by improved production on that they realise its seriousness. I do not areas already under cultivation, but now that know whether they were sincere. increased peaks have been approved new sugar mills will shortly be required, and in ~Ir. Jliorris: They are always sincere. the course of a few years two new mills will be needed. That will give an opportunity ~Ir. THEODORE: They have not done for the opening up of some of the very fine much to help the Government to abate the rich land in North Queensland. I refer nuisance, if they know how to do it. They particularly to some of the Tully land and have failed to tell us the extent to which land down as far as Ingham where there is they would be prepared to go in order to sufficient to warrant another new mill. In carry out the promise they made to thEl the meantime I hope that those who will be people, but when they made that promise deputed to allot the additional areas will they knew they would have no possible chance consider those men who have waited so long of honouring it because they knew they would and struggled hard under trying conditions to not be returned to power. make a living from the land. They should get I have a word or two more to say about additional areas. the sugar industry. Much criticism has been levelled against the Government in regard ~Ir. RUSSELL (Dalby) (4.7 p.m.): After to matters in the minds of the hon. members visiting the Queensland-British Food Corpo;a­ of the Opposition who have spoken but I take tion 's project at Peak Downs, I am left w1th Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 63 the impression that all is not as it should be. this country is ploughed up on a very large While the officers and the various officials in scale, as it is suggested will be done, a tre­ charge of the organisation are very courteous mendous area will be lost to future genera­ one is again left with the impression that tions. I urge the Corporation and the Govern­ they are trying to justify a socialistic experi­ ment to inquire as to the proper handling ment that is following the pattern of most of this soil in the direction of paying more Government enterprises. attention t:> contour ploughing. To bear out that suggestion, I point to the The yield this year is disappointing. The fact that recently when a party of politicians original estimate was 1,250,000 bushels of visited the area operations were deliberately sorghum, but it would appear now that it moved from where they were being carried will be closer to 300,000 bushels. The grain out on an average crop to where the crop generally is poor by Darling Downs standards. was richest so as to give the impression of greater success, better yield, and so on. Quite a large pcreentage of the gruin is Surely there is no need for such boosting as at present on the ground. This could have it is not in the interests of the corporation been saved bv closer attentbn to header itself or of the State in general. adjustment·. Some of the larger grain is being cracked by machinery and lost in the This land is very like the Darling Downs. straw in the process of threshing. This again It has a rainfall equal to it, but more of it could have been avoided by header adjust­ falls in the summer months. The soil is of ments. Alternatively, better results could volcanic origin, friable, and lends itself to cultivation. The heavy rainfall, coupled with have been got by moving· the machinery the friable nature of the soil, is responsible more quickly through it. Farming is an for its richness. It is equal to anything in individual's job and cannot be done on a Australia. mass scale like this because uninterested labour does not pay proper attention to the The first evidence of its possibilities, from job. an agricultural point of view, is to be seen in the weed growth that is there. There is We heard something this morning about evidence of all the weeds that grow on the machinery in answer to questions. The Darling Downs and others in addition. There machinery I saw is all in good order because are mint weed, the castor-oil plant, rosella, it is new, but what does concern us on the bullhead, and others that go with rich agri­ Darling Downs is the measure of priority cultural soil. The castor-oil plant is not bad that this corporation is getting. Four weeks at the moment, but there is plenty of evidence ago 25 new ploughs from the Shearer com­ of it, and I am afraid that in a few years' pany were sent to Cullin-la-ringo to start the time it is going to be a very severe menace. new operations there. This is rightly resented In passing I should like to mention that iri by many farmers on the Downs who have the past an export licence would not have been waiting for a longer period for these been granted for the export of sorghum seed ploughs than this food corporation has been from the Darling Downs carrying castor-oil in existence. It is very disturbing to realise seed. I saw plenty of evidence at Peak that a newcamer in the form of this sorialistic Downs of the presence of the castor-oil seed. organisation can get prior claim on A,us­ tralian and dollar sources for machinery that Before passing from the problem of weed is denied to Downs fnrmers and is being growth, I want to emphasise a problem that severely rationed to them. is going to face the project in growing summer crops at the same time as this weed ~lr. Hanlon: That would cut out all growth naturally appears. machinery for soldier settlement. We find th~t the weeds virtually take ::Ur. RUSSELL: Farmers on the Downs charge of the country, particularly when a are not getting the supplies that have been sorghum crop cannot be grown every year. ordered and yet this machinery is going up The Corporation shauld have some plan of there. This is proof that the Queensland growing alternate crops or cultivating the farmers are being misled. They are being country to keep weeds off it. told that there is no steel for these products The method of growing sorghum adopted and yet we :find these machines are gain~ up is that every second row of the combine there. The answer to the question this morn­ is stopped up in order to get a fair width of ing is proof of the correctness of whnt I soil between the rows. That will allow mint state. weed, castor-oil and other weeds to grow In the matter of buildin~s, it was interest­ with it. The Corporation will be very fortun­ ing to note the large igloo building that was ate indeed if it can obtain a clean crop in a there. It represented an extravagant amount few years' time. This is a very serious of shed space for the maintenance and hous­ factor that has not been considered in this ing of the machinery. I point this out project. because it is being denied t0 the farmers Moreover, the friable and mulching nature of the Downs. At the present time iron of the soil make it very prone to erosion. cannot be obtained at all. When our traders This erosion is greatly in evidence on all had the initiative to go do·wn to Newcastle the slopes and contours. The only way to with their own trucks to buy iron they were avoid serious erosion in this type of land is not allowed to sell it because they could by contour ploughing and from my observa­ not get permission to put a surcharge repre­ tion insufficient attention is being paid to senting the road carriage on the iron. There the need for it. If this is not done, and were 50 tons held by" one firm in Brisbane 64 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

in this manner. Orders were prevented from original intention of this organisation. When being supplied on the Downs and elsewhere we, as the Opposition, gave qualified support by the prices branch and that department to the general principles of growing food -eventually gave permission to add the sur­ for Britain, we felt that one of the first charge, provided the traders supplied it to things to be done would be to bring people the Government ; so the iron was given to from Great Britain but there nre no migrants the Government and not to the farmers. Novv at all there. ~ our people are being told to buy Japanese Recently, when in London, I spoke to the iron at £72 a ton, which is about £30 a ton Agent-General for Queenslam1, who told me dearer than the iron thev were not allowed he was concerned that there were 110t suiti­ to purehase by reason "of the price-fixing cient nominations from Queensland to fill the .authorities here. likely available shipping space. In this pro­ I had an opportunity while in the Peak ject we have an instance of the British Downs area to. look at a farm four Government's making an investment and no miles from Capella owned by Mr. W. British migrants on the project at al!. This Tweedie. I noticed that the soil was similar is not solving the British problem. and the yield of the crop was four timl.'s Australians may not realise that there is better. This man had no storage for grain. plenty of food in America. The wheat crop He had to put his grain on the trucks as it there is now being restricted. There is plenty was harvested. He asked permission to use of pig-meat available, which the British the surplus shed accommodation made avail­ Government cannot buy because of the short­ .able at Capella for the Queensland-British age of dollars. Food Corporation, but it was not given. This socialistic experiment being carried In addition to t·his, Mr. Tweedie was using out under the guise of food for Britain will ·second-hand bags. I saw some of the bags not bear out the promises of success and I .and he had stuffed the holes with paper. I feel the way things are moving in England it said to him, ''Why arc you not using new will probably be beyond the pockets of the bags~" and he replied "We ·cannot get British taxpayer to pay it. The British them.'' I saw thousand~ of bags stacked in problem is lack of purchasi1ig power and these ~mpty sheds-bales of them-and they Britain ultimately, if she goes on with her are usmg new bags in the Queensland-British socialistic experiment in the way she has Food Corporation project, yet the sorghum­ been doing, is just as likely to be short ~of ·growers on the Downs and Mr. 'l'weedie are sterling as she is of dollars. unable to get new bags in which to put the I feel no prudent person can deny the sorghu~ and consequently they would probably possibility of a slump in so far as British be demed export licences. trade is concerned and if that happens the Mr. DA VIS: I rise to a point of order. ''planners'' will have to realise very soon I do not expect in this Chamber to hear that the only way to create real wealth is statements that are incorrect and untruthful by hard work, and that plans will not get in the interests of the State. them out of their present difficulties. Hon. Members interjecting. At the present time British eronomy is being propped up by extendec1 credits from :illr. Barnes: Shut up, you mug! America and other parts of the world. At The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN (Mr. ::my rate, it will be our problem to get paid Rilton) : I ask the hon. member for Bunda­ for our products. berg t-o withdraw that statement. The presence of this orgnnisntion, with its Mr. Barnes: I withdraw it. uufair priorities and the resultant restri~­ tions being placed on the or<1inary farmers on The TEMPORARY CHAIR:iliAN: There thP Darling Downs, has resul,ed in less pro­ is no point of order regarding the statements duction for the State and for Great Britain made by the hon. member. It is political than would he the case otherwise. One finds comment and every member has the right in all Government undertakings a top-heaYi­ to express his opinions. ness of management, which does not occur in private undertakings. I wns interested when . :illr. RUSSELL: Recently the corpora­ Yisiting this undertaking recently to see at twn entered the field of grazing. It has pur­ one particular place, the farm stores section, ~hased approximately 412 000 acres in ron­ a staff of seven clerks at work. I saw the nectron with its various ~ctivities. same thing at the head station. I do not The cattle there are doing very well. They know how many office clerks would be are feeding on the grain because half the employed in the Brisbane office. crop is on the ground. The cattle have a I would ask the. Minister whether it is the Yariety of feed: they have the natural pas­ ultimate intention to cut up this huge area tures that were there always and the added for the benefit of closer settlement. Surely it nutriment in the grain lying on the ground. is inconsistent, to say the least of it, that I think this grazing undertaking of the cor­ the Government should be cutting up areas poration will be very successful provided the on the Darling Downs not very dissimilar ·:oorporation ~oes no_t charge the' cost of grow­ from this. They are forcing closer settlement mg the gram agamst the cattle-raising. there and at the same time they are creating in this other area the biggest farm in the One o~ the serious effects is the drawing from pnvate owners much of the available \1·orld. station labour. That was, I feel, not the lUr. Haulon: You do not believe in that? Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 65

lUr. UUSSELL: Not for agricultural is what they have done. In my opmwn this purposes. The compulsory acquisition of y<'ar 's crop would not be worth more than these areas is foreign to our sense of fair £100,000. play and justice. They are taking these lands Compare that with the enormous expendi­ at their price-I refer particularly to ture up there and visualise what could have Wolfang- been produced on the Darling Downs had JUr. Hanlon: That is not true. Every the Government said, '' \Ve will give you a bit of ground was obtained by negotiation. decent export price and give you the machines to do the work." We should have Mr. ItUS SELL: They had to agree. They produced far more than has been produced had the choice of a kick in the pants or a at Peak Downs. Generally the grain pro­ punch in the jaw. The point is that if this duced by the Queensland-British Food Cor­ corporation does not get eventuaily into POl­ poration would not be up to export standards lective farming, it will ultimately sell the as we have known them. land for probably £2 an acre or something in excess of that, and who is going to g·:t that lUr. PATEitSON (Bowen) (4.31 p.m.): money? Several speakers during the debate have touched on the coal strike and the coal posi­ It follows the same lines as the British tion. It is interesting to note that the hon. 01·erseas Food Corporation projects in other member for Logan admitted that the arbitra­ parts of the world. I have a cutting from tion system has one serious defect in that the London "Times" dated 10 May, 1949, when a strike threatens and particularly once that cites the bad luck associated with all its projects-one of the things this organisation a strike has broken out, the Arbitration seems to deal in very extensively is bad luck. Court decides to sit pat ancl refuses to do I have not the time to read the whole of tlmt anything until the men go back to work. cutting, but it reads inter alia- The Minister for Transport quite rightly '' More modest pilot schemes in a number admitted that there was widespread discon­ of different districts might have saved the tent in many parts of the world and if I taxpayer many millions and avoided the understood him correctly he implied that the hectic reorganisation in which the chairman Federal Government or the Federal Court of of the Overseas Food Corporation is now Conciliation and Arbitration made a serious e._~~·~ :_J:";d. '' mistake in sending to gaol a number of the miners' leaders because he correctly stated That is what should have been clone at Peak that in spite of the fact that leaders were Downs. I urge the Government, before it is gaoled coal had not been obtained. I pro­ too late, to look where it is going, to see what pose to deal witli this question as fully as I they are going to do with the resultant can in the limited time at my disposal. product before they ruin large areas of country up there. It is well known that the four main claims of the Miners' Federation that led up to There is no question that this country is this strike were- suitable for closer settlement. I said that­ 1. A demand for a weekly increase of my remarks may be seen in '' Hansard' '­ 30s. in wages; before the Queensland-British Food Corpora­ tion was ever thought of, but the form of 2. The introduction of a 35-hour week; settlement being ad•Jpted is liable to be ruinous 3. The introduction of long-service leave; because not enougt individual attention is and given to the areas t.hat are farmed. The 4. Considerable improvements in pit and only solution of the problem is to get more town amenities. people. The original intention was to have Those who know the situation well and rr•ore people here to teucl the land, and that know the conditions of the miners will agree, would have contributed towards solving tlie I think that each of these demands is justi­ British problem also. Ba1o1ieally, and without fied. The cost of the necessaries of life has going into detail, the British problem is that gone up at a higher rate than wages and Rl:P has far too we•·; peuple for her shrunken the 30s. a week increase would not be too JGuih•lllj to maintain. That is where we much to compensate miners for the increase could come in and help, bm; it will not be in the cost of living. solved by growing food to maintain that heavy population in the Old Country. The The 35-hour week is not too short a week economics of the whole thing are wrong. for miners, particularly in relation to the 40-hour week for workers in general industry. I suggest that this corporation is just Already the New Zealand Government have working blindly. It sets out to grow an recognised this and in New Zealand a 35-hour enormous amount of grain sorghum without week for miners operates. Furthermore, for knowing what it is going to do with it or 30-oclcl years a 35-hour week has been in whether the country can do it successfully operation at Broken Hill. year after year. I have cited the problems that are likely to arise so far as thick weed Long-service leave, although to some it may growth is concerned. It is a difficulty that be a strange demand for miners, is ~ot has prevented the continual growing of grain strange when you realise that l?ng-ser_v1ce sorghum on the Darling Downs. We have leave is already granted to certa1?- sectl<:ns found we cannot do it every yeaT. of the working class. The Pubhc ServiCe and railway workers have enjoyed that pnvl­ With no limit to the costs of production, lege for a long time; the employees of the any crop can be cited as successful, and that Joint Coal Board itself enjoy it. There is 1949-c no reason why the manual worker in private 66 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. industry should not be entitled to this privi­ done in regard to this matter, but what it lege in the same way as certain employees has done exists only in the blue-print stage. employed by the Government. Very little has been done by the Joint Coal Those who have visited mining towns will Board beyond the planning stage despite the agree that whilst in some places an attempt fact that the board has been in existence for has been made to improve pit and town two years. amenities, nevertheless the vast majority of Let us contrast the plans with the actual p;t and town amenities in coal-mining towns achievements, and these facts are taken from leave much to be desired. the report of the Joint Coal Board for 1948. Only five bathrooms have been completed Those who understand the miners' position to the required standard, or less than 6 per will agree that all their claims are just. cent. of the number admittedly required. The Government find fault with the miners Only one unit of service sanitation has been because they went on strike for those condi­ completed, which is less than 2 per cent. of tions rather than wait for the Coal Industry the number that would be required. Only Tribunal to give its decision. An examina­ two surface crib-rooms have been completed, tion of the facts, in my opinion, justifies the or approximately 2 per cent. of the number miners' suspicions that the chairman of the admittedly required. Unde~·ground sanita­ tribunal had no intention whatsoever of tion has been installed in only four mines. granting their demands. The miners were That is the evidence taken from the Joint also justly incensed by the lon.g delay that Coal Board's own report. had taken place in coming to a decision. For instance, the claim for the 35-honr week was Every effort has been made by the Gov­ lodged more than two years ago and even at ernments and the Press to cloud the real the time of the strike in July last the decision issue. Instead of discussing the real issues, had not been given. It is true that it is the demands, and determining whether they now being said that Mr. Gallagher 's mind were just or not the Governments and the had been made up and that he was ready to Press have resorted ag · 'l to the old Red give a decision but it is strange that, although bogy. the claim for the 35-hour week was made two Here again we have the old story of Com­ years ago, a decision had not been made at munist conspiracies, Communist plots, politi­ the time the strike started. cal strikes, and so on. We were told exa~.tly the same thing in the meat strike of iv46; ~Ur. Hiley: How long did it take the vve were told the same story in the railway federation to submit its case~ strike last year; and we are told the same l\Ir. P ATERSO~: I propose to make my story now in the coal strike. Such propa­ speech in my own way. I did not interrupt ganda does not solve the problem. - The use the hon. member when he was speaking. of these tactics does not bring the parties one bit nearer to the solution of the problem. The long-service leave scheme was con­ The way to solve it is to hold a conference sidered by the Coal Industry Tribunal before between the respective parties, to get the strike started, but Mr. Gallagher made together and discuss their differences_ and it perfectly plain that it would be granted come to terms on the actual demands of the subject to very onerous conditions. In fact, miners themselves. All this talk about Red in a year like 1948, when production was conspiracies and plots and_ so on does not only 88,000 tons less than the record year bring the parties one bit nearer a solution. of 1942, not one single miner would have been entitled to long-service leave. The privi­ However, I propose to examine those lege was to be hedged about with conditions charges. It is suggested on the one hand such as continuity of work, and so on. that the strike is a p:lot to kill arbitration and those who suggest that in some cases are Let us compare that, for instance, with screaming out for sef;ret ballots. That sugges­ the position of the railway workers last year tion was put forward today by the hon. when they went on strike. It is true that member for West Moreton. He chided both during the strike the threat was made by the Federal and &c,":t,P. T-~.hour Governmel).ts the Premier that if the men did not go back for not demanding or enforcing 1> o,u~t­ to work when they were ordered to go back ballot in the coal-mining industry. Let us they would be dismissed and lose certain consider just how far secret ballots in strikes privileges but once the strike was over the take the workers and see whether they have fact is the men were not dismissed and they been the effective solution that has been did not forfeit any of their privileges, includ­ suggested. ing their long-service leave. Yet Mr. Gal­ lagher made it plain that he was going to Let us consider the tramways strike that insert a condition-even at a time when there took place early this year. The tramwaymen was no strike and no threat of a strike­ took a secret ballot and by a big majority that it was to be subject to continuity of work decided in favour of a one-day strike each and so on. If these conditions were not week until their demands were granted. They fulfilled long-service leave would be denied took the secret ballot, and abided by the arbi­ to the men. How could you expect the miners tration law of this State. Did that get them under those conditions to have any confidence anywhere~ Did it bring the granting of in that tribunal'! their demands one day closer~ Not on your life! Immediately the Brisbane City Coun­ Now let me deal with the town and pit cil went to the Industrial Court and asked for amenities. It is true that the Commonwealth an order to order the men back to work, that Government have published several advertise­ is, to cease their one-day strikes. The men ments setting out what the Coal Board has had taken the~r secret ballot, but they were Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 67

no better off than men who did not. Fortu­ that plot could have been smashed immedi­ nately, in this particular case reason did pre­ ately by prompt action on the part of the vail ultimately, and the Brisbane City Coun· Commonwealth Government or Mr. Gallagher, cil or the Lord Mayor did agree to meet the the chairman of the tribunal. Tramways Union in conference. He tried to get the union to giYe up their one-day strikes It is suggested that the strike is a plot or threat of strike. The union refused, but to create a depression. The Communists and its representatives agreed to temporarily sus­ anybody else connected with the workers need pend the one-day strikes while the conference not spend one minut~ tryi_ng to cre_ate a was on. As a result of that conference an depression; the depresswn w1ll come Without amicable decision was reached and the strike any activity on our part whatsoever. As a was settled. matter of fact, it is only a few months ago that the Tory Press, even in Brisbane, was Take the railway strike last year. A num­ suggesting that Communists were try_ing. to ber of railway unions took a secret ballot. create a defeatist atmosphere by 1ssumg Some, however, did not. They decided in propaganda that a depression would bre!l;k favour of a strike at mass meetings, but those out. What do we find today~ The Press IS who did take a secret ballot were not placed telling us that there is a serious dollar crisis. in any more favourable position than those That is a polite term to describe the great who did not, because on that particular occa­ world economic crisis. sion the Government went to the Industrial Court and asked for an order ordering the Some members of the Opposition have men back to work and the order was given. stated that Britain is on the way to bank­ Then came the threat from the Government ruptcy although, for poli.tical. reasons, _th~y that if the men did not obey this order and suggest that the explanatwn 1s th~t Bntam go back to work they could consider them­ has a socialist Government. That 1s not the selves dismissed from the railway service and explanation. Britain is suffering from t~e would forfeit all their privileges. Fortu­ dollar crisis and other adverse econonnc nately when the strike was over the Govern­ factors not because she has a so-called ment did not carry out that threat and the socialist Government but because she is men were not dismissed and they did not for­ caught in the grip of the opening stages of feit their privileges. the world economic crisis. It does not matter whether Mr. Attlee or Mr. Churchill is Prime I mention these things in order to stress Minister. If the latter were Prime Minister, the fact that notwithstanding the fact that Britain woulcl be in the same difficult position. some of these unions took a secret ballot it All this propaganda is false. I~ is spread did not bring them any nearer a solution of about merely to cloud the real Issues ancl t1ieir problems. It did not bring them any hide from the people the real demands of nearer to the granting of their just demands. the miners and the true history of the case. It placed them in the same position as those who had not taken a secret ballot. Let those As I said before, the hon. member for who suggest that arbitration is the effective Logan, quite properly a~mitted that the solution offer something more effective than Arbitration Court has 1ts defects. He this solution of taking secret ballots. admitted that for some reason or other at the time when it should function effectively It has also been suggested that this is a it ceases to function altogether. His words political strike, that it was a Communist might well have been applied to the function­ strike, and that it is a plot to create chaos. ing of the Coal Industry Tribunal in this If that is so, if the Government really believe case. Yet the Commonwealth Government, that, then they stand condemned in the eyes backed by the New South vyales St~te of every Australian in that they did not Gov8l·nment have resorted to a stnke-breakmg seek to nip that plot in the bud. action unp~ralleled in the history of the Commonwealth. I wonder what the New South They could have ended that chaos immedi­ Wales Premier or the Prime Minister would ately. It is said, by the apologists for the have said if a Tory Government had passed Government, that Mr. Gallagher had his mind legislation similar to that passed by the Com­ made up and he was ready to give his deci­ monwealth Government during this strike. I sion. If it is true that there was such a wonder what would have been said by sup­ plot it could have been smashed immediately porters of the Labour Party througho:ut by Mr. Gallagher 's giving his decision. But Australia if a Tory Government passed legi~­ he did not do it; and he has not done it lation freezing union funds?. Yet. that. lS to-clay. exactly what has been clone m th.Is str~ke. The funds were frozen to prevent rehef assiS~­ \'Ve may well ask: why has he not given his ance from being given to the miners ancl theu decision W If we examine the facts we shall families, not because it was to. be us.ecl for come to the conclusion that he has not given any other purpose ~han to. vrovlde reh~f for his decision because he had no intention of the miners and theu fam1hes. That 1s the granting the miners their demands; he knows position we must face. No-one is to be in his own heart that he would not grant the allo,Yecl to collect or distribute funds for the miners' demands and he has not been game miners and their families. to give his decision because he realises that The Government were not content to pass if he gave that decision the miners would this legislation and prescribe certain penalties immediately be awake to the hypocrisy of for a breach thereof, for they realis~d t~at the Coal Industry Tribunal. I repeat that if they had relied solely on that leg1slatwn if there is any truth at all in the allegation they would have had to depend upon t~e that this is a communist plot t~ create chaos, principles of criminal law in order to obtam 68 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. a conviction and inflict punishment. It was Coal Board; in other words, the Coal Board left, therefore, to a Labour Government, not represents these two Governments. There was a Tory Government, to east aside the prin­ nothing to prevent these two Governments ciple of the criminal law and adopt the new from directing the Coal Board to enter into technique of using the Court of Conciliation negotiations with the Miners' Federation, and Arbitration and the injunction to try apart altogether from the Court of Concilia­ to intimidate the miners. tion and Arbitration, to grant the miners Iiad the miners or any of their officials these just demands, and it is noteworthy that been prosecuted on a criminal charge it would up to the present neither Government have have been necessary for the Crown to satisfy attempted to suggest the demands are not the court beyond a reasonable doubt that just. the men were guilty, and it would have been This brings us to this important question: necessary for the Crown to produce the which is to be supreme in the State or Com­ evidence to show that the men were guilty. monwealth, Parliament or the Court of Con­ Under our criminal law a person charged ciliation and Arbitration~ is not bound to go into the witness box or answer any questions in order to escape a l\Ir. JUaher: Which do you say? conviction and its penalty, but in this strike lUr. P ATERSON: Parliament. the Commonwealth Government adopted, as I have sftid, the method of the injunction Jllr. JUaher: So does the A.L.P.: they in the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration say the same thing. because they were able thus to cast aside the Jllr. P ATERSOX: I have never made any principles of the criminal law. They were secret about it; I have always contended that able then to force the person charged into Parliament is supreme Rnd should be supreme. the witness box-and to avoid calling any It is interesting to note that Judge Foster, evidence against him. They were able to put who sentenced some union leaders to gaol him in the witness box and make him answer and iined others, is the same judge who when questions to disprove his guilt or prove his speaking to the Melbourne Constitutional innocence. If such a person refuses to answer Club in 1947, had this to say- a question he is liable for contempt of court and can be gaoled. Under the Act the '' The dictatorship I propose to speak maximum penalty he could have suffered was about is me, and it is exercised by the court six months' imprisonment, but in contempt­ in which I sit ... " of-court proceedings there is no maximum, the The judge was referring to the Federal Court penalty for contempt of court is unlimited, of Conciliation and Arbitration- and in this particular instance the judge ''. . . The machinery of Government sentenced a number of the men to 12 months' should enable the will of the people to be imprisonment. given effect on all matters closely affecting them. It should not place in the hands of "illr. Roberts: For a period not exceeding any man or group save a majority of t~e 12 months. people, power to affect gravely their lUr. P ATERSON: The period of imprison­ national wellbeing.'' ment will last until they purge their contempt, "To my mind it is amazing that you even if it be 12 months. fellows should entrust the industrial destinies of the country to three men.-" It is interesting to note that two of the men sentenced were not members of the Com­ He there meallt the three judges of the Court munist Party. Two of them were members of Conciliation and Arbitration- of the Australian Labour Party. The general '' It may be that the three dicta~ors are secretary of the Miners' Federation is a well­ expressing the will of the commumty, but known member of the New South Wales they are not your representatives; they are branch of the Australian Labour Party and beyond your control; they are appoint~d so is one other miner who was sentenced for life· and thev could iiout your Will to imprisonment. This gives the lie direct and the' will of your State Parliaments to those who contend that it is the Com­ altogether.'' munists who are plotting this strike. It shows That statement really strikes at the h~art clearly that members of the Labour Party of the question. At least Parliament consists are taking sides with members of the Com­ of the elected representatives of the people. munist Party. The people have the right, every three years lUr. lllorris: There is not much difference or less, to decide which of those elected between the Communists and the Labour representatives will continue to represent Party. them or not. But the Federal Court of Conciliation and Arbitration is not in such a l\Ir. P ATERSON: I am not going into position. Strange to say, it is the creatu~e that now. This strike could be solved of Parliament, yet Parliament has allowed It immediately and could have been solved with­ to be superior to it, to be able to dictate to out any dislocation of industry if the Govern­ it and to be able to dictate to the people. ment, instead of digging in their heels and Parliament has shown in the past on occasions saying "Arbitration or nothing," had been that it is prepared to legislate on industri_al prepared to use conciliation or direct negotia­ matters. This Parliament itself passed legis­ tion. lation introducing the 40-hour week. The New South Wales Parliament passed legisla­ Both the Commonwealth and New South tion introducing the 40-hour week. "Vales Governments have under the relevant legislation power to direct the policy of the (Time expired.) Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 69

1\Ir. BROWN (Buranda) ( 4.57 p.m.) : At about the men with plenty to get what they the outset I join with the Leader of the want but with the great mass of human Opposition in extending my congratulations beings, the working class, who are starving to the Treasurer upon again achieving a at times because of present conditions, condi­ surplus for the last 12 months. tions brought about because the moneyed After listening with interest to the various class want more profits, and more profit::s still. speakers today, I have come to the conclusion The hon. member for Logan said that the that most speakers have forgotten something. Liberal Party was a great believer in arbitra­ Every speech made by the Opposition, both tion. Arbitration Courts were first brought Country and Liberal Party, has been based about by the agitation by Labour people. upon pounds, shillings and pence, and upon profits. All have forgotten the golden rule 1\Ir. Luckins: Introduced by a Liberal of the brotherhood of man. Government. lUr. 1\Iaher: You do not get much of it Mr. BROWN: All the progress made in in the Socialist ideology. this State and in Australia and in other British countries has been the result of agita­ 1\Ir. BROWN: You do not get any of it tion by the Labor Party whilst in Opposition at all from the Country and Liberal Parties. and by Labour legislation as soon as t·hat Mr. .Morris: The Socialist Party party came into power. When we know t~at preaches class hatred. this turmoil in Australia today is causmg such a great amount of distress we do not JUr. BROWN: The Socialist hates hear hon. members of the Opposition com­ nobody. I am speaking of the Socialism that plaining that their cronies are going out on waR preached nearly 2,000 years ago when the meek and lowly Nazarene went into the temple strike. of Jerusalem and overthrew the tables of the Let me refer to the threatened bakers' money-changers, and cast them out of the strike in Brisbane a few years ago. The temple. That was one of the first revolutions master bakers threatened to stop baking bread, on record and it was created by the meek and !Jut thev did not have sufficient "insides" to lowly Nazarene who came here and did so go on "with that. They later decided that much for humanity. We have forgotten the thev would not produce the 2-lb. loaf but golden rule to follow Him in that particular would bake only bread rolls, and so get more way. bread out of the quantity of dough required to make a 2-lb. loaf and so get a better When we look back and try to discover the return for themselves. That was a strike in owners of those tables we find that they were just the same way as a refusal to work is a the members of the business community of the day who were simply robbing the poor strike. ail o doing everything they were told not to Now let me come to the strike by the do. What happened as a result is recorded members of the British Medical Association. iu Holy Writ. Some years ago a referendum w.a~ taken in We often talk of these things but do very Australia on the question of giVmg power little to put them into practice. From the to the Federal Government to introduce a debate I have listened to today, I am satisfied svstem of social service. It was sponsored that we are simply leading our people to linanimously by all politieal parties in ~us· believe that there is only one thing in the tralia, and the people gave an overwhelmmg worlcl worth living for and that:: is the God ,-ote in the affirmative. Then the Federal gold. The sooner we get off that track the L~1 bour Government began to introduce the sooner we shall bring about real Christian svstem and what has happened~ The B.M.A. Socialism because Socialism properly under­ has taken a stand and unfortunately the Government cannot deal with it in the same stood is Christianity at large. As I said, \1 ay as they have been able to deal with some that came about nearly 2,000 years ago. of the miners' leaders. It all comes back The Leader of the Opposition mentioned to the point I made at the beginning, that something to the effect that the people were the evil lies in the power of gold, the greed getting their legs pulled in connection with for gold, so as to get power over the people. taxation. I think it was the hon. member for West Mr. Barnes: Tell them how you sit on .l\foreton who said something to the effect that your backside and get £20 a week for doing pensioners were never worse off than they are nothing. today, but I venture to say they were never better off. And apart from the present indus­ 1\Ir. BROWN: Tell them yourself. The trial tmmoil the people generally were never hon. member for Bundaberg cannot lead me better off than they are today. The primary off the track. The Leader of the Opposition's producer was never better off. The big com· reference to taxation was capably answered by p::,nies and the syndicates were never bet_ter the hon. member for Kelvin Grove, who off than they are today. They are declarmg pointed out that the working-class people, bigger dividends and getting better profits who can ill afford income tax, were never on the sale of a smaller volume of goods better off than they are t·oday in respect than they sold before. However, the time Jf exemptions from taxation. Taxation has will come when someone, some organisation,~ been gradually reduced and today you have or some authorised body will have to assume exemptions from taxation the like of which control so as to bring about a system provid­ we have never had since Australia has been ing for the limitation of profits for every­ a continent. I am not so much concerned body. How often have we heard it said that 70 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. every increase in the basic wage means an State whereas in New South Wales in par­ increase in the cost of living~ I want to ticular they seem to find some dissatisfaction refute that argument and to say that there with the operation of the Commonwealth­ is not one hon. member in this Chamber who N cw South Wales Joint Coal Board. ' will deny the assertion that no Industrial The hon. member for Bowen spent quite Court or tribunal has ever been prepared to a deal of his time in attempting to justify increase the basic wage until it first has what he called the just demands of the coal­ been established that the cost of living miners. jHstified it. That is the point. It is not a Personally, I do not think the question question of , the ':,cost of lilving following whether or not their demands were just is in wages; it is a question of wages following issue one bit. That is quite an irrelevant the cost of living. censideration. The point at issue is whether I listened attentively to the hon. member or not the demands, whether just or unjust, for Dalby dealing with the Peak Downs should have been determined by the constitu­ sorghum-growing undertaking. I had an tional authority set up for that purpose, or opportunity of going there and having a look whether the leaders of the coal-miners should at it. Whilst I cannot be classed as a farmer, have taken unto themselves the big gun, as I did see there a sight that was good for it were, and held it at the head of this nation, sore eyes. Whilst that hon. member may nnt saying, ''Our demands are just; give us what like to see a large organisation established we want or else. " for the wholesale production of produce, or The hon. member for Bowen at the end of of any particular article, I think it is the his speech asked the question, ''Who shall only scheme that we can adopt if we are be supreme, Parliament or the Court of Con­ going to keep pace with the use of machinery ciliation and Arbitration~" Again, that is in the production of such produce. If, as the quite an irrelevant consideration because the hon. member for West Moreton said during court is an instrumentality of the people; it the debate on the Queensland-British :B'ood is an instrumentality of the Parliament that Production Bill in the 194 7-48 session, this established it. The relevant consideration for is socialism, then I say, ''Give us a lot more the hon. member and every decent Australian of it. '' Nothing that I saw there could be is: who shall be supreme-Parliament and its improved on, with the exception of the -use instrumentality, the court, or. a pressure of better and bigger machinery. I saw 22 group, in this instance the Communist­ headers going into the sorghum crop one dominated Miners' Federation~ after the other, each taking a row of 12 feet of sorghum. It was a wonderful siaht and While I am on this question of pressure it was wonderful to know that such a e project groups let me say that I am not only opposed could be established in Queensland. We must to a pressure group dominated by Com­ remember that it had to be left to the British munists, but I am equally opposed to a pres· Government and the Queensland Labour sure group such as that suggested in this Government to bring about such a scheme to morning's paper by the Lord Mayor when produce on a mass scale. The farmers had he urged pressure groups in order to get an opportunity to do this but they failed, more finance for local authorities. One is a because of the fact that they are too indivi­ Fascist ideal and the other is a Communist dualistic. All they want to know is what ideal. As the premier has said on more than they will get for their crop and then employ one occasion, in a democratic country such as little as they can to grow it. as this we do not want a pressure group or dictatorship either of the left or the right. Mr. ROBERTS (Nundah) (5.13 p.m.): I The hon. member for Bowen went on to find that generally speaking all are inter­ enlarge upon his remarks by saying that he ested in the present coal strike. All of us could see good ground why the Miners' begin with an attitude of sympathy to the Federation should suspect or did suspect that coalmining frat·ernity. It is a very unusual the Coal Industry Tribunal was not going to thing. If there is a railway strike, you gener­ grant what he termed their just demands. ally find the public are opposed to it before That is a hypothetical question in support of they know anything about it. If there is a which he endeavoured to make some ground, strike of watersiders, the people are opposed but, as I pointed out earlier, it was quite to it before they know anything about it, but an irrelevant consideration. Personally-and I think every hon. member of this Commit­ no sooner do coal-miners threaten a strike tee will agree with me-I would rather be than the average person, because of the nature a member of Parliament than a coal-miner. of the coal-miners' employment, is at least I would not go and work in a coal-mine if I sympathetic. could find a more congenial occupation, even Having listened to the hon. member for if they earned up to £50 a week. Most B(lwen I am satisfied that we should immedi­ people are of the same mind. ately congratulate ourselves upon the fact Mr. Maher: There are plenty of jobs that we in Queensland stayed out of the that are just as hard without the same Commonwealth-New South Wales Joint Coal money. Board. We have done the wise thing in establishing our own Coal Board in this Mr. ROBERTS: There are other hard State. Much of the present overwhelming jobs but I am of the opinion that tendency of the coal-miners in this State to coal-mining is probably the hardest job a return to work is due to the fact that we man can be asked to do. I have nothing to have established our own Coal Board in this say about whether the miners are entitled to Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 71

a 35-hour week, because certain public ser­ that rather than criticise as one or two hon. vants have it; that is a question to be settled members have attempted to do, we should by the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. congratulate the Federal Labour Government I am not saying that they are not on the stand they have taken. entitled to more money than they are getting. JUr. interjected. But there is no reason why the Miners' lliaher Federation should believe that Mr. Gallagher lUr. ROBERTS: We should congratulate was not going to grant these concessions they them for standing up to this menace to this were asking for. The fact remains that the country; standing up to the Communist Party Communists in control of that union saw in as no Country Party or Liberal Party or the set-up an opportunity to tie up the any other party, whatever name one gives it, whole of the industrial affairs of this country; has ever done. (Opposition interjections.) not only to tie up the industrial affairs of the country but, as it were, to drive a knife In addition, we must not overlook the fact into the back of every decent man and woman that the Federal Labour Government have engaged in industry. The Communists in been assisted in this instance morally and this instance have shown by their actions practically by the Labour Premiers in the that they are devoid of any soul or any con­ various States of the Commonwealth-not by science whatsoever. They seized upon the the Liberal Party whose members talk so eoldest time of the year, and nobody who has much about standing up to the Communists been in New South Wales, particularly in and put forward all sorts of threats but fail Sydney, during the last month or five weeks to put their expressed intentions into prac­ will forget the horror the Communists have tice. brought -upon that part of this country. The hon. member for Dalby began his We in Brisbane are suffering certain short­ speech by saying that he was under the ages and restrictions but they are nothing impression that all was not as it might be when compared with what they are suffering at Peak Downs. A number of hon. members in southern places. The Communist has shown took the opportunity during the recess of that he has no consideration or sympathy visiting that project. I congratulate them, whatever for any person and in particular whether they be on this or the other side of the women and children of those parts of the Chamber, for the interest taken in it. Australia. It is a gigantic undertaking and I think In addition: what of his attitude towards that was appreciated by every hon. member his fellow workers, as he terms them~ The when it was first proposed, but we can only coal-miner is in receipt of a remuneration speak of it as we are impressed by it on a greatly in excess of that received by many personal visit. I propose to give the Com­ other employees in industry. I do not say mittee my impressions. that he is not entitled to it because I think Arriving at Peak Downs, the first impression he has one of the worst of jobs, but he is in better financial circumstances than other that must strike any person who has any workers. In other words, he can financially kno•Yledge whatsoever of land matters, and afford to lay off for a few weeks and to who remembers the pictures that have been strike but what about those who are depend­ painted of that district as a pastoral area ent upon the commodity he produces for in the past, is the woeful neglect by the their employment, those who are in certainly people who have been responsible for farming more congenial occupations but in receipt that area in the past. The overriding impres­ of lower wages~ They cannot afford to sion was that those who for years have been stand down and twiddle their thumbs as the entitled to take from that land the profits miner can afford to do for weeks on end of it, whether by grazing or anything else, every 12 months or so. These people have have taken e>·ery· penny possible from it shown no consideration whatever for the without putting one farthing back. It was women and children especially, when they land that you could see had been rich in bring on this strike at the coldest part of grasses and natural herbage in t·he past. It the year, nor have they shown consideration is n0w covered with weeds of every kind. Hon. for 1Yorkers in other industries. members opposite who have visited the district The hon. member for Bowen states that know that. I do not know what the carrying the matter could easily be adjusted by con­ capacity of the district was 70 or 80 years ference~ He? being a _legal man, undoubtedly ago but I do know that in its present state knows chat m legal cucles there are certain its carrying capacity would be infinitely less people who, "·hen they have an action, will than it was then. always suggest a conference and settlement. But the terms of the settlement are these Then we come on to this project, and the "All right, you give us all we ·ask for plu~ first thing that struck me when I looked at our costs to elate and we shall be satisfied.'' the fields of sorghum there was the fact that The Communist is asking for that on this contour ploughing had been adopted. That occasion. The Minors' Federation goes into was obvious to an~- person who has the 1he conference room and says, ''We want slightest knowledge of fm·ming, yet the hon. our 35-hour working week. We want our member for Dalby quPstioned that it had been increase in wages, and we want our long-service contour-ploughed. He spoke of erosion, and llave and certain amenities in our employment the mention of erosion reminds me of the md so. on. G-ive us these and we will settle. Do fact that there has been mention in the ]Ot giVe us them and we will stay out on Press of the verv shallow surface soils in ~trike.:' T~at i~ not settlement by any stretch that locality. Ho;1. members who went there of the 1magmatwn, therefore I would point out must have been struck by the fact that 72 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. where-:er there was a creek or anything of before the private individuals who owned the that kmd, you could see 14 or 15 feet of rich land had denuded it of everything that made black soil exposed. The danger of erosion in it of any value. that district is as nothing compared with what it. i~ in t;lan;y other parts of the State. lUr. JUaher: That is wrong. In addition, It Is being farmed properly because contour ploughing has been adopted. ::lir. ROBERTS: It is correct. The hon. member for West Moreton obviously has not Still mindful of the fact that I had seen visited that project, because if he was some headlines printed about statements honest he must admit that the land had been m~de by ho~. members opposite concerning denuded of everything of value by the people this g;reat big octopus that acquires com­ who owned it. They took every pound they pulsonly the property of private people, driv­ could out of it, putting nothing back into it. mg across Peak Downs it was impossible for n;e not to notice certain survey pegs in For some ten years or so we in this Chamber different parts. I asked what they were have been told time and time again by hon. and was told-and I verilv believe it to be members opposite of the wonderful conditions true-that before the Peak Downs project prevailing in the U.S.A. You will remember, was moot·ed the private owners of that land Mr. Hilton, how prior to the referendum on h_ad a. survey started for the purpose of eut­ pTices we were taken across the water to the tmg It up and selling it themselves. They U.S.A. and told, ''Why can't we do here the were about to sell it. same as they have doneW They have lifted price control and they have done this and Mr. Maher: What is wrong with that? they have done that, and look at what a great industrial country they are." In the time .Mr. ROBERTS: There is nothing wrong at my disposal I would point out that at With that. The point is that hon. members present we see reports in the paper that opposite-I do not know whether the hon. prices of commodities there are falling and, member for West Moreton was one of them to use a term made famous by the Prime -have said that this Government have com­ Minister, the country is in the throes of a pulsorily acquired this land. Those people mild recession, and in addition there is the were ready and willing to sell it because they over-riding factor that in the U.S.A. today had taken from it everything they possibly there is unemployment of 4,000,000 persons. So we :find that those people who have been could. : 'f] ijf endeavouring to get us to adopt the same When the Government :first negotiated in methods in this country as they have in the the purchasing of the land they were only U.S.A. have been anxious to kill this policy too willing to sell for £1 an acre, because of full-time employment that has been so they thought they were getting a good deal successfully implemented by the Federal and "doing" the Government. Hon. mem­ Labour Government. bers opposite only 12 months ago were saying that the project must be a failure and that lUr. iUaher: Without their help socialistic you could not grow sorghum in Central England and Europe would go down the drain Queensland. Look at the venture today! tomorrow. Another reaction of mine was this: on the I\Ir. ROBERTS: Reference is made from way there, remembering all the adverse time to time to the socialistic octopus, but criticism of the scheme, I thought to myself what greater octopus could there be than that it was just as well that we had a 'good the present system of control by the American season, although we know we cannot expect dollar which controls not only international a good season every year. When I arrived :finance but also the lives of everyone through­ at the farm and spoke to those responsible for out the world~ Such is the power of the its administration I learned that the past vear mighty American dollar. The position is that had been anything but a good year. They on the one hand we have to :fight Communism h_ad the records of the rainfall going back and on the other a Fascist organisation Sixty years. We found that the :first rainfall which, while not out in the open, is neverthe­ f?r sowing was later by far than the us~al less still there latent and working relentlessly, time for rain. Furthermore, there were two and in addition we have to be continually such heavy falls of rain within 24 hours as fighting the mighty American dollar because had happened only once or twice in a long it is moulding our lives and making it moTe period of years. Topping off those adverse and more difficult for people to lead the life conditions was the fact that about the time that they would like to lead. the grain was to ripen there was a frost such as very few of the old identities in that dis· The Leader of the Opposition suggested trict could ever remember. Those are matters the lifting of land-sales control and he stag­ we should remember. gered me when he said that we on this side seized every opportunity to impose controls We should also remember that the pro­ and imposed them with great joy. We have perties under the scheme have not been com­ from time to time been complimented on pulsorily acquired but were disposed of having considerable political "nons" or con­ voluntarily and freely by the owners. We siderable political acumen but that compli­ should remember that the year was not as ment comes from hon. members opposite only propitious as we might have been led to when it suits them. The point I am trying to believe by newspaper reports. There is no make is that no politician will impose any doubt that so far as that project is concerned control that is unpopular unless he is satis­ it has made Central Queensland, whereas fied that it is in the interests of the welfare Supply. [4 AuGusT.] Supply. 73 of the country that he is governing. He to state my opinion publicly on the state­ would not impose unpopular controls unless ment made by the Premier during his recent he felt that he was doing the right thing visit to the North. At the time I was absent thereby. Land-sales control is not popular from Brisbane touring my electorate in the but the Government responsible for it realise Gulf area and 1 gave them an appropriate that it is required to counter the present answer by telegram. I am taking this oppor­ inflationary trend to some extent and that is tunity to enlaJ·g~ on that•. a,nswer. The something the Leader of the Opposition Leader of the Opposition and some other would condemn. members of Parliament who visited North But the Leader of the Opposition is not Q11eensland got paragraphs in the Press and consistent. On the one hand he says abolish sheafs and sheafs of publicity. I am now land-sales control a!l(l on the other he com­ adopting the method of answering the tele­ plains of the inflationary trend. We must gram sent· to me on the floor of this Chamber have some of these controls if we are to do in order that my remarks will be published the right thing by the people. They were in full in '' Hansard. '' hoodwinked by hon. members opposite and their political parties into believing that the On 20 July I wrote a letter to the ''Towns­ Commonwealth Government could not admin­ ville Bulletin.'' It was my reply to this ister these controls as well as the State telegram as to what has been done by the aml when a referendum on the proposal Government for the North. I endeavoured was taken at the hands of the Commomvealth t·o substantiate the Premier's statement that Government the proposal ,,-as overwhelmingly northern and north-"'estern Queensland have turned down by the people of Australia. been sympathetically treated by the Labour Government. This newspaper circulates not :Jir. SlUITH (Carpentaria) (5.:i9 p.m.): only in my electorate but in the other northern I want to compliment the Treasurer on his parts of the State. I will read the letter I handling of the ilnances of the State and sent this newspaper as it embodies a reply speaking as a representative of the northern to the Govemment 's critics of what has been and north-western part of Queensland I want done for the n0rthern part of the State. The to say that he has JJcen most generous in the Government have afforded financial help not financial assistance that he has extended to in thousands but in millions of pounds for the local authorities and other uodies and in the mlvantnge of future generations in North establishing of industries in that part of Queensland. I feel that if hon. members Queensland. listen attentively to the letter they will learn what the G0vernment have done and attempted I feel that I am in a position to ans>Ycr to do for the people of that part of Queens­ some of the criticisms that were made at a land through local authorities in order to recent. c?nference in Townsville by that help in making foundations for its future orgamsahon now known as the K orth Queens­ development. land Development League. The letter reads as follows:- I recognise that over a period of years the ''Mount Isa, Goven11nent arc to be highly commended for "20 July, 1949. the assistance they have rendered in many ''The Editor, ways to that part of this State. I read all '' Townsville Daily Bulletin, the northern newspapers extensively. 1 read '' To>Ynsville. the criticism meted ant by the league and the criticism the southern members of Pm·lia­ "Dear Sir, ment, on their return to Brisbane after their ''I have been reading with interest the visit to the North, levelled at the Government recent ngitation for greater consideration for their neglect of north€rn Queensland to be given the North and KOTth-,1-estem and nJrth-western Queensland. It is my part of Queensland by the present State honest and sincere belief that the Government Labour Government, and such Government have over a period of years, through the is being accused of alleged neglect of these Treasury, afforded financial assistance through pr,rts of the State. advances for the establishment of amenities in that part of the State. It was this Govern­ ''I am setting out a case in connection ment that established the decentralisatbn of ·with certain of these charges. I feel that in local government in order that their policy many ways the present Government is doing could be implemented. If local authorities many things to assist in the development in northern and north-western Qu,eensland and settlement of the North and North­ apply themselves to their job of administering \Vest, aml by a long term plan of Govern­ local affairs we should see a considerable mental deYelopment we will, within a short advance in the establishment of amenities period, see great activity in many spheres in the North-West. The Government have of industrial development. In the main direction for the foundation of this indus­ helped them in this respect by a reasonable trial development, I feel the present ancl generous loan-subsidy system. State Labour G?vernmen~ can be highly ~Ir. Power: We introduced the subsidy commended for 1ts financml assistance to system in 1932. Local Authorities and by its generous subs~cly schemes for works of many kinds 3Ir. SlUITH: That is so. I have received earned out by such Local Authorities and a telegram from the secretary of t·he North I feet that if every Northern memb~r of Queensland Development League asking me the Queensland Parliament was to submit 74 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

through your paper such s~hemes and large portion of this programme would progress of works _for the particular Local now be under way. The projects are as Authorities in his Electorate . and ~he follows:- financial assistance given other mdustn~s, £ the people in the North would then realise Cloncurry Swimming-pool 12,000 what is being done and can be do~e for Purchase road-making plant 5,000 their benefit and by the co-operatiOn ~f Erection ten houses at Cloncurry all Local Authorities and other pubhc and Mount Isa 20,000 bodies such as Harbour Boards, &c., and Cemetery road, Mount Isa 754 the people we will, within the next few Sewerage Scheme, Cloncurry .. 100,000 years see 'the North taking its place in Drawing of Plans, &c., Cloncurry adva~cement and prosperity in the same Water Supply, Weir and comparison as that claimed in other States. Bridge on Cloncurry River 500 Kerbing and channelling in ''I am not fully conversant with ~atters Cloncurry 2,500 pertaining to other Electorates m . the Improvements to Cloncurry North but to give the people some Idea Recreation Reserve 3,185 how the Government is prepared to finan­ Street Improvements, Clonrurry 3,016 cially assist the Local Authorities in my Street Beautification, Cloncurry 510 Electorate (Carpentaria) I _will outline Cloncurry Park and Children's works which have been submitted by the Playground .. 1,500 Loral Authorities and which have been or Storm water drainage, Mount will be favourably considered, together Is a, plans being drawn .. 12,150 with a generous subsidy grant, and, as Esplanade Improvements, Mount stated the Government is at all times ready I sa 3,480 and >~illing to assist all Local Authoi:ities Kerbing and channelling and in its programme of works as subnutt.ed footpaths, Mount Isa .. 2,494 each financial year, and I would adVIse Dajana township improvements 1,500 these Local Authorities to plan and submit Dajarra Aerodrome 925 such works programme as requested, Pokara Crossing .. 2,030 because as I have said, the Government is Homes for invalid and old-age looking' towards Local Authorities to assist pensioners, Cloncurry and in many ways for the development and Mount Isa 3,600 settlement in the North and North-\Vest. ·water Supply improvements, ''Commencing with the Wyangarie Shire Cloncurry 6,400 in my Electorate, in the town of Richmond, plans are well in hand for a new shire "In all, approximately £57,000 have hall and offices, swimming-pool, bitumen already been approved, which includes stre~ts, concrete channelling and kerbing, nearly £9,000 subsidy. and the commencement by the Main Roads ''The Barldy Tableland Shire is at Commission for an all-weather road present preparing plans for a works pro­ l~ichmond between and vVinton and to gramme, which includes stree~ an~ road W olgar in the North, and when under way improvements, and also the discussion of appTOximately between £25,000 and £30,000 a septic system for the town of Camooweal, of work will be in hand: also under con­ and such works will receive the fullest sideration for Richmond is an electric light Government support. and sewerage scheme, and when plans, &c., are submitted to the Local Government and "The Carpentaria Shire, with N orm!Ln­ Treasury Departments it is felt sure that ton as its centre, plans are also bemg favourable consideration will be given to submitted for street and road works, and finance these schemes. also for a swimming-pool in Normanton, and the Main Roads Commissioner is carry­ ''The McKinlay Shire, in the town of ing out permanent works in this Shire, such J ulia Creek, street improvements and road as the new crossing at vValker's Bend to works in the Shire, purchase of road-making the extent of £10,000. plant, recreation grounds improvements, housing for Council working staff, also ''The Burke Shire is also planning improvements to the swimming-pool. similar >Yerks for that Shire, and improve­ Approximately £17,000 worth of works will ments to the town water supply. Here again the Main Roads Commission are prominent, be in hand here also an electric light ha.-ing nearly completed the survey for the scheme is being investigated, and as in proposed construction of an all-weather Richmond, aerodrome construction has been road from Burketown to Cloncurry via carried out to handle the commercial air­ Quamby. craft now operated by the major air lines. Expenditure for such construction by the ''The Croydon Shire is also preparing Local Authority carries a subsidy from the for development in that Shire, and the Government. Jifain Roads here are also spending approxi­ ''The Cloncurry Shire Council plans and mately £30,000 on the construction of a estimates for the following works in that concrete bridge over the Gilbert River on the Croydon-Forsyth Highway. Also, the Shire have been subn1itted, and approval Government, through the Mines Depart­ has been given for practically all works, ment, has reconditioned the W aratah together with a generous subsidy, and, if Gold Battery to once again help in foster­ manpower and materials were available, a ing the goldmining interests in the district. Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supp0J. 75

''Further north we come to the Penin· ''Thursday Island-assisting to re­ sula portion of the Carpentaria Electorate. establish the population on the Island; Here again the Government is endeavour­ better harbour facilities and redrec1ging ing to assist settlement. Construction of a the harbour to allow once again overseas new school, police station and residence for shipping to call at the port; the establish­ the police officer in Coen, main road per­ ment of pearl culture on the Island, better manent work from Laura to Coen, Wenlock, hospital anu housing facilities on the Iron Range, and Portland Roads area are Islanu by a loan to the Town Council for now under way, also financial assistance to a housing programme. develop the goldmining industry, and to serve these people and those on Thursday ''I feel also that by the granting of this Islam1 and in the Gulf, the Government assistance by the Government, all Local subsidises John Burke Steamship Company Authorities shoulc1 talce advantage of the to the extent of £16,000 per year to operate loan and subsidy scheme operating. Here a regular monthly shipping service to the let me outline the general policy on the ports in those areas. loan and subsidy >vork-

PERMANE);T WORKS. Period. JJI:1intenance Type. Liability. Liability.

State Highways Nil Not exceeding l Main Roads 20 per cent. . . 30 years ditto Development roads 20 per cent. of i nt,Test 20 years ditto on cost oi construc- tion Secondary roads 50 per cent. 30 years ditto l'IIining Access Roads Xi! (a) Nil (a) Tourist Roads (b) (b) Tourist Tracks Nil . . . . Nil FMmers' Roads Up to 50 per cent. 30 years Not exceeding !

(a) Unless interests other than mining are served by the road in which case "Main Road" liability extends. (b) The liability of Local Authorities is determined by agreement with the Commifsioner before works commence. ''In these circumstances it is considered 50 per cent in the case of local weirs and that generous assistance is available for all reticulation. In addition to all these types of road construction consistent with generous subsidies, if there are any special a progressive road construction policy. cirrumsbnces pertaining to any particular \Vestern Shires, in common with all other project, and a case in support thereof is Local Authorities, are also eligible for arh,anccd, the subsidy scheme provides for subsidies on appro>'ed capital works at the rate of subsidy to be incrcaseu on the rates varying according to the economics recommendation of the Co-ordinator of each scheme as follows:- General of Public 'IV orks, so with this infor­ mrrtion it will be seen that the subsidy :Minin1um l l\Ia.ximum qc:,emc h~s been de3ignec1 to gi.-e the Subsidy. Subsidy. great2st poc.sible measure of assistance in the c';ta1Jli~~hn1eut or extension of essential Per cent. Per cPnt. public utilities, as pa 1-t of the co-orilinated 'Yatcr supply works 20 33} dcYdopmeut of the State, and in particular Sev·eragr- works . . . . 20 50 the ~ orth and X orth-'\V cot. In aYater problems of \Vestern as the new base hospital in Cloncurry with Queenslam1 arc not being overlooked, and nurses' quarters and the new hospital and preliminary investigations of the riycrs in nurses' quarters in Mount Isa with a total \Yc>,ctern Queenslam1 have been made, and cost amounting to approximately £300,000. as st:cff becomes available, further investi­ Also, further hospital improvements in gations into water problems will be carried other towns in the West and North--West; out >Yith a .-iew to formulating a plan for the Flying Dentist service in conjunction the c1c•·elopment of the land and water with the Flying Doctor who now operates resources of Western Queenslanu. Irriga­ on a pound for pound basis by subsidy tion and water conservation projects under­ from the Government. The establishment taken under the provisions of the Land and of Public Libraries and Country Women's Water Resources Development Act attract Hostels for school children are also on the a subsidy varying from 25 per cent. to pound for pound subsidy; also, the 76 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

Government has granted through its £1,000,000 in freight benefits alone. Similar Railway and Bureau of Industry Depart­ benefits have been extended to the pastoral ments great financial benefits to assist and industry. Again, as far out as Burketown maintain such industries until they reach the Government, through the Department of the stage of self supporting, as an instance Labour and Industry, are helping the Gulf in this direction, the Railway Department Marine Products people by granting them a has granted in rebates on freight since subsidy of 6d. a lb. on the air freight of fish 1932 an amount of nearly £1,000,000 to from Burketown to towns in the North and Mount Isa Mines for no other purpose than North-West. to assist this huge mining venture which makes work for many thousands of Hon. E. ill. HANLON (Ithaca-Premier) Queenslanders. Also, for the same period, (7.15 p.m.): I want to take the opportunity a rebate in freights to the following of saying a few words about the Peak Downs industries were given. Wool, the accumu­ food-production scheme because I cannot let lated reduction in rates for wool commenc­ the statements made by the hon. member for ing from the peak period between 1926-1930 Dalby go without making some reply. I was represents a monetary concession of unable, unfortunately, to be in the Chamber £1,250,QOO. For Starving Stock and today for most of the speeches made by Fodder rebates £500,000. These are only hon. members, but I heard that of the hon. a few of the major benefits, and it can be member for Dalby and I heard the lauda­ seen that with this financial assistance and tory ''Hear, hears! '' by hon. members backing, such as the establishment of the onnosite when that hon. member was Cement Works near Townsville, the present speaking. I think it would be a very good State Labour Government is prepared to idea to review the situation and see how assist in all directions any venture that the Queensland-British Food Corporation may be desired to be established in the came to be established and how it has pro­ North or North-West, whether it be in the gressed. primary or secondary industry section. First of all I want to say that I met a ''Many other cases can be mentioned, but delegation from England in Canberra early I feel in having detailed the major last year. The delegation was out here on a activities for Local Authority works, &c., mission from Great Britain in order to make residents of the North and North-West can an endeavour to obtain additional permanent gain some idea as to what extent the food supplies for that country. Not only present State Labour Government is were the people of Great Britain then, and prepared to assist in the establishment of are now for that matter, in urgent need of industries and the extension of public additional foodstuffs but the British Govern­ utilities for the development not only of ment desired if possible to obtain food sup­ the North and North-West but the whole of plies for Britain in future from within British the State. Commonwealth sources. They had learnt the "(Sgd.) A. J. (NORMAN) SMITH, M.L.A., lesson, after two wars, of the foolishness of Member for Carpentaria. '' depending on foreign countries in times of war and they wanted not only to get an I sent that letter to the North to let those immediate increase of food for needy people people know what the Government were but to establish for the future that Great doing. I found that the only way in which Britain would be fed by British people. I could give an adequate answer to the tele­ gram I received from the North Queensland The delegation quite frankly admitted that Development League was to speak on the :floor Britain could not adequately feed herself. of this Chamber. That is one of the things that members of I suggfst to these people that they make this Parliament have often advocated. We investigations to see what their local authori­ have frequently criticised the need for Great ties can do. A local authorities' conference Britain to buy on the cheapest market, irre­ is being held in Brisbane at the moment and spective of where that market was, and we I feel that these bodies do not give the have pointed out the development that would people of their areas full information about take place in British countries if Britain the benefits and subsidies the Government are bought her supplies of food from her own people. prepared to give. Why, in the Carpent~nia electorate alone many hundreds of thousands When I met the members of the delegation of pounds can be made available for use by in Canberra they were rather disheartened. the several local authorities there if they They had been round the other States, lis­ are prepared to undertake works for the tened to many glowing speeches, attended development of their areas. dinners and fetes of all kinds, and received Reference has been made to our being a wonderful assurances of our appreciation of socialistic Government. If we were to set about our debt to Great Britain, but in no case establishing an iron and steel works or a had they anything offered to them but ''Give cement works at or near Townsville, we should us more money and we will send you more be accused of being Socialists and of seeking foocl. '' That cry was repeated by the Opposi­ to kill private enterprise. In reply to that tion in this State when I introduced the suggestion I quote the amount of money the Queensland-British Food Production Bill; Government have expended to help the Mount members on the front bench of the Opposi­ Isa mines to get where they are today. Since tion interjected ''If Britain gives us more thl' return of Mr. Forgan Smith in 1932, after money we will give her more food.'' In a the defeat of the Moore Government, that few days' time we shall celebrate the anni­ company has received approximately versary of that heroic episode in British Supply. [4 AuGUST.] Supply. 77 history that actually saved Christian civilisa­ makes to us. As I said, first of all her tion-the Battle of Britain. I wonder how desire was to feed herself from Empire many of the Liberal-Country Party members sources for security reasons and there was of Parliament who said ''While Britain is also that far-seeing desire to cut down on down now is our opportunity to peel every the expenditure that she is compelled to shilling off her,'' will have the effrontery to make in hard currency areas. She would not lay a wreath on the shrine? The attitude be called upon t-o find the dollars that she they have adopted is that expected of her is required to spend in the purchase of food late enemies and not of members of a British if she could buy much of her requirements Commonwealth country. within the British Commonwealth. There IV has been most disheartening to the were two purposes to be served: the first was people in Great Britain to think that this to give security to Great Britain and so attitude is taken up by some members of relieve her of the eternal fear of being st·arved this House and some members of the Federal in war-time and there was also the proposal and other State Houses, but I am not going to conserve her hard currency which she so t'O 2ccept the statement that has been made sadly needs for capital goads to build up he-re by Country Party and Liberal Pa3ty her manufactures. memters as reflecting the opinion of the people of this State. I fully believe that the I am glad to say that the Labour Party takes an entirely different view from the people of Queensland as a whole appreciate Opposition on this project and the Labour what they owe to the Old Country and they Party was not going to allow this appeal to fully ~ppreciate the importance of being go unheed.ed. The Labour Party, consisting honest in their dealings with them. They are of the ordinary working chaps, has a true inclined, at some cost to themselves, to give appreciation of its obligation in this regard to Great Britain rather than try to exploit and its members are prepared to do all they her in her hour of need. possibly can to help Great Brit:>in in the Mr. Maber: You could have got more jam she is in. The first reactwn to the food by an appeal to the individual farmers. 'appeal to hon. members opposite wa~ to exploit Great Britain in her hour of tnal­ lUr. HANLON: I want the hon. member '' Never mind about producing more meat but to listen to what I am saying. I say gh'e higher prices to the meat· producers. emphatically that from end to end in this Never mind about producing more wheat but ccuntry there are poor people as well as give higher prices to the whea~-gro~vers. N ~ver well-to-do people who are prepared to put mind about more bacon but give higher pnces their hands int·o their pockets weekly, fort­ to the pia-raisers.'' That was the attitude nightly and monthly to send some of their of hon. "members opposite. (Opposition own food to Great Britain. 'Ne have people dissent.) cutting down their consumption of tea, which is rationed, and t·heir consumption of butter, But the Labour Party's attitude was to get which also is rationed, so that they can buy busy and see what land we could get for tea and butter to send to the needy people producing food. in Great Britain. I am putting this case honestly, fairly, and factually before the people of Queensland. ~Ir. lUaber: Australian officers returning There are no platitudes in what I am saying from Japan tell me that Australian meat and. tonight. I am telling the cold, hard, shame­ Australian butter are up in the markets of ful truth about hon. members and the pro­ the East. posal we interested ourselves in. I should not be a bit ashamed if the experiment failed. ~Ir. HANLON: I do not care what story I believe that you cannot say you cannot do the hon. member tells; that is no excuse. He a thing until you have tried. When I intro­ must realise his attitude to our own people. duced the Bill I said, ''For all I know this Let him make what excuses he likes. He is scheme may be a failure and it may be nuw at the bar charged with endeavouring impossible to prove that production can take to exploit the very country that we should place but at least thi~ Stfi:te will have ~~ne help. On other occasions he gets up and its best to meet the situation of the Bnbsh skites about our debt and obligation to Great people.'' Dritain. We took up the task of endeavouring to JUr. Maber: Ask the meatworkers at the meet Britain's shortage. "\Ve brought these abattoirs. people up here, provided planes, sent them round the country with our own officers and ~Ir. HANLON: The meatworkers at the :finally selected what looked like the most abattoirs have not attempted to rob Great suitable area for an experiment in large­ Brit·ain to the extent that hon. members scale food production. There are a groat opposite have. I say that quite frankly and many other areas that can be similarly I expect the representatives of the people in developed but they have to be cleared. We this Chamber to show a better appreciation of decided that the quickest way to get produc­ the position than working people outside who tion was to tackle the country most easily have not the opportunity that hon. members cultivated and that was the black-soil plains have of studying the situation. of Central Queensland. Apart from the sentimental appeal that this We had quite n few objectives in view. position makes to us there is the hard., Firstly, we desired to honour our oblig!ltions common-sense side and the hard, economic to the Old Country and to show th2.t the soundness of the proposal that Great· Britain general run of people in Queensland were 78 Supply. [ASSEMBLY,] Supply.

prepared to do something really worth while One of the most important things is that to show their gratitude. We also had in it has taught a lesson to the gTaziers of view what hon. members opposite are always Qneensland-that they can make provision talking about, more wealth production. for the maintenance of their fioclis. Indivi­ Obviously, if you take country running a few dt a prople could not get a licence to export and contract with the New Zealand farmers it tl1at there was grain waiting to be exported. contained a condition that they would help 'Ihe Minister himself agreed when we moved the New Zealand farmers to get the necessary tlw al1journment of the House to impress barbed wire and other things to enable them UJ•On the .J~ederal Government that these to expand their premises and increase the people wanted a permit. number of their pigs. Therefore, if we did Jlr. Gair: You could not make an say that we did not· do anything more than impression on a cushion. they did in New Zea1and where in fact such a condition was included in the contract. Jlr. HEADING: I am not trying to impress the Deputy Premier because he I think I have pointed it out sufficiently knows nothing about this problem and it on a number of occasions here that the pig­ WQulc1 not be worth while trying to convince raisers in this country are willing to do this Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 81 job for Great Britain, that we have no desire No relief country was to be had within to exploit the people, and that all we want hundreds of miles. If the sheep were kept is the cost of production. It is all very on the holding many of them would die. A well for hon. members opposite to say that property cannot be stocked lightly enough to the farmer ought to do this, that and the carry it through a drought, and if there is other thing, but you have to remember that not sufficient stock on the propeTty under there is also the economic side to it. I want OTdinary conditions the holder could not make to t·ell you now that the price of pigs today a living. That is the reason why Peak Downs­ is not commensurate with the price of grain. was in the condition it was when it was taken The only fair way is to have the price of over. The reason was not over-stocking but pigs based on the price of grain and until a prolonged drought. that is done you cannot grow pigs and get We should look at this question reasonably. a fair margin of profit. Some peJple have I admit that the Queensland-British Food a vague idea about these things. They seem Corporation, since taking over Peak Downs,. to t·hink that you grow pigs on skimmed has had a bad season. Even on my own pro­ milk alone and that argument must be perty rain came late and frosts came early, exploded. Every bushel of grain has a price with the result that I lost every grain of on the market but today, instead of feeding sorghum. I got no grain at all. I had never it to the pigs the growers sell it on the said grain cannot be grown on Peak Downs­ open market because that gives a better I daTesay it can-but seasons on Peak Downs return. are not so good as on the Darling Downs. I JUr. Foley: What do you estimate is the believe that the small farmer, if given a cost of production per lb. todayW reasonable price, would be able to produce as much sorghum today as in the past. lUr. HEADING: About ls. 3d. JUr. HanJon: There is nothing to prevent Jl'Ir. Foley: And you were asking for the small farmer from producing sorghum. ls. 6d. He has the equipment. Mr. HEADING: Yes. Mr. HEADIXG: I am not saying he has 1\Ir. Collins: Following the old practice not; I am saying there was no need to start that you can always come down. out on this scheme. I would have cut Peak Downs up into agricultural areas and settled' lUr. HEADING: We were asking for returned soldiers and other settlers on it. I ls. 6d. am quite sure that would be more satisfac­ J}Ir. Gair: Pigs have been decontrolled. tory than it will prove to be. I am afraid I\Ir. HEADING: Yes. That was the only that grain sorghum will cost the corporation way to help the indust-ry out of the doldrums a lot more than it could be produced for by and T am sure that the Deputy Premier the small farmer. J\.fy recommendation to the realiNes that. It was the only way to give Queensland-British Food Corporation is that an impetus to the growing of pigs in ~t should, as conveniently as possible, cut up· Australia. Its areas for closer settlement, when it will be worked much better than it is today. One ::ur. Foley: The corporation believed has only to look at the South African ven­ that you could produce pigs at ls. 3d. a lb. tuTe, ·which has been a failure. Perhaps JUr. HEADING: Let me tell the Secre­ dTought and other factors had something to tary for Public Lands that I went back hQme do with it, but my adviee is that the quicker and put in six new sows and that their you cut up these areas in to smaller holdings litters were sold as bacon pigs three months the better it will be for everybody. ago. The output of pigs at Peak Downs is ]Ur. '!liciNTYRE (Cunningham) (7.57 not yet started. I do not know whether the p.m.) .= It was not my intention to take part Government have any litters but they cer­ 11~ .this debate but I feel I am justified in tainly have got some sows. It will take them nsmg because of the unfair and unwar­ J 2 months or more to build up the number rante:l attack made on the Opposition by the of sows they require. We have been told Prenuer. He used the Peak Downs grain­ that will be done gradually but the pig­ sorghum scheme as a choppina block to attack breeders were under the impression that t·he tl.'c Opposition. In doing sg he claimed for carcasses were required immediately or at lns party a monopoly of loyalty-there is no the earliest possible moment. 'l'he scheme at doubt about that. Personally I resent that, Peak Downs is one that will take years to and on behalf of hon members on this side build up. of the Cham.ber I resent it very much. It I have heard a good number of interjec­ was that whiCh prompted me to rise in this tions from hon. members opposite, particularly debate. The Premier said that we on this about over-stocking, but a good number of side of the Chamber were disloyal and money­ them do not know much about the subject. hui:gr.Y ~nd that . our only desire to help Peak Downs had been through a very long Bntam m her distress was the desire for· drought when it was taken over by the more money and more profit. I emphatically Queensland-British Food Corporation. That deny that. means that a large quantity of grass had Pig-meat is the ultimate objective of the died out·. The trouble does not aTise from whole scheme. Too much has been said about owr-stoeking. If I carry a reasonable num­ growing more grain sorghum. That is only a ber of stock and a drought oecnrs. what am means to an en~. All that the pig-producers I to do if the drought goes on for a long requested-and It was a reasonable just and timef fair request-was that they should' be placed' 82 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

on a cost-of-production basis. Surely the JUr. lUciNTYRE: Difficulties, I know, are Premier has sufficient knowledge of the fact only met to be overcome, but it is no good that the fundamental of economic production living in a fool's paradise. We must face if an industry is to carry on continually and up to the problems that are associated with successfully is for it to have cost of produc­ this scheme in Central Queensland. tion. Anyone who knows anything about the pig industry knows that it has declined because I should like to pay a compliment for those responsible for the scheme for the the price obtained for pig-meat has not been courtesy they showed to us when we visited vns. I am in favour of making the scheme a it was no experiment on the part of the success, but I am apprehensive because of corporation and was no justification for. usin_g recent reports in relation to the volume of all that machinery. And the quantity IS production f~r this year. I ask_ed the Pre­ ~nOTmous, when :uachinery is so much required mier a queshon but he evaded It. I asked m other producmg areas. the amount of grain harvested and he said The production in this . area by the u~e of the job was not yet complete. I have infor­ that machinery is tying up the machmery mation to the effect that it is about as com­ at a time when there is an urgent demand plete as it is likely to be. I think this talk for it by many other producers and t~1is about 1 million to 1:1' million bushels was cannot be justified. In reply to the Premier unjustified and foolish and misleading to the in his criticism of hon. members on this people. I suggest to the Premier that if side I would inform him that many of the the yields were exceeding expectations there producers on the Darling Downs who are sho~·t would be no difficulty in getting the informa­ tion 'Ye desire. The Premier must admit of machinery and are unable to keep theu that they are meeting some of the difficulties farms operating are returned soldiers who we emphasised when the scheme was mooted. have taken up land. Because of the shortage of machinery they are not able to operate Mr. Hanlon: Difficulties are something successfully. It is not the old producer that to endeavour to overcome, not to run away I am concerned for. I am not so much con­ from. cerned about him because I believe he is able Supply. [4 AuGUST.] Supply. 83: to carry on but I am concerned with those these people >vill be very great when, after men, many of them returned soldiers, who are haying suffered four years of starvat-ion the endeaYouring to rehabilitate themselves. 'rhey British people will be required to wait at are urgently in need of machinery that is least another three or four years before pig­ tied up at Peak Downs. I am not begrudg­ meats are made available in any great ing Peak Downs the machinery but it is con­ quantity. stantly stated, I think by the Secretary for If the fundamental principle had been Agriculture and Stock and others, that this established earlier pig-meats would have been has had no effect on the supply of machinery available in greater quantities to Britain to producers who are trying to establish them­ now. The primary producers asked for only selves on the laud. Irrespective of who wa-s two things. One was a price based on cost resp~nsible for this statement I regard it as of production and the other was a guarantee· a very foolish one. If there is any general shortage of any article or commodity, any of that price for a period that would justify their building up the industry. If that had drain on the available supplies must be been agreed to, not only would the present reflected on the general shortage. That is producers have increased their production of exactly what has happened there. I believe pigs but many others would have com J into that if such machinery had been available to our present and potential producers greater the industry and Britain today would have been enjoying thousands of tons of pig­ result·s would haYe been achieyed. meat. The limiting factor of Peak Downs is the The true story is pig-meat for Britain­ want of sufficient rain at the right time. It This scheme can never hope to supply has been said by various people that the Britain's needs for a long lime. The break­ rainfall there is comparable with that fast table' of Britain will continue to be experienced on the Darling Downs. The Darling empty for many years to come. vVhen we who Do>vns has been growing grain crops for Ita ye practical know ledge of the production many years lmt although the rainfall is com­ of pig meats endeavoured to point out the parable that does n9t mean the scheme will be better wa:· in which b spend public money an unqualified sl'ccess. As re;;ards summer we were charged with being disloyal to the crops, on the Darling Downs we are on a very British Empire and British people. The price narrow margin. It is not an easy job to grow that we asl,ed was not as great as the figure sOTghum there. It is very difficult. It has it will cost to produce pigs for Brit~in under been found by the farmer that he must: depend this scheme. At the time when the scheme on the conseryed moisture in the sub-soil. 1;-as mootPd the price for pigs hc~e was only If we start ·with dry ground and dry sub-soil 9d. a lb. Later, after mnch agitation, it was and depend on the rain that falls dming the stepped np to lOci. Now we arc r;etting growing period we court inevitable failure. ls. Otd. I found, too, that the Peak Downs area I have discussed this matter with pig-pro­ does not get the same re~ults as the Darling <1uccrs everywhere and I might say I do Downs from a given quantity of rain, because not think it will be a breach of confidence of high temperatures, humiuity anrl added to say that I discussed it with the man in evaporation. Tlntt has been definit-ely estab­ charge of the piggery up there. He had lished ancl is ac(·2ptcd b7 anyone who has a a pivfiery of his O>Yn nnd he told me that he practical knowledge of grain production. could not balance his budget under the price that obtained during the time he was Sorghum is only a moans to an end. Much operating if the price was less than Is. 3d. was said about grain sorghum and what can I am willing to admit that this scheme is an and cannot be done. vVe haye grown it on attempt to present the product of Peak Downs the Downs. One year we grew 4,500,000 in the form of pig meat. 'fhe pig scheme is buhels but no-one said anything about that, based on units of production. It is sug­ yet here, where they attempt bnt fail to gested that each unit will have 200 brood grow 1,000,000 bushels at Peak Downs a sows, and before there will be sufficient pigs great shout goes up about the '\Yondcrful to consume the total Peak Downs production achievement. Let me remind hon. members it will be necessary to have 200 units each that although we grew this 4,500,000 bushels containing 200 sows. I suggest that pigs at a time when Great Britain was harder do not lend themselves to that type of mass pressed for food than she is today the powers production because one of the greatest diffi­ that be prevented us from sending it over culties associated with procluction is the health to our hungry brothers. Not only did they of the pig. That henlth can be maintained prohibit us from sending it but dolayer1 the only by building up the resistance of the pig preYention so long that we lost much of and can be achieYed only by giving the pig the best of our grain. a balanced ration, and that cannot be done with grain sorghum alone. You must have I repeat that sor<;hum is only a means to protein meal. It has been suggested that an end. Too much emphasis is placed on the proteins will be used in connection with the sorghnm side of the Yenture. The objective scheme and it is suggested also that they was pig-meat for Britain. We all appreciate >vill be found perhaps from lucerne and other Britain's need and we should also appreciate crops. They can be provided also in the the faet that this need has been great for form of meat, blood and bone meal. I suggest over four years now. When the British that there will be difficulty in that regard people are setting standards of loyalty I do because today there is not a sufficiency of not think their assessment of the loyalty of those by-products to meet our present require- 84 Supply. [ASSEM:BLY.] Supply.

ments and any drain on the supply caused by I trust that the scheme will meet with a this scheme will have a detrimental effect on decrree of success but as a practical farmer our existing pig-producers. We are already who has been associated with primary pro­ short of those essential requirements. duction on the Darling Downs and making World grain values are high at present and a comparison between the Darling Downs and the grain being produced is not of good the Central District, I suggest that the Cen­ keeping quality. Grain sorghum must be well tral District scheme will be if not wholly a grown before it can be kept even for a failure then partially a failure. I believe limited time. When the' quality is low the there are many barriers to be overcome. I keeping qualities are poor and it must be think the wrong approach has been made. I disposed of. It is comparatively easy with do not think that the best medium has been high world values to send the grain to the adopted in paying our contribution of thanks coast and truck it away, but we shall come to Great Britain and in meeting our obliga­ to the time when that will not be so. We tions to her, which we are anxious to do, and know that wheat is our basic grain and the I make that statement despite any remarks price we get for wheat controls the price of by the Premier regarding the alleged dis­ all other grains. So the time is coming when loyalty to Great Britain by hon. members on the pig will be the only medium through this side of the Chamber. which this grain can be economically marketed. Hon. H. H. COLLINS (Cook-Secretary The suggestion today is to grow 100,000 for Agriculture and Stock) ( 8.23 p.m.) : I acres of grain sorghum. That represents an could not allow the statement by the hon. enormous amount of grain, and it is an member for \Vide Bay to pass that the enormous undertaking to market all that l'ederal Government had reduced the number grain on a sound economical basis in the form of pigs in this country because they had not of pig-meat. That is what the scheme is up offered the producers a price commensurate against. Even though it does meet with with the cost of production. The fact is that success it will be years before any major the present Federal Government are the first relief will be available to Britain. I suggest Government in the Commonwealth ever to that the correct approach-and I mentioned offer the primaTY producer the cost of pro­ this in the Chamber before and I say it again duction plus a reasonable amount of profit not by way of criticism but by way of helpful for butter, wheat and meat. No other Gov­ suggestion-is for the present producers to ernment have ever attempted to introduce be encouraged by the establishment of these that principle in the interests of the primary basic principles in the industry to produce producers. The sugar-growers have had it to the maximum of their capacity. for a long time and that is the reason why there has been a great measure of prosperity This scheme could have been carried out over a long period in that industry and why as an experiment and if it proved a success the conditions in it are so good. Because it could have been continued. As I moved the Federal Government happen to be a Labor around in this area I found that there was Government, led by a Labor Prime Minister, a great desire on the part of individual pro­ their efforts in giving absolutely the best ducers to acquire that type of land. vVe service possible to the primary producer in have been told that this is an isolated area the matter of price are condemned by hon. but Emerald is only 171 miles from Rock­ members opposite although they know full hampton, where the Lake's Creek meatworks well that the primary producers were never is situated ann there are buyers combing better off and never more prosperous than this Central District buying everything for they are at the present time. meat. The people in the Central District are no further from the market than we are ::ur. Heading: That is not true. in the \'Vestern Dawns. I am satisfied that if land was thrown open for selection by lUr. COLLINS: The hon. member's state­ individual producers the ballot would be as ment was very far from what is true, as I heavy as in more favoured areas. shall show. We do know that there has been a decline in pig production but it is entirely ]}lr. Foley: In what sized farms? wrong to lay the blame at the door of the Federal Government, as the figures I am Mr. }lciNTYRE: I was told by the men about to quote will show. up there that that could not be determined by The price has not been entirely responsible departmental officers, as a living area in for the decline in pig-raising. The hon. mem­ that locality would vary according to certain ber for Wide Bay did a great disservice to circumstances and that the matter would have the pig-producers of Queensland, of which he to be determined by men with practical is one of the leaders, when he demanded knowledge there. The area ·would varv 1s. 6d. per lb. for pig-meats from Sir Henry according to the type of soil and the locality from, say, 1,000 acres in some instances un Turner, the leader of the British Food Mis­ to 10,000 acres. VI' e are told that we are sion that came to Australia to discuss meat aiming at a population of 20,000,000 in this prices with the Commonwealth Government. country, but where are we going to put them~ iUr. Nicklin: You suggest then that the In the cities and towns, or are we going to price of Australian pig-meats should be less encourage the individual producers to work than that of Denmark and Argentina~ harm?niously and happily out in the country~ I beheve that can be done and that it will 1Ir. COLLINS: The Leader of the result in a greater volume of production than Opposition suggests that we should take the we can hope to get under the present scheme. same role as Argentina and squeeze the last Supply. [4 AuausT.] Supply. 85 brass farthing from Britain, irrespective of JUr. HEADING: I rise to a point of the purchasing value of money in this order. I did not say 1s. 3d. I said that the country. cost of production was 1s. 3d. and we wanted Js. 6d. to create an incentive to get people ~Ir. lUaher: We do not get any di~count on British merchandise and importations. back in the industry. lUr. COJoLINS: We get long-term con­ ~Ir. COLLINS: At that time he said that tracts. The hon. member says we should get you could not produce them under 18 pence. the same price for our pig-meats as Argen­ tina. ~Ir. Heading: I did not say that either. I did not say you could not produce under lUr. Heading·: We do not say anything 18 pence. Hon. members will remember I said of the kind. after the Secretary for Public Lands int.er­ jected that Is. 3d. was the cost of production ~Ir. COLLINS: That is what the hon. and we wanted 1s. 6d. in order to have an member's leader said. incentive. I did not say that we required Mr. Nicklin: I did not say anything of Js. 6d. as the cost of production. the kind. (Opposition interjections.) ]}fr. COLLINS: I remember the hon. lUr. COLLINS: Some hon. members member stating in my presence to Sir Henry opposite cannot take it very well. Turner that we could not produce them under Mr. Heading: Why misrepresent the I8 pence and if they did not get that price position~ they would not go on. That was at the reception at Lennon 's Hotel. Now the hon. Mr. COLLINS: Who is making this member says he can produce them for Is. 3d. speech? I cannot make myself heard. What does the hon. member mean~ It is impossible for the hon. member to refute that. The 'l'ElUPORARY CHAIR~IAN (Mr. I can understand the hon. member's discom­ Dunstan): Order! fort in sitting there and hearing his :figures pulled to pieces. He has tried to get a lUr. COLLINS: The hon. member for price and he knew the commodity was not Wide Bay says that if the price of pig-meats worth it and he knew you could not sell it is increased primary producers would double for that in this country. The price has come their output. up to over Is. and there is a growing increase ~Ir. Heading: We offered that. in pig-meats.

Mr. COLLINS: This is what happened: What happened over the period~ It was in 1941, when the price of pig-meats was not the price that led to the decline; it was 5.9d. per lb., we had 707,600 pigs in Queens­ several factors. No. I was the change in land. In 1947-48, when the price was 10d. the system of dairying. To a very great per lb., or nearly double, we had 352,000 pigs. extent it was the change from butter-making Therefore, when the price was low the number to cheese-making, as a result of which the of pigs was nearly double. We cannot farmer lost a lot of valuable food that get away from cold hard facts. In 1942, when he ordinarily fed to pigs. There has also the price of pig-meats went up to 6.34d., the been a tremendous development in the con­ number of pigs dropped to 638,909. In sumption of fresh milk throughout Queens­ 1943, when the price was increased 2d. per land and that has lessened the quantity of lb., or to 8.34d., the number came back to skimmed milk available. So far no great 576,000. Then in 1944, when the price was attempt has been made to feed pigs on grain increased to 9d. per lb., the number came and other foods. Pig-raising up to date has back to 510,000. In 1946, when the price been almost wholly an adjunct to dairying in remained at 9d., the numbers dropped to order to use up the by-products, such as the 432,000. Then pig-meats were increased 1d. butter milk and skim milk. That will gradu­ per lb., and the number of pigs dropped still ally change. It must change if we are to further to 352,000. Therefore, who would become a pig-producing State which I take notice of the statement so loosely made definitely say we shall. As time' goes on we by the hon. member for Wide Bay that if must use pigs and to a lesser extent cattle as pig-producers got a decent price for pig-meats a means of using the grain for which we can­ the numbers would soon be doubled~ It is contrary to facts. not :find an export market. If the price of meat goes up then the price of grain must be I know the reason for it. In 1948 pig­ related to meat prices. That is so in the United producers got double the price for pig-meats States where 45 per cent. of the huge grain they got in 1940. Then the hon. member, who yield is feel directly to pigs on the farm and is supposed to be a leader of the pig-producers, asked for the ridiculous price of 1s. 6d. for the balance is feel to cattle and sheep and pig-meats! Also, as chaiTman of directors ponltq. Those cattle and pigs are fed on that of a bacon factory, he increased their price ration balanced with certain proteins that for bacon as soon as the decontrols came blend with the grain, making it possible to along. People just didn't buy it-they bought feed the pigs without any milk at all. other meats-and they had to bring their prices back. Now the hon. member states The hon. member also said that you could that if we can get 1s. 3d. it is pretty good. Is not feed pigs with raw grain. Any person it not very much like a hucksterer selling a who knows the slightest thing about farming horse-'' We will try a high price :first and if knows that. Any man who has the slightest that does not work we will lower the pricef" knowledge of animal husbandry knows that. 86 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

:BJxperiments haYe been carried out at the 1\Ir. l\Icintyre: We are growing 1,000,000 Y ccrongpilly Animal Health Sbtion to r1ctcr­ bushels of sorghum this year. mlne the quantity of vegetable anrl animal p1·oteins that pigs will make progress on. 1\Ir. COLLINS: That is all to the good, Tlnec .proteins were triecl, meat-meal, yeast but to sav it would have been better if the nucl the third is a mixture of chiecl veast and Queenslan'd-British J<'oocl Corporation had not meat-meal. The pigs received differ.ent quan­ touched that land and private enterprise had tities according to age and the finr1ing was been allo\ved to do it is only begging the that an a\-erage overall of about 7 per cent. question. }''or the last 50 years private enter­ protein to 93 per cent. grain was necessary. prise has had all the opportunity it needed J\lcat-meal had a better result than dried to do exactly what has been done, bnt it did :n·u.st and the mixture of dried yeast and not take advantage of it. The lanclholclers meat-meal gave a better result than either held the land, it was declining in fertility, yeast or •;wat-meal. The pigs gained OYer a and in many cases they were running to the pound pF day on that ration and remained Government for help. The sorghum that has entirely healthy. been grown there is still the best object lesson on fanning in a big way ever attempted in The experiment will be carried out in a the Central District. big way in the Queensland-British Food Oor­ Now we hear it said that if the farmers pc·ration project at Peak Downs and will be had had the same machinery as the Peak GIP of the best object lessons that the pig­ Dmms people had they would have done more pncluc••rs in A\lstralia can have. It will be with it. I know there is a shortage of CD.nicd out on a sound basis with men who machinery but I deny emphatically the state­ hr.ve the technical knowledge and who will ment by the hon. member for Ounningham not be hampered so far as money is con­ that I said the use of that haryesting cerned in l1oing the thing in the proper way. machinery on the Peak Downs had 110 effect I believe that experiment in pig-raising will whatever on the grain-groweTS. I did not be very Yalnahle for the people of this State, say that but I do say that despite the short­ ae the experiment that has been carried out age of machinery in Queensland and in Aus­ w~th sorghum grain has been. tralia generaJly, despite the shortage of hundreds of other things, we dic1 grow and It is all wrv well for the hon. member for harvest the biggest crop of wheat evor Q'rown Ctnminghmn to say that sorghum had been in this State am1, given suitable weathe~ con­ grown there long before the corporation took ditions, we shall plant and harvest a still m er. It was grown at the ·warren State greater area this coming season. It is being :t'unn but the fact remains that only one or planted now. Furthermore, any farmer could two farmers, who were growing 1t in the have employed the same contractors to plough F:u-,eralcl_ district in a small \HtY and none of his land if he had made the same business the stati_c:n-mcners vith lhe vast properties arrangement with them. The Queensland­ th.cTe, altltoagh the L:l.rrying c:1pncity of their British Food Corporation did not own one 1n·orerties had become less anrl less-they traetor or plough when that 30,000 acres of were very glad to sell their properties at a land was ploughed. It hired plant that \vas very rc·asmwhlc price-bad put that project available to anybody in Queensland to hire_ into actnrrl practice. It was left to the At the same time as all this was being qvcr-n~1anc1 Goycrnn1ent and the Quccns­ achievec1 the sugaT-growers have grown and h:J.d-British :B'ooc1 Cornoration and the officers lwrvested the gTeatest crop of sugar ever ir:corporn.ted vdth tlt~~ln to set up one of produced in Queensland. the boldest experiments tried in Central Qt«·ensl::md. The i.lc1 has so taken on as Tt ~s fortunate that the harvesting of grain the, result of what has hcen clone that many sorghum, \Vhich is a summer crop, \YDrks in of the farmers are going· to go in for it in an ideal!;- with the harvesting of the wheat crop C<"(tmlly bic: 'm:.-. That will be all to the bcc

The TE~IPORARY CHAIRMAN: I ask 1\'Ir. lUACDONALD: I did not know that the hon. member to withdraw the remark. but I do know that the Premier accused the Opposition of holding up the people of Britain )Jr. l\'IACDONALD: The Premier did not to ransom. That is not right. I say that understand what I said. I said it was No. 1 the hon. gentleman does not put one-hundredth report of the Joint Dairying Industry of the cost to me into food parcels for the Advisory Committee. people of Britain. The TElUPORARY CHAIR1UAN: Did the lUr. Iianlon: I only send a few. I know hon. member make the statement that what from '' Hansard'' that members of your party said, ''Give us more money and we will the Premier said was a lie~ give you more food. '' ~rr. lUACDOKALD: Yes, I said it. 1\'Ir. J1JACDONALD: Only one member 'l'he TKIIPORARY CHAIRMAN: Well, I said that and there are 14 members in this ask him to ~withdraw it. party. The hon. gentleman cannot make a general charge against the whole party on ~Ir. IliA CD ON ALD: I say it is not in the statement of one man. What right has accordance with fact. he to use his official position to charge us with being disloyal~ The TlDIPORARY CHAIRJIAN: I ask the hon. member to withdraw it. J1Ir. Iianlon: The people of Britain did not ask for more money before they fought. ~Ir. JUACDONALD: I have done so. It is not in accordance with fact. lUr. MACDONALD: No. Primary pro­ That is the whole position. We believe ducers only said, "Let us have the cost of that the people of the Motherland should be production ancl a reasonable margin and we feel-it should be first charge on our revenues will produce foodstuffs quickly.'' As a result -but we also believe that the best way of of that debate I went home and launched out helping them is to give encouragement to the in breeding pigs, with disaster to myself. I private grower to grow grain and pig-meats. sacrificed my Hereford stud to produce pig­ The Government >vere neglecting him nH;at for Britain. altogether. J1Ir. Iianlon: I am sorry about that. 11r. Hanlon: We did not stop the private grower. l\Ir. JUACDON ALD: I want to rebut the statements made by two hon. members Mr. lUACDONALD: They did by the opposite. The Secretary for Agriculture and lack of machinery and an insufficiency of Stock was not telling the truth when he said price for pig-meats. I said then, as I say we were getting cost of production plus a now- high price for our butter. We are not getting ' 'However, I do think the Government that. He is wrong, too, when he says we should back up the primary-producer were exploiting the people of Britain, and organisations in their representations to the when he says that we did our best to damn Federal Government to receive the cost of this food-production scheme. What we said production plus a reasonable margin of was that pig-meats could be supplied more profit for their products.'' quickly by private enterprise. Supply. (4 AUGUST.] Supp~. 89

lUr. lliORRIS (Enoggera) (8.59 p.m.): is a statement made by Carl Schurz, who is Life has taught me that where men gather a follower of Karl Marx and who migrated to together there must be a great difference in America. He said:- thoughts and views, but experience has taught "Never h~ve I met a man of such off en· me too that when they differ and they get sive insupportable arrogance. No opinion together and discuss the position from their whi~h differed essentially from his own different viewpoints inevitably there emerges was accorded the honour of even a halfway a better understanding. That is what I visua­ respectful consideration. Everyone w.ho lised Parliament would be, a place where men disagreed with him was treated \Vlth would get together and diseuss their differ­ scarcely veiled contempt. He answered all ences of views on all matters. Unfortunately arguments which displeased him with a we have heard a statement from the Premier biting scorn for the pitiable ignorance of that is an absolute disgraca and one for which those who advanced them, or with a he should hang his head in shame. libellous questioning of their motives.'' It is an absolute disgrace. That could truly be said of the Premier of Mr. Hanlon: I said it here last year. this State. Here is a man who has the arrogance-the ~heer effrontery to .come into }lr. ~JORRIS: The Premier made a this Chamber \nth a prepared dos1er of the sweeping statement. He said that Liberal private life of a member. (Government and Country members of the Opposition took laughter). Hon. members can laugh, but the the view "While Britain is down let us whole thing is an absolute disgrace; and I exploit the country and get all we can from think this Parliament has never seen such a her.'' That is not true. low, unworthy exhibition from any ~ember who has ever been in the House. I thmk the Mr. Hanlon: That was the attitude. hon. member ought to be ashamed to admit that he is the Premier. }lr. lUORRIS: It is not the attitude of the Opposition. Mr. liADSEN (Warwick) (9.5 p._m.): ~t was not my intention to speak durmg thlS JUr. Power: "Give us more money and we will give you the goods'' was what they discussion but after hearing the statements tbat have been made from the Government said. benches and being a reasonable-minded }lr. Maher: Business is business. person 'and one associated with the primary (Government laughter.) industries of Queensland, I could not let the occasion pass without correcting some of the Mr. MORRIS: Now I say that the mistakes hon. members opposite have made. Premier of this State opened his address with We have heard much in the review of the abuse, with misrepresentation, and he com­ Food for Britain scheme in Central Queens­ pletely prostituted the high office he occupies. land I think when the Premier stands up We expect this abuse perhaps by some of the in this Chamber and endeavours to convince back-benchers-those who do not matt'er­ us that a very real attempt has been made (Government laughter)-but not from Minis­ bv the Labour Government to provide food ters of the Crown and particularly we do not for Britain it is the very height of hypocrisy. look for it from the leader of the party, the We need only throw our minds back to the Premier of this State. period shortly after the beginnin&" of the war and the position that operated m regard lllr. Hanlon: What do you say about to the production of wheat in Australia under ''Business is business' '~ wl,at was known as the Scully plan. vVe know that production of wheat in Australia Jllr. 1\IORRIS: I am speaking of what gradually decreased, to the extent that there the hon. gentleman said and he should be v-:-as a period when not only had we not suffi­ ashamed of it. cient for our food requirements ar,d the 1\Ir. Hanlon: Are yol{ supporting requirements of our stock ~nclustries but "Business is business"~ when it was absolutely essential that wheat should be imported. The reason for tl;at Mr. MORRIS: I have in the past said \'as not the restriction of acreage, wh1Ch that this Government party is not a Labour was one of the elements of the Scully plan, Party at all; it is a Socialist Party. I am but that economic factors drove producers going to show that the hon. the Premier-and out of production. A similar story could I use the term because it is a parliamentary be told of most of our food-producing indus­ necessity-is a true disciple of Karl Marx. tries from that time but it is necessary onl:y to mention what happened to sorghum i.~ JUr. Hanlon: You did not use it on your Queensland a couple of years ago when 1u whispering campaign when you had a chance. was shown very conclusively that although it was a relatively new c!op in the State,.wa 1\Ir. JUORRIS: I do not need to whisper W('re capable of producmg a large qu!ln.J.t;r. about the Premier because his faults and It was the malaclministration of the C;Hn­ weaknesses shout aloud. monwealth Government, supported by the }lr. Hanlon: They are quite open. State Government, that was responsible for tl.e reduced production of sorghum in this 1\Ir. JUORRIS: There are so many of State to a very small fraction of what might them. This is the book from which I wish h;ve been achieYed with a certain amount of to quote. It is entitled "The Red Prussian" co-operation from the Government. Control and deals with the life of Karl Marx. This in war-time was necessary to make the best 90 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. use of all food grown, but with the Mr. Collins: You have a guarantee for continuation of war-time controls I am certain a period of years, irrespective of what the it was lack of co-operation between the export market is. Government and organisations representing nn·ious industries that brought about the lUr. MADSEN: I appreciate that but very great decline in production. What­ time alone will show whether the Government ever Government members may say about an are prepared to honour that guarantee when inn·ease in price from Britain, the economi.c the position is reversed. At ~east I ho:pe asnect must be taken into consideration. As their guarantee for the wheat mdustry Wlll in' Government departments-and today the stand the test of time better than our recent 'l'reasurer spoke of a deficiency of a million experience in the dairying industry. If it pounds or so in the Railway Department-­ were not for the pressure exerted by Mr. the same thing applies to production of Chif!ey at the moment I think the States foorl on farms. Unless producers can receive would be prepared to let us down on the compensation that will allow them to gmw butter question. After listening to Mr. Pol­ their crops soundly and economically 1t is lard in Melbourne the other day, and know­ absolutely impossible for the primary indus­ ing what happened at that meeting of State tries to make the necessary contribution. M.inisters, I think the dairying industry has reason for complaint at the moment. Much has been said of the pig-meat ini!11s­ Mr. Den·ies: Not State Ministers. try this evening, and of course that is diE­ cussed in conjunction with the central Mr. MADSEN: State Prices Ministers. Qtteensland food scheme. ·when we find that pig-producers of Queensland were al>le Mr. Devries: No. to buy their feed requirements, oll and wheat, at 3s. 6!/;cl. at the ·time when pig-meats }fr. lUADSEN: We can only go on the brought about 9d. per lb. it is readily under­ reports that come to hand. We know tlu:t st:mdable that when the feed grain costs in the Federal Minister for Commerce and Agri­ the vicinity of Ss. 8d. at railway sidings it is culture Mr. Pollard, accepted the recom· impossible for the pig-raisers to produce mendations of the Dairy Cost Advisory Com­ bhcml at ls. O~d. per lb. mittee· and recommended that the Common­ wealth Government accept that committee's That is the economic aspect. The Secre­ recommendation and it was suggested to the tary for Agriculture and Stock made special State Prices Ministers that they accept it, mention of this matter and that is the answer but they were somewhat hesitant about doing to the whole question of pig-meat production. so. The price paid for pig-meat is not related to I feel that this grave injustice can­ the increased price of grain, with the result not be overstated; most of us were under that pig-producers will not put into the pigs the impression that this matter of accepting the amount of grain they would with ordinary the recommendations of the Commonwealth sound, economic practice. Government might have been hurried on by The Minister referred to what the hon. the Ministers. From information available member for \Vide Bay said. The hon. mem­ we have it that it was brought before the ber for Wide Bay has such a vast knowledge notice of the Ministers in June, 1948. They of the industry that I feel sure he could had more than 12 months to make up their give very valuable advice to any Govern­ minds whether they would accept the recom­ ment. mendations of the advisory committee or not. It is of no use the State Ministers' suggest­ I well remember the Minister's saying that ing that it has not been a reasonable survey the grain grown on the farm counted for of costs, because after all some of the experts nothing in the cost of feeding pigs. Such a of the Commonwealth Government have been s~a~ement from any responsible person is working on that committee with representa­ nd10ulous. vVe on the Downs are in a rather tives of the industry and I believe that the favoured area for the production of grains decision to step up the price of butter was a and stock, yet many of our greatest pro­ unanimous decision of the committee. ducers are questioning whether it pays to feed grain to pigs. The greatest cause of 3'Ir. Collins: You will admit that the damage in an industry is that corrections are States might have been taken into their made often too late. The policy of too little confidence. too late has done untold damage in many of our primary industries. Jir. iiiAUSEN: In reply to the Minister I say that in future cost investigations, whilst The Secretary for Agriculture and Stock the States have an interest from the price spoke of service to the producers. The indus­ si(le, I believe they could be represented on try in general appreciates the cost-of-pro­ the committee. I believe that the industry ductioJ~ principle. as a sound basis for fixing would be quite willing to do that, but in all the pnces of pnmary products, but that is fairness, when you look at the dairying indus­ easy when we find that the export prices try during the war vears anrl since, I do not ar~ almost double our home-consumption think there has been any industry in this pnces. State that has made a greater contribution to the economy of this Commonwealth or :lUr. Comns: In what way? assisted with the economy in the United Kingdom more than the dairying industry. lUr. ~IADSEX: Take wheat. The export Right through we have accepted bare costs values are almost double our home-consump­ of production and I believe that in return tion price. for the valuable contribution to the economy 91 Supply. . [4 AUGUST.] Supply . of this countq and that of Great Britain primary producers of this countr~ are justly it was fair and reasonable that we should entitled to the cost of productiOn plus a have a guaranteed term of stability. I am sn1all incentive and I say that with all sin­ happy to say that it was granted for five cerity. years. Speaking of the dairying ind~s~ry in par­ These cost investigations are held yearly ticular, I hope that the State Mnuster, when and any increase or decrease, according to he makes his ti·ip to Melbourne shortly to the finding of the investigation committee, confer with other State Ministers, will accept was to take effect from 1 July. That period the recommendation of the Commonwealth has already passed and I hope that the State Government and give the dairying industry Prices Ministers will at an early date confer of Australia its just dues. with the Prime Minister or his department and make an early decision. I say that the lUr. DAVIS (Barcoo) (9.23 p.m.): I dairying industry is entitled to that considera· fully understand that there call: be ~onest tion. After all, we who are associated with differences of opinion in connection with all the industry know the difficulties of retain­ our problems but wh~t·l~er we have diff_e~ent ing labour on our farms vvith a 56-hour week political or other opmwns we :;-s political operating against a 40-hour week in other parties must come to some conclusiOn on what industries. It is even difficult to hold far­ is the best in the interests of the State and mers' sons and their families on farms and the nation. In these differences of opinion I say it is a matter of urgency that an early one salient point has apparently b~en fo~got­ decision be made or untold harm will be done ten today. I give the Treasurer, hiS. C~bm~t, ~n the industry, an industry in which there and the party a measure of appreCiatiOn m IS an urgent need for stepping up production. that they have attempted to bring about We know that production in the industry a charter of full employment for the people has declined considerably. It is difficult to of the State and the Commonwealth. make a comparison in figures, because during I am unable to understand how every hon. th~ war years we had extra quantities of milk member who has spoken today has side­ bemg used as whole milk, extra quantities stepped that charter. It is the bounden duty u~ed for cheese manufacture, quantities of the State to give full employment to every for bu~ter, and other quantities going into citizen of the State. Every one of us should processmg. The overall production has consider that as being not of some but of decreased considerably and, furthermore the great hnportauce. number of dairy stock that could be brdught into production in the next few years have It tas been contended tlmt ~he•:P has b~e?­ declined very seriously. some discrimination regarding certain actiVI­ ties of the Government in co-ordination with ~Ir. Collins: It has increased by 50,000 this year. oYerseas interests which are our interests also. Those inter~sts are the interests of the . Jrr. :nADSEN: That is a very hopeful British people as a whole: Th~ Qu~en.sland­ sign bnt at the same time let us not allow British Food Corporation ·s proJect Is. :;n. my thc~e delays to injure an industry that is electoTate. There have been some cnhcisms entitled to this consideration promised by against the project and the question has been the Commonwealth Government. I have raised whether it has been to the harm of the State. 'l'here is the possibility, it was ende~womed to calm the people in the indus­ ~ot try because I think that the State Ministers stated by the Oppositio~-I want to be qmte will support the promise made by the Com­ fair-that the same obJect could have been monwealth Government in 1947 that the dairY­ reached by the indivic11Iol farmer, that had men should get a price basw1 on the cost: of Britain's requirements been allocated to individual farmers a greater retmn of food production for five years. products might have been o_btained than under lUr. Devries: You will get a decision the corporation's scheme m Cen~ral Queens­ shortly. land. This scheme is an expenment. TI;e Opposition must realise th.1t _fact-that It liir. liiADSEN: I am pleased to know WilS an experiment and a combmed effort by that. the Ont'('>Jsiand-British Food Corporation and lUr. Power: It may not suit you. the St:~te .?arliament to alleviate the distress in Britain that exists today. To some extent lUr. 1\IAD§EN: We are happy to receive it will be successful in alleviating that dis­ that which we are justly entitled to. It is a tress. 'iVhy should there be criticism from very gross untruth indeed for the Premier to the Opposition of that attempt~ Surely we stand up and say that the primary producers all have a human outlook and should endea­ have fallen clown on their job and that we vour to do something for our blood-brot~~rs. have been asking too much from Great Britain. I believe the criticism from the Oppos1hon I believe that the primary producers of Aus­ was engendered by the fact that the Govern­ tralia have made a very valuable contribution ment of Britain are a Labour Government. to Britain. I do not think for one moment Surely to God that should have no bearing that we expect Great Britain to pay to the on an attempt to alleviate the d_istress exist­ last penny. · ing in Britain today! I am a simple human being. I have a simple. outlook. I do ?-ot JUr. Power: That business is business? believe in the walk of hfe I am occupymg Mr. JUADSEN: Yes. After all it is only that I could engender an outlook on . t!"is an adjustment of trade balances; our exports question that some members of the Opposition help to cover the cost of our imports. The apparently have. 92 Supply. [ASSEMBLY·.] Supply.

I believe that generally speaking the Oppo­ Hon. J. LARCOlUBE (Rockhampton­ sition are of the same opinion as I but Treasurer) (9.38 p.m.): Until the hon. mem­ tlwre are a few amongst them who would ber for Barcoo spoke I had strained my ears probably have the outlook of the whipping for nine hours endeavouring to catch some ]Jllst of the colonies when they were first word to indicate that some hon. members were occupied. They are in the position of defeat­ speaking on the Appropriation Bill. It has ing the civilisation of this world, which the been almost lost sight of. In this debate British Empire so clearly represents. Britons neither financial administration nor financial \,-ere forced into the position they occupy policy has been discussed, but I can under­ today by the dollar position in America. I stand that· because, as I said in my remarks have no wish to discredit America, but I \Vhen opening this morning, a full-dress have a British pride that says to me that debate on financial policy and administration never in the history of Britain or could take place appropriately on the Esti­ the British dominions shall we bow our heads mates, the Financial Statement and on the to anyone. 'l'here is a dictatorship today final Appropriation Bill. that is endeavouring to make us bow our h0ads, irrespective of the political colour o± General policy has been discussed fully. our Government. 'l'here has been a general Hon. members have allowed their views to evolution from serfdom to feudalism and range extensively from China to Peru. The cnpitalism and Socialism. It is the general discussion has been fruitful and useful and evolution of the British people, who are now I would wind up the debate on the p1 ogressiYe. question of the Peak Downs scheme by stating that it appeared to me that some attempt Jir. Russell: What do you mean by the dollar dictatorship? I do not quite follow it. had been made by the Opposition to pit the farmer against the Queensland-British Food 3Ir. DAVIS: Then you are very dull. Corporation. That should not be so because .iUr. JUaher: America is helping Britain there are room and opportunity for both. The with dollars. world is hungry for food and good markets and good prices are assured to the Queensland ::Jir. DA VIS: They are endeavouring to producers for many years to come. No attempt mnke her bow her head to a dictatorship should be made to pit the individual farmer that may prove to us to be more detrimental against the Queensland-British Food Corpo.ra­ than the Iron Curtain. It is something we tion. There should be the fullest co-operation c~nnot accept. It is extreme capitalism and and no antagonism. \\-e do not believe in that. None of the Opposition members believe in extreme The hon. member for Wide Bay let the cat capitalism; and none of us believe in extreme out of the bag this evening when he revealed Socialism, which is Communism. I do not information that indicates one reason why the wish to criticise the Opposition because Peak Downs scheme came into operation. He generally speaking I think they have a rather stated that he had an interview with Sir generous outlook, especially the Country Henrv Turner on the question of an agree­ Party, whose policy is not so much different ment· for the price of pig-meats, and he asked from the policy of the Labour Party. for 1s. 6d. a lb. I have always said that. They are not IUr. Heading: The whole of Australia representative of city electorates nor are they did. representatives of city vested interests but Thir. LARCOJliBE: Exactly. He wanted are representatives of the wide open spaces that 1s. 6d. on a long-range contract basis. that I also represent. After all, I have At that time the price of pig-meats in always and always will have some admira­ Queensland was about 9d., yet the hon. mem­ tion for the politics of the Country Party ber's organisation asked for a price on a because they are not far removed from the long-range contract that was 100 per cent. pclitics of the Labour Party. greater than the existing price. Is it a~y But, Mr. Hilton, I rose tonight to speak wonder that Sir Henry Turner and his on the salient points mentioned at the begin­ collAagues then came to Queensland and ning of my speech. Every hon. member endeavoured to launch a scheme that would appeared to miss the fact that this Appro­ give them pig-meats at a lower price~ priation Bill is brought before us for the lllr. ~icklin: Are they going to get it at decision of this Parliament as to whether a lower price~ certain funds shall be appropriated bv the Government for certain purposes. I accord Thir. LARCOTh'fBE: In time they will the Treasurer the highest admiration and get it all right. Surely the hon. member must appreciation for bringing this measure before admit that his organisation made a grievous the House because he has decided that if blunder when it asked for an increase of 100 Parliament agrees with the appropriation and per cent. over the existing prices, and that expenditure of this money within this St·ate based on a long-range contract. every man in the State will be employed and, )Ir. Heading: Will you admit we asked Mr. Hilton, that is a principle that was set for the lowest price in the world~ forth in the Atlantic Chart·er of 1942 by all the nations who agreed to it. This Govern­ ~Ir. LARCOJIBE: That is not the point ment have derided on the vrand principle that at issue. We do not want to ask Britain for no man shall be unemployed because of lack the price she pays Argentina or the price she of finances on the part of the State. I accord pays other monopolists and exploitists. The the Treasurer my appreciation for this people of Britain gave their blood £or measure. Australia. Supply. [4 AuGusT.] Supply. 93

Mr. Heading: So did we. I lost some of outer harbour for Mackay. The Opposition mine. opposed the scheme and opposed the Govern­ ment assistance. It has meant progress for ~Ir. LARCOJUBE: I am not saying the Mackay and district, yet it was denoun~ed hon. member did not, but why ask for an by the Opposition just as the food-productiOn increase of 100 per cent. on the then existing scheme was denounced. price, and that on a long-contract basis~ It is obvious that if the hon. member's 1\Ir. Nicklin: The scheme was supported organisation had asked for only a reasonable very ably by Mr. Fadden. price the individual farmer would have been 1\Ir. LARCOJIBE: I have the information recognised by Sir Henry Turner and his here to show that Mr. Moore, the Leader of organisation. the Opposition, and other members of the JUr. Heading: We asked for a price at Opposition attacked the scheme and attacked which we thought we could give them what Mr. Fadden for supporting it. they wanted. Mr. ~Iaher: That is not right. ;)Ir. LARCOMBE: The hon. member's organisation asked for an increase of 100 per JUr. LAitCO)IBE: It is no good hon. cent. on the price then existing in Queens­ members opposite trying to run away from land. They opened their mouths too wide their responsibilities because the then Leader and were therefore responsible for the failure of the Opposition, Mr. Moore, opposed the of those negotiations. scheme and said that he objected to the Again, hon. members talked about a fair principles of the Bill and asked why the price and the cost of production. Now they people of the State should be called. uvon to have switched, and so they want a price pay one-third of the costs for prov1dmg an approximating what other parts of the world outer harbour at Mackay. Other members are getting from Britain. Britain is being of his party spoke in a similar strain, forced at the point of starvation to pay denouncing the scheme. exorbitant prices to Argentina and other parts }Ir. JUaher: I supported it. of the world. That should not be the basis upon which we should negotiate. What has }lr. LARCO:iliBE: The cane-prices legis­ become of the virtues of competition that lation protecting the farmer was denounced. hon. members have been talking about for so Hon. members opposite "toyed" with the long~ Why do they want a guarantee of 100 North Coast railway, a railway of great per cent. on the Queensland price in order importance to North Queensland. All these to enter upon the British market~ Today in schemes for building up the State, increas­ Britain and other parts of the world there ing production, increasing settlement, and are splendid markets at reasonable prices, the promoting decentralisation have all been cost of production plus profit, for the pro­ clen0uncecl by members of the Opposition. ducers of Queensland, yet the leaders of this They, too, when in power in 1914, refused the organisation in Queensland opened their offer by the Commonwealth Govemment of the mouths too wide and asked for an increase clay to link up the N m·thern Territory with of lOO per cent. on a long contract. It was Queensland. They were promised that if they bad business, and in my opinion also bad would build a railwav to Camooweal the sentiment. .l''ecleral Government would link up with the It is remarkable that every scheme that is Northern TerritDTy. Anti-Labour Govern­ introduced by the Government to increase ments turned the scheme down; every production, encourage settlement, promote scheme of magnitude and value to the out­ decentralisation, and increase our population lying portions of the State ·was atta~~ed and is denounced by hon. members opposite. ridiculed by members of the ~ppos1_twn. I Mr. Heatling: Did you say "decentralisa­ must say that every scheme m wlnch they tion~'' forecast a failure has been a success, and this food-production scheme in Central Queens­ ~Ir. LARCOJIBi.;: Yes, because the Peak Downs scheme is building up the outlying land will be a magnificent success in the parts of the State. future. Jir. 1\Iaher: Until the capital runs out. There are a few remarks I want to make so that they will be in '' Hansard.' ,. }lr, LARCOlUBE: I stood in this Speaking with' regard to the strike question, Chamber many years ago and piloted the Opposition seem disappointed that we are through this Parliament the Duchess to getting more coal in Queensland and that Mount Isa Railway Bill and the same more men are going back to work and things attitude was adopted by the Opposition are becoming normal. They are disappointed then as is adopted by them now. They said because they realise they are not getting the that the whole scheme was a dangerous experi­ political capital out of the issue they thought ment and that the Government were entering they would. Their only contribution to the into a plan of semi-socialisation. They said settlement of the strike or the solution of that it· would be a failure. Let me show you the coal problem was that we should send how that was a failure. Over £6,000,000 is our coal to Victoria and leave Queensland invested in the s~heme, 1,200 men are engaged industries unprovided for. What a tragedy~ annually, and there is a populati0n up there What a tragic position Queensland would be of 3,000. ·what wonderful success sprang from in if we exported our coal tG Victoria and the scheme, a scheme that was denounced left Queensland unprovided! By that attitude by the Opposition! And the same thing the opposition showed their unfitness to ever happened in regard to the building of the again come back to the Treasury benches of Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

this State. We are getting coal today because location and some degree of irritation, but our policy is sound. vVe have handled the things will settle down and the 40-hour week problem soundly and satisfactorily and today will work very satisfactorily. Several indus­ the watersiders have denounced the strike and tries actually enjoyed the 40-hour week before '!re going back to work. the legislation was introduced. I hope the Queensland is in the best position of any Leader of the Opposition will bear in mind ~tate i.n the Commonwealth in the present when castigating the Government on the mdustnal uphem·al. Hon. members opposite 40-hour week that the members of the Queens­ have denounced socialisation, but today they land People's Party supported it. He are pleading throughout Australia for a little described it as a vote-catching measure. We socialistic coal. vVhere is the coal coming know the promises that were made by the from today in the Yarious States if it is not Moore Government in 1929-no interference from the various State coal-mines? Hon. with arbitration, a better basic wage, greater members opposite have admitted that private production, and better opportunities for the enterprise has to some extent broken down, young in the community. Within three years and they are pleading for State intervention all those promises were repudiated callously. for socialisation. In the one breath they We know quite well that the basic wage, denounce so:ialisation and in the other they instead of being increased, was deci·cased. ·are demandmg that the Government obtain \Ve know that arbitration was mutilated. We machinery for the purpose of producing coal. know that the Opposition actually deprived Hon. membe_rs opposite have not co-operated thousands of public servants of their right of in the solutiOn of this great national crisis going to the Industrial Court, not by an Act as they should have done. As a matter of of Parliament but by an order in council. fac~,. they ~1ave resorted to very sordid That is to say, they outlawed public servants pohhcal tactics. Instead of fostering unity bY an order in council. V\' e know too that and co-operation as , they should have done pi·oduction dropped enormously and that the they have stooped to the lowest political State was in chaos and nearing disaster when depths. I,abour was returned to power in 1932. I ha;e here an advertisement authorised by 'rhe Leader of the Opposition endeavoured the Liberal Party that appeared in the to show that the 40-hour week has had an "Telegraph." It says, "If you get coal unsatisfactory effect on production. He is shortly you can thank the Opposition.'' usually very careful and truthful in his state­ Could anything be more sordid or more ments but he was not as ra1·cful as usual in ridiculous~ While hundreds of thousands of his speech today in relation to production. p~wple are sufl'~ring throughout Australia the He said that production in Queensland is L1beral Party chd not think of the women and decreasing. That is not so. Sugar produc­ :ohildren hut only of their own greedy, grasp­ tion is an all-time record. Our wheat pro­ mg, and vote-catching tactics. In the midst duction last year was 14,000,000 bushels, of a great national crisis they come out and auother all-time record. Never previously in say, ''If you get coal, remember we gave it tll8 history of the State has anything like to you, and do not forget us on election day.'' H,OOO,OOO bushels been produced. As the Could anything be more sordid~ Has any Secretary :lor Agriculture and Stock said, party ever stooped so low in Australian there will be still a greater production next P?litics ~ While the people are suffering year. bitterly the members of the Liberal Party in Mr. Nicklin: How many hours a week their selfish way say, ''If you get a bit of do the wheat farmers work to achieve thatr coal, remember we gave it to you. Give us a vote on polling day.'' Nothing could be l'IIr. LARCOlUBE: The hon. gentleman more degrading. is now shifting his ground. He may have s iclestepped very well when he was a foot­ The Leader of the Opposition spoke about the 40-hour week, a subject that he introduces baller but he is not going to do so on this on every possible occasion. He denounced the question. I am going to pin him down to his statement that production is decreasing, 4~-hour week, and.~ suppose that if by any muacle the OppositiOn should get back into vrtich is incorrect. Production of butter P.ower th0y would repeal the legislation pro­ has increased in the last 12 months. The VIdmg for the 40-hour week. He denounced the q1mntity, quality and variety of butter has Labour Party for passing section of the Bill increased in the past two years, not­ .and describ:d it as vote-catching. Hon. mem­ ~~'ithstanding the effect of two world wars bers opposite voted for the 40-hour week. and shortages of various requirements. Every word of condemnation of the Govern­ Members of the Opposition know too what ment uttered by the Leader of the Opposition magnificent successes our country shows have reacted on the members of the Queensland been. They re:flect greater production in the People's Party, because they voted for the country and greater prosperity as well. 40~ho.ur week. They were squirming and IUr. l'IIalter: Why do we have to import twistmg: wl:ile tl:e Lea~er .of the Opposition cement and corrugated iron~ was dehvermg his castlgatwn. lUr. LARCOlUBE: As a rule the hon. I come to the subject of increased pro­ member is logical but he knows quite well duction and the right of the worker to have that the tremendous effect of war has inter­ some . share in the benefit ansmg from fered with some lines of production. The the . mcreased volume and value of pro­ hon. member knows too that our demand is ductwn. All these things surely justi:y a increasing day after day, week after week shorter working week. Of course there will and month after month. Why~ Because of be a little adjusting period, with some dis- the vigorous policy of encouragement given Supply. [4 AUGUST.] Supply. 95 to production by this administration. Today ·when England had to sell her foreign invest­ we cannot keep up with the demand for ments when she was embarrassed financially,. cement and other things, notwithstanding the and that difficulty has been intensified as a increase in production because of the dis­ result of the second war. turbing factors of war. As the hon. member The immediate cause is the rising unemploy­ said on one occasion last year, the war is ment in the United States. It is said that over but I then replied that although the British exports have not been sufficient. But war is over its tremendous repercussions are her exports to the U.S.A. have been at record not over. level, in the last few months particularly. The Leader of the Opposition talked about The cause is the increasing unemployment in unnecessary controls and bureaucrats. Surely the United States. The U.S.A. market is he has not read the speech of Mr. C. H. becoming limited and therefore many of the Jamieson, the president of the Queensland factories are closing down and there is not Dairymen's Organisation. He is in favour tl1e demand there was formerly. oi' continuance of control. He says he is It may be interesting to hear what an anti­ going to oppose decontrol of butter. The l,abour authority, a little booklet issued by Leader of the Opposition is out of step with the National Bank of Australia Ltd., called the leader of the Queensland Dairymen's "The -Monthly Summary," of May, 1949, had Organisation, who believes in control of to sav about the Australian economy. It butter. If the Opposition would only sui cl_:_ gPt into a huddle and tell us what they ''In view of the continued strength of are supp_orting we could then reply to domestic trade activity, it is hardly sur­ tl1em in a satisfactory way. ·while we have prising that the national finances remain the leader of the Queensland Dairymen's firm.'' Organisation advocating the continuance of That was the opinion of a strongly anti­ controls and the Leader of the Opposition Labour journal. I commend it to the Leader O)Jposing them, the Government will not ]mow what the dairy farmers want. of the Opposition. Then again, if we look at another article The hon. member for Logan spoke on the from the same paper, published by the question of inflation. Well, inflation is the National Bank of Australia Ltcl., this is what price paid by every country after every war. we read- The Australian economy, compared with other '' The events of this decade arose prim­ parts of the world, is very sound. We are not arily from a war in which the destruction suffering as much from inflation as other of resources and the dislocation of normal countries. We are paying our way in Aus­ activity were on an unparalleled scale. The tralia. We have better control of the cost results of such a conflict cannot disappear of living than in other countries. ovemight, and many temporary expedients lUr. Nicklin: Statistics do not show that. remain incorporated in the fabric of society.'' :illr. LARCO:iliBE: They do. There are the views of this non-Labour jour­ nal that is impartially reviewing the Australian Mr. Nicl•lin: Australian prices are still domestic economy and the effect of the world going up. war on the finances of Australia and the tremendous and shattering effect on world JUr. LARCo::tiBE: I am talking of the economy. control of the cost of living. We know it has gone up everywhere but the control in In regard to inflation and the ~alk of hon. Australia has been very fine compared with members opposite I would say this: control in the United States and other parts of Although there has been some reduction in the world. Further, we have full employment. the purchasing power of the worker as ~he We read this morning of the disturbed result of inflation it is not comparable with economy in the United States, where there is the reduction that took place in the worker's an anti-Labor Government. They have purchasing power between 1929 and 1932, 4,000,000 unemployed. wl1en inflation could be said to have reached Some members of the Opposition would 100 per cent., because thousands of workers blame the Labor Government of England for were thrown out of employment. Thousands the dollar problem, but I point out that they of workers in Queensland had no income at have it in Canada where there is no Labour all. Deflation was the order of the day at 1overnmeJ.J.t. There it is as distressing and that time and that is the way the worker~ here is no Labour Government to blame. suffered in the years I have mentioned. Th~re was nothing comparable to the penod rhe economic cause o{ the intensification of the dollar problem has been the increase in between 1929-32. unemployment in the United States and the ::ur. JUaher: I have been told that under fact that they are not able to import from the relief scheme in 1932 they were better England ancl other countries as much as they off than now. were importing previously. Many economic ancl financial writers have emphasised that. :illr. LARCO~IBE: To use an old col­ In the ''Sunday Mail'' there have been loquialism, they were pulling the hon. mem­ a1:ticles on the dollar problem, and that is a ber's leg. I am not speaking particularly of non-Labour paper. The writers in that paper the man in employment but of the thousands pointed out that the influence of the dollar out of work, those who had lost their jobs problem goes back to the pre-war period and ancl those whe were retrenched. There were the war period; it goes back to the time young fellows in the Rockhampton railway Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply.

yards who were unemployed with no income Let me proceed further and go from the at all. That was the result of the anti­ sugar-growing shires to the cities. The Labour policy. increase in population in 1947 over 1DJ1 in Mr. JUaher: That will come again in a the various cities was- year's time. Per cent. Brisbane 188.2 Mr. LARCOI\IBE: It will come again if Mackay 162.6 Labour is defeated. Townsville 221.9 Cairns 222.2 I\Ir. Nicklin: How many people were 'I'here was a greater increase in Townsville unemployed before the Moore Government and Cairns than in the city of Brisbane, yet -eame into power~ lton. members opposite have the audacity and lllr. LARCOlUBE: How many were effrontery to indulge in inaccuracy and talk unemployed between 1929 and 1932 ~ The about the depopulation of the country under hon. member should get the statistics and he Labour Government. Their statements are will find that the number is gradually reduced nt variance with the facts. ·until in 1939 it was down to a minimum. I ltir. Nicklin: I did not take the census. know that the year Labour came into power in 1915 there were 17.7 per cent. of unionists ]}fr. LARCOI\IBE: Then the hon. gentle­ unemployed and when we were defeated in man should have clone so. If he did not take 1929 the percentage was only 7.6. The the census he faked his figures. Now I can numbers increased under the Tory Govern­ understand how he got astray in his argu­ ment until they were up to 200 per cent. ments. He has not been taking the census, lw has been faking the figures and palming Mr. J\'Iaher: You know wool was then them off here as being official. S~d. per lb. I\lr. NICKLIN: I rise to a point of order. I\lr. LARCOlUBE: I know that conditions I certainly deny that I faked the figures and were bad, but I also know that Labour Gov­ I ask for a withdrawal of the statement that ernment had accumulated £4,700,000 in cash I faked the figures. I presented to this reserves in Queensland and the anti-Labour Assembly figures that were official census Government squandered it. :figures collected by the Commonwealth A Government Member: Gave it to Government. Victoria. The ACTING CHAIRltiAN: Order! I ask I\lr. LARCOJIBE: That money was the Treasurer to accept the denial of the squandered. Public works were closed. Leader of the Opposition. lUr. Hanlon: You lent it to a Tory ]}fr. LARCOI\IBE: I certainly withdraw, Government. but the Loader of the Opposition said him­ self that he did not take the census figures. ltir. LARCOIIIBE: Hon. members oppo­ Mr. Nicklin: I said I did not take the ·site closed the door after the horse had gone. census, meaning that I was not responsible Hon. members opposite, particularly the for the collection of the census figures. Leader of the Opposition, spoke about the question of population and particularly of Mr. LARCOI\IBE: And the hon. gentle­ populating the North. He was responsible for man should not suggest that I took the census. inaccuracies, because he has taken his figures These figures were collected by the statisician for a very limited period and not spread them ailcl they show that between 1911 and 1947 over the whole period of Labour administra­ the increases in population in Cairns and tion. Townsville were greater than in Brisbane. Mr. Nicklin: The last census period. Hon. members opposite talk about the neglect of the North. There was recently a Mr. LARCOIIIBE: I will give the hon. municipal election in Cairns, 1,000 miles by ·gentleman the last census period plus the rail from Brisbane, and the people of Cairns period when Labour was in power. I will returned a full Labour council with a Labour go back some little time to show that. First mayor. That is what they think of the Labour of all, I will take the increase in population Government. in the sugar-growing districts in North I\Ir. Nicklin: What happened in Towns­ Queensland. The increase in eleven sugar­ ville~ growing shires in North Queensland emphasises the growth of population under ]}Ir. LARCOJUBE: We know there was a Labour Government. The shires I have in split in the workers' ranks and that Labour mind are Douglas, Mulgrave, .Johnston, Card­ suffered accordingly. Hon. members of the well, Hinchinbrook, Thuringowa, Ayr, Country Party and the Liberal Party have only Pioneer, Mirani, Sarina and Proserpine. In one member from the farthest point north 1911 the aggregate population of those shires right down to Mackay. Then you have to come -and this is the time closest to that in which from Mackay right down to Isis before you Labour Government came into power and find another member of either the Country the closest census period-was 31,989 and Party or Liberal Party. They have no by 1947 it had increased to 76,648, an members from the far V! est or the far North. increase of approximately 140 per cent. These The people will not trust them. We defeated are facts and figures. Hon. members opposite the Opposition in 1932 on their own redistri­ cannot dispute them. They were supplied by bution, on their own Elections Act and on the Government Statistician. their own gerrymandering. WayB and Means. [16 AuGusT.] QueBtions. 97

I think those points are convincing but in ''(b) That, towards making good the addition to what the census figures tell us Supply granted to His Majesty, on account let us look at what the Federal rolls show for the service of the year 1949-1950, a and for this purpose I take the figures for further sum not exceeding £5,500,000 be 1914 and compare them with the 1947 rolls. granted from the Trust and Special Funds. '' (c) That, towards making good the .lir. Nicklin: The electoral rolls? Supply granted to His Majesty, on account, ~Ir. LARCOMBE: The Federal electoral for the service of the year 1949-1950, a fur­ rolls. I am reinforcing my arguments from ther sum not exceeding £3,000,000 be another angle. Let hon. members opposite granted from the money standing to the look at the figures in the Commonwealth credit of the Loan Fund Account.'' Statistician's report and they will find that Motion agreed to. from an actual population point of view over the last 10 years the percentage increase has Resolutions reported, received and agreed been greater in Queensland than in any other to. State. That indicates that a sound policy APPROPRIATION BILL No. 1. has been pursued by this Government, that this Government have given greater oppor­ ALL STAGES. tunities for increased production and that the A Bill founded on the resolutions was intro­ population has been attracted by the law of duced and passed through all its stages with­ advantage. The figures taken from the out amendment or debate. Federal rolls will show the wonderful results that have followed Labour's administration. The increases have been:- SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT. Brisbane 32,286 Hon. E. JU. HANLON (Ithaca-Premier) : Capricornia 33,761 I move- Darling Downs 25,377 ' 'That the House, at its rising, do Griffith (Oxley) 37,943 adjourn until Tuesday, 16 August, 1949. '' Herbert .. 34,686 Kennedy 25,343 Motion agreed to. Lilley 44,739 The House adjourned at 10.27 p.m. Maranoa 30,228 More ton 43,892 Wide Bay 33,094 Not only has the total population increased but there has been a great increase in the country population. This is in marked con­ trast with what took place when an anti­ Labour Government were in office in 1914. When the Denham Government were in power people were not remaining in the State because there were not opportunities for them. Queensland was the slave state of the Commonwealth. Wages were low, hours of employment long, and generally Queens­ land at that time was like Dante's Inferno -nothing but misery, and suffering. A Labour Govemment have made Queensland the Queen State of the Commonwealth. Goyernment Th'Iembers: Hear, hear! Motion (Mr. Larcombe) agreed to. Resolution reported, received and agreed to. WAYS AND MEANS.

CoMMITTEE.

VOTE ON ACCOUNT, £15,500,000. (Mr. Hiltou, Carnarvon, in thd eh air.) Hon. J. LARCOJUBE (Rockhampton­ Treasurer) I move- " (a) That towards making good the Supply granted to His Majesty, on account, for the service of the year 19+9-19f,O, a further sum not exceeding £7,000,000 be granted out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Queensland exclusive of the moneys standing to the credit of the Loan Fund Account. 1949-D