Legislative Assembly Hansard 1957
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 14 NOVEMBER 1957 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Questions. [14 NOVEMBER.] Questions. 1021 THURSDAY, 14 NOVEMBER, 1957. UNEMPLOYMENT IN NORTH QUEENSLAND. Mr. AIKENS (Mundingburra) asked the Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. A. R. Fletcher, Premier- Cunningham) took the chair at 11 a.m. " Is he aware that it is estimated that there will be 2,000 unemployed in North Queensland at the end of this year~ If so, AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT. has the Government any plans to relieve BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL ACCOUNTS. the distress thus caused, and what are they~" Mr. SPEAKER announced the receipt from the Auditor-General of his report on the books Hon. G. F. R. NICKLIN (Landsborough) and accounts of the Brisbane City Council replied- for the year 1956-1957. '' Any unemployment which may exist Ordered to be printed. in North Queensland is due generally to seasonal conditions. As the Honourable QUESTIONS. Member should know the slack season in the North coincides with the period of ESTABLISHMENT OF A UNIVERSITY OF heavy rainfall when it is not practicable TECHNOLOGY. to undertake outdoor works of sufficient lllr. LLOYD (Kedron) asked the, Minister size to absorb the bulk of the unemployed for Education- from the sugar and meat industries. Also the indication from past experience is '' (1) Has his attention been drawn to that, in general, seasonal workers who work the statement of the Australian Academy of very hard and receive high wages during Science in the Courier-Mail of November 12, the sugar and meat season, in addition to relating to the critical shortage of sustenance payments in the off season, scientists and technologists in Australia~'' usually prefer to take a comparatively "(2) If so, will he give consideration to long vacation prior to accepting other (a) a revision of the syllabus taught at employment during the slack season. State Secondary Schools along the lines Actually there is a shortage of skilled suggested by the Academy and (b) the tradesmen in North Queensland as is establishment of a University of Technology evidenced by the fact that recently the in Queensland~'' Department of Public Works found it neces sary to send from Brisbane, bricklayers to Hon. J. C. A. PIZZEY (Isis) replied Cairns and Townsville, and carpenters to " (1) Yes." Mount Isa. Furthermore contractors for "(2) (a) A copy of a revised syllabus the Department of Public Works on the for State Secondary Schools as suggested Atherton Tableland advised that they were by the Academy of Science has not been not able to obtain sufficient carpenters not received by this Department. (b) The withstanding that they have a standing establishment of a University of Tech order with the employment agencies for nology in Queensland is neither feasible this type of employee. No previous nor necessary at this juncture.'' Government was able to :find a solution to the problem of Northern slack-season CARE OF INFIRM AND CHRONICALLY-ILL unemployment but I can inform the PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS. Honourable Member that my Government is making a practical approach to the prob lllr. KEYATTA (Townsville) asked the lem of seasonal unemployment wherever it Minister for Health and Home Affairs- occurs and we have great hopes of finding a '' Will he give urgent consideration solution. We are accelerating the construc to, and, if possible, take expeditious tion of new buildings and additions to action in providing a special ward in cases existing buildings where required and much of infirm and chronically-ill patients, where of this construction is being carried out such special medical and general nursing in North Queensland. Our further plans care are not available in their homes?'' to overcome this seasonal unemployment problem will be disclosed in clue course.'' Hon. H. W. NOBLE (Yeronga) replied- '' The Townsville Hospitals Board is NEW PORT FOR BUNDABERG. using a section of the former General Hospital building for the accommodation lllr. DAVIES (Maryborough) asked the of infirm and chronically-ill patients. The Treasurer and Minister for Housing- Department's policy is that aged and '' In view of his reply to my questions infirm persons living alone, and not able regarding the new River Port at Bundaberg to care for themselves, or not able to obtain in which he stated that the port would be necessary care and attention where they built to accommodate vessels of 6,000 tons reside, are to be retained in hospital or and that the estimated cost of such a port admitted to hospital until satisfactory would be £782,314, will he state if there arrangements for their care either at an has been a change in plans as the Courier Eventide Home or elsewhere can be made. Mail of November 12 headlined statements The Hospitals Board is aware of the policy that the new Bundaberg Port would be of the Department on this matter.'' dredged to handle 10,000 ton freighters~ 1022 Tra:ffi Acts, &c., Bill. (ASSEMBLY.] Land Acts, &c., Bill. If the Cou1·ie1·-Matil article is true, will not the Whole to consider of the desirableness the cost of a port to accommodate 10,000 of introducing a Bill to amend the Traffic ton freighters be far in excess of .Acts 1949 to 1957, and the Local Govern £782,314~'' ment .Acts, 1936 to 1957, each in certain particulars.'' Hon. T. A. HILEY (Coorparoo) replied- '' There has been no change in plans. Motion agreed to. The position is as stated by me in reply to the Honourable Member's previous ques ST.A TE ELECTRICITY COMMISSION tions. The Courier-Mail article is not ACTS AND ANOTHER ACT .AMEND correct in this respect.'' MENT BILL. WORLD BANK LoAN FOR MT. ISA RAILWAY INITIATION. PROJECT. Mr. DAVIES (Maryborough) l!Jsked the Hon. E. EVANS (Mirani-Minister for Premier- Development, Mines, and Main Roads): I " In view of the public statement by move- the Minister :for Education as reported in '' That the House will, at its present the Courier-Mail of November 11, 1957, in sitting, resolve itself into a Commit~ee of regard to a World Bank loan of £35,000,000 the Whole to consider of the desrrable to the State of Queensland to push the ness of introducing a Bill to amend the Mt. Isa R.ailway Project ahead, will he State Electricity Commission .Acts, 1937 inform the House if the Minister is cor to 1954 and the Electric Light and rectly reported and what stage negotia Power Acts, 1896 to 1946, each in certain tions have reached~'' particulars.'' Motion agreed to. Hom. G. F. R. NICKLIN (Landsborough) replied- LAND ACTS AND OTHER ACTS '' The statement to which the Honourable AMENDMENT BILL. Member refers was not given as a Press statement by the Minister :for Education. INITIATION IN ('o;,nnTTEE-RESUMPTION OF It was a report of a talk to a Junior DEBATE. Farmers' School at Bargara, during which the Minister referred to the mineral (The Chairman of Committees, Mr. Taylor, developments in North Queensland. Details · Clayfield, in the ehair.) outlining the possibilities of the rebuilding Debate resumed from 13 November (see of the Mount Isa railway line were reported p. 1020) on Mr. Muller's motion- in the Cmtrier-Mail as a news item pub '' That it is desirable that a Bill be lished on May 22, 1957, in which it was introduced to provide for the freeholding at stated that-' Chances of the £30 million the option of selectors and lessees of lands railway link are expected to depend on the held from the Crown under perpetual lease report of three consulting engineers from tenures and for that purpose to amend the a major .American firm who are examining Land Acts, 1910 to 1955 and other Acts." the project. Their report will be the basis of an application for international finance Mr. FOLEY (Belyando) (11.11 a.m.): At for the railway rebuilding to handle greatly the outset I desire to thank the Minister for increased Mount Isa Mines Ltd. produc his full and comprehensive outline of the tion'·'' principles of the Bill, which is very helpful to hon. members on the Introductory stage. PAPER. The general proposal in the Bill is to free hold land. If I might ask a very pertinent The following paper was laid on the table, question, whose land~ Land that is not and ordered to be printed:- alienated at the present time is described as Report upon the Operations of the Sub Crown land. The average pBrson thinks that Departments of Native .Affairs, "Even the Crown is the owner of the land, but tide" (Sandgate), "Eventide" the actual position is that the Crown is the (Charters Towers), "Eventide" (Rock trustee of the public eotate, of which land is hampton), Institution :for Inebriates a part. The land is owned by the people of (Marburg), and Cr"'eensland Industrial the State, not by the Government of the Institution for the 'llind (South Bris day. Although the Government may by virtue bane), for the year >156-1957. of their majority pass legislation giving them the legal right to sell land, to alienate it TRAFFIC ACTS .AND .ANOTHER ACT from the people, they have no moral right to .AMENDMENT BILL. do so. INITIATION. Opposition :uembers: Hear, hear! Hon. K. J. MORUIS (Mt. Coot-tha- Jir. FOLEY: That is my contention. I Minister for Labour and Industry): I consider it is a retrograde step. If the move- present Government are in power :for a num ,' That the House will, at its present ber of years, this alienation of land will sitting, resolve itself into a Committee of seriously affect the people of the State. The Land Acts and Other Acts [14 NovEMBER.] Amendment Bill.