Queensland
Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]
Legislative Assembly
WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER 1925
Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy
Questions. [7 OCTOBER.] Questions. 1053
" 2. Mills in the Cairns district with a less favourable climate than Inkerman are C!.larging their storage capacity.''
SrFPLY oF R.ULW.\Y TR1;cr-;:s AT lKKERMAN MILL. Mr. COLLil'-'S (Bowcn) asked the Secre tar:Y for Railways- " 1. \Vas there a fqll supply of trucks available at the Inkerman Mill for the railing of sugar on 29th September last? "2. Did the mill management make full use of these trucks? " 3. \Vhat amount of sugar was railed from the Inkerman Mill in the last week of September? " 4. Could the Inkerman Mill manage ment have reduced the amount of sugar in storage at the Inkerman Mill and thus enabled the resumption of crushing to hav-e taken place by making use of the railway trucks that were available in the last week of September?" The SECRETARY FOR RAIL\VAYS (Hon. J. Larcombe, ]{ eppe/) replied- " 1. Yes. "2. No. "3. 595 tom. "4. Yes."
GovERN~IENT CoKTRIBunox TowARDS CosT or TESTING VALIDITY OF DEPORTATION ACT. Mr. SWAYKE (Jlirani) asked the Pre lnier- " 1. Is he joining with other State Governments in testing the validity of the Commonwealth Deportation Act? "2. If eo, from what fund or depart mental vote will the money for the pur pose be paid ? WEDNESDAY, 7 OCTOBER, 1925. "3. Will he inform the House as to \Vhat State rights are affect&d by the Commonwealth Deportation Act? " 4. Is not the \V alsh-J ohansen case The SPEAKER (Hon. \Y. Bertram, Maree) the only one at present affected by the took the chair at 10.30 a.m. Deportation Act? " 5. If successful in his attempt to upset the Deportation Act, will it net QUESTIO:\S. result in freeing Messr". \Valsh and STORAGE OF SuGAR AT I:- wlicitor in any proceedings before tha " 4. Snch being the case, will he explain court or before a board,'- why the producer should not be allowed .. 1. Will he ask Mr. Justic0 Webb. the privilege of securing a living wage Pre~ident of the Arbitration Court, why, from the sale of his products?" as reported in yesterday's ' Daily Stan The PREMIER (Hon. W. ::'-i. Gillies, dard ' he suggested to Mr. H. D. Mae Frll'hrzm) replied- rossa'n or tho applicants in the hearjng " 1 to 4. The retail prices of bacon are of the dispute on the rotary questio:1 ftxcd b.v the Commissioner of Prices at that the committee The SECRETARY FOR RATLWAYS !Hon . .J. Larcombe, Keppel) replied- I Jarrnary.~~Y~~---~-,~priJ. I ::.ray. June. July. £ s. d. £ s. d. llll Driyers ------1 dJ 2: : 2: 2: d. 2~ :~ 18~ s~ d~ ;~ :r~: ]~ 28 17 9 Firemen 20 5 0 24 6 8 20 12 8 23 19 2 27 23 24 9 G Cleaners 17 12 8 17 5 16 15 5 21 8 7 22 2 ~ 21 12 5 26 0 Guards 27 16 11 24 18 4 23 14 2 28 9 29 :J 31 11 2 28 7 I Conductms 18 18 2 23 18 2 23 11 6 17 8 6 27 16 3 27 14 11 W1 lG li Clerks 23 10 4 21 8 20 2 20 ~ 20 0 22 13 10 28 3 6 " The percentage of cmploy0cs who PROPOSED MOTION FOR ADJOuR?\ received heavy overtime compared with MENT. the total number employed is ,;mall. EFFECT OF INDUSTRIAL TROUBLE ON SUGAR " The traffic handled during thP period INDUSTRY. abovementioned was phenomenal and The SPEAKER: I have to announce that overtime was unavoidable. I have received the following lcttel' from " The opening through to Cairns ::\lr. E. B. Swayne, the hon. member for created a traffic that far exceeded 1\firani-- expectations, and the traffic in live si,ock " Parliament House, sugar, wheat, and maize was very heavy. " Brisbane, 6th October. 1925. The shipping strike resulted in addi " Dear ::VIr. B01·tram, tional traffic to the Railway Department. The cash receip~s for ihe seven months "In accordance with Standing Order in question "ere £838,228 in Rxcess of 1\ o. 137, I deeire to inform you that it the figures for the corresponding period is my intention (on \Vednesday, 7th Octo of the previous year, and the expendi ber) to move-' That this Huuse do now ture increase by £298,104-only 35.56 per adjourn.' lYiy reason for moving this cent. of the increased receipts. The motion is, that I desire to debate a increased train mileage was 422,203. definite ma·tter of urgent pub1ic impor tance as follows :- " Floods also resulted in additional overtime being incurred.'' " At the present time, despi"':e the efforts of the Arbitration Court, such a position of affairs exis·ts, that in some ESTDIATED CosT MmfDUBBERA-::l!J:ONTO, MANY instances it is impossible, and in others I'EAKS-::\10NTO, AND RANNES-:YlONTO RAIL nea,rJy so, to continue the harve,ting of WAYS. the sugar crop in North Queensland. " This critical position broughc abom :'11r. CORSER (Burnett), without notice, bv industrial troubles connected with acked the Secre~ary for Railways- o~lr shipping, means ruin to a large " When may I expect a reply to the number of farmers growing cane in the following question which I asked the principal sugar districts of -our State, a,< hon. gentleman on Friday last?- through their inability to ship the raw 1. What is the estimated cost of each sugar the mills are closing down. The of the following railway>:-idundub insufferable difficulty of adequate finance bera-Monto, Many Peaks-Mon(,o, and is rendering the position desperate, The Rannes-Monto? position is so grave that the apathy and 2. What is the total expemhturP to indifference of the Government as date on each railway? regards the sugrr'l·-growers, is causing consternation and disgust throughout the 3. What is the amount apprnpriated sugar areas. for this financial year in each case?" "'I,he continuance of such a situation The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS is not only rendering daily irredeemable (Hon. .J. Larcombe, I{ eppel) replied- loss of national concern, but also will leo"d to immediate throwing out of work " 1. All available information, includ of a very large nu1nber of wag-e-earners. in(;' the Rannes-::\ifonto section, wa• sup The necessity of obtaining a satisfactory plied the hon. member on the 24th statement from the Government as t0 ultimo. what action it proposes to tah!-ancl of " 2. See No. 1. obtaining a thorough inves-tigatjonj so "3. Sec current year's loan estin1atcs, that effective remedial measures may be pageo 132 and 134." adopted-is so obvious that further reasons would be superfluous. '' Y.,.. ours sincerely, PAPERS. "E. B. SWAYXE. The following pap<>rs were laid on the " The Honourable the Speaker, table, and ordered to be printed:- "Legislative Assembly, Brisbane." Fifth Report on the Oreation, Inscrip· If the hon. member will refer to Standing tion, and Issue of Government In Order No. 307, he will see that the fourth scribed Stock. paragraph reads- Forty-first Report on the Creation, " On the days so al!ctt,ed for the busi Inscription, and Issue of Stock. ness of Supply no motion, other than a 10.56 Heavy Vehicles Bill. [ASSEMBLY.l Heavy Vehicles Bill. motion declared to be ' formal,' shall be within the Rockhampton area, and that he taken until aftm· the consideration of did not know what became of the fees Supply, and no motion for adjournment which were collected. I understand that under Standing Order No. 307 ohall be something like £250,000 is collected in fees. entertained." and, if Rockhampton and other parts of For that reason, I cannot accept the motion. the Central district are not receiving their proportion, the Act is not being carried out. 1Ir. CORSER: With the permission of the The Act states distinctlv that one-third of House. it can be arranged. the board's revenue, including the total tax The SPEAKER : Order ! Order ! The on the whole of the oars in Queensland shall hon. membei' ought to know that under the go in equal proportions to the three divisions Standing Orders no motion for adjournment of the State. can be nccepted on a day allotted for Supply. The SECRETARY FOR PuBLIC LANDS: You are just as far out now as the hon. member for Fitzroy. Sl~Sl'ENSION OF STANDING OB.DERS. :Vlr. CORSER : I may be out with regard APPROPRIATION BILL, No. 2. to the administration, but I am not out The TREASURER (Hon. W. N. Gillies, with regard to the Act. That is an unfair Eaclwm): I beg to move- provision, because the greater number of " That so much of the Standing Orders cars are held in and about the metropolitan be suspended as would otherwise prevent area in the Southern division, yet 'the the recAiving of Resolutions from Com greater part of the tax will go to the otlier mittees of Supply and Ways and Means parts of the State. on the same day on which they shall The PREMIER: At present that only applie; ha Ye passed in those Committees; and to loan money. the passing of an Appropriation Bill Mr. GORSER: The Act not only a unlit's to through all it3 stages in one da} ." loan money, but also to the tax on motor Question put and passed. vehicles and cars. The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS: You WATER BILL. are wrong. Mr. CORSER: It does not follow that INITIATION. because the hon. gentleman says so that I The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS am wrong. There are quite a number of '.Hon. \V. McCormack, Cairns): I beg to heavy vehicles that ca,n and should be !llOY(>- brought under some particula-r form of " 'l'hat the House will, at its next taxation. They certainly pay an amount >itting, resolve itself into a Committee of taxation to the Main Roads Board in of the Whole to consider of the desir the shape of registration fees. It might be ableness of introducing a Bill to declare claimed that the owners of these motor the law relating to rights in natural lorries pay for the upkrJBp of the ron,ds as waters; to make better provision for taxpayers, but it must be remembered that the construction, control, and manage the motor lorries secure the advantaw:e of ment of works of water conservation, the roads the more we· improve them. water supply, and drainage; and for vYhen our Railwav Department constructs its other purposes incidental thereto and railway tracks It has to pay for them consequent thereon.'' and find revenue sufficient to meet the huge Question put and passed. expenditure involved, yet even in Victoria, even though they may have to pav £100 for registration fees, n1otor driver3 ha\(~ at REA VY VEHICLES BILL. their disposal main roads which have cost IxnrATION IN CoMMITTEE--RESUi.IIPTION oF millions of pounds, and a consideraLlv DEBATE. greater mileage throughout the State' than we have here. In Queensland there are (Mr. Pollock, Greg01·y, in the chair.) only a few miles of good road here and :11r. CORSER (Burnett) : There seems to there. and some of them have cost the local be a desire on the part of some hon. mem authorities £6.000 a mile, and the local bers of the Government to infer that people are being taxed for their upkeep increased taxation might be levied on motor as well as for their construction. I contend <:·ars inasmuch as this traffic is doing more that it would be unfair to adopt the sugges harm to our roads than is done by heavier tion of hon. members opposite to increase the ,-ehicles. It must be known generallv to tax on motor-cars as well as taxing the hon. members that all motor-cars are taxed driYf\l'S. fairly heavily at the present time. and the Question put and passed. clrivGrs of such cars have to hold licenses 'The House resumed. ns wc-11. The CHAIR3 SGPPLY. tion has been expended on those grounds. I would like i.he Minister to give some assur REST:li!PTIO:q OF COM!I!ITTEE-ELEVENTH AND ance that the work at the Eagle Junction TwELFTH ALLOTTED DAYS. school will be proceeded with. I understand (Jfr. Pollock, Orcr,ory, in the chair.) that plans have been prepared for wme time and I had hoped that tenders would have beer; DEPARTMENT OF PUBJ;,IC WORKS. called for ere this. The amount on the BLILDIXGS. Estimates for "General Repairs, Painting, Question stated- Improvements, and Incidentals " has been increa~ed from. £30,000 to £39,000. I hope " That £132.050 b€' granted for the Mmister wrll see that everything is done 'D~partment of Public Works-Build by the Government to push on speedily with ings.'" the work at Eagle Junction State school. 1\Ir. PETRIE (Tool,;/m/), who was received v.·ith cheers, said :-I notice that the amount Mr. HYNES (1'owns1·illc): I desire to i o be expended from revenue this year vmce. my approval of the new type of school for State school buildings has been increased bmldmg that has been adopted and is beino· from £49,000 to £60.000, and, I understand, erected by the \Vorks Department. During that there IS also an amount of £70 000 on the recess I had the opportunity of visiting the Loan .Estimates for a similar p'urpose. many of the now sdwols, and I could no-t l would like to ask the :Yiinister whether help contrasting the new type with the old. the amounts on the Estimates include anv rrhe De\V building is being erected With due thing for the rearrangement or alterati;n r"., .crd to the lighting arrangements. It io of the. schoo~ buildings at Eagle Junction. g 'ne rally conceded that many of the bad eve It IS a very Important school, and for some cases among school chil,dren in the past ha ~-e tune past we have been advocating the been due to the bad lighting of the schools. re~rrangement. m one building of those It is g;·atifying to know that this defect has Lmldmgs, whJCh are out of -date and hoen oy_errorne in the t:vpe of ne'v building~ tiivided. · now bemg erected. The ventilation of the buildings ha, aho !JCen improved considC'r , I would lik<;> to know if anything has been Townsville. 'I might ,tate for that there are plenty of calls on th~ Govern the mformatwn of the Committee that this is the only Class I. school ou t improw,d conditions for the public senants An OPPOSITION MKllBER : The " left wing ,. ''vorking not on1v in mv electorate but in i' to be blamed. otlwr Northern tcO\Yns. "r. refer particularly to the lnck of cooling arrangements in the Mr. DEACO::";: The :::Vlinister should stand various offices. Electric fans should be up to the " loft wing " and point out the installed w]Jcrc <'lectric current is available. sheer stupidity• of such action. The GO\·ern Wo have a very fine electric-power system in ment say they are trying to raise the Towmyille. and electric fans could be in standard of the school teacher and that they ,·t.:dlccl in the public offices without any gr0a! have increased his wages, but what about the question of school teachers' residences? Surely cost to tlw dcnartmPnt. It would make for tlwy should be given residences equal to a ~·" Y8Rt in:lproYPmt:nt in the condition~ under workman's residence! I know of buildings which pnblic "-PrY,tnts arP. ncny \Yorking. I allotted to school teachers that are not fit hopf' thnt tlH' ~1in1~ter will takp notic{\ of my to be inhabited by any decent man. The lTqu;st. lY'rau~C' the CXl1P~~diturc involv-ed is very cnLll and the benefit to the public Go.-ernment should realise how lacking the:c are in this matter and make some a tternpt S('f\~tlnb \VOtdd ht' YC'l'Y great. to rectify it. Mr. DEACON (Cunninqham.): I am afraid The SECRETARY FOR PuBLIC LAXDS : You arc that the Minister has fallen down on his job. coming out of your shell lately. Th' SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC \VORKS: That ::\Ir. DEACON: What ic the :\Iinist-er there is the most unkind thing you have said since for if he will not do his job ? There is only you came into this Chamber. an increase of £9,000 provided for "General Mr. DEACOX: I sav it in the endeavour Repairs, Painting, Improyements, ancl to keep the 2\l[inister tlp to his job. and I Incidentals." Although '"e know that in the 'hall point out what the hon. gentleman pasl- only half the amount required for this has fail0d to do. It is the duty of the ptuy,o;c \vas voted we arc onL asked to hon. gentleman to see that his department is ;; rant a small increase of £9,000. The granted sufficient money to carry out the arnonnt asked for is not sufficient. to keep llf'C'CPsa ry work. the public buildings up to date. let alone to overtake anears. Thcs0 things have to be [11 a.m.] faced. 'yc cannot allow arrears to get behind Hon. T. DUNSTAN: Do you want him to be any further than they are now. They are a burglar? far enoug-h behind. \Yhat is the Minister Mr. DEACO:\': I do not, but I direct doing t.o allo1v arrears to increa:::e the \Ya.y a tt<>ntion to the ·damage t.ha t is being done they are doing'! Owing to the lack of to the public Pstate through the neglect of enf!icicnt funds repairs have been too long school buildings. It is not economy or good delayed in the past. \Ve all g-et notices policy for any Govemment to neglect build rPading "Repair. have been passed for ings and to allow them to go to ruin. The approval." and then we go on for six months Minister knows that is occurring. ~nd sometimes till the next year and nothing The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC \'\' ORKS : \Vhere? 1q done. That goes on continually. It seem3 to me that the Home SE'cretarv is not back Mr. DEACON : I will give the hon. gentle ing up the St>cretary for Public \Vorks in man an instance. Ho has onlv to ask anv the way he ongh! to do. The Home Secre hon. member to be given instances in <'very tar~- lcnows verv well the need for further electorate. while. if he v alked round Bris expenditure on )-mblic buildings. I will give bane, he \Yould see many insta nccs of dan1age one instanc0 of delay. I was notified a year occasioned by negl0ct. and also many ago that approval had been given for the instances of over-crowd0d schools. \V c know Prcdion of a rural school. The present school verY wdl that in manv cases the first cost building- is ovn-crowdcd b-, reason of a to the \Vorks Department is too much and rmal school b0ing- <'stablishcd t-here as the~: a sufficient amount is not provided to enable are making- mo of the ordinarY school build the job to be carried out. \Ve know that ing. ..Approval was given a~ year ago to jol' cost too .much because thll depart 0rect a new building. but the work has not mf'nt. has to go hack to thetn. Things are been rom!ncnced yet. being done now that should have been done Tlw SECRET.\RY FOR PrBLIC \VORKS: Where? ten y0ars ag·o, and that state of affairs has existed for many years. I aliow a certain :\h. DEACOX: At Clifton. This work amount of latitude for the war period; but ought to have been done long ago. There since that time no serious effort has been should not be so long a defay in such a made to remedy matters. The vote on behalf matter as that. Although the Depart-ment of the Education D<>partment has been of Public Works sav•; that the work is incr<:'ased by only £11,000, and any hon. necessary nothing is done. I may be told member knows that is not sufficient to bring that it is g-oing to be done now, but why the buildings up-to-date. I know that that the long dela"·? The Minister should get up an,onnt. could b<' sn From time to time there is a good deal of that the selectors shall do the work. The grumbling about the actual cost of the build selecton in doing that work were referred ings which are put up by the Department of to the other da v as " scab " workm-en. If Public VV~orks. I do not know whv it >-hould ... ,vin1111ing pondS aro proYided in the city he so. but the department puts ;,; fir,t-class hv means of money· subscribed by the public. material and first-class workmanship. so that I am pl<'ased to know it. Before the elec its buildings are really models for anybody torate of Pittsworth disappeared under the to copy; but sometimes people who are redistribution scheme, l\fr. Cecil Roberts was acquainted with building >vork by makin:; a constant advocate for proper schooling <'Omparisons come to the ('Onclusion that its accommodation at 11ilmer~an, in the Dalby buildings are a bit more costly than they dist rirt. I was present w1th :Mr. Huxham. ,,,ght to he. I do not know whv it should be the ex-Sccrctarv for Public Instruction, when '"· and it is just as well that the department that school was' opened. It had taken seYeral ,;hould make some inquiries into the facts yearc' to get it there. but. instead of building i-,Pcausc I believe it is a fact-and see 'vhetlv:•r a new school, _an old school was remo.-ed -it: canr•ot vvork somcvvhere on the same leYel from some other place and sent to the J',1il as t:) cost as other people. lnerran township. I think that some of the buildings put up l\Ir. DEACOx: It was stolen from Spring h,· the Department of Public Works in tlw vale. tropical part of the State especially-and I think on this point I am in agreement with l\Ir. YO\YLES: It was quite clear to eYery 1h.._.., hon. 1nembPr who has just resurrwd hi3 bod~~ tint e.-en then the floor space was ,,·&t--are a bit stinted as to .-eranda gpace. tCJtally inadequate for the number of children I hnv(' in my mind's eve a school residencP attending·. I haw not visited the place a nice cottage and weli built. with a veranda rec·'utly. but on speaking to a member of C•P the front but none at the back. Bdorc thP school committee last Monday he told mid-dav the sun begins to shine on the back. me that. .,~hereas the flooring capacity is particularly on the kitchen. and then beah sufficient for fortv children, there are ninety~ on the back part of the house the whole four children on' the roll, and nothing has afternoon, so that it cannot be very congenial been don·e to increase the accommodation. m ]:lca,ant for those who have to li.-e in it. Tlw chilclrcu ha.-e to go on the verandas. under the school. and out in the yard, and [ rrm qutt>• su1·e that the matters I ha.-e that is a scandalous state of affairs in a 1nentioned are worthy of consideration. and district where the thermometer registers t;1at the department will ~i,-e to them the probabl~- 115 -clegTees in the shade in the attf'Etion they dcserYc. o ::.un11ner tiniC' and registers a very low tem :\lr. VOViTLES (Da/l;.'f): I congratulate JWratnre in the winter time. These children tlw Department of Public \Vorb on taking· haYP to ~uffer that inconvenience m·erelv notice of what I said on the last occasiort lwcause of r he fact that they are living in the when this vote \Vas under discu3sion. I couPtry. The policy of the Government is pointed out that t\w Go.-ernnwnt buildings lop.sided. The people in the city are far at Dalbv had not been painted for ten yearg. better fitted than the unfortunate selecton As a result of those remarks the school. police in the backblocks tu find the necessary money qua1·ters. and seYcral other Govern1nent for arlrlitional accommodation. Many men buildings have since been painted. Year htn-e left the countrv because their children after year one finds money la ,-ishly expen-ded could not obtain educational facilities and on up-to-date .•chool buil·dings in the citv. because the.- .-alned the children's prospects \Ye complain that the pe0ple in the count;,. in the futm:e as deri,·ed from education at a are not being catered for bv the department. higher ndue than their own prospects in T~ere seems to be a certain amount of jug making· the~ land pay. That is the reason in _,;dmg ben,-een the Department of Public p;•rt fm_· the exodus from ·the country, and Instruction and the Dep.ntment of Public the Department of Public Instruction and \Vorks, and one blames the other, and we the Department of Pqblic vVorks are respon get Yery liitle satisfaction. It has a vcrv sib'e in manv instances bv not providing the :mpleasant effect on people who ha.-e gon'e necc"ar~· ed-ucational fadlities. wto the backblocks and ha.-e r·emained :.\fr. F. A. COOPER (Bremed: I desire to there for m.any years-in sonw ca5C'''· twont,· :\Iy friend, the hon. member for Bremer, of the district raise the money for the took exception to a statement I made in beautification of the school grounds and incul the asset ~o what it. was originaily, anJ The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: If you· how much 1s for cap1tal expenditure. The provide me with £500,000, I will provide £60,000 for additions and improvements, etc., you with everything you want. · to State school buildings, £10,000 for addi tions and improvements to court houses and Mr. KELSO: The Minister cannot see the police buildings, and £7,000 fm additions to point. technical college and high school buildings The CHAIRMAN : Order ! Order ! 1 are ~ot very big figures, but I hold that a would advise the hon. member not to stre~c cert.am portion .of that expenditure is really that point. cap1tal expenditure and should come out Mr. KELP,O: I know that I am on the of loan money and not out of revenue. If danger line, and I will not stress the point, it were to come out of loan funds, it would but that attitude of the department does enable a larger amount to be spent on neces· seem peculiar to me. sary schools outback. Metropolitan members, as a whole, are not selfish. They recognise The CHAIRMAN : Orde·r ! Order ! A very the great demand fm· school accommodation obJectionable habit is becoming prevalent in the West and in the North, and, among hon. members of attempting to get notwithstanding the statement made by the in something after they are advised by the hon. member for D~lby, I am perfectly cer· Chairman that they cannot do so. If in the tam that metropohtan members recognise future any hon. member endeavours to do that growing ;md isolated districts should this after being called to order, he may haYe their fair share of attention. They are find himself asked to discontinue his speech. not selfish in that respect. The growing Mr. KELSO: Mention has been made by demands of the children cannot be put off the hon. member for Townsville of the septic and whatever is nece,sary in the way of tank system. The hon. member stressed increased educational facilities must be p·ro rathe·r strongly the installation of the septic vided, and should be provided out of loan tank system at the \Vest End State school, money. A proper system could be laid down Townsville, which he said was the only Class whereby the money expended out of loan I. school outside the metropolitan area. I could be repaid by instalments on a basis support the remarks of those hon. members 'imilar to what we now provide in connection who spoke subsequent to the hon. member \vith some of our loans. 'I'he life of a school and urged that this system should be installed could be put down at fifty years; for a in the more closely congested districts. of wooden building properly kept and painted it Brisbane. If it is necessary at Townsv1lle, is at least' fift-y years. No hon. member would it is all the more necessary in the closely object to the additional expenditure of loan congested districts around Brisbane. It money in order to provide facilities for the would be a godsend to have a septic tank at education of the childrf'n. Hon. members the school in my electorate. In the laborious also recognise that this is a matter which manner in which the Metropohtan Water and if df'layed, cannot be repaired. If educational Sewerage Board is carrying out its work, !t facilities cannot be afforded to the children will be ten years before all the schoolS· just at the age when thPy require them, then are connected up with the sewerage system. the body politic suffers because, when the Mr. CoRSER: They provide four sticks. children grow up, they have not the educa some iron, and a piece of hessian for tbe· tion to enable them to carry on the battle of !'chools in my electorate. (Laughter.) life. Hon. members representing metropoli tan constituencies arc onlv too nleased to Mr. KELSO: I can sympathise with tho "ef' these hcilities giwn t;, the ,;hildren of hon. member for Bm·nett, but he mmt .sparsely populated parts. recognise that the conditions are siightl:; different. Open spaces are not a danger !he other point I wish to touch upon to health, but the present sanitary arrange might be ruled out of order but I wish to ments in the more dosclv settled suburban Mr. G. P. BAR~ES (Warwick): There to be more responsive in the future in regard are one or two items of importance in this to country requirements than they have been vote, namely-" State School Buildings: in the past. Let us be saved from the Additions, Improvements, Furniture, Re unfortunate centralisation of things that is pairs aJ+d Painting, £60,000"; "Technical going on before our eyes, and create an College and High School Buildings : interest in the country; and that can be Additions and Equipment, £7,000." That is done by responding to some exte':t t_o the in addition to the sum of £70,000 ·provided demands for schools in country distncts. undeJ· Loan Estimates. I would like to Mr. COLLINS {Bowen) : As representing know from the Minister where my district a large country district of great import stands in connection with these votes, and ance--- whether the Minister and his department are on the eve of honouring some promises Mr. VOWLES: :\1isrepresenting! made to me in connection with the Warwick Mr. COLLINS: Not misrepresenting! district during the last two or three years? .T udging by the stories the hon. member puts The Minister will find by referring to up here from time to time, he is not looking records that certain additions to the High after his own electorate. As I say, repre School and Technical College, Warwick, sPnting a fairly large country electorate have been recommended by the officers of and a growing electorate at that-which his department, and for some time the requires schools, I want to congratulate the department has had under consideration department on the work that has been done the carrying out of those additions. The in my e-lectorate. I am not saying that I am department is making haste very slowly, and getting all that I require, becaus_e no man on that account I would like to know wh,, represents an electorate that IS develop specifically from the Minister what are the ing rapidly can expect that. Of course we intentions of his department in that matier. had to wait a long time for additions to the I hope the hon. gentleman is putting on Bowen State school. It was over fifty years his considering cap regarding this question. old when we had additions added to it quite It is not a new roquest by any means-it is recently, which are a credit not only to the quite an old one-and, if the High School department but t Government C-tnnot go on postponing what At present our public buildings in Towns is termed the evil day for all time, and they v-ille are scattered, and something should he must realise that the condition of some of done to improv-e the position. Representa those buildings is a standing disgrace. Take tions have already be-en made to tho Minis the condition of the Treasury Building, for ter on the snbj'ect. 'The Department of example. If the Government have not suffi Public vVorks ha' a very fine allotment of cient n1oncy to do \vhat is neces~arv inside land in the heart of the citv, and I trust that the building, the 1 should. at am.· rat~, do the it will erect public buildings on it. At painting outside' in ordor to , preserve the present the Government are paying rent to vvoodv.·ork. I do not rcm~mbor having seen banks and others for housmg their public any '•'-' Jrlc done on the Supremo Court build aeparrn1ents. Some tin1e ago this land was ing since I \vork2d on it us a bov. That is transferred to the Commonwealth. but the H beautiful building, but it wants to be State ·was fortunate in getting it back with n•paired and painh•d. Tlwre are also other the object of ultimat"ly erecting dw pubiic Govemment building·s to which I could dr"w buildings 'vhich a:re ne.._,_'f''3Dry to Townsvillc. attention. It is an unwise policy on the I vv-ant to back up what the hon. member part o£ the Government not to keep these for Townsville has said of the necessit:;· for buildings in good order and condition. For installing the septic system at the \Yest End hvo or three sessions I have dra\vn attention S·ate school in Townsvil!e. \\'e can hardlv to the fact that it, would not hn.vc co3t nearly ask the department to put septic tanks in all so much, if done in time, as it will cost schools right away, but, considering that at now, because \Vhcre two coats of paint would the vV est· End school there a re betwPen 91 have done then it will be neces~arv to have and 1,100 children, we think it necessar:~ four coats of pajnt in a good m"any cases that the svstem should he installed there. now. I hope that the ;\Iinister will ask for sufficient money to have this work carriP.d Another "very important matter concerns the out. Take the Parliamentary building, for necessity for filling up some of the 'chool instance, and look through the window at the grounds. Tidal waters at pre:·ent spread over class of work that has been done. The kalso a portion of the lands. During the rainy mine is all p0eling off. I warned tlie Go· season a certain amount of water lies there for days. Although the department has been vernment at the time that the~~ were putting the wrong colour on the windows rnd doors verv good in filling in one very nasty -that the red paint used would not last as swa'mp, I trust that it will fill in anoth0r it was not a good colour. Look at it 'and portion of the ground, and fill in round the school whore the children parade. During c0 e how the sun has played the mischief with it.. It is no time since this building wa.o the wet season the children have to stand up pamted. Then the passages and the stair to thoi r ankles in 'Vater before going into cases ar,n a disgrace to any Parlian1ent, and ~chool. It would not cost very much to make this ground dry, and thus benefit the children the Minister knows it. It is years and ~-ears smc,o any of them were renovated. Citv and assist the teachers. members cannot be blamed for overspending The question of additional school accom· on the public buildings of Brisban", and I n1oclation is a very urgent one. I have been would impress on the Minister the desirable fairly well treated by the department. but I ne" of getting the necessarv monev for the cannot expect everything that I ask for, repairing and painting of public buildino:s. because I realise that there are other electo· not only in the metropolitan area but also rates in which new towns aro springing up on~side. If there a re any _buildings outside that need some attentiou. I do not fall out Bnsbane whiCh need attention. bv all meal!' with the department because it has not giv-e it to them. The policy of '' pem1y-wise gTented all that I have asked. I rea1ise that acd pound-foolish" which the Government ,,-e are fortunate in having schools in our have adopted during the last few vcars has towns, and that some consideration should be been detrimental to the interests of 'the State giYen to the country. I am not complaining, generally, because it will mean a tremendous because I realise that fact. I haYe receiv.:ci expenditure later on. I hope that the Minis my fair share of attention and I cannot expect ter will got the whC'rPwithal. and he should anything more. When school committees hav-e made certain requests I have always r-emember that it •··ill give emplo:cment to a pointed out that we must giYe the dopart number of men who desire employment. and ment credit for trying to do something for at the same time presene public property. the children in the back country. The school Mr. DASH (."'I1mdinubu,·ra): I wish to tommittocs arc doing Yery fme wurk in take this opportunit~- of tendering mv thanks looking after the grounds, and all credit i> to the Minister and the offic.ers of his depart clue to them for the fine work thev are doing ment for the fine work which has been done in cHrying out some of the repairs them in mv electorate on school buildings. seh·es. If they see that a nail i.s required. Recent!~· they have put np a school which they do not request the dc,partment to 'end u is a credit to the d('partment from the point carpenter up for that purpose. The com· of view of vontiiation and lighting, and I mittees hane been doing the work themselves. thmk that the committees of the vcricus I know that th,, department has always given schools in the town realise how much the consideration to the requests by committeeo Governmen: have clone in the building of this who are doing good work. school and in making additions and repairs to other schools. Mr. LOGAN (Lockyer): In "iew of th'' f!rowing popularity of the Gatton College I One verv important matter which I wich desire to stress the need for further dormi· the department would consider is the supply tory accommodation. class-rooms, rtnd facilitie.:; of water to State schools. Of course we have for instructional purposes. At the prl'sent tanks, but they are not always sufficient time we hav-e a record number of students where there Is a large number of children attending· the college, and the dormitory and representations hav-e been made to th~ accommodation is consiclerablv ov-ertaxed. department for an improvement in the The number of students re.sident there mpply. The suggestion is that the town this year is eighty-a record for the water should be supplied and filtered before institution. For that number there IS use by the scholars. dormitory accommodation available for [Mr. Maxwell. Supply. [7 OCTOBER.] Supply. 1067 Dnl,· thirty·nine. necessitating the placing I again wish to refer to a hardy Df two >tudents in the majoritv of rooms. nnnual in regard to the Laidley hospital. The There is likely to be oven a la.rger attend· nercssary works required at this institution m:(:·' for the ensuing ~rear. ,,-hen the position are not being pushed along by the depart wtli be worse. It is necessarv to double the ment as quickly as the committee of that pn·3cnt arcon1nlodation by collstructing three institution desire. \Ye have not beer' able additlonal dormitories, each providing accorn to erect the nurses' quarters which are '') n1oda tion for sixteen students and one n1em urgently required. I am sorry to !tarn bcr of tll(' staff. .r\ few -.,yeeks ago the hon. by to-day's papers that the secretarv n••!inlJc ·· for Rose\vood and myself visited of the committee, who is an energetic man, Ci:tttf 1 College and saw for o{trsolvcs that has been admitted to the institution as tl position is r.s I have outlined. At th·• a patient owing to burns he receiYed through tim,_' there are hvo bovs in most of the explosion of a primue stove. I hope that roan!.,. , .ld the roonB are big cnougb for he will not be detained there for very long. one person. The principal has been I hayc explailled before in this Chamber that: compelled by this lack of space to take some the hospital committ~e hc:s a certain amotmt of the boys into his own residence and to of money to its credit in the local bank, and place some of them in another room used "·hen it made appli< o,tion for the endowment for i-olation purposes in case of sickness. I which it. should receivf' on every occasion it notic-e th.1t there is a certain amount of vvas told that. wh0n n1oney \Yas recrJircd for money ea.rmarked for additional domit-orv tnainienance or building pnrposes, th~?- an10UJlt '" nmmoda tion, but I d-, not think thO:t used for that purpose would be 'ubsidised. will b~ sufficient to meet the requirements I want to raise the question of subsidy for for the ensuing year, and it would be well the purpose of allowing the building of the to view the situ'1tion in this way-t-hat pos nurses' quarters to be proceeded with. sibly t,here will be an increase in the number of students, and it \Yould be as wise to It is not a right polic\ on the part of the provide sufficient additional accommoda department to withhold the subsidy when tion rather than have duplication of moneY has been raised bv an energetic com work later on. The number of classes has mittee and the public for the purpose of incrca ··cd, and the block class· rooms should aiding an institution. The amount may h'! he r•nlar~wl to accommodate the whole of th·· £2,000 or £3.000 and the sub 'iuclcn+s. Last ,,·~ek something like 120 mem [12.30 p.m.] sidy will be paid sooner or later, ber, of loc.1l produc.,,rs' U'oOciations visited the and it is the duty of the depart· coll 'go. If f 1xn~er;;; intc·r-"st them-;elves to ment to pay that subsid" when the mone-c . an f'xtent in the college a~ to visit lt IS raised, and not when required for main m numbers, there should be sufficient tenance or building only, thus allowing these ~ccomrnodati<;>n for the principal to meet and people to carry out the work they desire. nnpart the mfi:n·mation to them which is There has been an agitation in the matter P<'···essarY for the proper cultivation of our· of having a septic system placed in that lands. institution. but the propo,.ition wa.s 6et aside . Increased space is also required for instruc owing to the fact that the hospital com tiOn m t-he sheep and wool industry. The mittee has not the right to dispose of its pre.,ent facilities are inadequRte and are cer funds as it would like, owing to the matter tainly not in keeping with tl;e importance of the subsidy. of this industry- I stress the need of better The SECRETARY FOR PcBLIC \VORKS : If the ac-commodation in that direction also. The con1mittee rais·cs 1noney for that particular colk~e t.o~day is certainlv in a much n1ore purpose, it can do what it likes with it: promising position than 1t has ever been in but it cannot use the subsidy for that pur. the past. . cr:he pr-esent principal and his pose. st".ff arc VIrile young men, who set about their duties. in. the right manner, conse Mr. LOGAX: That is the point. The quently the mstitution is becoming a useful \Vorlcs Department s.hould give the hospital one to t-he State. committee the right to use the monev as it desires-even the Government subsidy--when The institution of the trader school at the it is needed for a-dditional buildings. It college has b_een very successful indeed. Quito seems a scandal that in a place like Laidley a number of farmers attend every year and such a popular hospital should have no 'en:Jty.four ha Ye received tuition in thcl proper accommodation for nurses, and that the "·orbn.g- of tractors. Fortv·four attended nur·~L3 should haYe to g·o fro1n roon1 to roorn the teachers' summer school, "while 204 inter to sleep as parients va< ·assist in the education of the children by always understood that such a course was making free grants of land and subsidising worthy of encouragement. But when they ;the coit of the buildings in which education marry they have to leave their wives and i:.. being carried on. travel very long distances every morning to attend to their school duties and back again ThP CHAIRMA::\ : ONler l at night simply because there is no accommo Mr. CLAYTON: I do not know where I dation for them at the schools at which they am wrong. Mr. Pollock, ]>ut I must b?w to are stationed. I know one particular vour ruling. The comrmttees are takmg a instance at Habana, and I am glad that great interest in connection with the estab the Secretary for Public Instruction is in fi,hment of these btlildings .and are subsr his place, because I hope he will give it dising the department, and on almost every some attention. The accommodation of the occasion on which I have applied for a new t-eacher there has been under consideration huildingo in mv district ;hey have found the for some time, and, when I called at the land, stump·ed it, and supplied the stumils Department of Public Instruction, I was told for the erection of the buildmg. If that rs that it was in the hands of the Department not as3isting in providing for the educ_ation of Public Works, and that the Department of the children, I do not know what IS. I of Public Instruction had no further control trust that in future this department will do in the matter. That brings us back to the eyerything: poesible to assist _the Departm_ent system of dnal control. In this instance the nf Public Instructron to provr·de school bmld Department of Public Instruction has urged ings, and thus allow the childr-en in the that the residence should be erected, vet it cocmtrv districts to get .a reasonable educa appears to have been hung up in the Depart tion. \vhich will do a great deal in the ment of Public Works. •With the knowledge development of Queensland. which I have, I am quite sure that in many * Mr. SWAYNE (Jiimni): Unfortunately, instances the monev which is spent in build in many cases country children are not ing a school under the syst-em I have men getting any education owing to t-he delay tioned, with a. very slight addition, would and difficulty in securing schools. In many build a residence for the teacher as well, if ·other instances the children are crowded the job were let locally by contract. If any together in the present schools because the alteration is required, if a window is to population in the district has increased since be put in, a veranda constructed, or a door the schools were built, so that all round they hung, a workman has to be sent from a t-own arc not able to get sufficient accommodation. perhaps 30 miles or 40 miles away, when This result is largely due to the system of perhaps there is a tradesman resident in the -dual control which is in operation. I men vicinity of the work who could do the job tioned the same matter on the vote for the by contract at half the price it costs the Home Department, and here is another department. -direction in which the defects of the system 'I'he CHAIRMAN: Order! I have aJ.readv n.re apparent-the lack of co-ordination warned the hon. member that the question between the Depart-ment of Public ·works of the polic,· of the \Vorks Department should and the Department of Public Instruction. have been discussed on the main vote. It seems to me that the Department of Public ~r. SWAYNE: I did not speak on the Instruction is the department which should mam vote. -carrv out. the work in connection with the scho;:,l buildings. It is in the best position The CHAIRMAC\i: That is not my fault. to know the educational requirements of any The hon. member will be asked to discontinue particular district, and I think the best his sp0ech if he does not obey my ruling. method would be for the department to . Mr. SW A YNE: An amount of £132,050 -decide what schools are required and then is provided on this vote and all I want to be able to call tenders for the building of say is that, if my sugg~stion were adopted them, subject to the specifications and super only two-thirds of that amount would b~ rision of the Department of Public Works. required or, better still, half as much work I think that the present system of doing more could be done for that sum. -everything by day work under the control The CHAIRMAN: Order! ·of the Department of Public \Vorks is unduly -costly. Mr. SWA YNE: In other wo·rds, one-third more work could be done with the money. The CHAIRMAN : Order ! Mr. COKROY (Maranoa): I have listened Mr. S\VA YNE : I am speaking of the very attentively this morning to the remarks ·system as in operation under the Department of hon. members repr('senting city electorates, of Public Works in regard to schools. fl.nd, while I do not object to educational The CHAIRMAN: Order! The question facilities being granted in those centres, I of the policy of the department should have do contend that all country centres, especi 'been dealt wit-h on the main vote. ally the small scattered a·reas, should receiv primary education. is most important. I disabilities under which people labour in: realise the great difficulty pa-rents have in the country, that he will give them favour ~eeing that their children are educated. I able consideratiou. know of cases where children have to ride 5, 6, and 7 miles every da.y to school, and :\fr. EDWARDS (Tanango): The hon. that is a difficulty that does not confront member for J\,1aranoa ra.ised a most important children residing in the cities. Although point when he touched upon the question !!.ere may be some disadvantages from over· of the erection of country schools. Hon. members on this side of the Chamber repre ~rowel im; of schools and lack of necessary improve]nents in the large centre•,, the most sent the majority of the ccuntry electorates, important thing to have in. mind is the and they can endorse his "entiments. It making av:tilable to every chtld the oppor often happens that snch a grea.t period of tunity of receiving a. primary education. The time elap :es from the time the Department vote shows an increase from £110,317 to of Public Instruction agrees to c··tablish ,t £132,050, and I hope that the increase will school in a country district until it is erected be spent in country electorates. by the ·works Der)art.ment that many of the children have remoYed from the district. Cnfortunatd . within the last four years I agree with the hon. rne:..._1bor for }lara !lO<:• cue of the ohi type of schooh was erected that, although tLerc is a large a:rnonnt of in rny p}ectondc at Tninn0, the trrnnnu~ n1rncy expended fron1 rin:.P to t in10 in country of the Ron1n-Injnne rRill,"ay. I endt::aYoured di:;trict-, too grc"1t con~iderahon cannct be at the tin1(' t) prevent it:-3 erection, but my extended in the matter of the education of objection _,·as overruled b~ the ::\linister the coumry children. It is known that delays Afthou~h it ls a ~very good schooL it is frequently take place in the pushing ,,,head altog-ether roo small, and has no conveni of the bqi]ding and rcpairin? of Cl ;•es whatever. I have brought the matter [2 p. m.] countrv schools, and Yarious before the ;,) inistor. who will o ;\reo that reDsons arc giyen for those delays. rnany improvr·mc:r.ts to the school are neces It is not ah' a','S a matter of delav on the 'ary. I hope, th0rcfore, that the hon. part of the D.epartmcnt of Public \Vorks. gentleman \vill ar.rrec to Ill\ requf•-;t for thoso Frequently there is a difficulty in obt-aining improvements to be effected. sii'es for schools. If the department can see its way to push things in some localities Tlwre is one other matter I would like cYen more than it is doing now. that would to point out to thf' 11in1ster, and it is one bn a big advantage to the country children. that has been r0cognised 1Jy hon. members on both sides of the Cha.mber, as thP;<' have In many cases an agit.ation take:; place for bronght it unrler the notice of the :Minister. the establishment of a country school. but, It is in regard to tlw nnneccssar:.- dela.y through dcln' s. the number of children may that takes place before work in re;;arcl to have decreased' to such an extent that the requisite number for the establishment of school buildiJH~·~. 1::. executed. I have in mind a building was to be erected at a se heal does not exist when the department ,~·hich is prepared to go ahead with the scheme. MorY~'l1. PL;-ns and spPcificn~ions werE' pre pared. I brn••ght tho matter before the Sometimes a delay of a year takes place. ~.f1ni h-·1' 1a;;:;t Fcbrn.LrY. and, unh.;;s the \vork Hon. J. G. APPEL: I have known of two in con;lceti( :1 >.vith l:h0 bu1lding has bren years elapsing. r roc(v-ckd 1\-ith quitt n c>cnt.ly, nothing has yet been done. i\1r. ED\VARDS: \Vhen such dela,·s occm· it is impossiblP to expect parent. to keep their :Yh. PETERSC': It take' about bro years ehildrc'l in that localitY without anv educa to gC't a sc~1ool. tional facilities P.Yailnb'le. and fron1~ tirne ro time families are forced to leaye such Mr. CO"iROY: The Lands Department districts for that reason. In such c1se·, the made a grant of the Lncl for the building. remaining children are so lcssen0d in number Plans and specifications were then prepared, that the required number does not exist but up to the pre,ont time nothing has been and the department then will not go ahead don{· in regard to its erection. I am not with the school. I have a c·.se in mv ott.ac~1ing any blame to th" Minister or his o\vn f'lC'C"tor..tte, at Dnrong, ,vherc an agita. dcprrrh1ent, but I have brought the matter tion for a school tnok place for some little forward because I con,icler that the erection time. After a number of obstacles had been of school buildings. particularly in country 'lHmountcd it ,, as decided to bnild the districts, should be proceeded with more echool. but now I have a note from the expeditiously. An hon. member now receives DPpartment of Public Instruction to the a. communicat-ion from the Secretary for effect that, as the number of children ha' Public Instruction tha.t such and such a work dPcreaced, it will have to reconsider the he,s been ~tpproved and sent on to the Works nuttt0r of building the school. It would be D' cmrtmont. and naturally he concludes that much better for the children concerned if the the work will be started, if not immediately, Department of Pnblic Works could find some th:•n in a very short t-ime. means of carrying out these more import-ant Mr. PETERSO>;;: You are only sta.rting your iobs as a first duty. The suggestion made troubles then. bv the hon. memb<'r for \Vide Bay should b.c carefully considered by the Minister, :Wr. CONROY: Some system should be that is. that the Department of Public devised whereby, when a work is approved, Instrnction should have power to spend a it should be put in hand as soon as possible. certain amount. of money on a job. Very I do not sa.v that the citv areas should often a local contrador could carry out the not get the same treatment· as country dis work, and, if the Unde1· Secretary of Public tricts; but, speaking as the representative Instruction, when visiting certain districts, of a countr:v electora.te, I contend tha.t we had power to get an estimate of the cost do not get the same service, as the city. I and order the work to be done immediately, am living in hopes that the Minister will it would be of great a-dYantage. consider the matters I h:we brought for While we appreciate the actio,; of the ward, and, taking into consideration the department in obta.ining the increased vote- [Mr. Conroy. Supply. [7 OCTOBER.] Supply. 1071 asked for, I would point out that it does not for ::\anango-who, like myself, is a country represent an actual increase. I was astounded member-has stressed the necessity for pro to learn that the department has had difficulty liding school accommodation for the children in having the vote spent, and very often has of country settlers who are prepared to suffer to carry a large amount of work over into the all the inconveniences attendant upon following year. If that is so, and it is not country life. \Vhile parents are prepared to made absolutelv clear to members of the subr1it to all the disabilities and to the lack Committee, the "opinion is likely to be formed of amusements and comforts which town that the increased vote will mean that a dwellers enjoy, they arc anxious that their greater amount of work will be carried out children should receive the education which in the following year when really it is for is necessary if they are to take their part in work which in some instances should have the affairs of the State in time to come. I been carried out in the year previous, as the have no objection-nor am I in any way amount was provided for on the Estimates for envious-to the accommodation which is that year. 'That being so, the Y£inister should being provided in the large centrts of popu carefully consider the question of the deterio lation. When a country member who has ration of public buildings. A very much aokecl to have a school built for the accom larger amount of money is required to pnt mod~tion of children in the country-which our public buildings in a proper state of application has received the approval of the repair. There are many old buildings Department of Public Instruction--finds that throughout G;)ueensland which arc deteriorat c~wir:g to the lack of funds the work cannot ing very fast, and it is a very difficult ques '"e r ,rricd out. he naturally feels that per tion at the present time to got proper accom haps almost too much is being spent for the modation for the children in these old build children in the metropolitan area. Xot that ings. In the first place, it is necessary to get tco much expenditure is possible, but when a report from the works inspector, and he a count,rv member views the palatial may report that the repairs should not be buildings owhich are being constructed for carric cl out, as the building, on account of the children in the large centres of popula its age, has only a short life. Then again, tion. and the amount of accommodation pro rcqtw <·hildren are there practically continuously. The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE: They l want to impress on the Minister an~ on the never had that authority. Premier-who I believe is sympathetic-that foresight should be exercised in these matters. HoN. J. G. APPEL: I know they did In the Albert electorate I suppose we have not· still the notification was misleading. tho larg·est number of old schools in any I a{n only asking the Minister to take the doctorate. Many of them were cons~ructed necessary action to have that stopped, fifty vears ago, and do not ~onform _wrth the because such an announcement is a handicap requirements of to-day, and m many mstanccs to other contractors. This firm by that are overcrowded. The lighting provided in notification is put on a different basis to those olden days does not conform wi_th the othe·r con~ractors. I am quite satisfied that requirements of to-day. The trouble rs that the departm_ent did not give 'I'hieme ;Brothers sufficient money is not p~ovided to enable that authonty; but the matter havmg Leen these schools to be modermsed. brought under my notice, it is my duty to The hon. member for Nanango referred to point i·~ out so that . the department can the necessitv for raising some of the old lake the necessary actwn. The department school' buildlrtgs. I have been fm·tunate inas engages carpenters unde~ the supen·ision of much as the department has been good enough those who are in authonty to carry out the to raise several of these old schools, and the work under its jurisdiction, and I _know children have been able to avail themselves that it would not approve of any pat•twula.r of the increased accommodation. There are tradesmen advertising or notifying that they others built in the olden days and built very were its agents. low down. The Minister is sympathetic but The hon. member for Nanango mentioned the funds are not there and the children the matter of the construction ut shelter have to suffer. The point I want to stress ii' sheds at country schools. I would also .ask that these children have onlv one means of the Minister to consider the construction of obtaining education, and they have to suffer. shelter-sheds in connection with t-he schools I ask the Minister, when he is spending larg·G in my electorate. The majority of the 'ums of money on new high school buildings echoot's in count·ry districts are only sm~ll. and technical colleges. to constder the and even if thev are constructed on h1gh claim of children in our countrv districts as slm~ps. the accommodation provid·ed under absolutely paramount. I know "that the cost the buildings is not very spacious. ~he of constructing new buildings and making majority of the children travel many mrles additions to old buildings have very largely to school and the shelter-eheds afford a increased. As I pointed out on a former place for' them to sit down and eat thei, occasion, that arises largely from the fact that lunches. Some teachers have permit~ed them apparently there is a lack of method in coll to have their meals within the school-room, nection with the way in which construction by but eventually had to withdraw the per day work is carried out. It has been brought mi~sion because of the amount of debris under my notice on different occasions that and one thing and another that accumu timber has be<>n brought all the way from ln ted as a result. I would like the Minis~er Brisbane by rail. In one instance I think th0 1 o reconsider this question, and provide distance travelled was 40 miles, and the timber shelter-sheds where they are Il,FlCessary in had to be drawn from the railwav terminus connection with country schools t0 enable over roads for something ;ike 6 miles, actuall.v the children to have their lunches and obtain passing one of the largest sawmills operatin;t shelter from the rays of the sun. A number in the State at that time, the proprietors of of schools in my electorate, particularly the which were prepared to find the timber for old ones, are not sufficiently larg·e tu accom that school-they were interested in the sett], modate the scholars, and it is necessary for ment of the district-at a lower cost prico the teacher to take some of the classes in than the timber supplied in Brisbane and these shelter-sheds. without the additional haulage costs. Those who were to construct the building 'I'he SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURF: It is were on the spot, but because of some lack of often convenient to do so, and in good organisation the timber required for laying weather it is a good idea. the foundations did not arrive. The roof HoN. J. G. APPEL: In some cases with timber arrived first, and the men had to be which I am personally acquainted !he> accom paid for waiting day after day until the essen nwdation is so strained in the school itself tial timber arrived to enable them to carrv that, for the health and comfort out the work. People who do not understand [2.30 p.m.] of the children, a certain num- the matter say, " This is an extraordinary ber of classes are taken in the thing: here is a work construded by day shelter-sheds. In many cases the shel'oer labour; and how is it possible that the sheds are provided so that the nece,~ity for amount can be so largely in excess of the the enlargement of a school may be obviated. amount f.or which that building could be con I recognise that in some districts the atten structed if it had been carr-ied out bv a dances have fallen off, but in a district such (·ontractor ?" That is one of the reasons. as the Alber~ the settlers are mcrea;;ing, and This lack of organisation is very largel:-' I am glad to say the children are increasing. n~"ponsible for the increased cost-in son1c (Hear, hear!) When you are bll acquainted rases three times the amount for which the with -,.our district, as I am, and parento building- could have been constructed hv a come along and appeal to you, there is only contractor. one thing one can do, and that is to ~ry to Recently a carpenter and contractor drew enlist the sympathy of the G-overnment; my a.ttcntion to a· notification by two men nnd on that point I thank the S•·cretary for named E. and T. Thieme, which appeared c\griculture who, when in char,.;e of the in the "Beenleigh News." The notification Department of Public \Vorks, was good stated that this firm were agents of the enough on different oc-casions '!;o 1neet my ['ublic Works Department in the carrying requests for increased accommodation, which out of day-labour works in connection with was absolutely necessary: I thank the hon. schools in the district and elsewhere in gr,ntleman not only for myself but on behalf other districts. cf the parents and the children who will [Hon. J. G. Appel. Supply. [7 OCTOBER.) Supply. 1073 benefit by that increased accommodation necessarilv extravagance bec-'tuse, if :he which was approved and carried out while monev is-well spent, it is not extra\ agance. the hon. gentleman wa,s in that office. ~o:w rnd<·'i· the present system whereby the l ask the hon. gentleman at pn•cent m Department of Public \Vorks has cor;trol charge of the depa,rtmcnt-and he 1s sym of school buildings there is dual control, pathetic I hope-to ex:'rcise sympath;v a.nd and whe>n vou have dual control it always consideration for those !Jttle country children. n1akes for ~ ine:ffie;iencv. If a sys1 ~ n1 \Ye re The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: carried out the c~nstruction of one dormitory He c<'rtaiJily attempted to carry out what there, and will now commence the construc with hin1 a deep-seated conviction, and tion of a second dormitory. Other accom has some of the groa ter_ t minds in the modation will also he prm-ided. \Yorlcl thirlking with hi1n. The hon_ member also raised the question c\Ir. :iY1AX\VELL: Greater minds were against of nurses' quarters at the Laidley hospitaL him. and complained rather bitterly-and, I The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: thought, unnecessarily-that the erection of The hon. mc·mber for Toowong also calied those quarters has been. held up for three aHention t.1 tho condi• ion of Government v·'ars. I do not think that is quite a correct buildinr;s, J.wrc particularly the Treasury sbtement of the case. The hon. member buildings. The department is now complot '' irl the hospit.cl committ2e were prepared to \mild the quarters thcmselvcc·. They may do i ng tbc nl'w addition to thP Tre:-1sury build ings. but 1 can give tlw hon. 111e1nber the so. but thev will not bo allowed to use moncv gT11ntcd aS a subsidy for n1aint,enance puf as3ura"-cc~ tho.J \YhPn th-_ addi1lons are con1- poses. nor ,,-ill the~,~ be allowed to use :monf_n>' plctf_;.d, tht~ work of painting the exterior of g-ranted them by the Government. If the:, the b~.tildtng he < on1plaincd of \Yill be pro n·c so anxious to build those quarters, there ccedo·d ''·ith. j, nothing to prevent them collecting th-e The hon. member for Bulimba r·eferred to nece~sary an1ount of n1Dney and building tht"~ the necessity of building sehouls at J.V1nrarrie, qnnrtcrs b-· contract or am other method. If l\tlornjngsiclP, and }Iount Bruce. I can a-:sure tlwv esk for a mb>idv from the Government, the hon. ml'mbPr that plans are beiEg pre Ol' ·if they receive t>\--o-thirds of the amount par-c_d for srhools at }1orningsid;~ and ]\fount from the· GoYf'rnlnent, "\Ye certainly vvant. to Br:~c2, and. when d10se arc completed, the ~"P \1hat is bPing done and to have a say i1~ necc"ary estimates _,-ill be obtained. The tho matter. Ho,vever, the hon. rncmber net: 1J matter of repairs to the police station at have no furthe1· worry about the matter. as Coorparoo ha'3 been referred to the dcpart ,{'1.168 was approved this month for the pur nH~nt for action. pose. and the work will bo g-one on with a.t a.n early date. Th~1 hon. mc1nber for Kundah expressed the ·npiDion thnt the cot:t of DC\Y school buildings The hon. mcmher for ·wide Bav dealt with C'ld acldi1ions to echools \Yhich might be the question of schools required {n his e1ecto l'P~a.nh =1 as pr-..tctically llC\Y construction ratP. As I indicated in the beginning of rny ehcmJ.l be Pntirclv borne bv the loan fund. remarks. as Ylinister I am sympathcti-. to I might c b tc for the bc:1efit of the hon. wards the claims of countrv members, and T member and other hon_ members of the Com asSJuc thP hon. member tli'at, if he has anv mi ttce that that is the policy now adop: ed claims which he can substantiate. they "-ill by the dPpartmcnL rr-ro]ye sympathetic consideration. The hon_ member for \Varv.ick pressed for i\1r_ CLAY1'0X : I will be in vour office in the the r-rcction of teachers' residences at several n1orning. ~ c-entres in his electorate. and stressed the The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: 11cccssity for sorr1e necessary improvements Reg-ardinQ: one of those schools I assure the to the tPchnicai college at \Varwick. I ho~- member approval has now bro·en obtained promik the hon. gentleman that I will go for it. iEto the mattnr and see what can be done Mr. Cr.AYTOX: Yes, but the building has for him. He does not worry the department Dot been commenced. v0ry oft('n, and I presnn1e that, \vhcn he '11('C:essar:v alterations, additions, repairs, and The SECRETARY FOR P'GBLIC WORKS: new schools required. · The hon. gentleman said we were erecting :Mr. CLAYTON: That is a deplorable con palatial buildings in the city. I am sure tho clition. hon. gentleman will not quarrel with thE' The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: Department of Public \Vorks for putti1ig up I am very glad that I got that int<:'rjection. buildings in !he city that are up to standard, \Yhat did Mr. Bruntnell, the K>J.tionalist and, if schools have been erected which bv a -:yfinistcr for Education, in New South Wales stretch of imagination might be described, a< sav? He said he wanted two and a-half nalatial, I do not know that any fault can mtllions to b1·ing up to date the "chools of be found with the department. ?\cw South \Vales which had been under Hon. J. G. APPEL: I did not find fault with the control o£ u :";' ationalist Government for the department ~ears. The SF:CRE'l'ARY .FOR PUBLIC WORK8: An OPPOSITION 1'1EiiinER: Put your own l!nquestionably, when the hon. gentlPman house in order. was Home Secretary, the Govornment erected a very fine school building in the The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS : The public schools of this State, and e·;peci c'r>ctorate of the hon. member for Windsor. a!Iy the country schools. more than favourabl• No doubt that scl10ol was necessary, and it <'ompare with ·the '·chools in anv other State was erected in a very flourishing euburh of in the Commonwealth. Recently I travelled Brisbane. through the ::\"m·thorn Ri:vers district of New The hon. member stated that he had been South \Vales, and I was astounded to see some informed that a firm were advertising in building· .. that were used as schoob in that a Beenleigh newspaper that !hey were agents district. They could properly be described for the department in regard to day labour. a, barns, > I have a copy of a letter wi'th regard to months' work on the block so that I Monal Creek- can take my family where they can be " 5th May. 1925. educa";;ed." " \Vith reference to your Tepresenta The " Standard " replied in a footnote- t"ions in the matter, I have to inform " The plan and estimated cost of a vou that the school committee at Monal suitable school have been prepar COURT OF INDUSTRIAL ARBITRATIOX. tion Act was amended very many times after The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS 1905. When the Act was first introduced it (Hon. M. J. Kirwan, Brisbane): I beg to was never intended that it was to be the iast move--: word on workers' compensation. When the Industrial Arbitration Act was first intra " That £4.765 be granted for ' Court of clued by the Labour party in 1915, it was Industrial Arbitration.' " never contended that that Act would be the There is an increase in this vote of £633. last word in arbitration. It has been accounted for by an increase in salaries of amended several times in very important £433, and an increase in contingencies of particulars. I contend that the whole basis £200. of arriving at· a \Yards is wrong. Let us see what occurs. When the parties go to the Mr. VOvVLES (Dalby) : The question Arbitration Court seeking an award. the which arises in mv mind is whether we are first thing that the advocate of the employers justified in assenting to this vote in view of who appears before the judge in the Arbi recent happenings. The functions of the tration Court does is to quote the capital cour~ have been taken away from it by invested in the industry, and adduce figures Parl:ament, Not long ago, in a very hurried to show that the. industry is not of average fashwn,, w1thout. any evidence, Parliament prosperity. If he succeeds in that respect dealt w1th most Important matters which the the judge not only refuses to give anY judges of the court would have been called increase in wages, but sometimes agrees to upo,n .to occupy many days in dissecting and rednce wages. I submit that the methods demdmg. If w<:> can do that in an off-hand employe•! in arriving at awards are very :vay, why should we waste all this money on unfair, and the figures are unfairly, com Judges and the court? Why not let Parlia putE:d. By wa:: of illustration, let me quote ment do the lot? There are certain hon. an mstance of an industrv where £50 000 is members on the other side who say that arbi invested in plant and machinery. Wh~n the tration has been a failure. employees in that industry go to the Arbitra Mr. CoLLINS: Hear, hear! tion Court, thev find that the first thing that Mr. VOWLES: Why then continue some is allowed to th'e employers is interest on that thing which is superfluous? But have the £50,000. Then a sum is taken for depreciation of plant and machinery, and a. pretty solid ~overnment. got anything to substitute for Jt?. Is Par!lament always going to be asked rate of depreciation it is, too. The gross to mi.ervene? Are we goi':g to be required, profit is thus arrived at, and from ~he gross profit. are de-ducted on paper several other a~ we were recently. to discharge the func tions of the court? We were told during the sums, whicl1 reduce the amount shown as early part of thi.< session that an innovation profit. Let us stress that again. First of all. was to take piece in the court and that a interest on the amount of capital. overhead new judge in the form of a la;man was to E'xpenses, and depreciation are allowed, and be appointed. Is that providecl for in this then working expenses. rent, raw material, vote? wnl-"c,, and m forth are set off against what might be termed the wages, working expenses. The SECRETARY FOR Pt:BLIC ·woRKS: Xo. or cost of living· of the employees. First and Mr. VOvVLES: Is anything to be done in fnr·en1o~t the employing fraternity are assured that respect this session? This is a matter of interest and depr0eiation. I have repeatedly that the public and this Committee should held in this Ch<:.mber that the working man have some information about. has his canih!. and it is of more use than ThP SECRETARY FOR PcBLIC \VORKS: You thf! r?.pital reprcsr·nt.f'd in plant, machinery, '':ill have all thP information when }·ou get ra1lwuys. or anvthing- else, yet nothing- is the Bill npxt week. allowed for it. The interest on his capital is not taken into account in arriving at the Mr. VOvVLES : I want to know somethin~< wages industrv should pay. That is where more thftn ~ha~. When :ve do get the Bill om: present a,,:bitration system has not given we shall resist It, and res1st it very strongly. "at1sfaction. and the workers under these Th0 SECRETARY FOR PcBLIC \\'ORKS: ;-;-o a·wards naturally are beginning to complnin. threats. To show that no amendment of the Act is Mr. VO\VLES: It seems to me that in nece,·sar:v, let me m<'ntion that section 8 connection with this vote we are throwing subs•cti~n (i.) (b) of the present Act away some tho!1sands of pounds for no nece; empowers i he court to take into con sary purpose, If the court's functions are to sideration the value of the employee's be usm·ped by Parliament. labour to the employer, bnt the AI·bitration Mr. FER;RICKS (South Brisban.;): I have Court never does that. \Vhen speaking on no\·cr cons1der0d the Industrial Arbitration the 'Ya 1It of confidence motion a fe'-v Act a failur~. but I have often complained of weeks ago, 1 gave the illustration of wha~ I consHler to be the wrongful adminis £56.000.000 sterling of capital in our rail tratiOn of the Act. The administration of ways lying idle and not being able to earn t.hc Act by the judges of the Arbitration the price of a drink of water until the labour Court is ali:ogother on a wrong basis, and, of the workers was applied to put it into although the system may have imperfections operation and bccoEle wealth-producing. I contenr.J that those imperfections can b~ \Yhen the rorkers went to the Arbitration removed m the course of administration and Court just prior to the railway strike. :Mr. that no amendment of the Act is nece'ssarv W Plch, the advocate for the Commissioner. for that purpose. Hon. members wiil pointed out to the court that, though the net ''emomber tha\ when the vVorkers' Com reverme of th0 railways for the vear 1924-25 pensation Act was introduced in this was just double that· of the previous year, Chamber about 1905 it was a yen· nevertheless it was not sufficient. Indeed. to <'rude affair. and had ~o comparison to the the extent of £780.000 it was short of the broad, benevolent, and humane Act that is interest bill, amounting to £2,435,000 on the no.w on the statute-book. placed there by £56,000,000 of capital represented in the this Governm·ent. The \Vorkers' Compensa- system. Do hon. members then not see that Mr. F'erricks.] 1080 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Suppiy. the advocate of the Commissioner claimed That is very far-rea.ching, and even fur in court that, after depreciation, working ther ahead than the administration of our expenses, and every other allowance had been present Industrial Arbitration Act. ·when accounted fc,r in the minds o.f the railway the Arbitration Court and the system are administration, the earnings \'l'ere not suffi rernodelled the court should endeavour to cient to pay interest on the capital invested go even bevond that. I am endeavouring this and the judge 'hould therefore not increase a ftci·noon " to put my view' before the the ha sic wage? The judge did not increase Chamber bdore the new system is inaugu· the basic w.~ge. That is an anomaly, for, if rated. The view I take is that. when these matters must be taken into considera interrst is allowed on ea. pi tal, equal or even tion. at least equal consideration will have to greater interest should be allowed on the be given to the interest on the ·workers' capital of the worker. because it is of even capital. grc·•d·'l' use; and if depreciation is allowed Take the question of depreciation. There for plant. machinery, or anything else, is depreciation in railway material-railway depreciation should also be allowed on the engin•·s and everything else-but is there not life a.ncl health of the \"orker. The working depreciation amongst the •vorkers? Do they expenses should then be set one against the not run any risks in their employment? other. the working expenses of tho employer lJ.:ing for plant, n1atoria.L wages, otC'., and the ThoPe risks ar~.,• ne;;er taken into considera tion. \'•',n·king expensoc, of the worker being his cost of living. And this is whore I "'o further Take the coaJ n11n1ng industry, \vher~ 0von than the Lambeth conference. After hor•·H are used. Probablv no horses are used those allowances have been made, unlimited in coal mines in Queenshnd, but they are profits should not go to rhe Pmplovrr•. A used in other States. These horses which evstem m a v be evolved at a l 'ter stage, wor~: underground in the coal mines are an a'nd ·when 'the ne\v measure C'onH'"3 forward a se et and a part of the ea pi tal. Interest is I may endeavour to enlarge upon. that allowed CJTI them in the balance-sheet, and aspect of tho question. It is not fan· for depreciation is claimed for them if they are th.· Arbitration Court to ~tick in a groove maimed or killed; but no interest is allowed as it has done. I must be nuite ca.nclid in on the capital of the coal miner, and no t!Jj,, matter. that arbitration· has not given allowance ;, made for depreciation or an~' entire satisfaction. I do not blame the men deflds that may accrue to him in following ·who are working under it for any a('tion a calling which, while not as harmful as some they take when we read such glaring other forms of mining, is not the choic>'st in instances as that which occurred when the the world. railv;a~v unions applied for the restoration [3.30 p.m.l of their 5s., and the following was said by the advocate of the Raihv:1.y Department, I , on tend that the judges themselves have 1\Ir. \Y elch- got into a groovP in tl1e administration of our Industrial Arbitration Act, and that not ' The financial position of the rail onE' of them from its inception has ever got ways in Queeneland discloses that the bevond the bare quFstion of "\Vhat is the industrv could not be considered to be lo;nst amount that a man, his wife, and one of" averag-e prosperity, oven ta.king three children can live upon?" for grantvd that the net revenue, as I have said. was double that of the pre "\Jr. GLEDSON: Exist upon. vious year." Mr. FERRICKS: Exist upon-I thank He continued that, if the 5s. rc'"toration the hon. member for Ipswich for his correc were made by the Arbitration Court, further tion. \Ve have had so-called Economic financial burdens would be placed upon the Commi ~.sions and experts and their staffs ni!Fa:vo, and lte added these aignificant compiling material for Economic Commis ,. •)rds- sions, all with the one aim in . view-to " Just at a time when. throug-h the arrive with the most exact approach to per prosperity of tho State and with the fc,ction, at ,vhat it costs a man, his ,,-ife, admitted co-operation of the men, we an cl tlu·ee children to exist-to nse tho word., are beginning to n1ako up the leeway.'' of th!' hon. member for Ipswich. The Economic Commi:::sion has ne;;er gone h3- T':•ople who do not look into that statement voncl that, nor hac; cur Court of Industrial mio·ht think that it is a veev >1clmirable :\rbitration done so since its inception. id~~ or aim •' to Ir{ake up the ulee'~~ ay/' as "I.Ir. VovvLES: The:' ha Ye provided what is this loss on the working of tho railway;; is tcn .. cd a stanchrd of comfort. called. Bu~ dv they •realise that it ic me-ant 1hat that leeway Jnust be made up at tho ~.1r. FERRICKS: The hon. member for e}.'"p0nse of the~ \Yorker& only, whO arc of Da.lb"' 1':ill agree that £4 56. is not a ver... grertter .-alue than all the c'lpital invested hig-h· eta.ndard of comfort for a man, h~s in the ~·nterprise? "Just bl:.ginning to make wi£ '- and three children. up the leeway" ! The leeway, accor?ing. to }Ir. J\1ooRE: It is for a single ma.n. •be argument used before the Arb1tratwn Court, i:::. the loss on tho year's operations1 'fr. FERRlC'KS: I was. therefore, very 1\·hich amounted to £780,000, and here was pkasec! to hear hom the Rev. F. Maynard !he alluring prospect held out to the: railway- when he spoke at the E•:hibition Hail la;;t 1!1011 bv the Con1n1issioner's advocato in the nirrht. c-omething which I had nenr heard Arbitration Court, who had just p1·cviously before--that at a conference held at admitjecl that the net revenue of the rail Lambeth, in London, in 1920, and attended wa, _, had doubled. He contended that by 250 bishops of the Anglican Church, the t h!·-ough the prosperity of the Sta tc there following resolution was affirmed bv the •sould 1H.~ a greater i1~crease of l:evenue-: as;;cm blage :- " wbich we all agree w1th and behove wJ!l " The first charge on industry should be, the case-but he must also realise when he b" a fair living wage and decent condi makes that significant statement that a tion< for those "~ho c.:trry out the vvork, double incma.se of revenue means greater and the profits should com·e after,'' expenditure and that the whole of the [}fr. J"erricks. Supply. [7 OcTOBER.] Supply. ·increased revenue will not be profit. The this proposal has not been more favoura.blv prospect therefore held out to the railway- n'ceived is perhaps because it is somelhing 1llOn \-",-as this: Let the railways 1nake up out of the routine. The judges of the that deficit of £780,000 each year, and after Arbitration Court have alwavs fic.- 7 .,, oncler that the tnen went on strike? If of the State were threatened with a claim the Arbitration Court had taken thu~ hear for increased wages and shorter hours, and ing in conformity ,,-ith the Act, without any the Arbitration Court was approached for scrapping of the Arbitration A0t or a an award. single comma of it-if it had only epplied There is a considerable amount of uneasi ccction 8 subse,,·:ion (i.) (b), that I have no,s in the agricultura"l industry with regard just quoted, and had taken into considera to its application. and a .consi.derabl~ tion the value of the employees' labour !o amount of speculation as to the mtentwns or the employer-the restoration of the bas1c the Government since thcv have not seen v age would have been made, and the rail that the dcci '-io'n has bee;; finalised. We way strike would never haYe taken place. know that the court appointed boards .to I advance these views fm· the consideration 1nako inquiries into agricultural p~rsult·"· ,,f the Commit.tef' because I think something generally in the State, and the cotton m.Jus must be done wi':h our sy,tem of arbitration. try in particular, and their I;eports ~ave I .do not think it is satisfactory, and I been fon'> arde.J to the court. \\ e know "hat think that few people can fairly da.im that 2.1r. \V. ,J, Dunstan, who moved for tho it has been S'ltisfactory. Hon. members application of arbitration to th£ rur:tl indus npposite, who nu_-.,~ not agree with rne and trv said at the Emu Park Conventwn- .,, ho mav laud the present arbi~ration methods, 'on consideration must admit that, . ' " They had everv right to .ask t~e although arbitration may bring about what Government to inclucle all workers 1n fvme Lpeople call industrial peace, that their first Act of Parliament, because the indu~trial peace will have been brought Government had spent a lot of money m nhout a:. ihe Expense of the men engaged the last twelve months, ~o that those ir: the industry. "When the now method employed in agriculture in its variot:s come~ into operation conside·ration 1Nill have phasE's would get the full return for the1r to be given to the question of whei.her the labour.'' results of the award 'vill be passpd on to thn It might be fair to industrialists in the ciry. cr.,nsunH {' or 1he \Vage-earner. I COllllllCnd but no agl'iculturist would make that adr~tJ::; ":\~ the Governnwnt the need for giving f-ion. IIe was certainly not rccciYing the full 0arncst cuEsideration to that matt~r when return for hi;-l; labour,· and, eY-2D if he \'F·rc, l::cy are n1vuldiE~ the neY; system, and not it would be like p;iv1ng a man a gDod hreak 10 l'Plv too much on the eo-called expert f0st a·nd then tal{jng hin1 out tn hang hnn. -commi~ .ions and their advisers, who fail The Home Secretary, who seconded the tn ~·et down to ~he foundation of things motion, said- and'- to sec that any systen1 of arhit ration i' properly based. I contend that without a " He \Yas pariicularlv concerned about proper foundation no superstructure can be the rural wo~rkcrs. Having affirmed the principlP of arbihation. they should get f)f anv ncLmanent avail. Before \\·e star:. io bllild' a system of arbitration we must the most out of 1t. The sechon of the communitv that had stood behind the g('t at the basis of arriYing at these decisions. Govern1nOnt in times of adversity \Vere While the Arbitration Court judges cannot doni(~d access to the court." be instructed, I -think it shows that they do not g·o very deeply into the Arbitration :Mr. Dunstan, in un official stat",ment t embrace all rural workers, fruitgrowers, in the industry. I appeal te the Govern cot:on-growers, and others 'vho are at ment to hasten their decision and be out present excluded." spoken, ancl say why they· are not carrying That was the determination of the Emu Park out the decision ef the Emu Park Conven Convention, and the Government, at the dic tion. I know that an award will be made. tation of that Convention, introduced a Bill The court has to fulfil its functions in that broadening the Arbitration Court's functions regard. While I disagree with an award_ te include all werkers. That proposal met being made, it is right that we should know with severe opposition from country mem the findings of the two boards that were ber,. The indqstrialists very soon made an appointed to inquire into lhe rural industry. application to the court for an award in the We should know their findings so that those agricultural~ dairying, and cotton-growing who are planting their crops to-day will have industries. That was opposed by the repre some idea as to the conditions under which sentatives of the farmers on the Council of thev will be compelled to harvest their crops. Agriculture, and boards were appointed, I do not know why the Gov·ernment will not which. after extensive inquiries throughout take action in this regard. the State. secured information .and came to The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: The a finding 'which we understand was in favour court has-te deal with that matter, and not of making an a'vard in those industries. the Government. Since that time no information has been Mr. CORSER : The Government could given to the farmer, who is now engaged in deal with an industrial dispute and settle it planting his crop, as to the conditions within a week. v.et they have refused fer· under which he will harvest it. He is months to declare their position in connec kept in ignorance of the finding of the court tion with the matter I have mentioned. in that it has not been finalised; and, when efforts have been made in this Cham 11r. GILDAY: Do you want an award? ber by means of questions and in _other ways Mr. CORSER: I do not want an award; to ascertain the result or to -discover the but since the Government have made an reason for the apathy of the Government in aw~rd possible and a claim has been made finali·ing the matter, an answer has been for an award and evidence collected, and given by the Minister concerned which is certain industrialists claim that the evidence almost insulting to the questioner. The is in favour of an award we want to know GoYernment .'eem to want to bring about a what the decision is. I d~ not believe in an state of "Hush" in this matter for some award for rural workers until they receive purpose; they seem to want te delay the the full return fer their labour. previous Administration, to initiate the prcsent--da v conditions, and, on the other e.ystem of ·wages boards. hand, we 'have these monopolistic conoerns, A GovERNMENT J\fEi\IBER: They wer•- a \Vc haYe 1o realise that every award which faihue. ;, made increases the cost of nving, and thus deprives the wage-earncer of the benefit of HoN, J. G. APPEL: They were not a the new wage. The question which h:xs hilure at that time. It fell to my lot to ou:urrcd to rne is. '' How far can we go 1n initiate and adrninister the vvages boards this direction?" We have to remember that system for some eight mon~-hs. As hon. the majorit:' of the community have to be 1nen1bers ar;:-~ avvare, those boards c HoN. J. G. APPEL: What ails the hon. position to-day reflects any credit upon those member? of us who are charged with the duty of doing what we can to solve the position. The CHAIRMAN : Order ~ HoN. J. G. APP.EL: I think every hon. This is a matter that should be approached member in this Committee knows that I from an absolutely non-partisa.n point of have never been guilty of anything like that. view. I do not think that there is a On th;, contrarv. \Vhat I am anxious to see member of this Committee who does not is that those who are working for the benefit desire to see his fellow men adequately and advancement of this State should be rewarded and living in a condition of hap happy and prosperous, and what I desire to riness. If there is any such man, then he see is the method by which we might arrive i< not fit to be a member of this House. at that happy state of affairs. \Ve should all desi·re to solve the problem, and, if it can be done by a different method Mr. HYNES: You are on the wrong si·de of than suggested by the vote we are consider the Chamber. ing now, I say for goodness' sake let us do HON. J. G. APPEL: It is useless to say it and let us avoid the bitter partisa'l feeling !.hat an increase in wages from £4 a week to that has been suggested. I had never £4 5s. a week and a decrease in hou-rs is thought previously that the hon. member going to bring that abou~. Any man who for Maryborough entertained any feelings of has any knowledge, unless he is simply bitterness, but he seemed to be quite bitter desirous of obtaining votoo, knows t.hat such in his remarks. I had always looked upon a proposition would be silly and absolutely him as a good comrade. preposterous. We cannot arrive at it in ~hat Mr. WEIR: You charged me with ailing. way. I take it that all hon. members who. like myself, hav3 an ambition such as I HoN. J. G. APPEL: Surely, if we are all have outlined. desire to see that a fair animated with the same spirit, we can solve reward is paid to those engaged in our this problem. Look at the primary pro different industries. I am prepa·red to sup ducer l Look at the condition of some of port any proposition to bring about those the sugar producers! Look at the disadvan conditions. and I do not care from which side tages inflicted upon the workers that this of the Chamber it is proposed. When the very vote is supposed to alleviate ! Cannot Arbitration Cou:t:t was constituted it was we solve the trouble? We are seventv-two contended that o'nly judges who were tem men; we have brains; we have coffimon peramentally fitted should preside over it. sense and exper·ience; and surely we can Judges ~empe•ramentally fitted were solve this problem. We can if we appointed, and the very hon. rnembc,rs who [4.30 p.m.] do not approach it in a partisan argued that that class of man should be spirit, but a.pproach it with a appointed are the very men who are now desire to niake this c ·'before the court it took months and m·onths or legal 1nan. He ti~s things up in 3u~h .hefore an award was granted. During the phrases that to-dav m almost every hL!; regime of the Government of which the hon. Gov members in the union were not earning £2 That was the recommendation of an unbiased' a week. The waterside workers have . at impartial commiosion. ~t was a go_od lead tempted to r~medy that positwn by brmg to the, Court of Industnal Arh1tratwn, but inrr in the rotary system. What has hap the court has done nothing to alter the present pe~ed? The shipping compames ~ave svstem and. as a matter of fact, I believe refused to send their ships to the vanous that to'-day ]t h>ts given a judgment that the ports. Hon. members opposite sh~mld not men who ar8 holding to the rotary system are tell their constituents at elect10n time that guilty of a strike within the me~ning of the the farmers' produce ha~ been allow<:d Act, and I daresay that they w1ll be prose to rot because the waters1de workers will cutecl. I hope that the "·orkers who _are not man the shipe<, because it is not true. standing for the emmently farr and J~lst A ship has never been sent to Bowen wh1ch ev.stem of distribution of work by rotahon has not been loaded. A ship has never been '~ill continue to hold out for it, and, if they sent to Roclrhampton and been refused have to be finer! to demonstrate that it is a labour, but the waterside workers will offer hir proposition that thei1: mates should get their own labour under their own system. a share of the wages to ne gamed, ~ hope 1\Ir. Kro;G: As they like. they will be fined. and that they wlll not feai·. If the Arbitration Court was :'vir. HARTLEY: :"'ot as they like, but effPctiye whether the shinpinf- co1npanie.;; under a fair system. to ensure that when liked it' or not. and whether it met with ono rnan has been em played for a tin1e, the approval of all the wat_erside workers another man who has not been employed or not, it would deal w1th the quee shall get his chance. Is that not a fair sys t.ion, and would enf'?rce the rotan· sys~em. tem? Does the hon. member think that >t The court would bnng- 111 a system wn1ch man who has had five davs or a week's woulr1 not Ctl!ow our Unemployment Insur "mploymc•nt should have \Jreference next ance Fund i-o b<• depleted to the extent of w~ck over another man who has not had a £4,000 or £5,000 a month. I say that ;'"e day's work for a. fortnight? He is abso sl•ocdd not sub,iclise surplus labour for b1e lutl'ly wrong if he does. ~J1i·.)ping cornpanics. 1\fr. MAXWELI,: ·what about the Premier advising them to work under the present The.se arc the arguments in favour of the conditions? rotarv system and it is all humbug for Mr. .Juetice \V ebb' or any other eminent judge to :\'Ir HARTLEY: I do not think that he blink hi' m·es and try to get round the ques has, though I am not concerned about that. tion bv talking about an illegal strike. This But, if the Premier is giving that advice, hP morning I asked a question as to wheth_er ~he i, advising them directly against the recom judg-e who had sug-gested that the sh1ppmg mendation of a commission which was companies should be represented bv counsel appointed in September of last year to make was right in doing eo. The Industnal a recommendation on the question of employ Arbitration Act distinctly says that, unless ment of "aterside workers b:T the rotary both partiPs consent to the appear svstem. That con1n1ission sat here and mado ance of counsel or solicitors, they shall not a~ very stroeg recommendation in favour of appear. In my opinion it was not the func the rotary system. They only h~:1rd evidence tion of the Pr< 'ident of the court to suggest with J'egard to the port of Brisbane. It was to anvoodv that they should be represented stated that there were 1,254 members in the bv co'unsel. The object of the Act was. as ·waterside ·workers' Union in Brisbane, and f~r as possible, to give the. worker~ a fa!r it was admitted that out of that number 200 open chance to present then·. case 1_n the1r men were i1wffective. It should have been 0 ,-n wa.v. and not to make 1t poss1ble for +he clntv of the council created under the them to' bo tang-led up in a _m:;r.ss of legal Unerc,ploycd ·w m-kers' Insurance Act to take technicalities. It was not wrthm the pro those men out of that union and put them Yinc0 of the iudg-e to adYise that cc:unsel into an industrv where thev would have been ;;honlrl appear. I noti~e that t~~- ]U~ge effective. That commissio~ showed that the stated tlwt he al_so adYJ~erl _the_ \-~ aters1de average number of unemployed in the 'Vater \Vorkers' FederatiOn to IJe Jepiesentco by side \Vorkcrs' Union for six m·onths pre cm1nsol. I dPsire to ~ay, from ~y. know viouslv was ~80, and that thev were drawing lPdgc obtained ao a resdt of qlH sho!'mg !he sustcn'ance from the State 'Unemploymenct memben of the Pxecutlve of the \'\ atersrde Insurancp Fund. The general average up to \Yorker"' Fcdcr Queensland in any shape> or form. Althou§' h with the object of compelling their hon. mc:nbers opposite rnay s~ty '"e a1·e. \~-\-_. employers to submit to the • robtry' sa> mc't emphatically that we are not. iY • system." ':vnnt to see that s 1 andard of con1fort rnain \Yhnt has the hon. member for Bowen 1o ;av tained as far .as possible. to that' The members of the union will ~~·t I have alwavs had the fullest confidence in prc.;ent themselves to work ships. t~m·ph, tn the men who arc conducting the A1·bitration gooclnc3t th0 shipping companies \vordd be Comt. I believe they carry out their clutie3 lunatics to send their shins into ports '.vhere as n1cn who occupy tho re3ponsible position these conditions exist. .. of arbitrators should do. \Yhat arc we g-oing :Vh. COLLINS : Only " week ago the to substitute if we do away "ith the Arbitra "Calonne," a French boat, 'vent to Bo1vr 'J. tion Court? Can hon. members opposite t~:ll lF cf a.n•.r better ~vstpn1? Anv boll. 1ncn1bf·r "'lr. T_\YLOR: Yoll will load l deprived of their employment, and the That is not as it should be, seeing that arbi whole State was being more or less tration is the accepted policy of this country. affected." Happily that condition has been improved to some extent, and I am looking forward At the conclusion of the interview- to the time in the not very distant futnre " Mr. Gillies again stressed the fact when we shall have another judge appointed that the Arbitration Court had given its to attend to all industrial matters north of decision, and, as the policy of the Go the twenty-second parallel of latitude. Mr. Yernment and of the Labour party was J u'tice Douglas is over-worked in the Crimi arbitration, the duty of the waterside nal Court, consequently industrial matters workers was obvious-to accept tile ere hung up for one or two weeks until his decision of the court and to adopt the 1·eturn to Townsville. How farcical the suggestion previously made by the Pre Bituation is. For instance, if a man is sident." charged with " pinching " a poddy calf from Never was there a time in ihe history of a squatter at Cloncurry, the judge and the Ouscnsland or in the history of Australia rest of the court proceed to Cloncurry to try '~hen we had better opportunities for making that indiyidual, although .at the same· time (·:ood. Of our rrimary products we have an industrial dispute may be holding up an .fl.mple supplies, and we a·re just con1n1itting mdustry in Townsville and affecting the industrial suicide by adopting the methods bread and butter of thousands of men, which tho industrialists are adopting in women. and children in North Queensland. Queensland. That. situation is brought about by reason of the fact that we have not sufficient judges :Mr. HARTLEY interjected. in the Arbitration Court to-day, and I hope Nir. TAYLOR: I am prepared b accept that the matter will be dealt with by the the statement" made by the leader of the Minister before long. seamen in Great Britain. I notice that there is an increase in the J\1r. HARTLEY: Of course you arc. Yote for an A'sistant Registrar. I am pleaeed that the Government have selected Mr. TAYLOR: That is the very root of !'uch a capable officer as Mr. Wallace. Prob· ihe trouble. Why should we in Australia ably I have had much more experience than interfere with an agreement which is made any other hon. member in connection with hFtween the seamen of Great Britain and the activities of the Arbitration Court in their employers, bring their quarrels to Queensland, and I know of no person more Queensland or to Australia, and tie up our capable of fulfilling the position of Assistant own ships? If the 'industrialists of Australia Registrar than the gentleman who has been -the seamen in particula·r-wish to assist appointed. I know that he has quite suffi the seamen of Great Britain, let them levy cient work to keep him employed. At the upon themselves and hand over the money present time there is gr.eat congestion in the to their brother seamen at home. Nobody Arbitration Court following on the legisla has anything to say against that. That is tion for a 44-hour week and the legislation the way to improve their conditions if we increasing the basic wage to £4 5s. a week. want to do so-give them ihe necessary I have always held the belief that a judge money io carry on the fight-not here in shoul·d not be appointed for more than five "'\ ustralia, but in Great Brit'lin whore the or seven year3, or, in other words, that his trouble arose. appointment should terminate after five or J\1r. BRUCE: The workers are starving in seven years. Tim·e after time, when you go Great Britain, and they could not raise the to the Arbitration Court to put up a case money. for the workers, your opponent in court will Mr. TAYLOR: I am sorry to have to say. "Your Honour, the learned President, admit that there is a very great deal of or learned Judge So and So, gave such and trouble in Britain to-day, and we are add· mch a judgment two years ago." It is invariably held by tho person sitting in juris ;,,g to that trouble by our ~ctions in Aus tralia to-day. Instead of helping the old diction on the case that this previous ruling country to-day, we are adding to her troubles. is eomething like the laws of the Medes and Hon. members know perfectly well that I Persians and should not be altered. That -arn not an advocate for a reduction of is net a good state of affairs. I am of the 'me,n's wages, or for paying wages that do opinion that a. judge, after being on the not provide decent conditione. If the British bench for seven y,cars. becomes blue-mouldy, an cl should be passed out and someone else n1ercantile marine i3 tc) be scrapped in the way that some men are prepared to scrap it appointed ro tako his place. I am pleased to-day, allowing the mercantile marines of to know that legislation has been fore Germany, Sweden, Italy, Japan, and France shadowed which will be instrumental in to pay half the rates paid to British seamen appointir.g a layman to the Arbitration Court and obtain control of our commerce, then bench. God help Australia, and God help Queens The hon. member for Albert made some land! reference to the operation of the old wages OPPOSITION ME>!BEllS : Hear, hear ! boards. I say that the wages boards systeni was absolutely futile. I took part as a 1\Ir. HYNES (To·wn.•villel: My opinion is representative of the workers in the proceed that the importance of the Arbitration Court ings of the early wages boards. and I can is not sufficiently stressed. In other courts say that the v·hole system • was farcical. additional judges are appointed to carry out Representatives of the employers and the work expeditiously, but that is not so employees met at a table, and were forced with the Arbitration Court. Before we were to accept as an arbitrator some person who successful in having a judge appointed in was appointed by a Minister of the Crown. Townsville to deal with industrial matters we usually had to wait for the quarterly Hon . •T. G. APPEL: You were not forced visit of a judge from the south. The result to accept a chairman. was that twenty or thirty arbitration cases Mr. llY2'JEF\: I say that invariably the had to be dealt with in two or three days. chairman was really an arbitrator appointed [Mr. Taylor. Supply. [7 OCTOBER.] Supply. 1093 by the Minister, because, after the evidence had come into close association with the and arguments of each side, he framed an industries of the State? He certainly would award. be in a better position than a lawyer judge Hon. J. G. APPEL: That is not correct. to form an intelligent opinion upon the dis Mr. HYNES: That was my experience. pute before him. Hon. J. G. APPEL: I say it is not correct. At 5.30 p.m., The late David Bowman approved of those The CHAIRMAN resumed the chair. boards. Mr. HYNES: Notwithstanding what may Mr. HYNES: My statement as to the prac be said by hon. members opposite, not tice in appointing the chairmen of those withstanding their interpretations of the boards is correct, and I ought to know. utterances of any member of this party, I say that this party stands four-square for The TEMPORARY CHAIRMA~: Order ! the policy of arbitration. We realise that Order! the law of evolution applies to arbitration M!". HYNES: I had more experience than the same as to everything else that exists in the hon. gentleman in connection with those the world. Ultimately arbitration will be wages boards. replaced by something of a more scientific Hon. J. G. APPEL: What rot. You did as nature. I could easily put in a couple of an advocate. hours ·drawing attention to the anomalies existing in the prer.ent system of arbitra The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN: Order! tion, but I am not going to do that. The Order ! I ask the hon. member for Albert time will come when we shall scrap the to control himself, otherwise I shall have to Arbitration Court and replace it with some take actwn. thing of a more scientific nature, but I do Hon. J. G. APFEL: I am not going to allow not sec an0 thing on the horizon at present the hon. member to accuse me of things that that is going to replace it. We certainly are untrue. can amend the Act, and we intend to do so 'The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAX: Order! as opportunity offers. Order ! If the hon. member does not obey 1 am a vice-president of the biggest indus the ruling of the Chair, I shall be com trial organisation in this State, and I have pelled to take action. been occupied with the industrial movement Hon. J. G. APPEL: Right-a! for a ,-e,·y long time. The hon. member for Albert culls me an agitator. Mr. HYNES: I am sorry that the hon. Hon. J. G. APPEL: Hear! hear! member for Albert became excited. Mr. HYNES: I am certainly proud to be Hon. J. G. APPEL: I did not. I will not connected with any agitation for the we!· permit you to make misstatements. fare of the under-dog. Mr. HYNES: If the hen. member for Hon. J. G. APPEL: That is too bald. Albert will only look at the matter in a logic;al. way, he will recognise that, when he Mr. HYNES: A couple of years ago a vote was takPn amongst members of the ?dmm1ste_red the ~epartment, he was sitting m a cushwned chmr, and was more or less a Australian ·workers' Union regarding rubber stamp. the continuance or otherwise of the policy of arbitration, and that vote Hon. J. G. APPEL: I was not. Never! ;,·as ~arried by an overwhelming majority Mr. HYNES: I took part in the activities m favom· of arbitration. I also direct of those wages boards. The hon. member for the attc,ntion of the hon. member for Albert may have signed his name to a paper Albert to the fact that at the Emu Park or two, but that was his interest in the Convention-the convention which laid matter, and his in tcrest then ceased. I had down the policy of this party-a vote was more experience of wages boards and arbi taken as to the continuance of arbitration tration than the hon. member did. as the policy of the Labour movement, and it was ca.rried by an overwhelming majority. Hon. J. G. APPEL: As an advocate. Hon. J. G. APPEL: So you say. The TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN : Order ! Order! The CHAIRMAN: Order. J\11·:. HY_NES: The award of a wages board Mr. HYNES: Every individual on this ":as mvanal;ly the award of the person sit side is pledged to the policy of arbitration, tmg as cha1rm an, and the parties did not but we have it out of the mouths of hon. have any choice in his selection. 'The chair members opposite that they are opposed to :nan was arbitrarily appointed by the 11in arbitration. The hon. member for Oxley is Jstcr of the day, and he was alwavs anti- perfectly candid about it, and says he Labour in his leanings. · has no tin1e for arbitration, and, secretly, hon. rm mbers opposite have no time for it. Hon. J. G. APPEL: Not when I was :\1inister. Hon. J. G. APPEL: So you say. ::\fr. CoRSER: Hear, hear! :\1;:. CorsER: The hon. member for Oxley st1id nothing of the kind. Mr. HYT\ES: It is most essential that we Mr. HYl\ES: Do vou mean to tell me should have appointed to the Arbitration tT1e.t the hon. membe;· for Burnett would Court bench a layman who is conversant favour a.n arbitration award for rural with the various industries in the State. ·workers? Not on your life. How oft,cn has the court had to adjourn to allow the lawyer judge to go on to· the job !.VIr. CoRSER: You give the farmers arbi where an industrial dispute has taken place tration first. to er:d.eavour _to. form some opinion as to the The CHAIRMA:::\ : Order ! I ask the hon. cond>twns eXJstmg on the job? Would it member for Bm·nett to be careful to obey not bte n:uch .better if there was appointed to my call to order. A call to order is made the Arb1tratwn Court bench an individual for the purpose of continuing the debate who knew all about these conditions, and who without interruption. I hope the hon. Mr. Hynes.] lOJ± Supply; [ASSK\IBLY.] Supr:ly. mc!llber "-ill not mistake it in future. The suggest, as the hon. member for Windsor did hon. member for Alb, rt has exhausted his suggest, that we are showmg a speCial pre own time, and I hope he i•, not going to fen_)nce for Japanese, German, or any other exhanst the tirne of everybody else. ships over the Brisbane seamen's strike. The reason why the British ships are held up :\lr. HYXES : The hon. member for here is because a reductwn of wages took \YiHdsor was honest when he said that the rlacc on the voyage out by British ship- Industrial Arbitration Act was instrumental in bringing about industrial peace in this 0'''.11('1'3. Stak. That is so. 'Take the sugar indu5try 'The CHAIR:\!fA:-J: Order! I hope the a~ an exarnple. Before tho .Arbitration hon. member will connect his remarks with Court eame into force, before awards had the Yote. bu·n perfected to their present extent we had bail-ups every day, and casos of men going :.\lr. HARTLEY: I will connect my ofi the job in connection with tha.t industry. rLmarks with the vote in this way: \Ve are As an organiser of the Australian asked to vote a surn of mane~ amounting to \York,_rs' Unio~ I assnre hon. n1ombers £4.765 for the Court of Industrial Arbitra- that it took me a,ll m~- time to keep 1ion to deal with industrial matters and up 11'ith :hose disputes on a very fast indu::.trial disputes; yet, because of the vveak motor tricycle. To-day if the-re is a dispute ne~, of our arbitration syst"'m, vvc find our the men keep on working and the industrial edvc5 faced with the position that a number 1nag·i -trate takes a. n1otor-car and goes of \Yatersido workers and a number of carters right out to t.be scene o£ the dispute. ond others are thrown out of employment by Im-ariabl:; the dispute is adjust> cl and the the hold-up of British ships through the industr\7 c,trrif men;bers of the public service who were they can go. they will go there to get their rece1vmg_ upwards of £300 per annum and grievaHcPs rectified. uver wh1ch prevented them going to the In 1923 the whole of the workers in Queens Arbitration _Court, and to restore the 5 per land who were under industrial awards had cent., reductwn. I have not heard any hon. to subn1it to a reduction of \Vagcs. I realised memoer say that 1t was wrong on the part that thin::;s wen very bad, parcicularly in of tho Government to restore that 5 per cent. the moat industrv. The court was reduct1'?n· The next thing was that all those approached, ar.d after a lot of consideration m recmpt of under £300 who had access to the judge decided upon a reduction of 12·· ille Arbitration Court had to go to the court a week in the export trade. Later on OY·0l'V to have their conditions rectified. The court \Yorkcr in Queensland had to submit to a in its wisdom saw fit to decide that there 5 p0r cc!lt. dc~rease in his wages. \iVhen things should be no increases to thcoll persons, and alte1·ed durmg the next couple of years the t>r~onally I _cannot _see the justice of that mnploy0cs n[;itatC' l for the restoration of n.ec1s1on. If 1t was r1ght to restore the 5 per -..Yhat the~' had lost. b>cause the pro~pcritv cent. reduetwn to those who were receiving of the ~ountry j"stified it. W c realise tha't o ver £300, it was equally right to give it to 1 the chsagr',_'ement bebvc,"n the rail·'<-vav Lwse who were receJVmg under £300 a year. employees and th court led up to the trouble That shm•,; the nec·Jssity of ha vino- some \vhich exish to-day. I, for ono, vvc1come an ~lte;·ation n:ado. in the nu~thods in opoeration alteration in the consti, uti on of the court. 1;1 ,he Arb1tratwn Court. I recognise that bee a use I honcsth- and ccnscientiouslv heUeve tno Cabmet had no alternative but to ask that it i' goi·:g 'to brin.; about mo;c indns· the men to go to the court to have their trial peace in the future than \VO have at application considered; b-t~t, unfortunately, the pre,cnt time. rno. court could not see rts vvay clear to restore the 5 per cent. to them. I would ask l\h. SWAYNE (.viiram): I do not think any hon. member if it is right and just to cny sensible person would say thaH1 _that the \\ages Boards Act was not A cufficH·nt to deal with the situation and thev be appointed from the party or by the party oppo,ite, and objection will alwavs passed the Industrial Peace Act. \Vhat \ra''l the result? I say unhesitatingly that that arise. The present system is all right in Act tormcnt.cd the workers of this State eo theory. and with some little alteration, could such an t>xtent that the workers of Queens· he made all right in practice. Ko matter land reyo)ted against it, with the result that how perfect a piece of legislation may be, it we have had a Labour Government in power must be administered impartially and fairly. for the lu:;;t ten years. The Industrial Arbitration Act is not adminis· tcred impartially. I am r.ot ref!r~cting on the The hon. member for Burnett made some judges, but have in mind the &ction taken reference to rural workers, ancl suggested by the present Government. Hc·w is it that that the Government were not game to get section 65 is never complied with? That an award. ~or them. He knows perfectly 8cction reads- "'"ll that 1t 1s not a queotwn for the Govern· ment at all; it is a question for the unions " A strike shall not be deemed to have controlling that industrv. Let me tell mv boon authorised until all the members of :-,on. friend-although I 'think he knows jus't the industrial union v:ho ar0 engaged in a;;; rnuch about these things as I do, or per the railing and in the dist! ict affecte.l haps more than I do-that a Commission have had an opportunity of participating ,_·as appointed to investigate the industrv. in a ballot taken at a general mc•cting I<,uoJcJiatcl:v aftcnvards the secretary of the clulv conotituterl in ac~ordanee with the Auotralian \Vorkers' l.'nion filed in the conrl rules of the union, and the 1.1<1jority have a claim -,,hi eh, was to be heard on 8th April voted in favour of such strike." last. :\Ir. Pntchard was the advocate for Further on it reads- the Council of Agriculture and for C'•rtr.in " Provided further that n0 strike or employers. and at his request the court did lockout shall be deemed to have been l'Ot s1t for sn 0ral days, and in the interim authorised unless or until the resu 1t of the la!e Chief Justice l\rcCawley died. Right the ballot or voting thercon of th~ up to the present time :\fr. W. J. Dunstan, pf'r.,ons concerned, Logethf r -with the the secretary of the Australian \Vorkers' dohils of the voting have bt:dl communi l-nion, has endcavour.£'d to bring about a cated to the Registrar." eettlement of that claim. The,o facts only go, to show. that thoro must be something I an1 quite safe in saying that in four cases snnster behmd the suggestion of hon. mem out of five that provision is igtJored, and I bers npposite that it is a question in which think I am quite safe in saying that the the GoYernment are interested. I say railway workers recently broke the law in unhesitatini(ly that the Government arc not that direction. I have aseertainr"d by ques· ultuc prosecutions? Is the law for one side only? inflicted on a section of the community 1f the employers commit a breach of the Act, should not be possible. 'I'he pooition to-day they are pulled up at once and punished; is a gross reflection on the Government. and, if they are guilty of doing wrong, they They are supposed to administer the laws on deserve to be punished. But why should the the statute-book and bring about industrid! other side be allowed to escape when they peace; but we have not got indu5trial peace. do wrong? They break the law as often \Ve now have almost weekly strikes, yet w:J as they choose, but they are privileged. are asked to consider a vote for arbitration. It is not a good thing to have a privileged The two do not go together. class or a section who can break the We have heard a lot of talk from hon. law as often as they like and get away members opposite about ~he adoption of with it. Yet that is what is being done to-day scientific methods for the prevention of indm undPr the present Government. At the trial disputes, but it seems to me that it i_, present tim'e we have nearly £2,000,000 worth onl:v talk, and that those hon. members are of su g·ar hung up in the ports and in the incapable of applying these scientific methode. stores, compelling the farmers to face ruina Year after year they talk about arbitration, tion, creating a huge loss to th,, State and but year after year we find strikes are on tmPmployment to a large number of workers, the increase and larger losses are being and apparently there is no method under our inflicted on the community. prPsent system of arbitration whereby we can cope with the trouble. There should be. Mr. COLLINS (Bowen) : Arbitration is a ::'\aturally these awards are supposed to be •:cry big problem indeed. I am one who binding on both sides, but until both sides are believes in the evollution of arbitration. compelled to observe the terms and conditions There is no need for me to be of the a\\ ards the svstem of arbitration will [7 p.m.] continually repeating what I said not be satisfactory or fair. It is wrong that in 1915-that arbitration is not any body of men who possess privileges that the be-all and end-all of the Labour moye the workers of the State have should, as they went. While I believe in the evolu'!:ion of etl'P doing now, hold up the community and arbitration, I also am a strong believer in inflict untold ruin and loss on the producers. tlw evolution of. industrial unionism, and We know that the recent railwav strike cost I claim that now, after ten years of Labour the producers several hundred thousand a-dministration, we have not had that evolu pounds, and about £2,000,000 of sugar is at tion of industrial unionism tha~ we ought to prr,ent being held up owing to the rotary have had. 'What I mean by the €'volution strike of the waterside workers. ·where all of industrial unionism is that we should h'ave the trouble will end no one knows. Somll reached a better system of industrial "lteration should be made. It is quite a fair org-anisation, either by bringing into exi' thing to sav to any body of employers or t<·nce the One Big- Union or bringing about c·mplov-00s "You cannot have direct action eome kind of federation of unions so that ,end arbitration at the same time." In spit~ c;ne union, without consulting all the unions, 0£ the protests of hon. members opposite in could not involve other unions. That is what fayour of f1rbitration, wns there Qver a strike \Ye have to achieve. No matter what may be Yd when thev <1id not encourage the striker3 our opinions with regard to unionisrn I a1n "nd make out that they wE're perfectly just illing to admit that in the evolution oi tifted in everything the.v did I have nevr·r industry the unions have not kept pace wiih he:trd them criticise any strike. T remember that evolution. Neither have they kept pace the Sccretorv for Agriculture and the Seere with thP scientific progress tha-t, is going on tnrv for Public Works speaking in th0 throughout the world. Un]e,s we have a Do'r>'tin during the 1917 shippiru; sb·ike and better eystem of organisation and better moving resolutions in support of the strikers. discipline, nothing but chaos is staring tl" in the face. ~ The PRE>IIER: You supported the strike .of ume farmers in 1912. In regard to the position of 'the worke,rs, if we were to take any notice of the writings Mr. SW~<\ YNE : The Premier is talking nonsense. The attitude in 1917 of the hon. in capitalistic newspapers we would believe gentleman I hav'' mentioned is only typical that history proves us always to have been of the rest of the party. wrong and that we have never bec•1 right. In fact, we have generally been right and Tl-.c CHATR'fA:'\f: Order~ Order! ccldom wrong-, though "·e have had ~o wait "C\1r. SWAY;\JF;: I was simplv dealing, Mr. I•Uticntly to justify our actions in many Pollrck, with the statements ·made bv hon. cliredions. members opposite regarding their alleged ~-\ t the present time we ha vc a dispute abhorrence of direct action and their existing in this State, and, unfortunately, support of arbitra":ion. I am giving n portion of the Bowen elec~orate which I instances Bhowing that their deeds do represent is the greatest sufferer by that net coincide with their words, nnd show dispute. In my opinion. the blame for that: ing that. "·henever anything in the shape dispute is not to be placed in its entirety of a stnke occurs thcv are alwavs found vpon the shoulder~ of ihe workers. The nccuraging the strikers: I do n•lt think thdt r,wners of '!:he Inkerman mill, knowing, as o]omdcl be so. \'l'r, hnve the Indnstri"J Arhi 1 hey did, that they were going to have• to trot;on Act on om· •tatutc-book. Tbc object cie,,t] with the greatest crop of caue ever of the.t Act is to do awav with direct action :;rown on the Inkerman Estate, should haYe ond to minimise the loss thfLt occurs to thP made some effort to provide increased stor communih· from strikes. which at times reach c.ge to deal with the increased crop in the "'rh huge. dim<'nsions. No matter what part._,, c•ven~ of any dispute arising which might a mPmbe1~ of Parlifln1cnt belongs to it is out r•ccessitate a storage of sugar. I say of keeping \Yith his position to enC'ouragc e-mphatically that that privately-owned mill diront action when he aS5isted to make laws made no great effort at all in that direction, r!osigned to meet the situation. If the la,·· and, therefore, to some extent, the owners i~ IYrong. Jet us an1cnd it; but so long a8 w~ must shoulder the responsibility. It is all have that l"w on the statute-book it should be very well to put the responsibility of obeyed, and such huge losses as are now being the present shipping dispute in North [J:f1·. Swayne. Supply. [7 OCTOBER.) Supply. 1097 Queensland on the shoulders of the waterside tion. Further, to prove my ca.se, let me workers; but I want to say from rny place quote a letter that appeared in the " Home in Parliament-and I ha.ve evidence to prove Hill Observer" of 1st October, 1925- my assertion-that the waterside workers at Dowen have loaded ships when ships ca.me " The following appeared in the correspondence column of the ' Bowen 1nto Bowen, and they are prepared to clo Independent' of Saturday last:- It now. But how can they load ships if ships will not go there? The shipowners To the Editor, practically said, " Unless you loa.d ships ' Bowen Independent,' Bowen. under our conditions, we are not goino· to Dear Sir,-Regarding your paragraph Rmcl our ships there." The shipowners took in Tuesday's issue giving the state of up a more autocratic attitude than ever the affairs at Home Hill, I desire to point waterside worke1:s t?ok up, because, no out that there is no hold up of sugar matter what _ArbitratiOn Courts may think, on the part of the watersiders. There w_e must realise that the worker belongs to is no ' strike' of watersiders but a himself as a worker, and collectively we ' lock-out' by the companies, and that Lelong to ourselves, and we must have some being so we cannot be held responsible say in the conditions under which we W'Ork. for the loss of allegedly £3,500 per 'T'he shipowners cared not one iota about the week in wages. I.r.k9rman sugar farmers, nor about tlhe Thanking you, I am, workers who have been thrown out of work Faithfully yours, at Inkerman through the present dispute un the coast. They have entered into - EDWARDS, arrangements to ca.rry sugar f.rom Bowen Secretary, 'vV.W.F.A., Bowen." to the refineries at Sydney and Melbourne, I am reading that to make the position quite because the Bowen sugar goes either direct clc3r, and I hope that I have done so. to Sydney or Melbourne or dse it is sent Further to proye my case let me quote from overseas. Now I want to prove that boats the " Home Hill Observer " of 24th Sep were loaded at Bowen quite recentlv. The tember- Bowen " Independent " of 29th September " The secretary, :Mr. Goodwin, said he had this to say- ' fire,t waited upon the manager of the "SUGAR SHIPMENT. mill, :Mr. Bell in referenoe to the build " The French steamer ' Calonne' ing of a storage shed. Mr. Bell promised arrived iJCl por~ on Saturday morning to talk the matter over with Mr. Drys last and IS takmg a larg<, quantity of dale." sugar. The John Burke steamPr 'bor I ha Ye followccd closely the meetings of the rigo' arrived in port from the North on farmers at Home Hill, ancl up to the present Sunday and was being unloaded by the I have not seen any newspaper report show watersiders yesterday." ing that they got a reply from Mr. Drysdale We were led to believe that the waterside in connection with additional storage to workers were refusing to loacl boats! I have enable the mill to resume crushing. From questions I a.sked the Premier this morning, received this let~er from the Bureau of it is evident that other mills in Queens Central Sugar Mills, da~ed 6th October giving further figures in regard to the suga~ land are a b!e to store their sugar. Proser loaded on the " Calonne"- pine is another mill in my electorate, and they have had no difficulty up to the present " \Vith reference to your telephonic time in regard to the storage of sugar there. inquiry this morning I have to inform I want hon. members opposite who claim to ~·ou that the ship 'Calonne' lifted from repruent country districts to be fair and to Bowen 1,133 tons of sugar. realise that the Inkerman mill is owned b:v " Yours fai~hfully, one individu:tl, Mr. Drysdale. He clid not " K. M. TnoY, For General Manager." provi-de extra storage accommodation, but mos; millowners did, because I understand That is the position in regard to Bowen. that the privately-owned mills in Queensland As a rule we are always told to " Blame have ver:v large quantities of sugar stored the workers!" but there is a good old up-that is, if we are to believe the Press Biblical saying, "Blind guides, which stra.in reports-but, instead of making extra pro at a gnat and swallow a. c:tmel." "Blame vision for the storag~e of sugar, Mr. Drys hi!ll for everything in connection with indus dale immediatelY closed clown his mill, and trial upheavals "-that is the position in as usual-it is not peculiar to farmers but regard to the workers-" but for God's applicable to other people as well-there is sake don't blame the wealthy ship an attempt to blame the bottom dog-the owner." He is too far off to be kicked a.nd worker-for all the ills that afflict mankind. too far off to do him any harm so it is :VIr. CoRSER: The agitator. <-1lways "K!ck the worke~ !" esPecially if ilw worker Is down. That Is what has taken Mr. COLLIJ';S: If the hon. member for place through all the pages of history. We Bl1rne~t attended a meeting of the waterside must not forge'.; that we are dealing with a workers in P,owen, I suppose he would b2 Ycry impo-rtant question affecting the liYeli astonished at the average intelligence of the h•Jod of many peDple in my electorate, ancl men who go to make up the union. They :w ono regrets more than I do that this arc the class who arc affected. At any rate, truuble should have taken place because what I am trying to prove is this: If the after 1ny ten years' rPpresentati~n of -:h~ boats are to come in-and if I read the Bowcn electmate, I know the conditions ·decision of the Arbitration Court this morn under which the men who get their lh·eli ing aright, they could have come in-then hood from the land have to work. No companies could have taken action. If the 0nc knows their sufferings and trials better shipowners have the law on their side, why than I do, It is no use alwavs blaming did they not go into the port of Bowen and the worker when an industrial di'spnt8 takes then taken action if they so desired, as men pi,•.le. It takes two to make a qmn·rel, as tioned bv the court? No! Wha.t do they I wrote to the Inkerman Farmers' Associa- care about ruining 200 or 300 sugar-growers Mr. CoUins.] 1098 Supply. [ASSE:.\lBLY.] Supply; on t.he Inkerman Estate? They are not reYerses, as we do at times, but I know that worrying about that. the great heart of the working class is Mr. CORSER: Is not the Sugar Growers' sound, and if they do make mistakes, as Association blaming the Government for it? thev do at times, they generally swing back tov:ards our party. vVe saw an illustration Mr. COLLINS : How can thev blame the of that in Xew South Wales the other day, GoYernm·ent? The Government~ do not con and I am satisfied that until somebody nn trol the milL If I had my w-:y, we would devise some better method of dealing with co;otrol the mill. I undcrdan~! that there is these big qucstions-I am willing that it nothing in tho Sugc.r Acquisition Act to pre· shall be done if it can be done-we have to vent U5 from controUing the mill. Tl1e a.rgu make the be;t use of the machinery at pro· nlcnt about industrial disputes Leing peculiar sent at our disposal. to Queensland is all moonshine. If the hon. Let me go one step further. As I haYe lTILmbcr for Toowong were in the country "·here I was born. he would bo paralyccd ;r already said, t hi", trouble affects 1ny elec tol'utc 1nore thnn anv other in Queensland. he ··.1 w some of the industrial disputes thc.- have in that countr::, which is the heart of 'Yhv did not the lnkcrman mill make use of the EP,pire. Our troubles hero are only a t:te 'trucks that ''ere place-d at its -disposal by drop in the ocean. the Railway Department to have the sugm: removed from the mill to the port et As I have said before in this Chamber. Bo,ycn? \Ye kno\v fro1n answers given to knowing the race to which I belong and to n1y que-stions this 1noruing . by ~~1e Secretar:'- which practically the ,., hole of this Parlia for Railwap that tho mill dld not take ment belongs, knowing that in Great Britain advantage of those railway trucks in the the industrial unions do not stand for arbi last week of September to remove ~ratiol_l, what astonishes me and Hery thinker th' Sll!,cll' from the mill. I am inclined to m th1s part:;-at least I hope so-is the think thJt mv electorate is to be made the res nits which have been obtained under arbi cockpit of the electoral fight in the Herhert tration. I have no hesitation in saying electorate with the object of injuring my-c'll where I stand. As I said at the commence on the ono hanJ and the Labour candidate. ment of this speech, I believe in the evolution 111-. Theodore. on the other. I am sorry to of arbitration; I believe in the evolution of think that we shunld have descended so low unionism. I do not believe that the last word that the farmers should be crushed and the has been said in regard to arbitration, an-d worker, at Home Hill should suffer incon I never expected that we would be able to Ycni·ence by being out of Tvork merely be~ausc d'.' wi t!wut strike~ _in the _transition period. of the fad that the Federal electwn 1s to VI hat 1s the transJbon per1od? I remember take nlacc. I haYe stattxl the position in the Industrial Peace Act of 1912. which the C'OlllF'(~tion with the disnute as it appears to hon. member for Mirani supported. What me. I trust that the dark cloud that now are thirte0n ye,us in the life of a State or hanga over that portion of my .eleetoratc: nation? The big industrial movement which will ooon disappear and crushing will shortly we represent-- be re'lumed and wo shall procee-d on the Mr. IVARREN: Misreprl'·',ent. even tenor of oqr way. It will be very hard to 1nake a recoverv. I know that, and no Mr. _COLLIXS: Xo-represent. The man kno>'·"S it bette'r than I do. \V a resolution to the effect that, if the mills That is the cause of this trouble. The hon. v;;ould a·c1Yance sufficien1 for \vages, they were member for Bowcn mav talk as much as he quitu content to go without their own mane~ like,, but he cannot get away from tho fact for the tin1e being. \Yhen 600 farm.ers come that the rotary c;ystcm is the cause of the tog·;.,ther nnd pass a resolution like that, it hold-up in the sugar industry. That is why F-hcnr3 that the position is n1ost serious. This tho farmers are suffering and are facing s ateHH'·!H dc~rribing the position v~~as read ruin. at tltat 1uceting- Mr. HARTLEY: 'The rohry system was carried by a majority vote of all branches. " RoT.\RY SY:'TEu ExPLAINED. Mr. S\Y A Y?\E: And tumed down bv · • T~_.i,;; is a systt?m impo,:,ed by a the court. It. is di:=:gusting thut tho Goverll d- oi,ion of the Rockhampton conference ment cannot cope with the position 'f head executive of \V.\V.F. and n.nd can do nothing to relieve the pro by the branches, under direction .adhere to the existing conditions and work court." They fixed the court-that is what those ships? Are not the men to blame in they did. the first place? They have an awaNl of ~he The CHAIRMAN : Order ! Do I under court and a court to apply to, but they stand the hon. gentleman to cast a reflection would not go to that cou~t. Instead, they on the court ? said, " If the shipowners will not load in our way, we will not load the ships at all." Mr. DEACON: I did not catch what you Wha"c is the use of having an Arbitration said, Mr. Pollock. C Mr. KERR : \Vhy does the hon. member They are asking the electors of the Common not go back to the stone age, like the hon. weaith to support them in that stand, and member for Bowen? the sensible men and women of Queensland, l\11-r. BRUCE: That is where you con1e from. including unionie-ts, will stand behind the :\fr. KERR: Fortunately, there are in the only Government in Australia which can give Opposition lllCinbers \vhose yiews nro :r:ot the security that this State more than any v. m·pecl. \Ve on this side arc out io grve other so much needs. the working man just as good tr!"atment as Mr. KELSO (~Tnndah): I listened very i-, offered by hon. members opposite. earefulh· to the speech of the hon. member GovrRXMEXT MEMBERS interjecting. for Bm;en, and it seemed a pity to have to The CI-L URMAX: Order! I ask hon. listen to the tripe and hambug which he handed out to us. vVe have only to remem rncrnbcTs on LlY r!ght to restrain then1selves~ ber that th8 hon. member declared the other in the sanl(~ "'<1"a'.r as I ask hon. me-mbers of tho Opposition to restrain themselves when a afternoon, " Thank God, '"e still have the GovPrn:ment n1ember is speaking. strike behind us." :.Ir. C'OLLIKS: Mr. Pollock. I ", ,, ::\Ir. KERR: I wish to point out to hon. point of order. I rhallen1-re the hr _J. -r members opposite that tht law of arbi-tration fo1· -:-..;undah to produce." I-IansrrrrP' ~na sho· appli0R to er.:'ployers' associations as well ,,-here I said "Thank God we Mill have the '" to tmrle unione. If the Arbitration Court 'trike behind us." Dl(''•IlS anything at all, it means that satis~ fa:..ti- n should not be given to only one The CH_\JRMA""<: Order! Order: '·-"'"· but should be available for the purpose Mr. KERR: That is your policy. of Lri:nging parties together and sotDiing f{isputc,, for the trood of all concerned. ::111-. COLLJXS: I ask that the hon. member The GoYernn1cnt have done wrong in ignor for Xundah should withdraw that statement. u,g the basic principle of the court 'l'hey The CHAIRI\1A~ : Order ! The hon. have nsnrped the functions of the court with member must accept the denial of the hon. l'PS}X'l t to fixi11g hours and wages. The basic !ncmber for Bowen. J•rincipl<' of arbitration is that, if an indu~try is not of aYerage prosperity, then :\fr. KELSO: I accept the denial of the ir, r. ceiYcs differtnt treatment £r')ll1 that hon. member for Bowen. I say that on l-;.lPted out to an industry in a more for various occasions he has led us to believe tllnato position. by interjections across the Chamber that he believes in the worker ha.ving t-h,, right to \Vhat has been the position of the Railway strike. He is blowing hot and cold. Department in the Arbitration Court' Because the Hailway Department was not Mr. COLLINS: That is a right the~· hRYc payiHg- it-3 \Ya;·. the Rajlway Con1n1issioner under the Industrial Arbitration Act. went intc- the court and stated that it was an Mr. KELSO: I am a'vare of that, but industry that- v.-as not of average prosperity. the conditicns attaching to the right to strike Let ll1P ay in passing that if the railY ays as laid cloy n bv the ~\et were not observed ,,,err: a paying proposition, and ,,,ere able to in the n eeni ra1lwav strike. The hon. mem 'lay not onl~, the ordinary expenditure but bor is indulging in- special pleading. As a the interest o:~ the capital invested, that matter of {o,ct., his trouble is that some of argument "-ould ncYer have been used, and his constituents in the Hmne Hill district the r'agcs of th~ railway men would never ha;,·c be"n stirring him up, and. in order to have been reduced. lt is no argument to say .:ustify his actions, he is endeavouring to that the reHtals of land and so forth should mak -, out that tho shipping combinP ~re pre haYe been taken into consideration 'vhen Yenting thC' 'vaterside 1-vorker::- fro111 considering the wc,ges question. If the whole -r orking. lot were taken into consideration they would Mr. HARTL<:Y: Hear, hear! That is a fact. not Sf]Uare the account. This is too impor tent a vot<' fOl· hon. members oppoeitc, Mr. KELSO: I would like to as:c the hon. whos0 speeches v.-ill bo c·ircnlrtted throughout mcrnher for Bowen if he has read the deci the length and breadth of the State, to sion of the Full Bench of the c\rbitration n it to n.tt-!n1pt to destroy the faith of th' Court that was given to·day in relation to \Vorkers in the ,y~stH11 of arbitration. i he dispute among the waterside workers over There is a gnat deal of trouble in connec the rotary system.? If he has not, I ask him tion with i.he strike of the British seamen, to read that decision. I will quote a few hut I do not intend to go into the rights or words from it. wl·on~ -; of that dispute. The Government Mr. CoLLINS : You nee-d not quote it; I should sa,.· to the workers: "·The Arbitra· ha. Ye already rea.d it. tion Com:t is there, and you will have to i\Ir. KELSO : Then the hon. member must abide by its decisions." If hon. members on know perfectly well that his argument to the other side, in their speeches in the night cannot hold, for the Full Bench declared Domain and the Trad(·' Hall, say that arbi· that thG members of tho \Vaterside Workers' tration must go, there is only one inevitable Federation at Bowen and Innisfail were conclusion to be faced, and that is that the clearly r,uilty of taking part in a strike. Is authority of this State will go, too. the hon. gentleman prepared to accept that Mr. HYXES: How is it that :Mr. Bruce has decision? not settled the seamen's strike? Mr. CoLLINS: Read a little further on. Mr. KERR : Mr. Bruce will settle that JI.Ir-. KELSO: That is the decision of the strike in his own good time; make no mis· three judges of the court. take abont that. Mr. HARTLEY: It is opposed to and con GovERNMENT MEMBERS: Oh! ficts with t-he decision that the court had Mr. KERR: The Bruce·Pagc Government previously given. have taken a stand on law and order, and Mr. KELSO: I was waiting for that have declared that arbitration is the law. remark. The hon. member for Fitzroy last [Mr. Kerr. Supply. [7 OCTOBER.] Supply. 1103 ,,,sion t.old us that he did not believe in the opposite know perfectly well that the Arbi A rbitrdiion Court. tration Court can nPver be a success under Mr. HARTLEY: I never did. I said it was such conditions, and if the State Govern· mcnt dictate as to \vhat the court shall do. a failure, and ought to be altered. :\1r. HYNES: The hon. member for Oxley The SECRETARY FOR AGRICuLTURE: The State Government never dictated what the eaid that. court should do. \Ir. KELSO : The hon. member for Fitz roy told us that he did not believe in the Mr. KELSO : It is all verv well to sa v the State Gm·crnment n0ver dictated -· ha:t Arbitration Court. the court should do. !IIr. H.mTLEY: I did not. I s"id it was a The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTrRE : They irrilure. haYe not, The GoYcrnrncnt. ha•:e neYcr at alH~ Mr. KELSO: What is the difference? tir:nC' dictated to tho court. . The hon. n1c1nber is only splitting straws. Mr. KELSO: I accept the hon. gentle H th, unions arc not prepared to accept man:s statcn1ent that the Governrncnt nen:r the dc-:ision of the Arbitration Court, why do directly clictatcd- rht> not sa·.· so and let us go back to The SECRETARY TOR AGRIC1JLTURE: ;\)either the. "' hitratinent' of the strike? If )'DU are to have a fair deal, you must consider cli rt:ctl:v 1101' indirectly. rhe emplo:·or as well as the emp,Joyee,_ and ::\ arbitration could ha.ve been placed on the the Arbitration Court arc 30 per cent. better statute-book of the Commonwealth. I am than what they would have receivAd from a of the opinion that the Prime Minister can e<·stem of direct action without any way of do no more than he is doing at the present b'ringing the parties together. Whao would time until he has further authority from have been the position in Queensland du·r the people by way of a referendum. ing the last five or six years if we had had The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE: The no Arbitration Court to appeal to'! In the Bruce-Page Government tried to hamstring sugar and mining industries and the railways our Arbitration Act at the Premiers' Con the representatives of the men and the fer-ence that was held after the last Federal employers have come together when strikes elections. have taken place and agreed ~o go to the court and abide by its decision. Many a Mr. DASH: A g·ood deal has been said by ecrious dispute has been averted, because hon. members opposite with regard to the one union will not " scab" on anDther Government having interfered with the func union, and the effect of a strike in one tions of the Arbitration Court. The Gov-ern industry brings out unions in other industries ment have done nothing of the kind. Hon. in eupport. It is a good thing for the worker' members opposite have also stated that the to be able to say, " Our wage is fixed, and employers must carry out the award of the we can demand it bv law instead of resorting court while the employees need not do so. to the old method of striking or waiting at The employees are in the same position as the workhouse gates or the mine to be given the employers, and, if a union does not carry work." In the old days managers said to the out the award of the court, there is power men. "\Ye can give you work, but the under the Act to prosecute it. That is what conditions of the industry are SD bad that the court pointed out to the shipping com we cannot pay you £3 a week ; we can panies this morning when they applied for ouly give you 20s. or 25s. a week so as to an injunction to restrain a branch of the keep you in work." That was the system Waterside Workers' Federation. The court adopted when the men had no other redress. said that there was no necessitv to issne a I ,-iould be sorry to see arbitration thrown restraining order, as there was ample power oYe·rboard for the purpose of get~ing back under the Act for the shipping companies lo the old system of supply and demand to prosecute members of the \Vaterside und tr_,~ing to gain by strikes what we are \Vorkers' Federation. Up till now, so far entitled to get. \Ve shall have an oppor as I can remember, no prosecutions have been tunity later on of discussing an amendment instituted by either side for a breach of the of the Arbitration Act which no doubt will Industrial Arbit1·ation Act. It is all very i>P o£ great benefit to industry. fine for the employers to say that they have to carry out the award. So have the The hon. member for Bm·nett said some employees. thing to-day . in connection with_ fa:m The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE: The la bourer.s commg under the Arb1tratwn Director of Labour frequently prosecutes Court. An Indust·rial Board was appointed employees for breaches of awards. to make inquiries into the agricultural industry. Mr. DASH: I was referring to breaches Tho SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC ''VORKS: By the of the Act, but, as the Minister has inter court. jected, the Director of Labour has on many occasions prosecuted both employees and Mr. DASH: 'I'he board was composed of employers for breaches of awards. Hon. employe-rs and employees, and it took members opposite have said that this party (·Yidence throughout Queensland. I under is opposed to the Arbitration Court. That stand that the Government paid the whole of is not correct. As a member of the Labour the expense. party I stand wholly for arbitration; but I The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: That believe the time has arrived for some other is oonTct; we footed the bill. method of arbitration to be adopted. In justice to the new President of the Arbitra }Ir. DASH: This Industrial Boo.rd took a tion Court, I wish to say that up till now he lot of evidence. Every empiDyer in the has not had a fair go. When the late Presi acrricultural industry had a chance to state dent died the Full Bench had heard the evi his case, and th-e employees had the same dence in regard to the basic wage, and Mr. opportunity. Justice Webb had no say whatever in the At 8.15 p.m., decision .arrived at. It was simply handed }1r. GLEDSON (Ipswich), one of the pa:1el of to him to carry on, and no matter how much Temporary Chairmen, relieved th0 Chauman he might have been inclined to increase the in the chair. basic wage over £4 a week, he had no authority under the Act to do so without a :.Jr. DASH: The chairman of the board further sitting of the Full Court bench. £'aYe his decision as to what he thought should be done. ·when it was placed before the The union of which I am a mernbt>r and a court the ~\ustralian Workers' Union made ,·ioe-prP>ident has stood for years and years application for the hearing. The hearing was in favour of arbitratiDn. Some of those who fixed. but the representative of the employers say that arbitration has to go and we have stated that he would not be able to attend the to resort to some other method in its place court on that dav and an adjou"nment was have not had much experience of strikes. made. During the interval the Fresident. of If they had been in the position of strikers the court died. Since then the Australian ·.vho have had to tighten up their beh.s every \Yorkers' Union has constantly appealed _to morning that they have had to remain out the court for the Full Bench to go on wtth on strike against conditions which couW the case. rossibly be settled by arbitration, they WOI.Jld think differently. Many a sPrious dispute ::VIr. CosTELLO: Do not be afraid. It will has been settled by arbitration, although not come on before the State elcdions. etrikes have taken place. The imprm·ed con ::\Ir. DASH: The hon. member must _have ditions which have been secured far the some influence-and yet he .talks about mfl_u; workers during the last ten years through' cncc' in this party ! I t-hmk the case wtl. [211r. Dash Supply. [7 0CTOBER.1 Supply. 1105 ·come 011 very shortly. Hon. members oppo statistics on which he worked were correct. ~ite are at all times damning the court with then such was the case, because the cost of faint praise, and, if Parliament is sitting liviug had decreased, I think, by 11.6 per when the award is made, we •hall hear n cent. He reduced the basic wage by 5 per howl from hon. members opposite about thn cent., leaving th \Hongly. they insisted that they were fight 1wt been through the bame grind of indus iLg for a gr:_:at principle. Per~onally: I an1 t,·ial trouble as the rank-and-file members of one of those v:ho consider that arbitration, tbe railway service. properly administered, is the best method of ,(ljusting industrial disputes. That is al'"') :\clr. KELSO: Tim 11oroney and Rymer. the opinion of the gr.£::oat 1nass o£ the \\orkcrs ::\Ir. l'OLLOCK: I am not mentioning any in Quecn~land and Australia. But if arbi n~, rne:-;. They ar·~ not confined to one or l ration is not properly adJnini'tered . .and if our judges of the Arbitration Court have rwo indiYiduals, unfortunately. There a,re ; et full faci!itieo for informing themselveo, qliite a ntnnbcr of n1en who say :trbitration with regard to th0 position of the various i' of no u·e to them. The 7ime has come ir:,Ju~triPs IYith which tlwy ar·c dealing, WP for plain speaking in that regarC:. These can expect further trouble in the future. I 1•eople, \Yho, I bdiove, do not repre.'ent the hope dutt the machinery which will be eetab considered epinions of the ·.vholc of the lished a, a result of legislation which will J •. ihYay rn0n or of anything like a majority be pnsscrl later in the sc~"ion 1vill have thr ;_.f the railway 1nc·n-are saying that arbitra- effcC't of giving gre1ter facilltic"' to out· 1 ion doe" not suit them, because a. La Lour jndgc~ and enabling thc There is one n1atter in connection \Vith I want to pursue that suhjeot by saymg that. which I am afraid a good many mistakes are when you arrive at the amount of increased made even by hon. members. I am not W('alth production for a given year, you must going to pose as one of the most learned men be able to deduct from that the nnciunt paid on the point. but I know that a great deal in all kinds of taxation to the Government. of loos€ talk is going on which does not tend which the employer does not receive, and the to secure the obedience which should be amount of money actuaily and necessarily shown by all men who approach the court in put back into industry, and then you cad regard to the observance of its mandates and nrriYe at the excess wealth production, and a'vards. vou can base awards and judgments on that :\1r. KELSO: .There is no respect for the evidencp and information. At any rate, we ·court. shall then not be m the position of having the stump orator-and stump orators are very Mr. POLLOCK: That applies equally as JH'cessary gentlernen-in possessiC'n of infor often to employers as to employees. There mation which is inaccurately collected and is no fixed rule in that regard, exceJ,>t that can only mislead the general public and the sometimes the employer is more eas1ly got workers in particular. I have no objection to at, but nobody has any control over that.. swmp orators. 'We have all been stump If thP hon. member will look up the list of orators in our time, and still are when prosecutions, he will see the Director of O then how can Parliament definitely lay down Various statements have been made in th;, \\ hat the wage shall be ? If we are to Chamber .to-day. The hon. member for trust the Arbitration Court we must trust Gr·e!;iory made a beautiful appeal for arbi it to decide this question. I take it that it tratwn. It was one of those appeals which is the function of the court to deal with this should appeal to the heart of the harde-t question, a:1d that is what the judges receive hearted man in the country. 'Ve are jmt L1e1r1 salanes for. They are there for the beginning to wonder whether the hon. mem· purpose of givin;>; a fair deal between the her is not to be a new Arbitration Court <"mployer and employee in industry. If we judge. fix the hours of work and the wa·.,.es ~o be prtid by Act of Parliament, then"'we shall [9.30 p.m.l upset the very spirit of arbitration. In a The CHAIRMAN: I can assure the hon. yuung State like Queensland where there member, on behalf of the hon. member for Dre huge possibilities an enormous amount Grcgory, th people may have, but I do say that the The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: employing class needs encouragement in We know very well that the policy of the Queensland as much as any other class, not ::\fationalist party in the Federal Parliament for the sake of the individual or for capital, was practically to destroy arbitration. Hon. but for the progress of the State. We want members ha.ve made reference to the way in to g-et away from the stupid idea that, which the Arbitration Ceurt is alleged to because we stick up for progress we are stick have been interfered with in this State, but ing up for the bloated capitalist. I have never in the history of Queensland has a noticed hon. members on the other side are judicial body been treated by this Govern continually casting the insinuation across the ment in the contemptuous way that the Chamber that we stick up for the bloated Hughes Nationalist Government in the capitalist every time. I do not think there Feckral Parliament treated the Federal is a member on this side who would stand up Arbitration Court when the learned Judge for anything of the sort. Most members of Higgins was compelled to resign out of self Parliament in Australia are desirous of doing respect and in order to uphold the dignity their best to benefit the State in which they of his position. live, and the way to do it is not by making After listening to the discourse of the uncharitable attacks on one another. hon. member for Kurilpa it ought to be very easy to pick the winner of the Melbourne The ('!HAIRMAN : Order ! I do not think Cup-" vVindbag." (Government laughter.) that has anything to do with the Arbitration Court. The hon. member for Mirani, who spoke. in the early part of the evening, made the Mr. WARREN: I candidly admit, Mr. definite statement that the Sem-et~.ry for Pollock, that you have been kind enough to Agriculture and myself had addressed a allow me to .get a little wide of the mark. meeting in the Domain. I have not spoken 'l'he Arbitntion Court is probably not all in t11e Domain since '!;he conscription issue. that it might be, but.I want some indication ::Yfr. SwAYNE: It was in 1917; it was from hon. members who are going to do the rPported in the papers. botch-work as to whether they are going to do it properly. I was present at the Southern The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORkS: Queensland Ambulance contest yesterday, [ also want to take the opportunity of deny and I saw some wonderful botches there. ing another statement made by the gentle They had all sorts of splints and botches. man who is contesting the Herher.; elec and I think the Government of Queensland to-rate against Mr. Theodore. I understand are doing something that they did. That that the hon. member for Mirani is swing was only a show. There was not anything ing a towel in his corner, too-who allege" substantial in it. It was merely a demon that I addressed a meeting at tote Palms etration of what could be done, and I want to ::\1ill in :Mackay. I do not know where the say to hon. members that, if what they pro lllill is, and I never addressed a meeting pose doing with the Arbitration Court is not ~here. That is typical of hon. member> going to give a real tangible benefit to the opposite, who are bankrupt of ideas in worker, then it is not going to benefi~t regard to any policy they advocatG. Queensland. The hon. member for Enoggcra made the M1·. GLEDSON : We will put the splints on extraordinary statement that tho Bruce all right. Administration stood fot· arbitration. I have a recollection of a conference which was held Mr. WARREN: I quite understand that not long ago in the South, when my pre the hon. member will put the splints on. decessor, the present Secretary for Agricul The Government have made an absolute ture, was in charge of the Department of blunder in meddling with the Arbitration Public \Vorks. and he attended that con Court. I am quite certain that the actions ference with the then Premier, Mr. Thee of the Government during the railway strike dare, \Yhc:1 Mr. Bavin, who was Attorney were condemned by every right-thinking General in New South Wales, endeavoured nerson in the communitv, and I think there to bring about the passing of an Act which is hardly one worker, \vhether he be in the W'Ould have strangled arbitration in the· Raihva;: Department or anyv.rhere Plse. 'vho States. The fact that that Act was not did not condemn the Government for their brought into operation and the policy there action. If we are going- to allow strikes of under carried into effect was due to the this description, we might just as well scrap efforts of the representative of this Govern the Arbitr The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: " The business of the whole of Aus Ouoting from the " Quarterly Summary of tralia had practically been taken out of Australian Statistics," I find the following the control of expert business men, and figures with regard to industrial disputes in the rule' and regulations of the judges the period 1922 to 1924 inclucive- of the Arbitration Courts controlled the salaries, 'vages, hours, and conditions of ~ew Sou~h Wales :No. of dispubcs 998 employment. The immediate result of No. of workers involved J hat was to increase the cost of produc directly ... 1,591,164 tion, and therefor·e the cost of living." Victoria- The Nationalist leader in Sol!th Australia. No. of disputes 88 ex-P·remier Barwell, as reported in the No of workers involved "Telegraph" of 2nd January, 1923, had directly 21,622 something intere,ting to say about the l2nNmsland- arbitration system- No. of disputes 88 " ARBITRATION COURTP·. No. of workers involved " SHOULD THEY BE ABOLISHED ? directly 8,224 "Si1· Henry Barwell's Opinion. ThcrD is a splendid record under the Fuller "Melbourne, 2nd January. Government in New South Wales! The amount of wages lost in New South \Vales "Sir Hcnrv Barwoll. Premier of South 'as £2,363,145, in Victoria £206,946, and in Australia, "~ho is visiting Melbourne, Qneonsland only £127,688. We find that in referred yesterday in an interview to his C•ueensland under the so-called awful Labour efforts to have the State Arbitration Go\·ernment, which hon. membe·rs opposite Court .abolished. His Bill, with that ure never tired of attacking and misrepre object in view, had been withdrawn FC'lting-, the number of disputes during that owing to the opposition which greeted i• ri1ne was C'ighty-eight, thf' nu1nbcr of workers in the South Australian Legislatin directly involved only 8,224, and the wages Assembly. lust only £127,688. Compare that with the "Sir Henry explained that the object record of the Fuller Government in New of the Bill was to abolish the State South \Vales during the same period. Arbitration Court and the wages boards, and to substitute concilliation boards on ::\Ir. SrzER: 'Which· State was it that had the lines of the Canadian system. The the railways tied up? abandonment of the Bill meant that The CHAIRMAN : Order ! things remained as they were, but it was The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: quite apparent that the Arbitration Couri This State had the railways tied up. Does must eventually go ...." the hon. member remember the 1917 railwav Now let me quote two delegates to the last strike in New South Wales and all its diffi Builders' Conference, as reported. in the culties? Does tho hon. m emher remember "'Melbourne Ag·e" of 24th November. the strike of the police force in Victoria a 1923- few years ago, when the whole of the under " :\Ir. J. M. Pringle and Mr. N. Phelps world took possv,;sion of Melbourne? Richards both read papers on industrial YJ:r. SIZER: That was not th£ railway strike arbitration. The latter declared that a \\'hen you were referred to as " an emanci hopeless tangle had been reached in the Pflted railway man." Commonwealth and State laws. from which there was no e'cape except by an TL0 CHAIRMAN : Order 1 I ask the hon. alteration of the Federal Constitution. member for Sandgate to be careful to obey mv call to order. It is not the first occasion "Mr. J. :Mcintyre (Kew South Wales) I · have ha·d occasion to warn the hon. reviewed the proposals of l'v1r. Bavin to member. have the Federal Constitution amended to allow of the Federal Court dealing The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: exclusiveh' "ith Federal industries. Ho I am not ashamed that I worked in the disagreed; and said the whole of thP Queensland railways, and I do not consider industriallegisbtion should be scrapp<:>d." it any disgrace to be charge·d with being an 2\ir. FRY: Any more newspaper cuttings" 'mancipated raih' ay man; and if I now hold the position of a r0sponsiblc Minister of the The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: Cre' n. I think thut I can claim that I got Yes. I have quite a number. I make .a point the honour honestly and squarely and with of informing myself on any subject I am out r1oing anything· to sacrjfice n1y political dealing with. I am not going to deal with 11rin:( ip1cs. the bon. member as "an emancipated rat catcher," however. ::\ow Wf1 will take the opinion of some lc"ding Nationalists. The "Daily Mail," on Mr. FRY: We found you somewhere; I 27th April, 1923. printed this paragraph- will not tell the public where. " ARBITRATION. The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: 'When I rise to address the Committee I am "DOUBTFUL BENEFIT. not like the hon. member, who talks drivel. " Costly ancl Irritating. "Adelaide. ThursdaY.-Spcaking at The CHAIRM_\N : Order ! t.l1E' half-yearly meeting of the Employers' The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: Federation to-day, the president (Mr. E. The hon. member for Enoggera, when speak H. Bakewell) said that Arbitration Courts ing in this Chamber on 11th August, 1921. restricted and surrounded business men on a \Vant of confidence motion, said- with difficulties, by ord6ring the condi " Th£y (the Government) did not ha Ye tions of work. which were costly and the C01.lrage to wipe out the Arbitration irritating, and frequently of doubtful Court, as they say certain things must benefit to the men themselves. be done by the Arbitration Court." [Hon. 111. J. Kirwan. SurJ!y. [7 OCTOBER.] Supply. 1115 The Lon. member for Oxlcy, on 18th August The CHAIRMAN: Order! The hon. of the sarnc year, sald- member must know that he is not in order ·' If there is one cans·e for the condi in stating that another hon. member has tion of affairs that we find in Queensland uttered an absolute falschoo.~. l-Ie must with to·day it lies in the Arbitration Court." draw the statement. "Opposition Members: Hear, hear!" =llr. FRY: I must abide by your ruling, ~1Ir. Polio: 1<, but it is not three minutes _\,;cl be hon. member for Fassifern, on 23rd ago-- _._-\.ugu,t, s~_id- The CHAIR:\IAN : Order! Does the hon. ,, The Arbitration Court has been a member intend to withdraw the Gtatoment '? gr·eat failure.'" Mr. FRY: I withdraw it. I ,.·ish to poi11t l\ow I shall take an extract indicating the out that tho policy of the Opposition is Yiews of the organised n1anufacturors vill1o arbitration. and the ~Iinicter knows it. l stand behind hon. members opposite. This rrm not going to allow any hon. member. ,i- the report- because he happens to bE a. Cabinet :Minis " :\1r. Grundy (Yic.) moved that in the ter, to take advantage of his position, and eYent of a strike officially proclaimed, throw accw,ations across this Chamber as or in the event of some members of a he lilu ". 'l'he statements of the ::Vlinister in union going on strike, even without replying to t.he criticism on this vote do official declaration, ' all the members of not t1 nhanr·e his dignity as a i\Iinistor. the bodies involYed be disfranchised.' Mr. COSTELLO : Thev do not know what ·' J. ::VIartyn (Yic.) endorsed the pro (1ig-nity is over there. ~ pm ai, and said, ' If unionists (not :VIr. BRUCE: The statem' nt enhance': his om]lloyers) decline to obey the laws of truthfu!Eess. the country they should not have a The' CHAIRMAN: Order ! Ouwr : hand in making thorn, ahd shoclld be di:3franchised.' )fr. FRY: I want it rlistinctL- understO<)d that hon. members on this · ide of the "Later on Mr. H. V. McKa.y, discuss Chamber stand for arbitration. '!'he Ministec iw~· the arbitration award for the cannot cL::rn- thnt fact. It is unworthv 1f timbo- industry, urged his fellow bosses any ::\finistcr of the Crown who hopes to "gain to refuse to obev the laws of the coun the respect of the community to make statF trv and ignore the decision of the r. 101Jt#'•.d1ich he must know are nDt correct. o"urts. The SECRETARY FOR Pum.rc WoRKS: Do not "J. :Y1artyn (Yic.) then moved that forgot ',\'hat you said about me in 1920. \Vhat the:,- ehould approach Mr. Hughes to : ou said then was a delil:>erate untruth. bring in legislation to override deci sions of the Arbitration Court if he :'vir FHY: Mr. Chairman, has the Ministo1· thought a decision unfair." not to withdraw that statement. or am I to be "The Pastoral Review," which I under the only one to withdraw? , 't .,ne! is be.bind the Country Progressive The CHAIRMAJ'\ : Order ! I ask the party-in i1 s issue of August, 1921, says- Secretary for Public \Vorks to w;ihdraw. " To institute a successful immigration The SECRETARY F'OR PUBLIC '\VORKS: I witl! policy we must first burn our Arbitra draw, Mr. Pollock. tion Act, abolish the basic wage and price fixing, and lessen the cost of pro The CHAIRMAN: I hope that the hon. duction.'' melllber for Kuri!pa does not suggest that tho Chair acts with anything but equity as That is what hon. members opposite stand be-t '"''en hall. members. 'for. Thev have sta.ted that the Government ha ye rrtt(mpted to interfere with the func Mr. FRY: Oh no, Mr. Pollock. (Laughter.) tion of the Arbitration Court, and I say I would not reflect on tho chair under any that is a deliberate untmth. circumstances, in view of the fact. (Hear .. Mr. YovvLES: Rymer said so. hear!) There was no justification for the hon. gentleman to make the references to The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: the Opposition that he drd. I do not care who says so, whether it be a There is no justification for the hon. mem """''ber of the Opposition or anybody else. ber making any suggestion to the effect that The ·tnt0,.cnt is an absolute falsehood. That the Opposition are opposed to arbitration, i-- plr:n Er:gli::-:h. Th~_~ Government have never .·. nd the hon. member's littleness in his approached tho court except in a way in slighting reference to myself must be looked "·hich e\-cry employer or employee is upon as an example of a big man becoming allowed under the Act to approach the court. The GoYernmcnt have stated their a little child. case to the judge or the Full Bench, and Item (Court of Industrial Arbitration\ ha.Ye left the matter to the court to decide. agreed to. ).ir. FEY (Kurilri): I cksire to refute the At 9.55 p.m., statement made by tho Secretary for Public The CHAIRMAK said: Under the pro \\-arks that hon. 1110mbus on this side are visions of Sessional Orders agreed to by the in hvom of the abolition of the Arbitra House on 29th July and 25th September, I ticn Court. HP stated that hon. members chall now leave the chair, report progress, ,,-ho expressed the view that the Government ,tnd ask leave to sit again. have interfered with the Arbitration Court were telling- an absolute falsehood, and I The House resumed. eoy in rc:ply to him that his statement is an The CHAIRMAN reported progress. absolute falsehood, and he know' it. The resumption of the Committee was made The CHAIRMAN : Order ! an Order of the Day for to-morrow. Mr. FRY: I am using his own words. Tho House adjourned at 10 p.rn. Mr. Fry.]