Legislative Assembly Hansard 1959
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 1959 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 1288 City of Rockhampton, &c., Bill [ASSEMBLY] Questions THURSDAY, 12 NOVEMBER, 1959 Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. A. R. Fletcher, Cunningham) took the chair at 11 a.m. QUESTIONS SUPPLY OF DOG-SPIKES TO RAILWAY DEPARTMENT Mr. MANN (Brisbane) asked the Minister for Transport- "(1) In connection with the contract for the supply of dog-spikes by McPhersons Ltd. at £59,818 15s. Od. to the Railway Department, what was the price tendered by the Queensland manufacturer?" "(2) What was the difference in price between McPhersons Ltd. and the Queensland tenderer?" Hon. G. W. W. CHALK (Lockyer) replied- "(1) £63,625." "(2) £3,806 Ss." "After deduction of the value of the steel content involved from each tender such steel not being of Queensland origin the Queensland manufacturers' price on which they were entitled to preference for Queensland manufacture was approxi mately 12 per cent. in excess of that of the lowest tenderer." SUPPLY OF OFFAL MEATS, TOWNSVILLE Mr. AIKENS (Mundingburra) asked the Minister for Agriculture and Stock- "As the supply of brains, tails, kidneys, tongues and other offal meats from the Townsville abattoir is insufficient to meet public demand, is it permissible for people to arrange for these and meat cuts in short supply to be purchased from meatworks? If not, why not?" Hon. 0. 0. MADSEN (Warwick) replied- "Tt is known that the Townsville District Abattoir Board is at times unable to meet the full demand for the supply of brains, tails, kidneys, tongues and other offal meats in the Townsville district abattoir area. Under these circumstances, permission is given for fixed quantities of such offal meats to be supplied to butchers from other sources as is done at times in other abattoir areas. The district abattoir is able to kill sufficient animals to supply all carcass and meat cuts and as is the case in other district abattoir areas, these classes of meat must be obtained from the district abat toir." City of Rockhampton [12 NovEMBER] (Lands PU1·chase) Bill 1289 RAILWAY FREIGHT CONCESSIONS TO of the Chamber were brainless because they BREWERIES continued to question him on the subject of the Bill. Mr. ADAffi (Cook) asked the Minister for He explained that the land is held by the Transport- City of Rockhampton under deed of grant "(1) Will he advise what rail freight as trustee for the Government, and I was concessions are being granted to breweries just wondering whether in the Minister's in Southern Queensland?" view all similar trusts are of no concern of "(2) Does he agree that the Cairns hon. members or of the people of Queens brewery should also receive the same con land. The Minister should recognise fully cession? If not, why not?" the responsibilities of Parliament and of hon. members of Parliament to the people who Hon. G. W. W. CHALK (Lockyer) return them. The land is not owned by the replied- City of Rockhampton, nor it is owned on "(! and 2) No good purpose would be behalf of the people of Rockhampton. It is served by the preparation of the infor owned by the people of Queensland, and held mation sought in Question 1 as transport in trust by the City of Rockhampton. There conditions operating in Southern Queens fore the subject is of vital interest to Par land are not comparable with those existing liament. It is certainly the business of Par in Cairns. The Cairns Brewery does not liament to find out what is to happen to the market beer south of Rockhampton and the land, and how the trust has been administered. special rates applicable to the railage of We do not agree that the method proposed beer from Cairns to the principal centres in by the Bill is the only one to be adopted. If which Cairns beer is marketed as compared the administration of the trust has failed in with the special rates from Brisbane the past, and we are now called upon to Breweries to the same markets do not, as assist the trustees, we have every right to shown hereunder, place the Cairns Brewery examine the Government's proposals. There at a disadvantage. are other ways in which the matter could have been tackled, with benefit to the City (A) Bulk Beer of Rockhampton. If the position of the Rate ex Cairns Rate ex Brisbane trustees has become impossible because of To Per Ton Per Ton 8. d. 8. d. the demands of the State Licensing Com Townsville 180 0 mission, we are entitled to inquire about the Bowen 242 0 Government's reaction to a request for finan Proserpine 263 0 Mackay .. 178 3 180 6 cial assistance or a Government guarantee (B) Bottled Beer for a loan from banking institutions. Ingham 143 6 The Minister has not given us any infor Townsville 143 6 308 0 Bowen 161 6 mation on that point. We cannot agree to Mackay 178 3 291 6 the alienation of land from the people of Rockhampto~ · 209 0 209 0 Queensland or from the City of Rockhamp ton. It is all very well to say that the Rockhampton City Council will get some PAPERS immediate gain, that its expenditure will be reduced in that it will no longer be saddled The following paper was laid on the table, with the cost of improving these properties. and ordered to be printed- But we have to look at the ultimate result. Report of the Burdekin River Authority The proposition would be much better for for the year 1958-1959. the council if the Government were to guar antee a loan to it sufficient to cover the cost The following paper was laid on the table of improvements. Regulation under the Abattoirs Acts, 1930 I ascertained as a result of a visit to to 1958. South Australia that there are many local authorities in that State who control their own hotels. Legislation has been passed by CITY OF ROCKHAMPTON (LANDS an anti-Labour Government protecting the PURCHASE) BILL licensees from competition by other licensees SECOND READING-RESUMPTION OF DEBATE against the municipal-owned hotels. The hon. member for Mundingburra stated what Debate resumed from 11 November (see had taken place at Townsville, and in South p. 1288) on Mr. Muller's motion- Australia the revenue received had been "That the Bill be now read a second the means of providing kindergartens, time." hostels, schools and other amenities for the people. If the trust in Rockhamp Mr. LLOYD (Kedron) (11.12 a.m.): ton has not been attending to its Throughout the debate the Minister has said responsibilities correctly it is the duty that this matter has nothing at all to do of the Government to ensure that the interests with hon. members, that it is simply one of the people are protected. The trust should for the local authority, the Rockhampton be told to administer its responsibilities cor City Council. On one or two occasions he rectly. The Rockhampton City Council said that several hon. members on this side should have examined the trentals being 1290 City of Rockhampton [ASSEM:BLY] (Lands Purchase) Bill received for the properties in question. It Rockhampton area. I fail to see why the is our business as members of this Parliament document should be regarded as confidential. to discuss these matters. We criticise the The people of Rockhampton have a right administration of the council. It is all very to know what rentals are being paid. well for the Mayor of Rockhampton to thank the Government for doing something Mr. Gardner: Do you think the document immediately for the people of his city. If should be made public before the negotia correct rentals had been chargeg the receipts tions on rentals are completed? over many years would give a greater bene Mr. LLOYD: I admit that it is a matter of fit to the people. At present the city is great importance to the Rockhampton City only receiving an immediate benefit. An Council, but it is equally important to the examination of the Tentals being charged Tatepayers of Rockhampton. The trustees shows them to be ridiculously low when are collecting weekly rentals of £230, some compared with the unimproved value of the where in the vicinity of £14,000 or £15,000 land, for it has to be borne in mind that a year. The submission has been made that there are some valuable buildings on the the rentals are not sufficient to cover the land. cost of maintenance. That is difficult to Mr. Walsh: To which particular rentals understand. I should like to know whether are you referring? the trustees are spending £15,000 a -year on maintenance. Mr. LLOYD: The hon. member for Rock As I say, the present rentals seem to be hampton informed us that £31,000 was spent ridiculously low. If a lease goes back over on improvements to the Crown Hotel. We a period of 20 years a low rental might be find that the rental received by the trust is understandable. In one case, however, the £20 a week, a ridiculously low sum for the lease does not expire until 1970, which buildings on the land. means that it was entered into in 1950, only Mr. Gardner: That is £1,000 a year, plus 9 years ago. I am referring now to another £20 a week. Rickart's building, with an unimproved value of £12,765. The valuation of that property Mr. LLOYD: Even so, the rental is still must have increased considerably during the low when you consider that £31,000 has past nine years, and I cannot understand been spent on maintenance and reconstruc why the Tmst should not have benefited by tion.