Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

FRIDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 1913

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

2-792 Adjowrnment: [ASSEMBLY.] Question of Privilege.

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

FRIDAY, 14 NoVEMBER, 1913.

The SPEAKER (Hon. vV. D. Armstrong, Lockyer) took the chair at half-past 3 o'clock.

APPROPRIATION BILL No. 4. ASSENT. The SPEAKER: I have to report to the House that I this day presented to His Excellency the Governor Appropriation Bill No. 4, and His Excellency was pleased, m my presence, to assent thereto, for and on behalf of His Majesty.

ASSENT TO BILLS. The SPEAKER announced the receipt of messages from His Excellency th_e Goyernor intimating his assent to the followmg Bills:- Marsupial Proof Fencing Act Amend­ ment BilL Cremation BilL Great vVestern Railway Act Amendment BilL Roma to Oralio Railway Bill. Land Act Amendment BilL Government Loan BilL Closer Settlement Act Amendment Bill. Appropriation Bill No. 4.

QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE. The SPEAKER: There is a notice of motwn st"nding in the name of the hon . n::.omber for Paddington on the business­ paper for to-day, which seems to have two objects :-1. It is sought to make the ques­ tion one of privilege; 2. It is a censure _on the Speaker. As regards the first po_mt mentioned, it i,, laid down that a questwn of order in the House cannot be treated as a matter of privilege ("May," 273). And, fur­ ther a matter oi privilege should be raised at tl;e earliest opportunity ("Ilbert," 43). The business the hon. member objects to took' place on !Uonda:, last. On both these grounds it fails as a matter of privilege. As a cen· sure on the Speaker, it fails also-1. Be­ cause the poim was not raised and no ruling was giYen: 2. '1'hat, had a rulmg been g1ven on thn point, tho time limit mentioned in Standing Order No. 115 has been exceeded. I have, therefore, ordered the motion to be struck off the bu.sinP,s-p,,por. HoNOURABLE ME'.IlBERS: Hear, hear ! Mr. FIHELLY (Paddi"qton): May I be permitted to offer ., word on your announce­ ment? The SPEAKER: The hon. member may not do so. Ho~OURABLE MEMBERS: Hear, hear ! Mr. FIHELLY: I move that your ruling b& disagreed with. The SPEAKER: Order! Under Standing Order No. 115, the hon. member may give notice of that motion in the usual parlia­ mentary manner. Questions. [14 NovEMBER.] Elections Acts, etc., Bill. 2793

Mr. FIHELLY: In the usual form I give RAILWAY WORKSHOPS AT CLONCURRY. notice of motion that your ruling be dis­ agreed with. I recognise that the motion Mr. MAY asked the Secretary for Rail­ Qannot come on-- ways- " Will he consider the desirableness of The SPEAKER Order ! establishing workshops at Cloncurry, seeing that Cloncurry will be the centre Mr. l<'IHELLY: But at the same time it of a large railway system 1" is a protest against your judgment. The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS The SPEAKER : Order 1 replied- " WhBn desirable, the question will be considered, having due regard to the economic working of the railways." QUESTIONS. SUSPENSION OF ENGINE-DRIVER. WAGES OF DREDGE EMPLOYEES. Mr. ROBERTS (Ea'"t Toowoomba) asked Mr. KIRWAN (Brisbane) asked the Trea· the Secretary for Railways- surer- "1. Is he aware that a driver was re­ "1. Is he aware that the rates of pay cently su;;pended at Toowoomba for re­ that are now being paid to employees on fusing to act as fireman, in accordance the dredges are lower than paid for with a regulation 1ssued that when a similar work by private employers? driver refuses to sign a certificate that " 2. Will he, in the framing of the he has a knowledge of the road on which Estimates next y

RAILWAY FROM KING'S HOLE TO MOUNT ELECTIONS ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. CUTHBERT. CouNCIL's AMENDMENTS-RESUMPTION o:v Mr. MAY (Flinde1·s) asked the Secretary CoMMITTEE. for RaihvaF- On proposed clause 17-" Rules for deter­ " 1. Is there any intention on the part mining residence''- of the Railways Department to construct Qucstion-That tho o.aission of subclause the railway from King's Hole, Dugald (3) be agreed to-again stated. River, to Mount Cuthbert, in the Im­ mediate future? Mr. THEODORE (Uhillagoe) thought that the Committee should disagree to the sug­ " 2. Seeing that the construction is gestion of the Legislative Council, .as it almost completed on the first eection­ would have a very seriou, dfect on a very viz., Cloncurry to King's Hole, Dugald large number oE \\orkers in this Stat€. He River-would it not be a euicidal policy wa, convinced that th•• Council had not seen to shift all the plant elsewhere? how serious the consequences of their amend­ " 3. Considering the high percentage ment would bf'. He could easily understand received on borrowed money on the how irritating it "auld be to hundr.eds of Northern system of the Queensland Go­ \\orkcrs who made applications lo be en­ vernment Railways (especially on that rolled under the provisions of the Bill, to part of the s:vstem emanating from find that when their claims came before the Townsville), why should this system not .court they had been turned do•m by the receive first consideration in tho expen­ officPr ap[JOinted to deal with such claim. diture of loan monev for construction It was very little satisfaction to a worker of r,ailways of a payable nature in the who was a native of Queensland to find that, Cloncurry district?'' simply because the registrar dc6ded that he was not satisfied that he had a place of abode l'he SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS in the district in which he had applied to :replied- be enrolkd with a fixed purpose of remain­ " 1. As rapidly as possible after Parlia­ ing there, he was not to be enrolled. There ment approves of the plans and appro­ were hundreds of workers whose ap11lications priates sufficient funds. would be ruled out on the ground that they "2. The hon. member can rely upon had no placo of abode with the fixed pur­ the department not being unbusinesslike. pose of remaining there. · "3. The Cloncurry district has of late The PREMIER : If he has resided in the years received every consideration with electorate one month out of the preceding regard to railway construction." seven he will be entitled to vote. M·r. Theodore.l 2794 Elections Acts [ASSEMBLY.] Amendment Bill.

Mr. THEODORE: That was not the ques­ meatworks .at Alligator CrBek and Towns­ tion the registrar had to decide. This ville, and immediately they left the Towers, covered the right of being enrolhed as well their names were struck off the roll. Not as of voting. When the claim was placed one of them could say that they were going before the court, thB question asked was, to remain there for more than a season, a.nd whether the claimant was a qualified rui­ the consequDnce would be when their claim dmlt ac, ording to the rules laid down for came before the registrar it would be re­ determining the question of residence. The jecttod. It looked as if the Government were Tegistrar had to (JB 3atisfied by the ciaimflnt tr· ing to deprive those who they _charac­ that he had a place of abode in that elec­ terised as mero nomads of therr nght to torate with the Jix<"l purpose of remaining vote. Tho only thing for the Homo Secre­ there. tary to do wus to disagree with tho Coun­ cil's amendment, as if the subclause were The PRE>HER: He is not required to left in, it would not make the provision too satisfy the registrar. liberal. They should mak'l the Bill a demo­ cratic measure to meet the needs of ,a demo­ Mr. THEODORE read section 31A of the cratic community, and he hoped th; Minister consolidfltcd Acts, after which this new would disagree with the Council B amend­ clause, which determined the question of ment. re~idence, was to be inserted. It did not govern the returning officer in the matter of Mr. LEN~(J.;:\1 (Herbert): Whilst the giving votes, but it certainly controlled the deputy leader of the Opposition was speak­ actions of the registrar in receiving claims ing, the Premier interjected that as long and the action of the court in accepting as a man could sav he had been one month them. He did not think that this clause was in the district within the preceding seven inserted for any other purpose than as >t months, there would be no difficulty what­ guide to the registrar at the revision and ever. That showed ig-norance on th<;> part registration courts. It was not a guide to of the Chief Secretary, as the questwn of the returning officer fer giving votes, but one month in seven had reference to the a guide to the registrar in receiving claims power to vote. It had nothing to do with for enrolment. The electoral registrar re­ the question undeF discussion, because. no ceived the claim for enrolment, ,and dealt man was qualified to apply for a vote m a with it in a certain manner, and, if he was new electorate until he had been there two not sati;sfied that the person mentioned In months. Did not that satisfy the Chief Sec­ the claim could fulfil the qualifications of retary? He was at a loss to know why the residence, then the revision court was quite Home Secretary had agreed to accept the competent to reject the claim. There were Council's amendment. The hon. gentleman had previously appreciated the diffic1;1lties of hundreds of workers in Queensland who, the clause when it was put before lum, and, under this provision, would find it impossible in his good sense, agreed to the addition of to become enrolled, let alone having the subclause 3; but nmv, when another place right to claim ,a vote. The Liooral organ­ would not ngree to the addition, he. asked isers would object to their applications, on the Committee to accept the correctw~ . of the ground that they had no fixed place of another place which had no rcspons1b1hty abode or purpose of remaining in that dis­ in the matter. Thev were not answerable trict, and the revision court, on the reading to the electors, and the:,' had no anxiety as of this clause, must reject the claims. In to ". ho voted or did not vote, bee mso they the Cairns electorate there were hundreds were there practically for ever. He would of C

w•.it two months before they would be able all under clause 17. The. Chief Secretary to fulfil tho residence qualification to get had no consideration for a class of people their names on {he roll there. A large who had done more for Queensland and its number of these men, travelling about frorr.c progress and prosperity than any other class place to place, had no fixed intention of in the community. \Vhat were the people returning io the hotel where they were stay· in the cities compared with the men who ing. If they had parents at Tmvns·rille or went out into the "never-nncr" with the Charters Towers, they would probably re­ swags on their backs and on horseback to turn there, but they would not return to any open up the back country? They were the particular hotel or boarding-house. The clause was introduced for the fixed purpose pioneers of th" country, yet th01r sons of disfranchising that class of people. He were deprived of the right to get their was satisfied that fully 75 per cent. of the names on the electoral roll. nomadic workers of Queenslaud-including The bell indicated that portion of the hon. the timber-getters, canecutters, and pros­ member's time had expired. pectors on mining fields-would be absolutely disfranchised, or would have no opportunity Mr. P A YJ\'E: He knew that the married of becoming enfranchised at all, owing to women had some home, but the single men the residence condition' laid down in the who had no fixed home would not be able clause. It was a serious matter, and, as . to fulfil the n·,,idence conditions, as they the Home Secretary had the g·ood sense to generally stayed in hotels and boarding­ accept the . am•"ndment when it was intro­ houses and had no fixed abode at alL The duced in the Assembly before, he hoped he Government were side-tracking the question would review .'lis decision; and again accept when thev said that other clauses gave the amendment that was formerly agreed plenty of opportunity for voting. Subclause to by tho A<·cembly. (2), which he had already read, gave the definition of residence, and that would debar Mr. PAYNE (Jfitchell) contended that all the single men from getting on the roll the Home Secretary and Chief Secretary at alL There were a lot of men in the were only misleading tho Cemmittee when Mitchell electorate to-day who had parents they said that there were plenty of oppor­ in New South Wales and Victoria, and tunities under the other provisions of the they would sh,ar at one shed for five or six Bill for the nomadic workers to record their weeks and go to another shed for five or votes. Under the provisions of clause 17 six weeks. fully 75 per cent. of the nomadic workers The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: Then they of Central and Northern Queensland would could get on the roll ·if they were two · not be able to get their nameR on the roH months in that electorate. at alL The Chief Secretary was not listen­ ing to him, but was too interested in another Mr. PAYNE': But they would have no matter. fixed abode. They would go into the town­ The HoME SECRETARY: I am listening. I ship after their work was over to spend am in charge of the Bill. their Christmas holidays, and would stay at an hotel or boarding-house, but they could Mr. PAYNE: Neither the Home Secre­ not say that was their fixed place of abode. tary nor the Chief Secretary understood the He appealed to the hon. member fo~ Cun­ position, and neither of them gripped the ningham, who had been a shearer ~Imse~f, importance of the amendment so far a~ the to say if he (Mr. Payne) was .no~ nght m nomadic population was concerned, else they his reference to the nomadic liab1ts of the would see that 75 per cent. of that class of shearers. If the Home Secretary understood workers would be unable to get their names the situation at all, he would disagree with on the r:oll. the Council's amendment. The HOME SECRETARY: That is only a The bell indicated that the hon. member's matter of opinion. time had expired. Mr. PAYNE: He could prove it. The Mr. PAYNE: Well, Mr. Stodart, what fact that tho Home Secretary reiterated that about it? (Laughter.) there were other provisions of the Bill The CHAIRMAN: Your time is ex­ which would enable the nomadic workers to hausted. vote, would not help the po,ition at all, because these men could not fulfil the re­ Mr. PAYNE : I only spoke twice. sidence conditions as laid down in subclause The CHAIRMAN: You spoke once last (2) of the clause they were dealing with, night on this clause. and therefore they would be unahle to have a vote. They had a Government who called Mr. P A Y:;\!E : I beg. your pardon; you themselves a Liberal Government introduc· are quite right. ing such an amending Elections Bill. Mr. KIRWAN: It might be all right for The PREMIER: You have no doubt that nomadic worke,3 to gel on to the roll of they are a Liberal Government? anoti1cr electorate if they wore already on the roll· but the trouble was that they Mr. PAYNE : It was the biggest Tory would n~t be able to get on to the roll in Government in Australia. (Laughter.) lt the first place because they could not ful­ was only prostituting tho name of Liberalism fil the residence qualification. A man would to compare the prese:Jt Governm~nt with ha,-c to say what was his fixed abode, the Liberal Gm·ermnent in England. The and if he had a fixed pnrpose of rcturnmg Chief Secretary was ntisfied to sit calmly there. The men engaged in work on a sugar in his place after st ying that there were field and on railway construction works and other opportunities giwn to the nomadio shearing, if thev were single men thc,y would workers to record their votes. He had been have no fixed place of abode at all. If they a shearer himc.df for fifteen years, and he were married they would have a home some­ knew from the way that shearers went abou·t where, and th<>v \Yould be all right; but the from shed to shed in shearing time that single men who generally lived in hotels and they would not be able to get on the roll at boarding-houses would not have a fixed place Mr. Kirtnan.] :2796 E 'ectionB Acts [ASSEMBLY.] Amendmem BtU.

of abode at all. The clause would therefore Mr. FOLEY: Then the Chief Secretary prevent a large number of them from getting did not understand the Bill. He understood on the roll. It was perfectly plain that that that those who had died or left the district was the reason for tho Legislative Council's could be struck off the roll every two months. amendment. As that was so, he thought The HOME SECRETARY: No; only those who the Assembly should refuse to accept the have died. amendment. The leader of the Government in another place drew attention to this amend­ Mr. FOLEY : Of course, under the old ment, and succeeded in gAtting another place system of revising the roll every year th':'re to throw it out.. There was another member might be a chance of so~e. men, e_ven wrth there who pointed out that numbers of men that present clause, retammg then names would bP denied an absolnte right of citizen­ on the roll ; but he understood there would ship, and he moved an amendment. The be instanceq in which men could be struck leader of the Government in another place off very suddenly and quickly if they had said that he hoped that now theY had denied left the district. In his electorate hundreds the principle of giving thene persons a vote, of men left their districts to go either to the amendment would be defeated, and it the meatworks or to the sugar field~ or else· was defPated. He had heard members ex­ where for work in other districts. press surprise at the action of the Govern­ The HOME SECRETARY: There is an inten· ment. He was not surprised at anything · tion to return to the place they have left, is that the Government which appealed to the there not? Federal Government for the troops to shoot n the part of the Govern­ nw~tion "as: "\Yho is entitled to it if this nwnt h alter ,, hat had been done by an­ Bill is carried? " other place. The Homo Secretary would re­ Mr. PAfNE: Not native' of the country. member ihc di .. , U''ion which took place on the clause. how members pointed out the 1\lr. FOLEY: There were .any arnount of certaint;>- that a largo number of men would natives of Queensland who. under the Bill, be struck off the roll in con'"'quence of it. would not be e>]igible to [(Ot their names on He did not know vvhether the Home Secre­ the roll and tho result wets that mall'' a tary had lost cif!ht of the fact that the Bill good m~n would be depriYed of saying who contained prO\ i;ion for bi-monthly revision should R'O to that Chamber to make the laws courts to striko off the namPs of those men of the o'ountrv in which he lived, and which who had left tho district. That meant that he had t.CJ oliov whether he liked it or not. ther0 would be thousands of men throughout The Chief Secretary, he thought, wou)d Queensland, who had to leave their districts remember the discu.-.sion that took !Jlace m at a cor•'lin time of the ;·ear to get worlr, Committee· preyiously, and his own state­ who would be struck off the rolls at those ment that if it were shown that men would courts, because they had loft the district. be depriv-ed of their. citizenshin because '?f The PREMIER: Do you think that names that particular clause he would have rt a.re struck off at every bi-monthly court? altered. And the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary decided to accept the pro­ Mr. FOLEY: That is the effect of this viso for that object; but the other House Bill. had simply wiped it out. He thought The PREMIER : The " dead, left, and dis­ MinistPrs should be sincere, and insist on its qualified " are struck off annually. going in the Bill. He appealed to them ptr. Kirwan. Elections Acts [14 NOVEMBER.] Amendment Bill. 2797 to do justice to the men who could not help Wales. But still they intended to ret~rn to themselves, and to have regard for. their Queensland, and. possibly to the d1stnct for· admissions that the subclause was a fa1r and which they apphed to be enrolled. ju&t thin!". No reason had been given as to why their minds should haYo been changed, The PREiiiiER: Then that would bG their and, that being so, he .was surprised at tho permanent place of abode. action of the Prem1er, who, generally speaking, was fairly hon£st in his dealings Mr. LAND; If that were made clear in· in Parliament-- the clause, it would be all right, but as the clause stood it wa, by no means. clear that The Hm!E SECRETARY: Only fairly honest? pen ons so situated would b~ entitled, to be You are "damning him with faint praise." cnr<.!Jed. Tile subclause whwh the Counml r•ropmed to omit made that matter clear. .Mr. FOLEY: The Premier had been He knew numbers of men who worked m fairly honest in his d~alings since he had been tho wav he had said, and who, when they there. He could not understand his present had finished their round of employment, attitude, unless some influence had been would go to a boarding-house in a partwular brought to bear upon the Government to town which they made theu headquarters. G speaker on the subJect. The [4.30 p.rrc.] hon. member for Drayton de- " left," and their names were struck off the mnrred to the amendment, and rolL Under this Bill a man would have t0 the Home Secretary turned round and said Teside two months in a district before ht' to him, "It's all right," but he (Mr. Land) could apply to be enrolled for th:>t di.strict, was afraid that the Minister accepted the and it might take hin, from twelve to s1xtee.n months to g·et his nam9 on the roiL As 1t amendment just to bring the de]:>a~e to a close or he would scarcely be w1llmg now was at present worded, the clause "as not to agree to the omission of the .suh~lan~e. faiT. Tho Premi<>r and the Home Seen;· The vast majority of the worh;s 1': .h:s dl.s­ tary had stated time" out of number that trict laboured under great d1sabllltles m they were anxious to give .ever>' person who regard to getting their namf's on the roll, was qualified an opportumty to got on the and keeping them there when they w:re ro!1, and to keep his name o~ tho roll, but once put on, because several of the statwn the provicion they ,~,'ere now discussing would boundarin ran along the )lew South Wales have quite the reverse effeLt. If the Govern· border. and thos9 men had occasioa to g:o ment had started out \nth the express pur· over the border in order to follow theJr pose of disfranchising as many people as occupations of drovers, shearers, etc. In they could, they would not have s_ncceeded fact most of the workers in that dirtrict better than they would do under th1s clause. be]o'nged to the floating population. It wou]d He had hoped, and he hoped oven y~t, t~at hH a verv had thmg to get on the roll m something would be done 111 the. d1rectwn the first· instance, '" electoral registrars of modifying the claus., so that, mstea.d of would no doubt interpret subclause (2) in qualified per·:ms . being d1sfr!lnchlsed, t~ey mch a wav as would prc·vent the great would have a fmr opportumt-; of. puttmg maioritv of workers establishing their claims their names on the roll and keepmg them to he " bona fide inhabitants" of thP district there. or diricJion. The Home Secretary stated that Mr. GRANT (Fit'"oy): ·w~en speal~ing on a p~r3·'"ln who crme to Queenslanrl and re· the second reading of the Bill he ca1d f:httt bide<{ here con'in~oush· for twelve months, the \Vestern \Yorke1'·s wonld suffer a chstmct became qnolific d to he enrolled aftfl· he hard,hip. The great majority nf them, un­ had n .ided t·, ;:> months in a particuh r district. That as it should be: bnt fortunatelY, v·ore bachelors, and hod no pe.r· the oncAion to v·hcthcr the ''rc 't manent home. The;· might bo shear;ng 'n tho Sprin~·surc district th1s month, m the majority of rP i,_-trar:-:o .would takP that Yic"': of ·,he proy;,, on. He had had Barcaldino di ... trict next month,, and per­ a rrreat deal of r>xnc'ienc2 in connPction haps beyond \Vi'lton thP f?l!mnng month, 'vith rlectorc l TC'~ish~n rs and th0 Elr ctio'l,; so that it ":ould be Yor:v d1ffi .. nlt for them Act, and t. k;c··· that many ehim, wcr8 to e.,tabli .h ~heir qualification for emolment. All th<> members on that :-.ide of th.) .!.fouse r-ejl'cted b.ec1u<.~ the rc~:ristrnr took tl"1e Yimv dc,irecl th :t cYcrv man who ''as qualm0d to P mPn that \\+~'11 the haJ finiFbeci thPir vote shon]c) be alJmYed to \'OtC, ro t'·. •t 'Yh" -1 work in that particular place the,, would !W nn app_,cd Wfh nr~de to thP country It should to another p;nt :Jf the State That was hP an amwal to the whole of the peonle of absolutely tru·.. They would have to +.ravfl Qncensla,..;cl. \Vh0n diee'-. inf\ tho "'""ond all over that district, and ver.' likPiy over reading of tho Bill he sa1d ho h<;n- d that another district, and go into New South some means would be found to g1vc effect Mr. Grant.l 2798 Elections Acts [ASSEMBLY.] Amendment Bill.

to that desire. He did not know whether Murilla electorates and as an ordinary the words " permanent place of abode" elector for Dalby. He could fulfil the quali­ would be clear and definite enough, because fication for an absent voter by residing one many of those men had different places of month in seven in the iirot and second elec­ abode. torates, and vote as a resident of the third Mr. BowMAN: They generally have a electorate. fixed place of abode. Mr. FIHELLY : Absolute rot ! .Mr. GRANT: They had nothing of the Mr. MORGAN: It was a fact. kmd. One t1me they might be at Barcal­ Mr. BERTRAM: Absolute rubbish ! dme, and another time at Winton. He was going to vote against the exdusion of the The CHAIRMAN : Order ! amendmeJ~t, b:cause, while not agreeing w1th 1ts msertwn altogether, it seemed to Mr. MORGAN : It was not rubbish. him to be a fair thing. If those men were Mr. RYAN: Can you give us any instance all married men,. leaving their families, say, where that happened? at Emerald while they wepe shca1-ing at Winton, it would be an ea· y matter, bccausn Mr. MORGA:'-<: He could not say that it Emerald would be their fixed place of abode had happenO>d, but it co·uld have happened. for which they were entitled to vote But (Opposition laughter.) It was imposs1ble for the great majority of them were not mar­ him to say that John Brown, whose name ried, and they not only went about Queens­ appeared on the MaranOvould give them the same privilege as they gave Mr. RYAN: That is his duty. to the ordinary elector, but not any special Mr. LARCOMBE: He had the power, and privilege. Under the old Act it w.as well it was his duty, and they knew from experi­ known that a man could be on thr·ee ence that that was the practice observed. different rolls, and could vote in each elec­ When they considered that one simple clause torate, unless he woo found out He could in the present Act, they roo.lised how un­ vote as an absentee for the Maranoa and sound and absurd the argument of the hon. [Mr. Grant. Electione Acte [14 NovEMBER.] Ament:lment Bill. 2799

member for Muril!a was. Section 38 of the Mr. LARCOMBE: When they fulfilled consolidated Act prescribed the powers of the State qualification, they had to possess the Chief Electoral Registrar, who ex·ercised the electoral division qualification, and they that power unsparingly, and prevented any umst be two months in an electorate before ·duplication of th0 roll. There would always they could apply for a vote. A person be a certain percentage of dishonest electors, applying for a vote must also havB a fixed but they were not de:ding with them; they intention of remaining thero. The subclause were dealing with a broad, general principle was declacatory and explained the meaning ·on the a~sumption that there was political of subclause (2). Without that declaratory honesty on the part of the electors. The clatu.e the other portion of the clause woul_d hon. membBr for Murilla attempted to con­ be vague and indefinitB. It should be their fuse the iJ\Bue by stating that many nomadic object to make the Bill as clear and lumd voters, who would be enrolled if thB subclause and definite as possible, but if subclause (3) were allowed to. remain, would leavB Queens­ were deleted, as propo.,ed by the Council, land for the other States and exercise a vote that would leave it too vague and mvolved in two or three of the other States. What altogether. They had to remember that they were dealing with was electors or per­ work in su time had expired. foster fraud or deception in that way. The Minister said that, if an elector was in the Mr. RYAN: This matter had been dis­ electorate one month in the previous seven, cussed for an hour and a-half, and he would he would be ·able to exercise his vote. lik0 to get some expression from the Home Secretary or Chief Secretary as to whether Mr. MoRGAN: If he was on the roll. they were prepared to do ·something with regard to a compromise ·on this most impor­ Mr. LAR\'OMBE: If they did not pos~&as residence, they could not be enrolled. tant question. He .appealed to members to have some regard to the principle which The PRE1IIER : They are not entitled to be. should guide hen. members who held office The bell indicated that portion of the hon. under the Crown. He would remind hon. member's time had expired. members of the circumstances under which the amendment was proposed in the Assem­ Mr. LARCOMBE: He would take another bly. They had been di,oussing the cla'uses five minutes. How, then, could the provision of the Bill for twenty-six hours and were enabling one to vote if one lived one month mainly dealing with this particular matter. in seven have any reference to the case? Hen. members opposite were ge~ting very tired and desired to have an adJournment, The PREMIER : It is one of the questions. and 'a certain consultation took place be­ Mr. LARCOMBE : These were rules for tween the Home Secretary and himself. determining residence, and if they did not Mr. MORGAN: That ia why you got the posc,css residence, they were not eligible to apply for enrolment. Was it not plain that amendment. the provision enabling you to vote in an electorate if you had lived one month in the Mr. RYAN: Well, the hen. member for preceding seven was a subsequent provision Murilla ought to be the first man to keep to this one? The provision dealt with enrol- the amendment there. (Hear, hear !) A ment .and not with the exercising consultation took place with the view of [5 p.m.] of the franchise after enrolment. seeing what could be done to en_d. the stout The Secretary for Railways also resistancB put up by the Oppositwn to th_e made the same blunder in saying that if a Bill. This amendment, whtch the Council person was two months in ·an electorate he now propose to delete, was moved by the would be eligible to obtain a vote and record Home Secretary himself and agreed to by it. A man had to prove residence before he him (Mr. Ryan). They then proceeded could qualify. rapidly in ten minutes to clause 23.. The Mr. MoRGAN: You have to live in tha Opposition regarded this as a most Irnpor­ State for twelve months first. re.nt amendment in order to enable a large Mr. Ryan.] 2800 Elections Acts [ASSEMBLY.] Amendment Bill.

numbm of worthy citizens of Queensland to and Proceedings." The thought occurred to have the right to vote. him at the time that it was a most extra­ ordinary kind of amendment. (Hear, hear !) Mr. MoRGAN: You won the battle after He could not tell what was the meaning of twenty-six hours. it and he .did not think the leader of the Opposition could tell him either. When Mr. RYAN: He did not say that they they adjourned last night, he told the; leader won the battle, but they came to an honour­ of the Opposition that rf he could brmg for­ a-ble compromioe. ·what. was the result? ward an amendment it would be considered. The Bill went to another place-the Legisla­ They had been discussing the i:natter for tive Council---and they actually found the an hour and a.-half, and, so far, there had representative of the Government there, a been no amendment. The only way to deal colleague of the Home Secretan, who made with th" amendment wa•, to wipe it out. that arrangement with the Opposition, ask­ ing the Legislative Council to strike it out. Mr. LENNON: At the dictation of another Tho leader of the Government in another place. place repudiated the arrangement made be­ The PREMIER: No dictation about it. tween the Home Secretary and himself (Mr. Ryan) in the Asccmbly. Was the Chief See­ Mr. HuNTER: The "Courier" called atten­ retary going to sit silent .and allow such an tion to it the next morning. act of tr<'·•whery as that ?-because he could ThB PRE:YliER: He knew attention had not describe it <1,3 anything· e}Sf\, rrhey klH~ \\i been called to it but it was not the follow· that that amendment was mov-ed b, the ing morning. W1hat was the_ prin~iple of the Home Secretary, and they knew the circum- Bill? Anv person who res1ded m an elec­ . stances under which it was moved. They torate for 'two months was entitled to be on aleo know the circumstances urider which it the roll. That predicates he must . have a. WR s excluded in another place. residence to be enrolled. If an electwn took Mr. HuNTER: The "Courier" told them to place and the person voting said tha~ ~e had do it. been in the electorate one month wrthm the last preceding seven months, it would be Mr. RY A~: He appealed to hon. members all right. opposik to have some regard to what should b? the honour of men sitting in that House. Mr. 'rHEODORE: I-Io must show that he ha& \Yhat were the people outside going to say a fixed intention to remain there. about repudiation by membrrs of Parlia­ The PREMIER : Who could define. that? rr.ent sitting there in the fierce light which shc,ne on the House if arrangements were Mr. GILLIES: Accept this amendment. made and then thrown into the waste-paper baokct? Undc: the O)Jcration of tho g·uil!o­ The PRE:MIER : No. It would only open tine, tho Bill h"d to b~ reported at 10 o'clock the road for corruption of the worst char­ to-nig·ht He asked the Chid Socreb,ry was acter. Just look at it !- he goi;n,- +o allow such a state of thing to " In thB c.rse of a person whose occu­ obtain' The hon. member for Murilla told pation requires him to move from place the Home Secretary to sit tight in r<:'gard to to place, his pla0e of abode may be this repudiation. He did not think that the decrr.ed to be his permanent place of iwn. me· ,',or fvr Muril!a ,shoP]J have much address." weight ' ith the ClliE'f Secretar.J or tho Home Secretary. ocoing that he was one of Of course, they would like it to be deemed the gentlemen wL) helped to smash the plat­ his permanent plac'> of address. form of the Lib··ral party into splinters. Mr. THEODORE : That was the suggestion of Mr. MoRGAN : Reap clean; don't got dirty. th~ Home Secretary. Mr. RY A='J: He was using the language The PREMIER: He did not care where used by the hon. wember for Toowong last it came from, he was opposed to it. flight. ThB hon. member for Toowong gave Mr. THEODORE : That is a reflection on the­ the Opposition crPdit for the stand they took Home Secretary. on the question last night, and said thBy were entitled to vote for it, but he said tho hon. The PREMIER: He was opposed to the member for Murilla was smashing the Liberal amPndment. He would support that dele­ platform into splinters. This was the han. tion absolutely. genth·man who got up and asked the Home Mr. FoLEY : It is brutal, to say the least Secretary to sm1· h an honourable compact of it. into splinten. He appealed to the Chief SPcr.-d-ary to rise and n1ake ~orue pronounce~ The PREMIER : It was not brutal. ment on the matter. Tho hon. gentleman Mr. THEODORE: It is cruel. should exphin whether there wee; any mis­ Mr. FIHELLY: It is callous. conception when th arr~ngement was made. and tell the C.m,mittoe if he was misled by The PRE:MIER: It was not crueL the arr1ngcment, and sa' what he was prB­ pared to do. Ho wanted to !fc•t on with Mr. RYAN: You arB asking a man who the busineso, but thev did not seem to be signed a writ ten contract to state he did not get'ing on very fast. know what he was doing. Your lieutenant vvas arranging with me ·when you were rest­ The bell indinatnd th'l.t portion of the hon ing. 1s that your excmB? Suppose I was memLer's time had expired. rrsjng. Tho PRE:YliER: He was not in the The PREMIER: He wished the bon. mem­ Chamber "-hen the amendment the" were ber would re,t. (Laughter.) Wh0ther the now dealing with was inserted in the Bill. hon. gentleman rested or not, he (Mr. Den­ He was resting in his room at the time, ham) would have nothing to do with the and knew nothing about it until the follo.v­ amendment. He was with the Council in ing mor11ing when he saw it in the "Votes accepting the deletion of the subclause. [ilir. Ryan. Elections Acts [14 NOVEMBER.] Amenc?,:wnt Bill. 2801

~.1r. FIHELL Y: It seemed that there were justice he agreed to the other night: _He many other things that were splintered be­ trusted thoy wero no~ going to haye. snn11a,r side, the Liberal platform. Tho com•cmnion exhibitions of incompetency. The Jelly-fi_sn of interhto !xtv·<>en th. Chief clccretary and pe_._'son v,-as aocevL- Jle in son1e \Yalks of ht-e, the Horn" Secret..n >Bemed to have been but in that }lou ,2 he was a rnost reprehen­ spii~j_tcred, } JC,n:L - ., thcv had tho J\linister ~ib!o indiYidual. He 1:as Yery glad to hear in charge of tho Bill b'eing repudiated and ono 1nernbcr, an ,__ x J.-linistcr~ say sontetlung rrdcct."d by his chi,~f. (1-icar, hear! and in support of the clause. His re~11arks were laughter.) \Vhen the Prh.1ier was resting, in ct:ucative cont1·ast to those of tho lnem­ an irnportant an1endn1cnt Waf accepted which Ger for lViurilla who :.o201ned to haye been tho Premier now said would leo.d to corrup­ touched by t'10 ;nagic wand-possibly one uf tion. The Home Seer .tary wes in charge tho splinters of tho phtform-ar:d Imagmed of thn l3il1, ::tnd surely he rlll:·:t h fYe sorne all sorts of rem? a pcren1ptory order wa:, going to keep to the amendment. "The frc- cr tho Chief Secretary. \Yhen the Liberd holl. Inmnbcr also s;:ud, 111 pa'1)1ng, tLa.u the ]_.lat.ionn V/a~., :-;plintered, and th{:.Te ''?erf' Lab-mr purt5 \Yne ::dopting the ~n,,t co_;·· :·plits in tho l'abi:wt, and the "Telcgraph"­ runt mrthods of tl-:.- olcl Conscnatnes. He a leading LiLcr:~~ paper-,_aid it \V::J,S blo·wn ~as gains· to "'110:C.4Jion th~t "''-,ithout any con1- to frr ·7n1cn they cou1c1 on]y .aE~Ul~lC that, as ment at all. It did not dc,crYe any, but he a last resort. the GoYf'rtLuent ~,-ere trying to was yery ,dad to thiuk that tho ( rmserva­ knock the free and inde11endent on the head tivcs, or Libe-,~d", \Yere adn11ttcd to be very with som.· of tho big cplinters of their worn­ c"nTupt at one tinF' .. The1:e \va; ~hat old out platform. (Laughter.) Bibli~al , :1ying, or Sc:Iptural quotation, tl;at the ~ins of the parerts d·- ,.cended to the thnd Tho PREMIER: Your funniosities are very a he! fourth g ,noration. laughable. The H01IE SECRETArY: You have a lot to Mr. FIHELLY: If l•;s funniosity were answer for, then. (Lcu.:;·hter.) h:l]f as serious o matter to the electors of QucdJsland a-, the P.._emicr's back1~or~ i :\Ir. FIIIELLY : He was afraid thc:t tile hun1o1Ironc., it \~:ou.ld ~'C apprecia~ccl. It ,,-a'. t\\O i\Iini;::,tc::.s 'Yere suiioein:;· ;or the tl·.:,ns­ not o11hT hun1iliating tc th~ Home Secretary grcssions of their great grandfathers. (Re­ to have' the amendnwnt rej•cted-- llE ,.,~cd laughter.) Lut it \Vas v.2ry unfor­ tunate :·rat the s:_ns of ..:t hundred .years a~o Thc PRE1iiER: Tho Home Secretary moved olwnld brJ Yisited c.n the unoffondmg Op1;o· its rej e,>tion. ,·iti on th<\t afternoon. He trusted that b:e Mr. LE:-!N0:-1: And the Home Secretary Homo Secretary \' onld recover some, of hrs moved its insertion. 'o,,t bacl

inc :rt0d in the Bill. In the G cher House Conunitt.ee, was under diJcu· ~:ion for twenty­ :Yir. Barlow Faid th::t i~ had bc._n acccptccl in .a hurry. six hours, and thD~t the Home [5.30 p.m.] Secrctar5 was weary of it. He ~.Ir. MORGAN: Quit • co rcct. thoug·ht that it was quite true that his colleague wa' \Yearied by tho dis­ ::Oh. BERTRA::\I: How could that be so cussion on the BilL but it was not true that a~ter a debate lasti1 g twe-:.tv-six hours? this parti-cular clause wae under discussion It. :·,_oined to hin1 that the"' " Courier ,; for h"Dnty-six homs. At page 1740 of was rcsp·)n;;:ible for th,_· chan!Ted attitude of " I-f ansard " tho tirne of 4.30 n.n1. as given, .. :w GoYernrn( nt. The hon: n1Ln1ber for and it was subsequent to that -that this clause -:'-1~,-·illa talked about a pt:rson being ablo \Yas rcetched, and by about half-past 5 o'clock .to vote in -\"'"ic'..oria, in I\ow South \Vales it had been chtermi'1od, so that this par­ rnd in QucpnslPnd. Tho hon. 1non1bcr 1nusi ti( ·dar ,__lau~~ had been under review for krow that vas absurd, inasmueh as our j-:Jst ab:;u-::: );<,, }Jour ,.]e,tnal law provided that he mu t bo rcsr­ dent in Queensland for at least bmh·e )lr. GILD~\Y (lthacr:): It v·as only months before he );c,;.;nc• entitled to tho natLtral that tho Premier should try to justify fraT>' hi t~1cy r<-tn the ri:-.':: "\Yhich the aYerag~ Mr. GILDAY: \Vao it not a recognised burglar ran vvhen h2 broke into a house. fact that there \Yas absolateh- no demand by . ~Jr. MoR~e IN: A bcngl<.t· gets r aught, and the people for this ameudmcnt of the Elec­ the'·' people n. \Tl" do. tions ),ct? The people did not ask for any amendment of tho electoral law, and this l'vlr. BERTRAJ\I: The hon. member also measure was pwpar·!d since tho last Federal t. !ked about a person exerci•·ing tFo absentee oloctions. ::\'otwithstandir;s that the Govern­ Yates, and another as a resident in another ment of this St.•te had a majority of twenty­ electorate. That only sho1Yed how little he two bc·hincl then;>, tho Opposition represented knew of the Act, because wlwn a person u··ed onlv 10 000 less votes than tho supporters of the abscntcA yote he had to sign the declara­ tho., Go~'crnn1ent represented, and, O\Ying to tion that he had not Yoted at the election that th,, result of the Federal olo·,tion, the Pre­ ­ Mr. GILDAY: It did not matter how the occupation of raih'"ay consb-uction. It often it had boon said; he believed it v. as was quito safo to m-- that a large percentage true. Tho cldetio" of the subclause under of those men \Yould r_ot be able to become discussion would d priYe 23,000 people of the enrolled b, cau c the,- could not state that opportunity of exorcising the franchise. thei.:_· pre",cnt 1 v-,idc was deleted :\cr. DBrt'TR.'.::\1: 1\ 1'hing wes further fllor.c p~ople \\'Ould l c deprivemt n1e111bf rs on t (~ c·· her :;:ide, "\\ ith ycrn(;r wonld ttiYc' hi-J assent +o ,~ Bill of t 1lG,,e on tho Onnosition sicl.c. to defeat thn .. that the Priminle of adult )WO),o·.al o£ the- -Hon. the Ho _le Secretary. "' :blishod in -Q,ePnsland. He thol.ght it 1•• ., "i 1nc·-t nnfair th.-_t, aft8r t1ntt so:__.lC Dlf .nbcrs sitting behind the l.acl '::reed to th1 insPrtion of tho pro­ \\·onkl l-)et up and s11y ·viso, th 'Y should be a ked to ·clelrte it be< ~us0 1 '1 r? f'''lould be r-tainLcl or 1" (l non-de:· '~i ··r, Chn nh2~· had se n fit to delctn-1, ancl · for the opinions tlo !'O. LPI(:. for I\IuL·illa 'Tl_c PRB}HBR \Yishcd to call r. •tontion to th ,!. a stt ... 0n1ent of+- rep( at d thn J. aftcrnoqn that L ''l1lh_~ t~tis ques~ion, when 1JreYiou:: 1y btJoro th(?. .~ 11ottld not r::rr. H··rtram. Tl!C'Y "\Ycro Elections Acts [14 NovEMBER.] Amendment Bill, 2803

consideration for those people; all they asked b. on several places he had been at, but he ·was· that everJ person in Queensland over might have no fixed intention of going back twenty-one years of ago outside lunatic to any of them. asylums and gaols should be able to caft a The Hoj)JE SECRETARY: He has a fixed .-ote et a general election. But this measure intention of re1naining in the elt.~torate . would disfranchise shearers, sugar-workers, and miners, who were the backbone of the Mr. HARD~.;.CRE: That was not what the country, and it was nothing n1ore or loss cl·1use said and he wanted to arr1end it so as than political corruption of the worst type. to'· ~ake it say that. ~f _it said "and has a IIe hone"tly believed that if the Home Sec­ fixed intention of remammg at such place of . rotary had his own way in this matter, he r~sidenco, or other place within the electo­ would retain tho subclause. He honed that rate " he could l-;ndcrstund that; 1t V."~~.1ld the qucotion would not go to a ,-uto, but not disfranchise- hin1 thPn. Jf tho IIo1ne Sec­ that eYen y8t the Home Secretary \'You!d re:ary accepted that amendment, it >von!d go refuse to accept an a.mendn1emt which would. a long: ,. a} to satrsfy hun, but not y:holly deprive nomadic workers of the franchise. '"· There ".rs another matter. If a man had resicled for two mon:hs in the elec~orate, 7 :Ylr. HARDACRE (Leic dt.·rrlt): It seemed Lmt \Ya'- not certain that he \Vas gcnng _to to him that they had been discussing two r<'nnin in the electorate, it s, he "ou!d he struck off tho roll and :l.lr. HARDACRE: I£ that was so, it took disfranchised. The question to be put to the away something from the objection which claimant was this, "Have you bona fi<_lo had been raised, but it did not :1ppear to and continnoush rc idecl in this eiectr,ral dis­ him to be so. A norson must first of all be trict for the last t•,-o months'?" The trouble an "inhabitant of the district," then he was tis to 'vhat ,~,as meant by "resided." must possess a " home" in tho district, and The cL•nse said ho must not ouiy hn·c been that home must be a " place of abode with a thorP. but have a fixed intention of remain­ fixed purpose of remaining there.'' \Vhere ing there. It had been pointed out to him was " there" ? that a difficulty like this might arise: A The HoME SECRETARY: In the electorate. · politit .1l agent might carrie to the claimant and say, "It is quite true yoLl have ans_wcred ~1r. HARDACRE: ::"-Jo; and that "'as this question, but I want to ask yon rf :you where the clause was vague. How could a ha vc a fixed int.ention of remaining here." man ha,'e a home in one place when he was Subelau'e (2) said that a person must possess mo>ing about from shed to shed, and had a home with the fixed intention of remaining no fixed intention of remaining at any par­ there. ticular place? The HO~!E SECRETARY: If an objcotion is The HOME SECRETARY: I do not see any raised, then thesa rules determining residence difficulty at all. If tho hon. mcmb~r will will apply. look &t section 30.>.. of the consolidated Act, he will find the following:- :11r. ;\'L\. Y (Flinders) WOl' ld Jjke to know frorn the Home St roretarv \\Thv he I going In answer to the questions '\Yhere is to accept thG amendn1( ;1t '' h1eh -bc~n your place of residence?' and ' If so, in put fan. ard by the old fo .. ;i]s in another \'Yhat pi ace or plac 's ?' the claimant must pl"cc. giyo such a description of the r)Iace .or the se-ccral nl aces of res.· donee as will The C !-L~IRiv~X:\r: · Order! The hon. cnablP it or £hem to be easih- and clearly mewJJcr i~ not i~1 o"der in rr:ferr1ng to hon. ir'entified." n ~n1 'r 1 u1 ._._uotlh 1 lace q '' old fo" ,ils.'' That is the law to-day. J\lr. : I-J e v oulcl Stl y the I~ on. rnem- :0,Ir. 1-L_\R.J) __ cn:c: No. IIe nJj.-}r not Cotncil. \Vhv wn ihe Homo any 1ntcnti~ 1 -to li'i::: in any O' o Of L~,O" e to 11 srce 'to this subclause J'he deletion of the clause riouslv not on!v his own clecto- TTt)!E ~:J.r~c<~EL_-::::Y: As Ir-· .-s h is also. many of the adjoining electo- the .Plector:.: t- r:t. es t7 o 1'\ orth-w 'St, South and South­ ='~r. H.\RDc\CRE: The cl.u o no": s·.id \cr:st of Queens] .nd. The occupations of the that tht• pkro of rc·idenc~ w ·s the place ho pce>plc in those districts caused them to tr'1vel rnade application from. There might have from one place to another. The area of the M¥". Nay.] 2804 Elections Acts [ASSEl\IBLY.] Am~ndme~it Bill.

clec toratc which lw had the honour to ropre­ Mr. J\.L\ Y: His nam" had been struck off sPnt \Y !1 sornc:.:ling like 44,000 square n1iles, the roll. He told him o only that vas the desire of for SC'Ycral .: P .rs past, and the Go 1 .~"r.:.u·.<"_1t tho GoYernmcnt there should he no difficulty only wishc ~l to ~i YP oyr ::·. pc. ,~ible oppor­ in fixing up sol'ne .5i1r1plo an1(·ndJ;lent "\vhich tunl~,y ! J the orrron('nJ,, of th~ Labour C-·l \ would make the intention ab' olutely clear. to strik- men off the roll. He c•mld rr•'• So LH as he hai b:_'en able tD glean, through u .. dc•rshnd a Government \Yhich called itself ltstening to the debate, the difficulty was Lib· ;·al. but hich wits rothirg mor-· l"·m th that tho ami, oion of the sul.dause ;\·ould clelc·"--3 old C're, and that work, of their votes. Dealing with the que~­ was his residence•. \Yhen he' (Mr. JUay) was tion of nomads, they had to recollect that it knockin~~· about in the \Yf\.,tcrn country, it was to the nomadic class that the d0velor; \\. ; a long ti•· e before ho could got his n •rnu. ment of Queensland had been principally on th" roll. <>n•n under ·he old conditions, due. They kw•.1 that the goldfields had been and no~", Contrary to their great ideas of diccovered bY nomads, b_-· prospectors who dc1nocrar :•', thcrP w.1s a provisioi1 to make it wont out into the wilds in search of the mo•·e diflicult than ever. He hoped that the pre<:iouc mel'~h, and endured many -diffi,;u]­ I-fomP ~; :-crefnry. in a spirit. of "S\H'.- _ reuson­ ties and ::.uffcrtd n1any luu~,dships in those ab1cness," ·'onld think the mctk~r or('r.· prospecting expeditions. Gympie and Char­ So far W:J he \Y: 1 s concerned, he hrd ters Towers, Ra,·enswood, the Etheridge and found the I-Iol:H' Sr>crr-tarY very rea..:.Jn­ Croydon, and n 11 the great goldfields, ~ot able ami kin,], and he bel~el·ed he \Yie.:led that every men should have a chance onlv of 0·1ceL··land but aho of Austra!ta, of recordi:',,- a vote, and he could not nndc r­ had been 'discovered h. those \Yho might be stand what influence had been brought to termed nomads. Th€. pastoral industl": in bear on him. 'rhev would like to knov . Queensland, as in other parts of Australia, The han. gcntl0man ·had committed himself was established b',' people who wer<- game to tho subclause, but now he proposed to to go out int0 the wilds in Fearch of country accept the amendmc•nt of tho 'C ppcr Hous~' and to open up country. Consequently, in to delete it. If their dcput;-- leader \Ycrc dealing with such an important m.atter as to propose " certain thing, and their leader the amendment of the electoral law, he were to come in and abrogate all that he had thought it was only right that the Act should Selic!, what \Yould they think of him? Here bo made absolutely clear. Tho Home Secre­ !hoc· had an instance of th:1t kind of thing. tan· said it was clear that nobody would he H c hoped in the kindn<>'~ and sweet reawn­ deprived of a vote, but thev had to make the ablenccs which wac generally evident in the law so plain that the various revision courts Hom" Sc---rf'tar:,''s mode of conducting bnsi­ would he able to see at a glance what the nPS . he wou1cl consent to retain the clause. la''T was. They ought to give a very easy He onl:v hoped tlc·1t the few words that he had and sin1plc definition of "hmne," .and, so "~del ,,~~,uicl bP taken in no unkindi:- spirit_ far as he could s+•e. the whole matter de­ (Laughter.) pended upon that definition. He understood The Ho:vrE SECRETARY: Oh! no. (Laughter.) the leader of tho Opposition to '-ay that ~e could prepare such an amendment. He d1d Mr. MAY: They were purely in the in­ not know whether there had b0en any cor>­ terests of the nomadic workers in his dis­ snltation beh,·een the Home Secretary and trict. He had particular reason to thank the the leader of the Opposition, but he hoped Home Secretary, because, through his that an amendment would be inserted which instrumentality he got a shearer admitted to 'Yould be acceptable. not only to that Honse the Dalby Hospital. That man, when he but also to the members of the Legislative went ~J.ack to-morrow-omd he \HIS thankful Council. to sav that he had obtained .a pa'-s for hirn ----and he c,aid it openly. (Laughter.) :Mr. GR.\YSO:;\; (Cunningham): He had every sympathy with those people whose The CHAIRMAN: Order! oc< C~pation corr.pellcd them to move about from place to place, and would give them ::Ylr. ::\1URPHY: That does not entitle him cverv facilit- to record their votes. He be­ to a vote. It does not prove residence. lieved that ample provision for that purpose [Mr. May. Elections Acts [14 NovEMBER.] Amendment Bill. 2805 was made in subclause (2). He knew many and rouseabouts to record their votes, irre­ shec.rers "ho did not Yote Labour at elGc­ spective of what party they voted for, and tion time. anv vote he recorded in the House would be Mr. RYAK: You are one yourself. in' favour of giving them every facility to :1-Ir. GRAYSO;";: Prob,bly the leader of record their .-otes at election times. tho Opposition was a bit surpriced at that, At 7.35 p.m., but It >Yac a fact all tho same. The PREMIER said : I beg to move that JI/Ir. RYAN: I am not surprised at any­ tho question be now put. (Strong Opposition thmg. dissent.) :\Ir. GRAYSON: He rcg'retted that the Mr. RYAN said he hoped he could prevail Home Secretary had consented to accept upon thG Premier to withdraw his motion the C'ouncil's amendment deleting subclause in order to allow the hon. member tor Chilla­ (3), as It was an excellent provision, and goe to move an amendment which he had one \vhich would as<;'ist shearers and other ,shown to the Home SPcretai"'. worker' in tho pastoral industry to record their votes at election timG. Subclause (4) The PREMIER: Very ell; I withdraw it. prondec!- Mr. THEODORE : The amendment he " It is not necessary that this home desired to move had been submitted to the should be in one place in the district or Home Se-cretur,·, and he hoped the hon. division during the whole of any period presc:·Ibcd, but tho person in question rrentleman would accept it. He moved that must roscoss a ho_mf' therein during the the motion of the Home Secretary be sup­ ·"·hole of .'ueh penod." . plemented b;y the addition of the foll:OcRABLE ME1IBER: He has not fnl­ from place to place in Queensland." fill< d the residence qualification. 'The amendmGnt had been very carefully Mr. GRAYSON: Yes: he fulfilled the resi· framed in 0rder to carrv out "hat had been dence qualification. The shearing sea·oon SUO'O'ested by hon. members who had spoken lasted about six months, and after the shear­ on°the clause-that was, to give to all citizens ing ''"as over that man V\'Otdd return to his of Queensland who c0uld show twelve months' horr.c on the Darling Downs, in order to live re~idenco in the State and two months' resi­ with his family and improve his farm. dence in a particular electorate thf"· right to be enrolled. The Bill a" it at prc·sent stood Mr. BoW1IAN: Suppose he is not married? -;muld prevent a cert.ain number of worthy Mr. GRAYSON: He admitted that citizens from being onrolkd, even though shearers went from shed to shod during the they could show twelve months' rc"idence in shearing season, -which was about six Queensland and two months' residen~e in a months. particular electorate. If the LegislatiVe Mr. CcYKE : They are shearing all the f'ouncil's amendment was accepted, it would year round. mean that for a certain class of persons a greater qualification than twelve months' Mr. GRAYSO='J: They could shear all the residence .in Queensland and two months' year round if they wished to do so. At the re-idence in a particular electorate would be .san1o ti111e a shr-arer n1ust have some place required. for his postal address, and that should en­ The PRE~HER: Where do you find that? ti tie him to a vote. ~1r. PAYKE: The Council have knocked Mr. THEODORE: When a man had filled out that amendment. in his claim in the manner prescribed in clause 15 the revision court which considered Mr. GRAYSON: He had no hesitation in that might ask him had he a home in saying that he regretted that the Home Sec­ clai~ retary wa> agreeing to thP deletion of this the electorate for which ho was claiming to partic'!lar subclause, as there was a certain be enrolled-a place of abode with the fixed safeg)-lard in it which woul_d materially assist purposA of rem,aining thero? the smgc man. The marned man "as quite The PREMIER: Who asks that question? safe;_ it was the single man they had to prov1de for. The hon. rr.ember for Murilla ::\!Ir, THEODORE: The revision court, or sta!ed that many shearers came from \Fic­ some person who wa·, interested in ele<:t!on tona and Now South Wales into Queensland matters and appeared before the rcv!s!on during the shearing season, and that they court. Any person intorf"~ted in the pr;epa!a­ recorded their votes in Y ict0ria or N cw tion of the rolls could lodge an objeetwn South \Vales and Que,onsalnd. He (Mr. against an applicant on the ground tha.t he Grayson) did not think there were many had no fixed intention of remaining in the shearers who did that kind of thing; in­ electorate, because the work in which he had deed, they haye not an opportunity of doing been engaged had just cut out, and he was it. The shearers were a very superior and leaYing for another olt·ctorate. For instance, intelligent class of workers. and the work a sugar-worker in tho Cairns district, who they had to do was about the hardest work had been twelve months in Queen,land and that any man in Queensland could tackle. had resided two months in that electorate, (Hear, hear !) The shearer was just as might finish work at the end of the crush­ essential for tho progress and development ing season, which ''"as about November, and of the pastoral industry as the squatter him· might make appliootion to have his name self, and the two should work hand in hand inserted on the Cairns electoral roll. Sup­ As far as he was concerned, he would wil: pose such a man and others who had been lingly render every assistance to shearers engaged in canecutting were about leaving ]1 r. Theodore.] 2806 Elections Acts [ASSEMBLY.] Amendment Bill.

for Chillagoe or some part of the district, into form b,- the officers of the House. They then the Liberal organiser, or a Labour wr>r'e not going back; they were only going orgamser, might object to the applicant to the place where the words were otruck out being enrolled, on the ground that he had no by the Council. That made a blank, and rt fixed purpose of remaining in the electorate, wa; proposed by the amendment to put other and the court must reject his claim. He con­ vvonls, \vhich \YOre roleYant, ir.1 that blank tended that sorn.e amendment should be made sr.·aee in ,substitution for the V• Ords struc~~ OUt. in the clause in order to protect the civil Instead of "(3)," the amendment said, Pro­ rights of such persons. vided that." The amendment ''as m the form of a proviso to ;ubclause (2; .. Ilc trusted th3;t The HO.\iE C:ECRETARY oubmitted that the the Chairman y,ould hold tllat the amena­ amendment proposed bv the deputy leader of ment vas distinctly ill order. the Opposition ''as not m order, for the reaoon that the motion was that the amendment of The CHAIR:\lAJ'\: I rule that the a~ member proposed to go back to subclause (2). tion rcc]uires him to move from plac'' to They were to agree to the amendment of the place, his place of abode may be deemed Council conditionally on returning· to sub­ t-o be his permanent place of addre··:s." clause (2), which had never been touched. Virtually, the amendment which was pro­ l\Jr·. O'SULLIVAN: The Council's amendmc~rt pos&d by tho hon. member was, to all Ill­ creates a blank. tents and purposes, the clause which the hon. Tho HO;\IE SECRETARY: They did not member proposed to ag-reo to delete. create a blank. They could not deal v:ith a "Provided that this definition shall be portion of the Bill that had never been so comtrued as to include temporary touched by the Council. They could agree reFidene<3 on the part of a person whose to the amendment of the Council, or make occ-1pation requir0d him to move from some additions to, or omi"'';ion from, the place to place." Council's amendment, but they could not agree to the Legislative Council's arn<'ndrnents Mr. RYAN: That is not the permanent deleting subclause (3) if they added cXIy to all intent·., and purpo,es the . obj?ct of out of or·cler, because they could not go back subclause (3), the abolition of whwh rt was and deal with a subclause ,,·hich had not proposed to ag-re0 to, and he thought rt was been touched by the Council. distinctly out of order. J\Ir. COY:'\E submitkd that the amendment 1lr. RYAN: He 1Yould like to speak on the did nvt propose to intnrfere with subclau," point of order. He was sorry that the Home (2). All that it propm~d do w-ts to sub- Secretary kept to points of order. . \'\ hy stitute words to fallen, (2) in the not grasp his nettle and face the positron? Bill as it left this llous0. and to omit t;re Th'l words they agre~c! to being struck out figure (3). That '·''auld be a proyiso instocd i.,," to provide that the permanent plac•J of of the subclausCJ previously contaicwd in the adcln :s d, mned to bo the home. The Bill. "h there was no acccmpt in the amend­ bon. Chillagoe -.ras proposing ment to _,Jtcr that p.u1·tiou of the clause an thing. He said that agreed to by tho Cour1c:1, and as the amend­ the term might be deAmed to be ment proposed to dc-J with ,·omething ':hich rcsidcnf'c the per ..Jon moved fro In was dealt with b,, thr CJuncil, and which the plac' to not Jnoroly his pern1anent Hou.:io \i\-as alter in any shape plale o: at all. ' liis pcnr.anont it thought that the point oi place of adrlres~ n1iO"ht be at one place and ordor of tlle fail€r1 and tha~· his name 1nij:rht Lo o on the, roll in another the amcndwcnt pia<' Ho could only be o_n tho roll for J\Ir. RYAN :as smrv tr _,t the Home S:.c­ oOle place. It left it to th~ discretiOn of the maglstratr-, to ( Jnstrue a r-rsicL~nce of retar:v had taken the objec'~ion which he had. twelve months in Queensland and two The limn; t"~cHETARY: It is a fatal one. months in thP elPc'orate through whrch he Mr. RYAN: It would be far shorter ar.-.: might be going, al' bough his ,,ddrcss prob­ more ;irnple to treat the matter on its meriLl. abl:· woulcl be at tho place to whrch he was He did not like points of order rais0d in g·oiug. :\loreover, he would hke to. draw order to get the hon. gentleman out of a attention to the fact that. when obJectron diffic !ltv. •, ~as taken to anvthing·. it was the usual praccice for a Iaw'.)"'r-and the hon._ rnember Tlw I~mrE SECilETM'Y: If you presene the was a lawYer-to come with all h1s pomts rules of debate, it is absolutely ncceroary that you should be in order. at once, instead of. after being defeated on ono, oon1ing on another . . l\lr. RYAN: If tho han. gentleman had Tho HocJE SECRET.\RY: The hon. gentle­ lrsterwd to the hon. member for Chi l.la;?"oe, man knm, s that that is not so. he would lmo·· that what the hon. member moved was that the deletion of tho subclause ]\1r. IlYAN: It is so. He should come be agreed to and something· else substituted with ail hi; points at once. in its place. The amendment had been put The Hm!E SECRETARY: You do not do it. [Mr. Theodore. Elections A.~ig Ll4 NovE~mER.] Amentt11lcnt Jiut. 2801

Mr. RYAN: I do. merits of the case, :.,nd not poinb of order. The HO}IIE SECRETARl: You are. a fool if If the hon. gentleman thought that there you do. (Laughter.) was any likelihood of stonewalling, it was Mr. RYAN: Thank you fo~· the compli­ the last thing he would have done to take ment. There is no use gomg on with points of order, bec-~,use his experience must buffoonery of that cort. show him that it would give an opportunity The IImm SEOHETARY: You are the buf. for debate. He regretted to move the foon. motion, but h; mucJt not shirk his duty. Mr. RYAJ\": Thank you, now I am a Mr. HARDACRE: Even if it was not fool and a buffoon. Very compliment'ary. diffcr:ent in moaning, that did not make the second amendn·mt out of order. Mr. LENJ\"ON: I rise to a point of ex­ plosion. (Laughter.) The PRE:IIIER: Twcedledum, tweedledee! The Ho'm SEOHETAR'i : I will deal with Mr. HARDACRE: It was quite admis· you later. sible to propose an ~mendment for a similar . Mr. LEJ\"l\"ON: You cannot deal with me purpoce in different phraseology. They often either here or outside. (Laughter and did that. They had substituted one word cheers.) for another, not because the n'leaning was The Hmm SEOHETAHY: Don't get excited. different, but because it "as a better word, and they had done the same thing in regard Mr. LENNON: I say you arc not able to deal with n:e. to sentences. Mr.· THEODORE thought the Chairman's The SEOHETAHY: Keep cool. Ho~·JE ruling was unsound, and he regretted it had Mr. THEODORE: I suppose you would like been given. He thought that an,y person to take on six of us. thoroughly examining subclaus,; (3), which Mr. E. B. C. CoRSER : I will be referee the Council proposed to strike out, and the (Laughter.) · amendment which ho Lad mo.-eel uuld come Mr. LE='1NON: He would like to add to to no other conclusion than that they were the remarks made by ~is leader. He thought two different things, and that the latt-er theY we;c \cry pertment to the question. was vastly the more valuable, because it had Tho Chairman had not ruled that the amend­ 1oferencc iu no way "\Yhatever to the elector's ment was out of order, and he did not place of address. 'Cnder it the elector could see ho•, he. could po·-·.ibly go back on that be construed as fulfilling the qualifications if and rule, simply becwse the Home Secre­ he had tempor:ary n sidence in the district, tary had thought fit to drag up something irnspective of where his place of address else, that it was out of order. might be. The words that his occupation The CHAIRMAN: The wordinrr of this required hili! to move from place to place amendment is the same, or almost the same, had nothing at all to do with the effects of m effect as that of the clause which it is the amendmc:m.'. 8nbclau:-e (o) might have propos~d to strike out. 'C nder those cir­ been ver,,- much more acceptable if the order cumstan< os; I think it is out of order. was reversed. As a matter of fact, he need only point out that an .Imendment in simihr Mr. RYA:i\': He was vcrv sorry that the terms to thoca of that which he was position had al'isen, and h'c had only one moving \Vas submitted in that Assunbl~ by duty, and that wes clear and plain. That the hon. l118tdber for 1\Iundingburra, when 1v_a, to n10ve that tho Chairman's ruling he they were l1reYiou,:ly <-~n~idering the clause disagr' '"J t0, and that he did. The Chair­ in Commith e, and it was withdrawn when man had alreYorcL to bo added to the end been in the mine! of the Homo Secretary a of suL__ hu::-;c ,.G). distinct difference betw cen them. yet now Mr. RY_\)1: took it that if the Chair­ ho roJo to a point of order and claimed m:>n ruled tho Hon-,e Secret ~,~ry on that the two things "ere prc:;isely the same this point. would come along with an­ in substance. Nothing could be more puerile. other, and wouicl g0 right on till 10 I-Io hDped the Ccmm{itteo would not stultify o'clock. itself by allm.-ing the ruling to stand. It The PHEoliER : us divide on this and . imply meant that thPy had only Ohe option­ get on \Yith tho of accc pting tho amenc!Lwnt or rc.iccting it. It did not r;iYB them the oppottunity of Mr. RY,iN: The hon. me nber should hav·e modifying it. as the emendme'lt \Yould do. thought of that before his lieutenant took points of order. He contended that the two Mr. P \. Y)JE thought the Chainmn had amendments v;ore vho u.-ed some amendment ref· rred to the indi.-idual him· Yery flattering language as to the n1en \vhom c?lf. It said tL:t he mi:;ht get his name it was designed to benefit. He referred to- on tho roll if he had to rno.-e from place to place. SucIER: She0r obstruction! The same tactics as threL weeks ago. He trusted that hon. members opposite would Mr. PAYNE : Did the hon. member for· see the reasonableness of the attitude that get that he was in opposition once himself? he was taking up and support his motion It must be the dutv of the Opposition to try because what they wanted was to discuss th~ to see that the amendment was carried . .Mr. Payne.] 2808 Electionc Acts [ ASSE:\1BLY. J Amendment Bill.

~ Ir. LARCOc,IBE supported the motion, applicant haYing to declare not only that he and maintained that a case. almost analogons had rcsickJ in the di·ctrict but also that he to this arose in the Council on the ietended to remain ther8. The principal same clause. At pag-o 2086 of ''Hansard" Act pro.-ided that the reYision court should io v:ould be found that the Hon. E. J. Inakc~ inquirit!.i. Stevens moved tho omission of The llom; SECHETARY: If there is an objec­ [8 p.m.] oubclausP (3) ,,ith the view of tion before the t evision court. rnsortrng a subclau~D \vhich \Vas in rna.ny respects analogous to, and in other _t,r. lL\RDACRE: That •cas so. If a re>pder of tho Oppo­ claim on the ground that the ..tpphcant d1d Sltion; and that amendment was admitted not intend to remain in the electorate, the by tle Council. He thought that the action ccurt \Yould a,k the question-" HavP you oi th·· Council on that occasion might .-ery a fixed purpose of st,aying· in. the eledo· well be taken as a guide to the Committee ratP? " And if the applicnnt chd not affirm in this n1atter. that he had, the court would reject his claim. _u 8.11 p.m., Qucotion-That the Chairman's ruling be The PREMIER mo'.ed that the question disagro0d to-·put; and the Committee divided:- bD UO"\Y put. AYES, 22. :\Ir. RYA:-;r (amid Opposition dissent and 1Ir. Barber Mr. Huxham eli' Jrdor) : What is th<' question? Be1·tram Kirwan Tho CIIAIR::\olAN: That the Council'• Bowman Land ,, Coyne ~' Larcombe amendment be agreed to. , Fihelly , Lennon Mr.' RYAN: \Yhat about Mr. Hardacre'& Foley Mav amendment? Gilday , 0' ~·ullivan f-"-illies , Payne The CHAIR::\ol \N: He did not move it. , Hamilton , Ryan Mr. RYAN: Yes, he did. Hardacre , Theod.or0 Hunter , \Yin::,tanky Afr. HARD.\CRF: asked what they were Tellen: Mr. Bertram an.l }fr. Coyne. diYiding on-the Council's amendmept or the amendment he had just moved? :NOES, 3±. Mr. Appel Mr. Gunn The PnE:11IER: On the motion that the .. Barnes, G. P. ·, Hodge question be now put. .. Barnes, W. H. Luke , B,,bbington Mackintosh Question-That the question bt no" put­ Bell )forgan put; and the Committee divided:- Blair l_)aget :' Bouchard Petrie AYEs, 33. , Bridges Philp Mr. Appel Jir. Gunn Caine Rankin Barnet< G. P. ., Hodge Corser, B. H. lloberts , Barnes, \V. H. Luke , Corser, 1~:. B. C. Ktevcns ., Bebbington }f ttckintosh Crawford ,, ~wayne Bell ~for gall Cribb Tolmie Blair Pacret ,, Denham Trout Bouchard Prt'rie , Forsyth Yowlcs , Bridges Philp Grant \\-elsby Caine Rankin Crayson .. White , Cor~cr, B. H. Roberts TelleT8: mr. Forsyth and Mr. }forgan. , Corser, B. B. C. Stevens Crawford Swayne. PAIRS. ,, Cribb Tolmie '\yes-31Ir. :Th-fcCormack, Mr. Adamson, and Mr. , Denham Trout Murphy. Vowles Xoc~-}Tr. \llan, 1\fr. Kessell, and Mr. \Valker. , ~~~s~~th " White , Grayson Re·:;oln:d in the negative. Tellers: Mr. Bell and l\fr. B. H. Corser. ~1r. HARDACRE ad

order. Before the question was put, he object. ThA mere fact that thejl had '.'such" clear!~ moved .an .amendment. Everybody a home there, meant so1neth1ng different heard ib. from what was defined as " a" home, and The PREMIER: It was not put from the the Council wanted to tie them down to a Chair. fixed homo, with a permanent intention of AYES, 31. remaining there. This had been dropped on Mr. Appel Mr. Hodge ,, Barnes, G. P. them a"- a mere!.) verbal amendment by the , Luke Home Secretary. The amendment was , Barnes, W. H. H Mackintosh , Bebbington ,, Morgan loaded "'nd he trusted the Opposition would Bell I_) a get see th~t 1t was not carried without having Blair Petrie a proper discussion on it. The Home Secre­ , Bouchard ;: l)hilp tarv miiTht withdraw from his position now Bridges Hankin , Caine that he "saw clearly what was the object in , Roberts makinrs the amendment. It was to carry , Cor~:.er, B. H. , Stevens out a mere expression of opinion from the , Corser, E. B. C. ., ~.'\3Y?-C .,, Cra;,,~ford , lolnue representatives of the Government in .another Cribb Trout place, who referred to nomadic workers­ Denham ,, Vowles these useful citizens of Quocnsland-m very , Forsyth , "\Yhite ,, Gunn slighting terms. Tellers: }Ir. Bebbington and .i\fr. }forgan. Mr. LEN?\ON thought tlw argument of NoEs, 25. the ]c,tder of the Opposition was unanswer­ Mi-. Barber J.Ir. Huxham able. The expre,::;sion ".:'luch a ho1ne" waB Bertram , Kinvan neceo::o.;ar..r, by reason of 'vhat \vas done in ., Bowman Land subclause (3). The amendment was made for Coyne , I~arcombe so1no sini.-ster purpose. Fihelly , Lennon Foley }:fav The HOME SECRE1ARY: One would Gilday O'Sulliv~n think that the hon. and learned leader of the Gillies , Payne Opposition 1vas addrcssin7 an inexperienced Grant , ll:yan bm.ch of honorary magistrates-- Grayson , Theodore Hamilton , Welsby :'llr. RYAN: I have great respect for the Hardacre , "\Vinstanlcy mag·istracy of Queensland. Hunter Tellers: Mr. Barber and Mr. Hunter. The HOME SECRETARY: In the style PAIRS. which he is so fond of assuming·. The hon. Aycs-Mr ..\Ilan, Mr. Kessell. and }fr. Walker. member for Herbert wac appa1·ently willing Noes-Mr. McCormack, Mr. Adamson} and Mr. to swallow meekly the opinion of his learned Murphy. leader, as 'a kind of lieutenant. He was Resolved in the affirmative. quite willing to back up his learned leader in an?~ cantention, ho1-Yever erroneous. The On the Council'~ amendment in clau'e 17- hon. member accused him (Mr. Appel) of The HOME SECRETARY moved that the having failed to give all his points of order Council's amendment, on page 6, line 5 .at once. He returned the compliment, and omitting " such," be agreed to. The amend: would ask why, when the hon. gentleman ment was merely verbal. was quoting a clause, he did not give the whole of thP cl·ause. He wished to infer that Mr. RY.l..N rose to oppose ·the motion. this amendment would put a different aspect The hon. gentleman said it was merely a upon the preceding subclause, and he simply verbal amendment. If it was merely a verbal read the first portion. Then, his willing sub­ amendment, he did not know why it was lieutenant rose and said thoro must be a necessary to have it. Why strike out the sinister motive behind the ·amendment. It word "l'uch"? The subclause previously was not necesnrv that this home should be read- in one place. The clause stated- " If he posses,es such a home, it is not " (4.) It is not necessary that this necessary that he should be prc•3ent at home should be in one place in the dis­ it during the whole of any period pre­ trict or division during· the whole of a~y scribed. Absence therefrom, if there is period presci'ibed, but tho person :n .a power of returning at any time and an question must possess a home therem intention to l'oturn, will not prevent a during the ,,hole of such period." legal residence." Yet the hon. gentleman rooe with that He was 'ery curious to know who suggested police courb dogmatic style of his, and en­ that "such" be omitted. ·while the Hon1e deavoured to induce hon. members on that Secretary or the Chief Secretary was ascer­ side, with his learning, to believe tha.t a taining that information, he would give his sinister move was at the back of it, and that opinion wh'· it was omitted. He thought it tho wholr object was by an insidious amend­ w.as omitted because "such a home" ·referre-d ment to further reotriet the question of the to the home specified in the preceding sub­ definition of a home. Why, the whole thing clause (3), which stated that it was not neces­ was too ridiculous It wao too apparent that sary that a person's home should be in one the whole object of the hon. gentleman was place of the district or division during the simply to obstruct the proc'son must possess a home sinister "as that it had been unexplamed to therein with the permanent intention of re­ him why the arrangement which '':as n;ade maining there. That was the idea, beca.use between the Home Secretarv and him aoout hon. gentlemen in another place did not a certain amendment-the one that had just make verbal amendments without some been def<·ated-that his colleague in the Mr. Ryan.J 2810 Elections Act> [ASSE:JiBL Y.] A'mendment Bill.

Legislative Council threw out, had been re­ At 8.36 p.m., pudiated by his chief. He presumed that the The PREMIER moved that the question hon. gentleman >Yould have a word to say be now put. (Opposition disHnt and up- about tlut, because, although they might get roar.) · he"lted in argument, he '' ould b,, very sorry indeed to impute dishonest; to any member. :Mr. IIU::'\TER: He rose to ask thP He thr··;Jght some explanation should be Chairncan whether he considered that th• given. The Home Secretar.• might have said, question had boon sufficiently discussed. ·· 1 \\as mistaken ; I did not quite grasp Tho CIIAIRMA:\': Order ! what vas said." The Chi<:>f Secretary comes in and f.ore verbal a1nendn1ent, that it "\vas Foley Mav Gilday 0' ~~ullivan L:.ninll·Jrtant, inconsC'quential~not vvorth con­ rayne sider~tion. As a matter of fact, as had been Gilli > 'Hamilton , Hy;.n explained by the hon. member for Herbert Hanlflcr,o­ Th.,odore and tho leader of the Opposition, it had a Huntcr ., Winstanley very serious effect on the whole clause, and Tellers: 1Ir. GilliPs and Mr. I~arc01nbe. altered its whole character. The clamd that if a per­ Xops-:Ur. 1IcCormack, Mr. Adamson, and Mr. son po'· ,( ,,,/,d ;,lJch a hOine it v.-as nDt nem '\~ J\Iurphy. sary t~; ·,t ho should bo proo,ent at it during Ecsolved in tho affirmative. the >Yhole of the period prescribed. As the Oncstion-'l'hat tho Councirs am:__ndrnent in Qlause C>ric inally .stood, it provided that if he subclause (4), clause 17,. be agree~ to (M:·· possPss0d .~ nch a h01no as \Vat. n1entioned in A.pwl's moh:on)-put; and the Committee subclauoc (3), the home need not nm essarily divided. . · · h 1 t ] t be in an: one place in the district or divi­ This division wa' identiCal w1t t Ja ·s sion durin.~ any period prcc .!ribcd. It v, as recorded-" . \yrs," 32 ; " N ace,". 22. very .~L·p ngD that they bad reflections cast R"soh·ed in the affirmative. unon thcr"~nds of worthv citizens of that State bv scurr-ilon.Yh1Ch was to JHO> ~~'." th,,t if a 'C>tcr accident.-,Ily dcctroycd ?r mu"l­ forcr t-0 "YCrn1inous loaferd." iated his ballot-paper another m1ght be Tho Is tho hc1. member i~'.:lucfl to hj:..11. rnakino· 1 0e1 the Hon. ::\lr. Bar- c\lr. RYAN: That is not tho object as I lo·j,, jn;:-, ? n'ad it. Mr. : He did not S'-'Y so. The IIO:'-~E SECRETARY: That was how The CHAIRJ\L\N: He, thought the hon. he Howv.·er, to C'lt ti;e matter Ineinhcr's language 1\~as unparlia1nentary. short, ·d that the Connell s amond- Mr. TH~!i:ODOHE: Perh.o.p., he should say mt'nt to. that the-re 1. ere certain .scurrilous, unscrupu~ Mr. RYAN: Eo was opposed to this ·lous indi.-iduals >vho did not hesitate to re· a_:.w·ldnlent, unJcr-,9 it \YUS ;"1.mcndcd. They fleet on tho most \' orthv cla" of their citi­ were told b, the Home Secrctar· th2t the zens. J\__ ferring to th€n1 as "verminouB obj·:ct of tlw· amendment w)s to enable a rnan loafers," pe!bo·ns who would cadge a three­ who mntiliateenn)· beer. but they only referred to people other c 'lC. That might be o·tc . rc1son; but who were vcrv mur h better than thev were there a not her reading of tho am cndmcnt. themsel.-n. Thev had hon. members "in this Th' ;;Ji~,ht be to pre'.'cnt a vot:r Chan1bcr referri;Ig to 1nmnbers as "rogues <'otting another ballot.-pap,,r under cm·tam and vagabonds" in connection with this very ~ircurnstancns. rrho CounciFs amrndment matter. He thought that tho time had come c•1.id that "the presiding officpr .may, if he when som,.},ody should take tho part of those thinks fit issue a second or duphcate ballot­ citizens, . who >vcrP praetiealy rc:1dered in­ paper to' such elector .in ~ubstih1t!on for the articulate if the Bill was carried. original ballot-paper 1f tho ongmal ballot- [3fr. Ryan. Elections Acts [14 NovEMBER.] Amendment B:ll. 2811 paper has beeJJ accidentallv defaced." The in the_ proper way. \Vh-, should any dis· voter had to make a swor1r declaration that cretion be loft to the returning officer on this he had accidentally defaced his ballot-paper, matter. The probability was that voters and the returning officer should have no dis­ would be deprh·ed of their rights bo: the cretion in the matter-no power to display rctuming officer, who would be afra1d vf any partialit·--but it should be imperative doing anything bt·,ause he had not been told. for him to is .ue a second ballot-paper under The other Chamber had not been too kind th•, circnnw'•mces mentioned. Ho moved tlm'­ about this Bill, but he was not going to the \Yards '' mav if he thinks fit" bo omitted criti< ise them, or follow their bad example. with a vic w o( inserting tho ,. ord " shalf.,; He did not wish to delay tho f'ommittee as Mr. LE:\'NON was sorry that tl10 Homo the blc•.soc; g uil!otine would come d~'\ n Secretary, in what might be called his youth­ shortly, "o he \Vauld content himself with fnl impetuosity, said he would refuse to those few brief remarks. accept the amendment. Those of them who had had cxperi-3nce in connection with the The HO::VIE SECRET.\RY: He proposed Elections Tribunals would have become to emulate tho unusual brevity of the leader familiar with manv of the idiosvncrasics of of tho OppSauld render would be all right. The leader of the Op­ position on!;: desired that a voter \'C:lS to be himself liable to a hea,,· pcnalt3· for making a false declaration. restricted to certain thingc. All the amend­ ment provided ,·;as that if a voter fulfilled Mr. HLJKTER intended to support the the conditions laid do·.yn in the clause, it amendment, because it seemed to him to be Wa" not in the pownr of the returning officer a fair proposal. _\ voter went to refuse him a second ballot-;,ap<>". Some [9 p.m.] into a polling-booth, got a bal- han. member said that they did not accuse lot-paper, and accidentally ·rmtil­ the Horne Sccrotarv of dishonest motives, ated or spoilt it, and then went to the re­ but he W'-ls incline~! to acctL'c the Horne turning officer and signed a declarat·~n that Score' ,o,ry in this metter as ooliticall;' dis­ he had accidentally defaced the naper, and honest to the electors of Que msland. vVhy thB original paper was returned and im­ shonld thev leave it in tbe power of a pounded. Why should it not be imperative partisan, w·he_ther he was a Tory or a Labour for the returning officer to issue a second supporter, to say to a voter, " I have an ballot-paper in such a case? Why should idea yon are not voting in the way I want there be anv discretion loft for the retnrn­ you to, and if you make a mistake a_nd ing officer in such a matter? It was most want another ballot-vaper, I will not grve unreasonable on the part of the Home Sec­ vou one." He could qnite understand the retary to rofnse to accept the amendment, flame Secretary not accepting the amend· and he hoped the han. gentlGman would re­ ment if it left anv loophole for corruption, consider the matter. If a man made a false or if a man colild possibly use his first declaration with reference to the defacing ballot-paper and through any excuse get of his ballot-paper, he could be dealt with another one and use it. But, under this Mr. Payne.] 2812 Elections Acts lASSElVIBLY.] Amendment Bill.

dausP, that was an utter impossibility, be­ Question-(M'r, Ryan's amendment)-put cause before he got a second ballot-paper he and negatived. had to produce the ballot-paper that he had On Legislative Council's amendment in defaced. clause 30- Mr. KIRWAN: And if he is voting for a Labour candidate, it is all up with him. 1\lr. RYAN was against the Council's amendment in this clause. As he was anxwus Mr. P A YKE : There was something in that, tD get ou with the discussion, he did not call but it cut both ways. For inYas asked by the Opposition side not to call "Divide." a Liberal Yater for a new ballot-paper, he OPPOBITION 1\l:El\IBERS: Hoax, hear! would have the power to say, "No, I >'-ill not ·;·ive you a second ballot-paper." There ~lr. RYA:'\1: They would simply divide was no redress from an action like that upon when they were gagged. He wanted t'? gtve the 'part of a returning officer, as there wus as much time as possible to the dtseusswn of no appeal provided for in the BilL That the BilL He ''as at a loss to understand why was where the rottenne's of the whole thing the Chief Secretary

The HOME SECRETARY said he rose to which exi•-led in the past would be renewed e,_pLin the pro;·iso, and at the suggestion of in tho future if rnrne provi~ion 1va.s not the hon. member, who asked for brevity, made to preYent them. The slw·:. ing of the h~ ]",ad oa1d he Intended to be brief, and he number on the back of the ballot-paper was JY.oved that the aJ,:c•ndmcnt of tho Legis­ just as essential as showing the initials of lative Council bP agref'd to. lf'or tho n1o1nent tho returning officer. he >vas UJCc'cr the i:-,1[Jrcssion that that was I\.i.r. P ~"- YNE »as one of tho so >vho were not tho only ;,m0ndmont; and it was only against ballot-papers not being initialled. wh n tha Chairman drew his attention to the They had heard a lot of talk about pollu­ fa.ct th~c the words on page 11 wPro part tion and encouraging dishone«t practiCt'B as far of the anwndment which h had already as elections w• ro concerned, Tho Bill set lno·,~cd he agreed to that h~· srnv there \vas out for no other purpose but to open the onl~ tho one aL1endmcnt. door for conuption and L>alpractico in Jvlr. RYAK: That was nftcr the question eycry shape anrl form. It wa' not a good ""'" put"? thing to allow ballot-pape;·s to be put into The HOME SECRETARY: Quit". s-:>. He tho box<' without being initialled. 'fake the \\as unaware for th£ moment that 1t was c •o of a cJuntry elodoraie whore thero ''as part of the amendment.; but hi·• motion only on-~ pre!.>iding olficer and no scrutine~rs. ;. as that the amendment of the Legislative \Yhat was to stop elector'. from puttmg Cou· ,cil bo ap·cod to. frrudulc'nt papera in the box? Tho an1end­ "Hr. Rn5: You unintontiomtlly misled the Pl"nt 'F~-" not a good one, and v, auld not Con11nittee. assict toward.' clean election. Tho IIO:\IE SECRETARY: .Not at all; Mr. RY AJ\': Seeing that they had a solid bc~LlUSG tho am_end.ment is printed. half-hour left before the guillotine droppPd, :\lr R Y.m ; You only referred to page 10. and they might be gagged two or three The HOME SECRETARY: That was the times in the meantime. he would like some po~ition. .,:is far a·~ ho wa.:; conrerned, it \Val) intirnation 'vhether th'-~re y ,~ro an':' aJnend­ i nateria! ·, hother the second part was ments that the ]\linistor ·.-:oulcl disa;sreo to, rnov~d P :;a in or not; but the Chairn1an had b.ecause th~y mi;,-ht rapidly proceed with ruled that it w,ts part of tho amendment of them. He Dir. ·Ryan) had an inclination 1 he Legislati' e Council that had already to;nrds an' thing he ·.vould disagrc" to if it been agrc-: cl to. ,\s Ear as h8 was co nee rned. had been initiated in the LelTi.'' ative ('ouncil. if the C:1airAI1an ruled that it could be put again, he v. as quite agreeablr·, The IImiE SECRETARY: I pro;1oso to agree The Cl:-L-I.IR;,L\.N: I ;;-ould point out to to all tne amendments of the Legislative thee hon. m<·mbor that there is onh one CounciL ; n1endn1cnt in clause 38; but, aj" thorp Mr RY},_N: Ho just wanted to ha ';e t'l:tt ap'•enrs to have been son1e 1nisunderstanding, statement-that all the LPgislativo (\·,uncil's I will put them separately. The question an1endments were to bo accepted. Th17 "'ere i< that t'I~ LcgL,lative Council's amendment going to be governed b,_ a House that was in clause 38, page 10, be agreed to. in no oense reprccentative of the people of Qm,ti_o.: put a;,d pas,ed. Queensland. On clause 38 (continued)- Question-That tho Le;·islative Council's Thc HOME SECRETARY moved that the amendment on clam,e 38, line 11 (Jir. ApJ' l's l,r:g-islative Connell's arrl0ndn1ent in cluuse rnotion) be agreed to-put; and the Com· 38, p1 !!O 11, bo agrcPd to. The paragraph mittee divided:- of , ection 72 which it was proposed to AYES, 31. repeal w "' as follows:·- " Tho elector shall fold up the paper Mr. Appel :Uir. GraYson , Barnes, G. P. GuTin in such a manner as to show the initi-als , Barnes, \Y H. Luke of tho presiding officer on the back , Bebbington ~Iackintosh thereof, and shall e-xhibit ·such initials to Bell Mncros."an thf' pre ,iding officer before he is allowed Blair ,, Morgan to depwit tho paper in the ballot-box." Bouchard , Paget , Bridges Petrie U ndcr tho. provisions of the Bill, the ballot­ , Caine , Philp papers harl not to be initialled, and there­ , Corser, B. H. Stevens- fore that section was mere surplusage. , Corser, E. B. C. " Swayn!' Crawford Tolmie J\lr. THEODORE: This was an alteration Cribb Trout of the prnent Act in regard to the number­ Denham "Vowles ing- of b:t!lot-papers. , Forsyth White Tho I-f01TE SECRETARY: No. 'J.'his deals Grant with initialling. Tellers: l\Ir. Macrossan and Mr. :l\Iorgan" :lfr. THEODORE: Consequent upon the NoEs, 22. in titution of the vrinciple of not initialling Mr. Barber 1\!r. Huxham ballot-pnpe; s. 'fhe Committee had no oppor­ Bertram Kirwan tunities of discthsing that question because Bowman Land of tho action adopted by the Home Secretary , Coyne Larcom be and his chief in gagging the Bill through. Fihel!y Lennon Folev l\lnv The Government had made a most 'oandal­ Gilday O'Sullivan ous use of the gag. They were altering the Gillies ,. Payne "·hole of the electoral s' stem of the State Hamilton Ryan for partY purposes without pro11er discussion. Harda,.re , Theodore Hunter , \\""in ¥tanley ::ifr. LARCOMBE: It appeared to him Tellers": :lfr. Bertram and Mr. Giilies. that the number ehould be exhibited the same as the in.itials of the presiding officer. PAIRS. If that was not done the old evil of per­ Ayes-~h·. Allan, :i\Ir. Kessell, and Mr. Walker. ,,itting b.1lot-papcr' to b0 taken out of the Noes-}fr. jfcCormack, Mr. Adamson, and Mr. booth and spurious papers substituted would :Vlurphy. b;: reintroduced. They knew that the eYils Rnolven in the affirma.tivc. Mr. R1jrtn 2814 Elections Acts [ASSEIVIBLY.] Amendment Bill.

On new claus" 41-'' Repeal of section which he sa\V mentioned in the paper. Ho 76A "- saw that a woman had to pay lOs. and a man The HOME SECRETARY: The next £1 before thDy Dould say who was to repre­ ~amondinont \Yas on the san1e page, line 16, sent the so·called Liberal party. And, no clause 41, as follows:- doubt the funds raised in that democratw nmm1~r would be spent in educating electors " SL. •jon 7fA of tho con,,olidatcd Acts as to whnre they should put the cross. is ropr:-alcd." The CHAIRMAN: Order ! The hen. mem­ That v, as a clauc in tho consolidated Act to ber's renH:trlc-, have no bearing on the amend­ .deal >Yith the intention of the voter, and was n1ent. as follov.3:- 1 " .:'i'otwithstanding anything in this Act Mr. RYAN: He thoug-ht they had, and he contained. no ballot-paper hall be re­ 1va, going to co':1ne·..:t his remarks -with the jected merely bccau'e of some infor­ an1endment because lYhen he ca1ne across an amcndrrwnt' of that f ')rt and simultaneously n1ality, or allc;_ Pd informality, in the manner m · hioh it has bPen deale S..t\V a levy rnade upon tho "e who \vere sup­ with b;· the elector or !·residing poc~d tc support that Liberal party-a pure extortion-h:2 wonJere.J 'rhy the Gov,_ rnment d~~c~r ~ if it is rpe;ular in other respech, and if, in tho opinion of the had not included !n the Biil a provision that only those who could proJu.•'D lOs. or £1 return1.ng cJficor, the inh~ntion of the elector in voting is clf a pencil upon the ballot-raper, the ballot­ shall bo ;.Djectc.l at the close of the poll." pa)1er muct be rejected, although the inten­ :Mr. :'.1oRGAN: ·where is the ;mudge? tion of the vnt'·l' was abcdutr·h- clear. If there was the dighte-t informa'!ity, it was to be throvvn IBER.] Amendment Bill. 2815

Labour candidate would not be able to do regard to ballot-papers and suchlike,_ and it that. He had heard no reason why the was almost impossible to get a considerable amendrr.ent should be accepted, and he number of people to vote absolute!;: perfectly, trusted that even at that late hour the as they were required to do by tlus B1lL sense of justice left in them would lead Mr. ;}L\CRObSAN : .How do you define them to rcjc-Jt the amendment. 'When speak· ing on the second reading of the Bill he ''perfect,;'! pointed out how, first of all, men were kept Mr. LE:'>IXO="!: It must be letter per­ off the roll, and then how when they were fect. The returning officer was t~e sole on the roll they were prevented from voting ; j udgo us to ,, hcther a vote ,va~ nencct or and now t!,ere _, ..• s a provision inserted which uv-. The returning oflicer had a re:bponsl· might prevent their votes being counted after bility ca~ upon hitn, as th~ Honv) t:K.cret3;ry tho:· harl actually been cast. (Government said, of keeping the1n as either fonrtal or_ 1n~ lau');hter.) It was all very well for hon. mem. for.,..J:ll. Th,:t bt'illg so, did hon. rr~cinbers hers to laugh. but he said that any man who not realise what a splendid opponumty that read the Bill through would see that that affor led a pr:__:3iding officer naY:u_g pol;.ucal kind of thing ran right through the Bill. hi as '! Ho had co1ne across prcsHhng offic?rs ,,·ho had sho\Yn pohticd birs, couplccl wlth Tho HO:JIE SECRETARY: All the con­ the grJsscst ignoranct.:. Hr h.1d. known a pro­ fusion and trouble which had arisen at elec­ ,iding officer who h"d adod m Queensland tions had ar:sen over the question of inten­ for l-~.-cnr~--four years, an cduc<.Ltr·d man, \Yho tion. Tho ballot-papers under this Bill were had c Jmc in contact with S} stem·- of YOT-mg not to be initialled, they auld bear consecu­ h ... hcr than our own, ::nd bt:cau.se a certain tive nun1hei.,, the elector ·vr~lS to place a cross u~L.abcr of puop]u vvcnt out of their O\\·n against the name of the person ho intended polling-place, and ', ·Jted in an _adja~ent tow!1 to oto for, and his vote was to be either vd1cru tht::.re was a]::,rJ a polhnl_, -place, this formal or informal; and that was as returning officer put acide no less than it should be. But the leader of the Opposi­ f:·~xteen yotE.-s for r.--:parate trrat:c1rnt, and tion \vas al"";Ya o;s irnputing sinister 1not1ves. ,cnt them do-.\ n to the returning- officer. The hon. mori::bcr reminded him of what \\'hat WetS the sequel I \Vh~n thcsJ sixteen Shak< .pcaro said in Othello"- papers \\ :>rP open· d up to sc \.Yhy the pre- " Trifles lig-ht as air are to the jealous iding ofliccr did tha1, it ;- .· s found that confir:nation strong- as proofs of Holy filtcen of the Yates ·o se.J.:. aside \Ycro cast for vVrit." him (:Vlr. Lennon) and one nf the vote' for his opponent. Did not that in die -tie political That was t"he whole of the arg-ument of the bias. han. mEmber. The PHEMIFU : 1 should like to hear some· ·,hing n1ore about it. 'Ylr. LE?\NOX: It \Yas all very well for the Home Secretary to give them a quota­ ~,lr. LE~~O~: The po·, er in this clause tion from Shakesp•eare, which he had care­ dfordcd presidinc. o!Iic<'rs a field ol operations full:· written cloY. n. Surely the han. gentle­ ,, hi col Lo'' \Yho had a politicctl bi"s had ma:, oug-ht to be achamed of these lo·,,·-down, ncv·er hidwrto had. That was why ho was dodging tricks. In no State of Australia ;trcngly oppm cd to tho rep e.,! c f section 76A could they find an Elections Act which did of the consolidated Acts. not contain such a provision as that which it was proposed to repeaL IV as it not a re­ 1\Ir. THEODORE thought that very good markable thing that it was now discovered rlctson.-; had been urg-ed for the retention of that it was an objectionable feature in an ocction 7&.~ of the consolidator! Acts. It Elections Act? 'l'he provision which it was \Yould at least scn·c as a guid& to thos& re­ proposed to repeal was in effect that so long turning ofliccrs who desired to do their duty. as the intention of the voter was indicated, He had no doubt that those returning officers any slight informality in the ballot:paper constituted the vast majority of tho return­ should not render his vote informal. A ing officers in Qcwensland. But when they highly competent gentlerr.an-a professional had such political mountebank; as those who man 1-vho had a very great experience in were controlling tho destinies of ('ucensland these matters-had reminded him that in a to-eLy-- recent local option vote in which the voters lvere voting for t·wo ··itcrr.._s, one person put The PRE}IIER asked that the words n1ountebanh:s" be a cross on the division line between the two " political v:ithclrawn. que<.tions, and the returning officer g-ave a Th" CHAIRJYL\.N: I· must ask the hon. vote to each. He mentioned that fact to rr:wntber to \Yithdra w tho exprc<::.sion. show wh~t _kind of people returning officers and pres1dmg officers were, and ,,•hat they :\h. THEODORE withdre-v the n:prcssion. might do. Ho \could saY tho action of th- pa ty that The PRE1!IER : On that argument we may no· cont10\Jc.d the destinies of Queensland claim your vote for this amendment. calhcl for \Terv se\Terc L.._rictu:·C'- Tho han. b'"' .. tlen1an h_; 81. ~-ba~, aucl llc"ired to gag Mr. LEJ\KON: Certainly not. any ( rit1cis:n by thn Op1 ~s.ihon b: applying The PRE:IIIER : \Vhy not? the ~-a~~ and guillotine. The PH1.;·TIEH: It is a qucsti( 1 of time no;v. }fr. LEN:\'OK: The hon. · cnJcn: m muse. under .. •- 111d thi,·. The PrncHIER: I (~O not. 1\i+-h in­ his \Vork, )1r. r_:GX:\'ON: There --·cr no pcorlo 1rty frorn a"< tl1c.::>c who \Vould not und:~rst 11cL fm1rrht rycral ole ctions hir:1sclf, and Tl- ~ l:RE~\ IEf1: You ha .. o l:o_ the "'( i:1 thr' conduct of clc.-.tions on 0 r:i.- sn.re; you h _ e nc.L thr I( Ll'3t_, to nrn·(ir," for vcr:;.T lo.l-::' ,d ~' rw· do it. and had Ya.ri:~d cxp ~ric-nee with 28111 Elec1';'rms Acts [ASSEThiBLY.] Amendment Bill.

Mr. THEODOHE: Tho pns0nt Govern­ NOES, 22. mr nt htd lost "ll smr:e. of fairncJs and poli­ Mr. BarlJer :J.lr. Ruxham hcct! fau· play and pohtwal decencv. He had B~-:rtram Kinl .1n not !hr) slightcc.t d~mbt that as such a pownr , Bowman L9Jn(~ had boBn pbccd m then· hands bv certem c.---vue L,n8ombo Icri- lators iu another place, whv" had ~10 ,, Fihelly l,cnnon , Foley , :May scmph abou~ ·landering tho "·orthv citizens ,. Gilday O'Sullivan of thi; SJ 1to-IGovernment di:.,2nt)-now Gillies ra\nl 1h,-,:: the l;,J\HT ~~Ta,s place,l in their h.::,nds , Hamilton , Ry'n.n they would r:se it to thn fullest and most , Hardacre Th 0 odore ll' ... , r:Ipulou., cxt·•nt. L~t them · pnoint their , Hunter \Yinstnnle-y fncnds as rc .. urning ofJiners, and cfisfr:'nc~isc Tellers: !VIr. Hardacre and ~Ir, \Vinstanley. the Labour 'oters, c·': they v, ould not hPsit:tte to do when opportunity 'ocv1rred. The fact PAIHS. th~t th·.y had intr-duced this Bill under tho Aycs-:Mr. Allan, :1\fr. KC'ssell, and ~fr. \.Valkrr. cmllctrn': nwthods sho"·ed that thev would NoPs-Mr. 1\::IcOormack, Mr ..Adamson, and Mr. go furth, r. • Murphy. Resol:ved in tho affirmatiYe. Tho CI-LHR:\I \K: Order ! Th- hon. mem­ ber i: not in ardor. He nnmt confinL hiL-sclf to th:._ qucr.;Lion. Question-That tho Legislative Council's now chnse, to follow clauee 40, be agreed to­ j\J1·. TIIEODORE: The lluostion before the put; and the Committee diYidcd :- Committee wes the repeal of a section that had done a certain ~~mount of AYES, 31. [10 p.m.] ':oocl, if onl:. as a guide for 1Ir. "~P!~d J\::r. Hedge Barnes, G. P. Luke thofr: gentlo~~lPn acting <-JR ro~urn­ , E~rne-~, \V, H. , }f a(;artney ing' 1vho a of fair play and ofiiv::~r~ ~n~ sons~ , Bt~Jbington Mackintosh dc,:oircd to Jo tx1Qlr duty; and when they Bell , l\i aero-..~ tn S1~v ,omo 1;1ark on the ballot-j""'J1Cr that , Blair , Morgan lTIIg~t cv_I;cl~Ivabl.• o'~r nYise b' infonnal, if , Bouchard P,bour suppor;tcrs, SM>: that thn,- might gain Denham Yowlf"s sow: pett0 pohtK:d pomt by wiping out that For,_,y:h " Whito ~ectl.on, Tha7 wa: the on!:, moti:vo that had Gra'\~"on \Yilliums mspu·ed them. , Gurln Te!leTB: l\Ir. Bell and :Mr. B. H. Corser. JVlr. M.w;:OSSAN int rjccted. NoEs, 22. J\Ir. T~{EC'DORE: It :·.Is no usc the hon. i.Ir. Barber 3-Ir. Huxham nwmber mtcqcctmf:". He would get no oppor­ Bertram Kirwan tumty of J;lakmg a speech upon thi~ Bill to­ ,, Bowman Land mght, lwccu:sc he \\'ould occupy the full time. Coyne Larcombe Fihelly Lennon GOVER~:\IENT J11K'IIBERS: Shan1e, sha1ne! Foley , :ltfay Gilday O'Sullivan )_~._t four 1ninuL• to 10 o'clock, Gillies Payne Hamilton Ryan Thr PRE=liF.R: I move that i he quesLion Rardacre Th ·adore be no:\ put. (Opposition dissent,) Hunter , Winstanley ~Ir. BERTR 'I.J\1 rose to a poim of order. 'Pe11ers: )fr. Hunter and Mr. Payne. PAIRS. Qur,tion put; and the Committee Ap,-lYir. Allan, !VIr. Kessell, and Mr. Walker. divided. Xof's~}fr. M('Cormack, 1\:Ir. Adamson~ and Mr. :Murphy. In di.-ision- Resolved in the affirmative. Mr. RYAN: \Yhat is the rPason for moving tho gag? At eight minutes past 10 p.m., Th" PRE1!IER; The hon. member for Chil­ The CHAIRMAN said: Under the pro· la(io<> is prostituting his opportunity by vili­ visions of Standing Order No. 251, and pur· fying h1s poht10al opponents. suant to an Order of the House made on the 13th instant relative to this Bill, I now pro­ ceed to put the necessary questions to dis­ !VIr. Appel !VIr. Hodge pose of the remainder of the Bill. The ,, Barnes, G. P. Luke question is-That the remaining amendments , BarnE~, \V. H. , Mackintosh of the Legislative Council in the Bill be , Bebhington Macrossan agrcecl to. (Opposition dis"ent and disorder.) , Brll ,, l\Iorgan , Blair , Paget , Bouchard , Petrie ,, Dric1gr-s , Philp Question put; and the Committee divided. Caine , Stevens , Corser, B. H. , Rwayne In didsion- , Crawford Tolmi_e ::\fr. HARDACRE "'ked if, under Standing­ Cribb ,, Trout Order 251, the questions should not be put Denham , YowlPs , Forsyth , Whit· separately? g~~~~son ,. \VilUams Tho CHAIRl\IIAK :. Order! It is not neces­ :: sary to nut all tho questions separately. I put Tellers: :J.Ir. l\forgan and :Jfr. Swayne. them all together. [Mr Theodore. Elections Acts Amendment Bill. [14 NoVEMBER.] Local Authorities, etc., Bill. 2817

::\Ir. HARD.\CRE: You have no right to The House resumed. The CHAIR:\1AN rE,. overrule our Standing Orders and everything ported that the Committee had afl'eed to the else. The Chairman has no right to do that amendment,; of the Legislative Coun01l. at all. You must put e:tch question sepa­ rately. Tho HOlliE SECRETARY: I move that the report be adopted. Mr. RYAN raised a point of order as to why tho Chairman did not put each question The SPEAKER pnt the; questior. separately. The Standing Order read- Mr. RYAN rose. " c\ t 10 p.m. the Chairman shall put forthwith e' cry question to be decided The SPEAKER declared that the " Ayes " without amendment or debate necessary had it, amid Opposition dissent. to dispose of the outstandmg clauses of Mr. RYAK : What, what? the Bill." Mr. CoYxE : This is the worst gag of all. The PRE:l!IER: Read on-" or other mat­ OPPOSITION J\'fE;,~BERS interjecting. ter.'' Mr. RY_\1\ asked for a ruling on his point 'rhe SPEc;\ KER : Order, order f of ord•"r. If the Chair·man put all the ques The HOJ\lE SECRETARY: I beg to movo tions at once, it would mean that the Govern­ that the Bill be returned to the Legislative ment could not def,·at any of the amendments, Council by mehage in the usual form. if they wished to do so. The Government would have to vote a~ainst them all. Mr. RYAN rose. The HOME SECRETARY: There is no point of The SPEAKER put the question, and de­ order. clared that the " AyE"·" had it. Tho CHAIRMAN: The Government have Mr. HARDACRE: All the amendments should agreed to all of the amendments. not have been put together, as \\e might have Mr. RYAN: That has nothing to do with voted for some and against others. the procedure of tho Committee. Every ques­ Mr. RYAN: I wad in favour of some of the tion should be put separatel3. amendment' myself. Mr. IIAY\IILTON: This is the first time it has ever been clone in this way. The limn; SECRETARY: A very good r:eason for doing it now. LOC.\.L AUTHORITIES ACTS AMEND­ Thlr. FnrELLY: It is another breach of MENT BILL. r;rivilege. MES~AGE FROAI LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (No. 2). Mr. RYAN: \Ve cannot alter anv of the amendments cyen if "e wish to do so. The SPEAKER announced the receipt of a Mr. COYNE: It is the rottenest thing that mes;,nge from tho Legislatiye Council, inti­ has eYer been clone in the (Juecnsland Par­ Jnating that they in~isted on their ameudnwnt liarncnt. ia transpoFt d clause 22 (now clause 7) and did not insist on the other amendments. l\lr. FrHELLY: Parliament was called to­ (Vide " Hansard," page 2782.) gether early for the sake of this. 'I'lw CHAIRMAN: The HO::\IE SECRETARY: Mr. Speaker, I beg to movu that you do nmo. leave th' AYES, 32. chair to permit of the message of the Legis Mr. Appel ~ir. Hodge lative Council being· taken into comideration ,, Barnes, G. P. , Luke in Committee forthwith. , Barnes, ,V. H. , Macartney , Bcbbington ,. Mackintosh Question put and pasFed. , Bell , Macrossan , Blair , Morgan ,, Bouchard , Paget COMMITTEE. , Bridges , Petrie , Cor,,cr, B. H. , Philp , Crawford Stevens Mr. RY u-.;: Have we got to swallow this Cribb Rwayne all in one dose, too? (Laughter.) There Denham Tolmie were some of mv amendments passed in the , Forsyth Trout Elections Acts Amendment Bill, and they Grant , Vowl}s were never even submitted to me. , Grayson White , Gunn , Williams At 10.20 p.m., Teller.<: ~fr. Boll and Mr. Grayson. NoEs, 22. The CIIAIRJ\1AN: Under Standing OrdH Mr, Barber .Mr. Huxham No. 11, I call upon the hon. member for Ikrtram , Kirwan Brerr.er to relieve me in the chair. , Bowman Land Covne , Larcombe Mr. CRIBB took the chair accordingly. :: Fiholly Lennon , Folry }f'),y The HO::'!l.E SECRETARY: 'I'he Legis· ,. Gildav o•s'uilivan lative Council had insisted upon their Gillir'S ,, Payne amendment in clauc,e 7, inserting ·the words Hamilton HYan " Subsection eight of the said section is re­ , Rat 1acrc ,. Thoocl< re pealed." B:. the repeal of that section an , Hunt('r .. WinsLnley appeal wac allowed to the Home Department TelleJS: Mr. Gilday and Mr. 'Winstanley. in the case of a local authority refusing to PAIRS. -accept the plans of a subdivision. That sec­ J\.ycs-Yir. All9n, Mr. Kessell, and Mr. Walker. tion merch· refPrrcd to roads which had 1'\ops-::\fr. McCnrrq_ack, Mr. Adamson, and Mr. dea-d ends· m the proposed diyi,ion. The Murphy. Legislative Council were of the opinion that Resolved in the affirmative. some right of appeal should be allowed to the 1913--8 K Hon. J. G . .Appel.] 2818 [ASSEMBLY.] Amendment Bill.

Bome :qepartm9nt as in the caS·' of ordinary a big cost for maimenar-co, and the South plans of subJiviHons. The local authorities Brisbane Council had r2fused to agree to the were opposed to tl1e arnendn1ent on tne plans, and tho est«te-owher then wao~ted to guund that hitherto they had had that right go to the :Minister and get him to approve of veto HI connection with such roads. As of it. Now they had an amellctm.ent from he had indicated last night, his inclination the Council v:hich -.ould allow uf d1at bemg was that that power should be still left with clone, and possibly the Mii1JSter might grant the loca! authorities, but as that was t,hc the permission against the wish of tht~ i::iouth only difference between the Ac·1embly and t.he Brisbane Council. Council, «nd as It simply embcliCcl the ri .. ht of appeal to the Minister, which had !::~en 'l'.he HOME SECRETARY: Your argument j,; affinned oYer and over agdill in (~:fiel~JlJt loc,J that the Minister is going to perpetrate an Acts, he moyecl that tho Committee do not i1.justice a::a,nst ·tho local authonty. llJSif't on d1 :agn•eiJ g to the au1r>nclruent of the Council. Mr. HARDACRE: Ko; he did not say that. It was possible that the Ministu might J.fr. RYAN said he was impressed by what ~eciclo in favour of the South Brisbane tho Home Sccreta1·y said the dhcr evening CounciL But the amendment made it pos· when the bon. gentkman said he did not sible for tho Minister not to do justice to mtend to agree to tho amendment of the the council, and the very object Co':'ncil, but now, when theo cracked the [10.30 p.m.] of it was to Bnable the Minister wh1p over the hon. gentleman, he agreed to do somethin~ against the With them. \Vhat had happened between dec :sion of the local authorities. Consciously, then and now? or unconsciously, it was giving the right to ratepayers or owners of estatc:s to go over The HOME SECRETARY : The spirit of " sweet reasonableness." the heads of the local authorities, and he thoue;ht that the section should be retained in the Act. M;r. RYAN: He was sorry that that sp1nt had I,ot develo~oed a little earlier in The HOME SECRETARY: The hon. the evening. He did not intend to agree rr.ember was assuming that in every case tho with the Council's a·nendment as he had Minister would deliberately perpetrate an had some representations uacl~ to him by act of injustice on the local authority. For the local authoritiFs in regard to the matter the information of hon. members he might and so had the hon. gentleman. Had th/; exhibit a plan which had been sub'nitted to Home Secretary turnFd down that long- letter a loc1l authority, and which had comvay pro· perty-in fact, that was the only way in Mr. RYAN: The Local Authorities' As­ which it might be subdivided. The local sociation had asked them not to agree to it authoritv had refused to accept it. The re­ and the hon. gentle!iien had not shown wh; peal of that section gave the right of appeal he had turned down th~ Local Authorities' to the Minister. Y estorday, he had roceJved Association. He (J.Ir. Ryan) did not want a letter similar to that. received by the to be told that th.e hon. gcmtleman wa' co n­ ltader of the Opposition-in fact, the secre­ promising' with the Legislative Council with­ tarY of the assoc.ia tion sa \v hi1n, and he out being given the rcaso.~_ls for that co_n­ tol(l him that he would endeavour to see P"'OI?-it:e, and} until tho~e reason;;> were given, that the pmYer was retained, ae he knew he mtcndod to occupy thF full privileges that there had been no abuse of it. But the all'?wed to him under th· Stand:ng Orders, Le,islati' o Counc'l had accepted what h" which were somet~nJes denied to hin1, as rcg~rdd as the most important of the amend­ happened a little while ago. Jronts '"hich had been made-that giving the ::\iinistcr pov.·cr to require that each rate. Mr. HARDACRE said this p;·inoiple was payer sbould ex-Prci:::u-' only one vote at cer~ the most contentious matter in the whole bin r J1!s-and ho nroposul to accept the Bill. i:)r)n1o of the local authoritiu, hn ~ llten­ :menClmc•1t. inasmuch as it embodied no new tioned the matter to him and t h.,. were principle, t 1t si1Eply <"arricd out the prin­ exceedingly indigna ,t :tt 'the , ln·t.g'ht of ,-:p]? of a•1pcal to the Minis•er which per­ taking tl1~t l'O'

Th,, Hol\:IE SECRETARY: l\ ons: nso! I-IT~'~TER, ,yn_·.. rca1I:v surprised at the w of tlw J'.lini·ctcJ·_ wh<, wa" the self- Mr. HARDACRE: _\t th.• pre-·n• t'mo the st, chan1pion of local authorities. local anthoritics had th•' righc to object to 'l'he Hmm SECRETAHY: An:l properly con­ such blind roads or ~tree:, , or apnr~ve c.f sider~d so. th~ plac1'. subject to th' c t•cl'tion of th P e_tate-owne1~ n1nint 'i.:ing "he blin:l strc-ot-; :"~r. j-fTT~TTER: 'rho hon. f(entle nan now or ro.,ds. No,Y, it 1vas prop:'sed to ta!n that down and took a' ·ay from them the rip-ht away a~1d -.uo,v -n fl')J.>P11 La the to say that tlwie towns c1wuld not be :3Iiniste:r, and tho =:~,Ii ·i~ter r'i ht 11 w cstatr~­ U") in an:.- \\'C'c- that anybody p)e \,sed. O\Vners to subdi\~idc e: ~a'-,,~;;; with b11,-·d strr·r>ts ag-ain·t the v-ishc,- of the lo< .d au+horit"' '- ''t"-­ Tho EO}IE S'CRET\RY: He giw' the right of ap;;cal, that is all. cerntd. Thf rc W"lS a ·Case in South BriSbane where an ostatc-own< r wrntcd to snbdiyide a 7~ l\llr. HUNTER : Yesterday he was not pre­ <>state with a blind ro-,d which would invol\re pared to do so; now he was. What sort of [Han. J. G. Appd. Local Authoritie8 Acts [14 NovEMBER.] Amendment Bill. 2819

business was that? He held that the local in subdividing land than was the Home Sec­ authorities v.ho had to bear the expense& retary or his agent, and he hoped the amend­ of the upkeen of their roads should have the ment would be rejected. right to decide such matters; nobody had a. bettrr right than they should have. No Mr HARDACRE: The Home Secretary survec<~or should interfere, and certainly no gave ·an il!u?tration in which a stree~ in an Government should< interfere. The local estate that it was proposed to subdrvrde had authorities were not going to fall out with a dead end which abutted on a railway, and the ratepayers. In fact, his experience had said it was neceswry to survey the street been that they were always anxious to do· in that way in order to enable the owner ~ v. hat th·~ ratepayers desired should be done, and he did not think they had taken up an cut up the land, and that rt was only fmr unfair attituae in regard to tho subdivision that tho owner should nave the right of of lands. Sometimes people were anxious to appeal to the Minister. The owner already hn ve as fnw streets or as narrow streets as had the right of appeal, and it did ~ot need possible in subdivided estrE SECRETARY : They comprise 95 per cent. of the cases. Mr. RYAN: He had received a letter in which it was stated that the amendment was Mr. HUNTER: It did not follow that not ":mted by the local authorities. ~ho they would always contain that provortion. did want the amendment? 'Who ''as behmd If the country did not clevelop, Brisbane it? Who was behind the Government? Who could not do so ; nor would the hon. gen­ had ,asked for the amendment? What tleman always be Home Secretary. He specific individuals or land-jobbers had thought he had quoted a case on the previous asked for it? day in which the Home Secretary had sent an agent to Roma, and he had agreed with The HOME SECRETARY: Doe: not the Jetter tho land jobber. von have received state that the Institute of Sur:voyors ask for it? The HOME SECRETARY: He \\as a most com­ petent man. Mr. RYAN: The letter he had received read as follows:- ::\Ir. HUNTER: He had a conversation with him, and although th»y did not go into "Tho Local Authorities' Association of the matter very minutely, he understood that Queensland. he w01s c-oing to do the very opposite of what he did. He thought that he was going "Adelaide Chambers, against th~ propc•oal to cut up the estate, " 42 A drlaide street, but he ascort Jr locatwn. 1nak-e it t['_) l:rv;, and if 'this an1endmcnt 1vas "2. That no inj ust1ce has -arisen up to not earrind, it ,;ould not be the law. In the present in the ad __ illnistration of sec­ aC'cepting :tn {tlllOndment in the nr ~ceding tion 76 18) of tho abo.-e Act;, nor have clause the previous day the Minister dicl the po"·crs confe"'rccl by that sccti0:1 been wrong and he '"as doing wrong in a0cepting exe"cisrd arbitrarily. thie amendment, as it was in the interest "3, That the Que··nsland Institute of of land jobbers who were not con< 'rned about SuYvevors, .:>~t "\Yhose insta'h e th·-, abovB be1utifying or building u:) a to,~·n or cit:v, cmendmont has been introdur"d, was but wanted to make as much ont of their reqt'est0d to cite spe,nific ca

" 4. That, had an instance been cited, 'Mr. RYAN: It had been suggested that the local authority named would have the large towns to the south and west of been notified and requested to state the Brisbane had had influence brought to bc•ar case from their point of view. or. thorn. · " 5. That tho above amendment is The Ho:;m SECRETARY: The whole thing broug~1t forward in the interests of sur­ has come from the Institute of Surveyors. veyors, and not of !oral authorities, nor of the general public. Mr. RYAN: He was only doing what he thought hio duty. The hon. gentleman had "6. That the ·above amendment has reiueed to acc0pt an amendment, and what not been requcoted by any local authority had transpired since? nor by the association. ' The Hmm SECRETARY: A " spirit of sweet " 7. That the above ·amendment is not cornprornise., wanted by any local authority nor by the association. Tho bell indicated that the hon. member's time had expired. "8. That such amendment shoLild not be accepted until the ·association has been heard upon the matter. Question--That the Gommittee do not in­ "9 .. That no circumstances exist to sist on their disagreement with the Legis­ warrant the amendment or justify its lative Council's amendment in line 58, trans­ acceptance, and there is, consequently, no )COsed clause 22 (now dause 7)-put; and the urgency to rush it through at the last Committee divided :- moment at the end of the session. " A ,imilar letter is being forwarded AYES, 32. to the Hen. the Home Secretary to enlist Mr. Appel Mr. Luke his support hereof. , Barnes, G. P. , Macartne-y " Trusting that the above will receive , Barnes, ,V. H. Maekintosh , Bebbington Macros sac your fayourable consideration, and that Bell Morgan for the reasons stated the amendment Blair Paget will be rejected. nouchard Petrie , Bridges Philp "I have the honour to be, Caine Roberts "Sir, Corser. B. R. Stf'V('llS Crawford Rwayne "Your obedient servant, Denham Tolmie , Forsyth Trout "WILLIAM MoRSE, Secretary.'' Grant Vowles White g~~~~on He deemed it his duty, when he got a letter , Williams from an association Df that kind, to see that Tellers: ~fr. G. P. Barnes and Mr. Macrossan. he got at least the last piece of information possible in Tesponse to their request. Conse­ NoEs, 21. quently, he shou1d like to know where the Mr. Barber "fr. Ruxham specific instances were. Bertram Kirv.,'an El)wman Land The HoME SECRETARY: I cited one. Coyne Larcombe , Fihdly Lennon Mr. RYAN : Where is that 1 Foley o:sullivan. Gilday , Payne The HOME SECRETARY : There is no necessity Gillies Hyan Hamilton Theodore to indicate where. Hardacre Winstanley Hunter Mr. RYAN: That was what he would like 7'ellen: JYir. Gillies and Mr. Huxham. to kno"'· The HOME SECRETARY : I can toll you this, PAIRS. without specifying- the names, that it is in Ayrs-}fr. Allan, 1\fr. Kessell, and Mr. Walker. my own electorate. Koes-Mr. McCormack, Ml'. Adamson, and Mr~ Murphy. Mr. RYAN: He now saw who was behind the Government. J:\esolved in the affirmative. The HOME SECRETARY : I had nothing to The House resumed. The @HAIRMAN re­ do with it. ported that the Commit;tee did not in.sist _on tbrir di,:l;:;reerncnt :v1th the L_egJslatJve Mr. RYAN: It might haYe had something Council's amendment m clause 7, hne 58. t.:J do with the han. gentleman having a I ittlc· line. The report was adopted. The Bjll ;yas orrlered to bl' returned to the LcgJSlatJve The HO)IB SECRETARY: I think I could Council with the following message, spc.1k for the local authorities if it came namely:- to a que::.tion. " Mr. President,- Mr. RY.\N: He was not suggesting " ThD Legislative Assembly, having financially had und0r consider•ation the message of The HO'\IE SECRETARY: No; I mean political the Leocielative Council of date the 14th intere,t. November, relative to the Local Autho­ ritim Acts .\mendment Bill, beg now to Mr. RYAN \vould lilm to know whether intin1atc that thc'y- an} other hon. member sitting behind the '· Do not insic~ upon their disagree· Govern·nent h ,d beeu pulling a little wire n1ent to the an1end~1cnt in transposed in regard to this matter? clause 22 (now 7), line 58, on which the Tho HOME SE 0 RETARY: Oh, oh ! Legislative Council have insisted.'' r.v r, Ryan. Pure Seeds Bill. [14 NovEMBER.] Pun Seeds Bill. 2821

PDRE SEEDS BILL. Any lucerne seed cvntaining dodder wou 11EBS.iGE l!"RQ}I COUNLIL. not be true to type, and no seed would ( allowed to be told if it contained " a great~ Tho SPL"cKEH announced the receipt of proportion or amount of foreign ingredient a l11Cssage iro n the Council rcturni·1 ,, this than is preocribcd." Bill wiLh amc"dmonts, irt which thebv re­ quested the conc.trrence of the Assembly. Mr. HUJ'\TER : It seerr.ed to him that this was a VGry important amendment. It simply COKSIDERATlO"f OF MEPC iGE IN C01LIIITTEE. meant that the warrantv would be that seeds contained "no greUter Proportion or amount Clause 5-'' Invoice to be o-ivon by vendor· of foreign ingrodientb than is prescribed " 'varranty n- b ' by the regulations. vVhether seed was true The SECRETARY FuR AGRICULTURE to ty )G, whether it was good, or whether it {II on .•J. White, Jl U'grave) said that the last "auld g·erminate, did not enter into con­ paragraph cla'lSc-'' \\~arranty ''-as sideration at all. Tho amendment emascu­ it kit tlw read- hted the clause and would render it value­ ,, ,_r.:h "tutement in any such invoice, ]c,,. l;nder the amcnrlment it would be pos­ agr, 21nent, circular, or advert1sernent sible to ask a seed merchant for seeds, and shall. uotv~·it 11standi~1g any agrccrnent to Le could give am kind of seeds. He could th t 0.1trar~., <..Jnstltute a v. arran tv by sell anv kind of poL·toc;, dwat, or other 1 ~·l'" ' ,1- 01' _that such seeds are for l)lant­ ~c~c~ ,,Ti~ho1~1t guarantef'ing thmn. That was Ing Ol' ~o1nng, and :Lro of tho kind or not what the farmers wanted. The0 wanted ki (; lCc!fied, u.nJ are true to tvpe ced that v .10: true to t,- pe, and to knovv if and cle'!ned, and braded, cind thv.'>P Rt ~d3 had lost thoir germinating povrer thou~ po~.. ·er of gcnninution or ro+ i\._ll that v-c._s v, anv y;duC' to t~_cf...: torcd 1n any tank or othor faune· s had l.ccn taken out of the Bill. It <.trd r'Jntain no greater }lro- ,,·o'llcl be mooch better if the Governrnent threw out the Bill altrgeth·,r, instead of portwn or n,nw,nt of foreio·n0 ingredients tln.n is pn... 'Tibe 1." nllowin J another placo to en1asculate it in that 1' a~·. 'They •'oro , 1bjcct to tiLt The Couwil omitted the clause at first, but ) ind of thing clll this SeGSion, n::.ere!y be· they were no• prr,,ared to agree to the da·L'O, provided the • ·ords- cac1so thPy ''anted to nwh through tho busi· ness and end ihe 1usinoss. He did not mind ~' and aru true to Lj pe, and drec.:sod, Ri rikin:: out the -\ ords " storPd in a tank or cleaned, and graded, and have not lost wmB other recepbcle." That would not their !!Ower of germination by being ·natter mu~h, but they should not ag-ree to stored 1n any tank or other receptacle,'' the striking out of the reference that the were OLlittcd. 'The words which the Council s,. cis •nust be true to type or that they must propose I to omit had been inserted in the be graded. He knew that the Minister could A, ·embl:v, on the motion of the han. mBmbvhich was the Council's original \Vhat was the good of seeds that had lost amendment. \Vhat did the Council want their power of germinating? He had thought no~,',T? tho l\Iini__,tcr ''us morG intorc~ted in the bona The PREMIER : The Council wanted to Edc farmer, but it cecmed he was more in­ substitute the Yic:orian warrantv for the terested in the seed merchant, like members :varranty proposed in the Bill. lie thought in another place. 'The seedsmen could sell 1t would be studymg the convenience of han. any seed they liked, and exploit the farmers members on both sides if they dealt with and fool them just the Sfi,me as they did be­ the Council's an1endmonts this evening. If fore. The Bill or1ght to be thrown into the han. nw r1bers wanted the amendments in waste-paper basket. 'The Opposition could type, they v;ould have to defer their con­ make a lot of capital out of the Bill by sideration until Monday, but he thought his hking it tD the countrY with them and colleague would make it all clear. letting the people know how anothtlr place dealt with Bills paosed by the representa· 'The SECREL\.RY FOR AGRICULTURE: tive House. He hoped the amendment would The Council agreed io the Bill as it left the ao t be carried. Assembly, with the exception of this amend­ mont and an amendment in clause 10. 'The i\lr. i\IORGA2\J pointed out that the words clause.. if amendeq as suggested by the that wore struck out onlv related to seeds Connell, would b<> m the form in which it that were " stored in a ta"nk or other recep­ was introduced into the Assembly. tacle," but the words " such seeds are for Mr. CoYwo: Will it prohibit the sale of planting or sowing, and are of the kind or lucerne seed containing dodder? . kinds so specified," still remained in the qlause. Clause 10 gave the Minister the 'The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE: power to make regulations fixing the ger­ That would be dealt with by the regulations. minating power of seeds, so that those who Mr. Morgan.] 2822 Pure Seeds Bill. [ASSEMBLY.] Pure Seeds Bill.

were purchasing the seed would be fully necessarilv because they were in the tanks. safeguarded. The amendn:.ent with reference Thev felt "that the clause protected the farmer, to the seeds being stored in a tank so that inasmuch as it compelled tne seller to give the atmosphere coura not get at them had him the kind of seed a"ked for. They did been. omitted b0 the Council, but the main not want to put a lot of things in the seeds­ portwn of the clause was left untouched. man's way \Yhich would run up the pnce of Mr. HY A:';': ·what was troubling him was. seed. They believed that chuse 10 would this: Why did hon. members in another meet all they wanted. place cut out those words? He could see a Question put and passed. very good reason why they had been struck out, because they did not want to give a On clause 5 (now clause 6)~" Seeds sold in warranty that seed was true to type, dressed parcels to have the year of g.rowing cleaned, and graded, and had not lost it~ 1narked ''- power of germination by being stored in a The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE tank or othBr receptacle. moved that the Legislat,ve Counc l's amend­ Mr. MoRGAN : It is impossible to give a ment be agreed to. Th~ Council had added warranty that some ooeds are true to type. to the clause the word'·-" This clause shall Mr. RYAN: It now appeared that t.he not come into operation until 1st January, hon. member representing the country partY 1915." The reason for it was that there did not want a warranty with all classes ~f might be seeds on the way from England, seed. He (Mr. Ryan) was not satisfied that and it would not be fair to make them the country party had not beBn somewhat comply with the provision. brought to heel on account of the vote given Question put and passed. th.• previous night, when eight of them had the temerity to vote against the GovBrnment. On clause 10~" Penalties"- Sufficient e•idence had not been shown why The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE the Committee should accept tho Council's moved that the Committee agrBe to the amendment, and he intended to oppose it. Council's amendmBnt to omit all the words The PREMIER: When the Bill was under after "pounds," on line 19, page 5, as oonsideration yesterday it was in a very follows:~ emasculated form, and it was sent back with " and for a second offence to a penalty disagreement on all points. On the first not exceBding fifty pounds, and for every oocasion when this clause was before the subsequent offence to a penalty not ex:· Council the vote was contents 5, non-contents ceeding one hundred pounds or impriso?­ 17; and they had now compromieed by adopt: ment for any period not exce<"dmg s1x ing the section of the Victorian Act in place months, or to both such penalty •md im· of the one sent up. By that compromise the prisonment, '' Bill was secured, and the reprBsentatives of with a view to inserting- the farmers '" Bre quite satisfied with the " and for every subsequent offenco a amendment, and therefor€ there was no penalty not exceeding fifty pounds." reason why the Bill should be lost. He had consulted with the Parliamentary Mr. COYNE: Hon. members on that side 'Draftsman, and he said that they could well had endeavoured to point out where there agree to it, because if the culprits did .not was a big danger to the farmers in the pay the fine, thBy c