Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

TUESDAY, 26 SEPTEMBER 1916

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

Sl4 Gas Bill, [ASSEMBLY.] Papers.

LEGISLATIVE ASSElVIBLY.

TUESDAY, 26 SEPTE~IBER, 1916.

The SPEAKER (Hon. \V. McCormack, C{[irns) took tho chair at half-past 3 o'clock.

PAPERS. The following papers, laid on the table, were ordered to be printed:- Annual report of the Chief Protector of Aborigines for the year 1915. Annual report of the Director, State Children Department, for the year 1915. Questions. [26 SEPTEMBbR.) Questions. 815

QUESTIONS. SUGAR IKDUSTRY-PROPOSED SUSPENSION OF DICK80N AWARD. GATTON AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. Mr. SWAYNE (J1irani) asked the Chief Mr. BEBBINGTOK (Dmyton) nsl~ed the Secretary- :Secretary for Agriculture and Stock- " 1. \Vill the Government, as a speedy " 1. The number of acres of land and effectiYe way of 1·elieYing the posi­ attached to the Agricultural College, tion of the sugar industry. now suspend G :ttoE: number of acres under cultiva­ the Dickson award that has ca1F.'d the grave trouble that has arisen? tion 1 "2. Is it not now plainly apparent that (' 2. Number of working· draught horse.:; any further delay in rcn1oYing the cau-.;e on hand 1st NoYembor, 1915; number oi means-(rz) A sugar famine in Australia; unbroken horses on that elate? (b) a permanent blow to the carr:ving on "3. :Ntunber of 111ilking CO\VS on hand of the' one industry that, so far, has 1st Noven1ber: 1915; nnmbt:l' of young shown itself capable of bringing about cattle on same elate? the settlement on our 1\orthern coast so essential to the future of a white Aus­ "4. Fa.rn1 produce on hand l~t l'\oYeln­ tralia; (c) unemployment leading to dis­ ber, 1915, including ensilage or uuy tress and dc;;;;titution an1ongst the -zvorker., fodder for stock '! who should at this timation to lead to a satisfactory solution of it." 828 acres. "2. \Vorking -draught horses and SUGAR INDUSTRY-RELIEF FOR DESTITcTE CAKE mules, 59 head; unbroken, 30 head. FAR)IERS. " 3. Milkers. 67 head; heifers, 67 head; Mr. SWAYNE asked the Home Secre­ young bulls, 28 ; stud bulls, 7. tary- "4. Hay and chaff about 10 tons. " Is it the intention of the Government to provide relief for those cane fanners " 5. The aYerage number of hands em­ rendere·d destitute through the operations ployed on farm labour during each month of the Dickson award?" was 10; the students employed on farm labour numbered 5; and the total fees The HO:\IE SECRETARY (Hon. J. received from etudents during that period Huxham. Ruranrla) replied- was £165. " Relief will be is.med to all necessitous " 6. Milk produced, 7,668 gallons. persons tvho make application." Value of other produce produced or eold betwE!en 1st November, 1915, and 31st AGRICULTURAL BANK-PENALTIES ON LATE January. 1916, £771. PAnrENTs. "7. Value of produce purchased for Mr. CORSER (Burnett) asked tho Secre­ feed from 1st NovPmber, 1915, to 31st tary for Public Lands- J anuarv. 1916, was £741. " \Yi11 he' secure infonnation a,nd "8. There was practically no collcgYiwn such pa:·inents £28 17s. lld.), included in the expendi­ are only three days overdue?" ture mentioned in reply to 7, wa~ pur­ The SECRETARY FOR P'CBLIC LANDS chased during the last few clays of J a nu· (Hon ..J. YI. Hnntcr. Jf,lranoo) replied- ary, tho whole of this mav be taken to haYC been on hand on the 31st of the " Selectors ha Y0 been infonned that no month. harsh measures will be taken during their absence on actiYe service. provided the "9. Approximate value, £1,996." property is properly cared for." 816 Qtteensland Govunmrnt [ASSE~fBLY.] Sa&it~gs I3onk BiF.

BUTTER PRODUCTION IX QCKE::~S­ te> be made and whnt it ought to be; but LAND. it was entirely different with the settler upon the land, who required to have n1en . On the motion of Mr. BAR::\TES (ll"ancick), dcrdiLg, with him who \vere in absolute sym­ It was formally resoh·ed- pathy with him. As he said before, no· " That there be laid upon the ta !,]c cf m<.rtcr how good the staff of the Savings the House a return showing the quantity Ihnk might be, unless they haJ practical of butter produced in Que n~land fro;n L .perience, which ,~~as {;'Ssential in order to 7th July, 1915, to 31st August, 1916." as .ist the man on the land, they could not mccessfully do so. The SECRETARY FOR PcBLIC LANDS: You QUEENSLAND GOVERNME.'-lT SAVIXGS a re not suggesting that the officers of the BANK BILL. .\t!ri.-·ultural Bank are not practical men 1 INITIATIO" 1:<1 COM:I!ITTEE. Ho". J. TOLMIE: He said that two of the men there were practical men. ~1r. (J1r. Coyne, H'arrego, in the chair.) '\iel'on had been making his living en th& Question- land; he was a practical man who had " That it is desirable that a Bill be cxperic>IlCC, and \vas gaining experience introduced to constitute and regulate the dailv. Queensland Government Savings Bank, The SECRETARY FOR PL'BLIC LANDS : For and for purposes consequent thereon y0ars he \vas a comrnission agent in Chade­ and incidental thereto"- Yille. put. Hox. J. TOLMIE: He might retort that Ho.N. J. TOLMIE (Toowoomba) said that othf'r people were engaged in differ:nt lines of business, which ought not to d1squahfy the Minister ought to be in a position to give them some information as to what the thcn1. for the position they \vere in uow. contents of the Bill would be. Thev had He ;vantc•d to point out that no matter how asked for some information as to what the rnany ~-cars th11t gentlcn1an bad br_'en acting contents of the Bill "·ould be. The had as n con1n1is"ion agent in Chilrlc,·ille, ho had asked for son1e inforrnation in the ffiatter k11ovdcdge of the \Ycstcrn rondjtions. For on the preceding stage of the Bill, nnd a ·.-t r eo I: ,idcra blc number of vears he hnd hon. members ought to know a little more L e.~ , rn",'cti(1l farn1er makir!g hls living than they· did about it. O!~ thr l~·ad. One of the other D1Cnlbcrs had D- d frrn11.lng experience. and had ah\ ays The SECRETARY FOR l'CBLIC LAl\DS: You l:cvn a:"··~ocintf:cl \rith the fanners. 'I_1hat v:as should know "' lot more than you do nm:. dlffc·re11t from nFn ln the office who did Eot , out iLto the di3tricts and corne into HoN ..J. TOLMIE: '\Vhen they askcJ for ro ':ith tlH s~ttlcrs. He knew the diffi- son1e inforrr1ation a 1t. '.vero bout thev accesed c:dt!r i that ~·urronndcd rnatter, ho-\v n1uch by hon. gentlcr:1en opposite "of n1aking a :l'.._· hac: to be Pxen in the making of scare about the Savings Bank. They did io r:nd he knt:\'.' that nruch of the success not y,.·aut to 1nake anv scare about the lt h a<,_ i nr?d h_,d be ~:n due 1-.1 the personal Sa.ving:- B[lnk, but they V\~anted to know -what (·onLtd of the dirrctors of the bank ·with the po·;;ition \Va,<;;, llcnv the accouut.:; stood, the mn1 on tlw land. They ho,d Yisited them and how the Uovcnlnient -..vere going to iu , heir homPs ru~d seen the conditions under rr1ake the Dill operate upon the Savings Bank. "hich th0y w"l'C working. It was very desirable that they should obtain information from the Govcrnn1ent :\Ir. CoLLJNS: Scndinr;- them throug-h my u·1on tht'"·e matter:-;. Th ~\linic.;ter y:as in f'].~ctol'atC' just before the election like you his place. but tl1e Secr0tary for Public L amendments in the regulations that made same trme therE! was a roof over the Agri­ it possible for others to hold the land and cultural Bank and over the various adminie­ bo responsible for the payments of absent trative offices, but whether it was the inten­ soldrers, but the hon. gentleman made no tion to bring them under the one roof or not aiteration in the regulations to make it pos­ hon. members did not know. It was not ''} sible for the wife of the soldier who had very long ago that present Government mem­ gone to the war to receive any leniency, and bers advocated transferring the Agricultural the penalty would have to be paid some day Bank from the Agricultural Department to bv the returned soldier. Did the Bill pro­ another department, and then thev came Yide for practical managem.ent, or was the along and shifted it to the Lands Dep.artmcnt management to go to the present Under at huge· expense to the State. All sorts of Secretary to the Treasury Department? furniture had been provi,ded, the basement \'i'hat practical experience had that gentle­ of the Lands Buildings had been pulled abont men in the bush? What practical experi­ and the institution ju~t installed when t!w Jh measure's memb2rs 0f the Opposition obstructing the would be taken by the bank. Whether harsh measure at this stage. They were wasting measures had been taken or not he had time, as they knew all the talk must be more received a letter written to the ~vife of a or less ineffective. In an earlier stage, hon. soldier who had gone to thE! war and \Yho members were given information of a general had paid her interest only three 'davs late. character in relation to the measure, but he She received her receipt, and was ir';formed had no objection at all to telling hon. mem­ that there was another 3s. Sd. due as a bers what the intentions of the Government penalty. were. The object of the Bill was to amal­ gamate the three institutions about which The CHAIRMAN: Order! Unle·s the hon. members had been talking. They would person referred to has had a loan from the be managed by a commissioner in some­ Agricultural Bank and the hon. member is what the same way that the business wns going to connect his remarks with the Agri­ conducted in New South Wales under the <'ultural Bank, ha will not be in order in Savings Bank, where it had proved very referring to the matter. successful. Opportunity would be taken while amalgamating the three institutions Mr. CORSER: That was what he was get­ to amend the measure dealing with advances ting at. That selector did get a loan from under the Agricultural Bank. That !w.d the Agricultural Bank. ])Pen referred to in the Governor's i'\pcPch. where it was stated that the conditions rclnt­ The SECRETARY FOR PcBLIC LAKDS : Produce ing to advances would be liberalised to such the letter. an extent as would not compel the bank to Mr. CORSER: He would produce the accept unsound security. letter. He would let the hon. member see Mr. MORGA:-i: Are you bringing abont a.n the letter, but he did not want to make the amendment of the Agricultural Bank Act? 1916-3 E Hon. E. G. Theod(lre.] :818 Queens?and Government [ASSEMBLY.] Savings Bank Bill.

The rrR.EASURER.: The ~\gricultural the Stato tuills, and there~ 'vere rcrtain re~ Bank Act, the \Y orkcrr' Dwc1lin"s <\et and ports current that second c1as:s t!.nb2r was the Savings Bank Act >Ycre to };e ~put' int,; being supplierl fro:m the Stak' rr1!:i~ :n con~ the melting pot ""cl consoliLhtcd in the 11"-rHon v:ith C'r1·t 1. in St::Jc ork:-1 \Yhcn ~uch :rtlcasurc no-..v befon~ thr Cornrnittec, .1acl tl~nbc1· ·would not be ncccptccl fl·oi.n private irflprovements ·wonld bt~ rnadc in connection tniih. !-Ie did not say it \Vao; true. '~Tjtb advances t',J settler'< Hon. 1nembers could not expect him to go into details with­ :'lfr. KmwAx: You are repeating it all the out consulting the cl , uses of the Dill, and tbis \Yas not the proper stage to do that. He ;\1r. BEDDDJGTO:\ Exact! ; and it was would endeavour lo giYe full information OPlng r .:v ated outside. There:: was pl6 ..Jty on the second reading n~ to ·what direction oF rno1u for tlw l'Ullluur at all ('Vent~ a·1d thp amcndrncnt~ ouL1 takt\ auJ in Corn~ the we1·~· things tlv:.•y "\':anted to 1:5uard rnittco an1plP oppot tunity ·would be afforded i_t"\t, If .:.1 pcr~on borrowed undcc the t.o hon. rncrnb_l j io n10Y8 anv tuncndrncnts Jdl:l:~:--' Dwelling:; ~~-et he shoulJ Le equally they desired. · ~~6 inclcp2nd _nt ...ts if lw were borro···. ing from l\lr. M __\CART:-;E'S:-.. \ Toon·ong) was sorry nt thcr brrnk, ~:;.nd he had 1wrfcet right to the Treasurer hu J gi,-cn thL• Crnnmittee build hi; co~t8.':.... c b cbY /u.r Ol' b\· con- fuller inforn1ation. hon. gcntlentan had rr '', ,tv· he fikcd; '"·cl he ~hould rertainly sta tc cl that the Bill was 1' an\" .-here he liked; and if [or the purpose anml<;,omating three ' hirn to get his porfc,.•tly \Ycll~kno',nl institutions, and at the and force hin1 to same tin1e to introduce a lliClH-ln:lC'Hts in regard hi d_ly 1a1·.. our then to the three. l t would be n1 Jre sa ti sfactorT.~ if the lwn. m-,mber >vould giYe further pa;­ -· r .. ticulars f::>.J tb. t ho-:1. n1en1bcl's TYlight realise Tho Comin1tteo that the J protection "'hich the sh .. uld as to 1\ hcther -f::lCllO·,itors the SaYings Bank loan J1<' ~ 'n Bili V>'d'., :::;·:::mnd at the pl'( ~.vu goi11g to bt ~'r•:- 1!1 p1 ..:.\noiht·r large borro"\\-;ng Berved. L .. b].~ll~·~Cll:. V.J:::. ~oin'r tn Lu 'llhc~ TREAS~_ RER: LuJ.oubtcdly so. L'-1' J-.ln.] tackcll ou to the S~ving;;.: Bank, and, whilst they were working I\lr. l\I~.1._C_.:_\.R'l'l\~E~i'": IIc \\·a~ ro hear '(·J·a1!v for ~Le guod of the p-:'cple, it

the l11(.tsurc wr J nor (0 uc ,~ 1.~ OlJl. fair that the Coannit1c1 :;ohould ~·::t]l se cl in ~-.ouch :' way tht_rc i1light kt!ow o:l v.-hat 1iue>s t~H1 'I\_:.tsurer inl--:lllhrl bo anv donbt whah~Vl'r a to the pmiti,~ll. The cconnLI'Y nwarc tha-t \"Cry Th h~urL gclJtc1etn. n 111u~t ,,£ ilOOl1C). IHH! expendNl from :a.prtrt h·on1 th.-~ fce11nt, of the on in cafr;:ing out l-he nationali8a­ -the ub.ic(~t, they h~ d a gl'cat con1pctitor in of t bC> GoYPrnnwnt. For in­ the Commonwealth Saving> Bank, and he, stations pur~ for one, would like to see the savings of were built. sawn1jlls ~uecn~!anders pr;•scrved for our O\"tl insti~ had h-·en bought, roa.l and raihYa~,s tutions. lie 1hought thJ L, \Vas the feelings had been purchaoed. \Vhat they wanted to of hon. nwn1bcrs gr,·1cr~)lly. and anythlng kno\·- \\·ns \Yhether thusc undertakings were that I.Yould conducc to greater confidence in t') be finnneed out of the rnonevs in tho the Savings Ba.nk would be wc]corncd, not Savings Bank·: It \\·as only right that people onlv lv,~ n1Pn1bers on that side of the Hons(: v•ho h:rl 1noney 1n the Savings Bank should but: hE~ took it) by mcn1ber~ on the other sid0 kiK•~:; v heLH:,r th0y \rcrc really financing as "'''!\. If they got the assurance that there thin,.KS v;·ith ~,Yhich they ha.d no particle of 1-vould be no alteration that was likely to be sy;.npathy. JH~rnic]ous, it ,..-as son1ething to go on. ~ilr. FORSYTH (Jlurrumbu): The Trea­ The TREASURER: No alteration will be surer h;;d said that they were going to place vna,de to endanger the stability of the Savings the three departrnents under one. \VcTc they Ba,nk. not practically thn<~ in one now? In what l\!r. BEBBINGTO.:\T (JJrayton) >Yould like sonse would th0 Bill ho1;) the n1atter '? AH ~onH:: infonnation in regard to the \Vorkers' the 1no.nc·v that W(!S lcn.t ln~ tho \Y orkci·s' D1Ycllings Art. \Vas it going to be under Dwellings Board rn1rw fro~'ll. the Sasings the ante roof and under th(-' sarnc manage~ Bank. ._1ud ;,.dutt benr)ftt \Yas goi!lg to be ment as the Savings Bank? He knew the ob tu ined by 1naking the three one? Minister for Lands liked to get rid of any­ Tho Tn:::AsrnEn: TlF' InanagenH~nt \vill be l;hing that was not plea.sant. When the hon. ninre efficient under OllC eontrol thcin under t;cntloman had the administration in con­ thl'2('. nection with tho fixing of food pl'jC('\ u:1der hi.:; d;.;p:trtn1cnt h? soon got rld of it and ~\lr. FOTISY~TI-I: If the hon. 1nembcr put the difficulties on to the :\1inister for ::ho\n3d tha 1·, he \Y· ulcl be f' 1a{I. P"'grieu1huc. Tbo Tn.EAST.ThKR: I will sho\v it on the The CHAIR:VIAN: Order! Fe-coJ.-:.d rL a 11ng. :fl'lr. DEBBINGTOJ"..J: .:-\s far as the ~\lr. FORS:..TTI-I: He had no objeC'tion if ~SA-: urkcr~,' Dw(dlings Board was concerned, the hon. rne1nbcr cculcl do ~o. But, if tht?y were two things that he hoped the wen' E·olng- to an1algamatc the thrf'e, they w Ju!d not interfero with. Cerrai;n should have tho -workers' Dwcllin;;o; Board believed that borrowers under the and the Agric:lltural Ban 1 ~ un1er th~' Lands Dwellings Act would be compelled Department, because, before they mddc the to ha.ve their buildings put up by day labour. advances on agricultural farms or to anyone Thev did not >Yant anything· of that kind in who ·wantt"i to build a chv~11ing, a Yalu2tion the Bill. There was anoth0r thing the people had to b,, made. TlwY lmd io send out men were afraid of. Thev were afraid that thev who undersl·ood their· business to see what would be compelled to get their timber from the value of the land in each case was, If [Hon. E. G. Theodore. Sugar Experiment Stations [26 SEPTEMBE.R.] Act Amendment Bill. 819

·they did not get competent men. then it Mr. SWAYNE (,'fimni): Of course, hf' meant that the Government might lose a rf'Cognisf'd that the lVfinister ,,--as quite \Vithin lot of n1oncv. his rights in refusing to giw the informa, Mr. PETE~soor: Some of your inspections tion, but g('llf'i·ally they got a few \Vords in the past ha vo not been too good. of explanation at this stage. He quite realise·d that there was room for a goocl dl'al Mr. FORSYTH : That might be so, but of improyement upon the' Act th y had at would the Bill help them? Were thev '"oin" present. For instance. it was an anomaly to g·ct rid of the inspectors? · " " that the canegrower should pay a tax for the experirnents \dH)n othL'l' branch- of ~1F· Mr. I'ETE!lSOX: There will have to be a weeding· out, l hope. farming industry had no such burdr,"s placed upon them. It was also pertinent to say that Mr. FORSYTH: They could cod them if the tax had to be paid. the ' negrowors out under thn ~xisting lf ~·idation. I-I'-· cou]d sbould ha Ye f--Omo rPnr(•:-:entation or · dY a'S to not ':cc v hat grc:tcr efJ-Jcicn...;y thev would the control of the ~t Ltions. a~lCl he c 'rtainl~,, gPt by having the three un{'-•r o1ln hcGd. objected to any further thA The S:n·ing.s Bank was a b;!nk ~.Yhich had burden already e>:isting. money to lend r" tru ::: furN:l;_;, or to the Go­ in his n1ind was whether. at Ycrn!nent, and eon;::t~quPntlY kr.cw nothing· ture, it Vi'rtR any use or ~~n.' oalinnrv about land lTI<-tttt r~. If the hun. n1ernbcr lu:t~l how dc.-,irablo under :-omc iuforrnr.hu11 that the Bill \Yonld the legislation might be-for' i1t·lp. Pot the Rauk. but the waste it-; tin1c oyer sab·-·idiarv. F i DthC'r hr\_) \\·elL he had no ob- legislation conccrni1:g the sug~a r nd ustr~'· jr>;-_:tion t·-J it. They knew the po.~ition of the industry at the present time, and it sec'""'ed like triflir;g The' 'Trn \frrR:.::R: If you l"t this question on the part of th Gm-ernmcnt to '·mlE' alo11g r;d. yon •,~.ill hn·n=- the 'ni!l '~ ton minute•. with measures of that kind r;ndt>i tlvJse cir~ ()Gt':-.ti ;a put an cl pcL..:..A__ •d. cumstances. The only comparieon he could rnake \Vas that jt 'vas ~mneth:ng like buying TL~' liou, n ~·c -nn1ed. The CHAlR!.\IAX re~ a bottle of embrocation to drc,, a fl< .h PCrtC'·d that the Co:nu.aittcc had co1ne to a \vound in a dying horsP. 'I'herc \Verc five or l'f" ]J __,_'--lon. ,, hich '?c- o;,re~r1 to. six sugar members on the other side of the __House, and ho purposed moy.i.ng an an1e-nd~ ment which he hoped thc0" '"onld Sllpport. l--Ie moved t.l19 ornissi-on of ::11 thr wol'd.; On the nwtinn of the TREASl:~REH, the Bill after the word ''to," with the Yiew of sub­ \Y..:: r0ad a fll'f;t t.in1P and the ::::reond l'{'adinrr ~tituting the words '"rclicYc the preseut crisis in sugar industr~v." It v.,ould bo \'~;a~: maclc R!l Order of the Ddy· for to~IWJlTO\l,~ the noticed that he' had made the "'ucnclment wide enough to lcnYe it to the option of the J\iinister to adopt hls own n~eans for dealing FRl-IT C~\SES ~~CT AME:'\D~IEXT BILL. with the position. This was a mattcnr that IXTRODl'CTIOX. had been before the GoYernment for a h"nt five' weeks, as it was about five ·,· ec1;:s s}nct:: (Jlr. Co>n.', ll'a,rcyo, in the r-lwir.) the sossion had started, and on the f,:'00 1 1d day of the session he himself quc--tioncd th Duestion--Thai it is desirable that a Bill Minister and drew his attention to the critical be introduced to 'ftmend the Fruit C.a_..;cs Act state of affairo that existed in the sugar of 1912-put <~nd passed. industry. He was then told that the matter Tho :Honse r0sumcd. The CHAIR~L\X ro~ would receive consideration. and it had been parted that the Con1mitt<:.'C had CVJll(' t') a receiving consideration eyer sin<"c. The· Trea­ rest lution, \vhich was agrt•ed to. surer had journeyed to Sydney and the Pre­ mier had journeyed to Melbourne in connc•.• tion with the matter, but nothing had been FmsT READI~G. done. In the meantime thev knew what was Oll the motion of the SECRETARY FOR happening in the industry Itself. They wor.: AGRICt;L'I'CH.E, the Bill was r0ad a fir,t losing hundreds of thousands of ponnds in the bnJc, and the ccond reading n1ade an Order sugar industry in Queensland to-d y. and of the Day for to--n1orro\Y. even if the' matter W' 1'8 rC"hfled 110\Y oson1e of the crops were ha rycstcd, would still be a great le,", At the SL-GAR EXPERIME~T STATIOXS ACT time one-sevm1th of the popuiatwn of land depended clirr~f!u or iLdJl'c,~tly Ul tlt•' A~,JEND:YlENT DILL. sugar industry, and yet tl10:<- had mrn,,rcs IYTHODUCTIOX. like this introduced! Gp to withi:t the la i; fow \veoks tho sugar indu'--tr:v \Ya, 'vork1n __ Qn~stion-That it is de-;irable that a Bill under an award of t}F Inclustri0 l Court, be introduced to amend the Sugar Expc~·i~ known as the Mau1au3'hton a·.--crd. wh:ch_ ment Statio!ls Act of 1900 in cc c·tain parli<:Lt­ when it was introducC'd. \Vas a '!TC'rJ di --~ lare.-stated. advantage to the industrc, but thc-1 there had been 8 big rise in tll• o [ Jlo:;. J. TOLJ\IIE thonght thev should haYe sugar in the ''""orld's n1arkch. and a smaE further il!formation with regard to the Bill. risP in Austra li:1 \Ybich jn __,t enalJlod Ho wally roso for the purpo' e of int.ercPpt­ them to comply with tho Dickson av.-ard. lng the passage of tho motion bee a use he Tht.., indnstry \Yas just f'ettling down to understood that the hon. member for Mirani the Macnaughton award when another de,ir.ed to speak. rcvie>Y of the case wes asked for, and ~fr. Sw.UNE: I expectc"d some information vn H\Yard that had becon1e notorious from the :Yl inister. throughout the length all'] breadth of Aus­ tralia, kno\vn as "the Dickson award," \vas The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE: I gave made. '£he Dickson award increased the cost .YOU that at the preliminary stage. of working- the imlu,,try by from 33 to 50 pur- Mr. Swayne.] 820 Sugar ExpeTiment Stat·ions [ASSElVIBLY.] Act Amendment Bill. cent. The Government themselves at the electorates of Cairns, Bowen, Mackay, Bun­ time the matter was before the court ex­ daberg, and other places, and he expected: pressed the opinion, no doubt after con­ them to support him. He drew the Minister's. sultation with their officers, that an increace attention to the following portion of his of 5 per cent. was as much as the industry question which he asked some time ago:- could stand, but in face of that the judge " Has his attention been drawn to the gave an increase from 33 to 50 per cent. The following utterancB by Mr. President Government had ample powers under section Jethro Brown, of the South Australian 46 of the Industrial Peace Act to intervene. Industrial Court, and successor to Sir That section was put in as a safety valve John Gordon in the presidency of the against such a contingency as had arisen Commonwealth Sugar Commission: ' If to enable the Government to intervene if a this court bases an award on bad evi­ decision were given by an incompetent and de,JCc, an<:! will not amend that award, biassed judge. The Government, however, the Legislature can ,annul or vary it at refused to intervene, although they were will. If the president should prove that asked time after time to do so, and the he is lacking in the qualities which the industry was now up against a dead wall. administration of his office demands, the Thfi growers and millers who produced two­ Legislature also has its remedy. I am thirds of the total output had been forced to glad that these things are so, and I hope hang up their business during the best part legisJ,ators will never lack for courage of the season, and nothing was being done. to discharge these very responsible duties­ There were various ways of intervening, and of the kind mentioned, should the occa­ he had even gone the length of suggesting sion arise.''' what might oo done to relieve the position. That was the opinion of one of the leacding The best way was to suspend what was recog­ judges in industrial matters. The Govern­ nised all round as an impossible award. ment, instead of stifling the industry, should Mr. COLLINS: How can you say that when introduce a measure to help productiveness the Northern mills are still continuing to at the present time, when they were asked crush? to produce all they could f~:om the soil. Mr. SWAYNE: T'he hon. member was The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE : This Bill always talking about the force of majority is intended for that very purpose. rule, and in this case the majority of the Mr. STEVENS (Rosewood) said he in­ millers and growers, who were struggling tended to second the ,amendment. men and had gone through hardships during the drought of the past two years, stated that The CHAIRMAN: Order! I have already it was an impossible award. ruled the amendment out of order. Original question put. The CHAIRMAN : I would like the hon. member to provide me with a copy of his Mr. STEVENS: He was opposed to the amendment. introduction of the proposal to amend the Sugar Experiment Stations Act at the present Mr. SW AY::\TE handed in a copy of his tin1e, unless arrangements were n1ade to amendment, und continued to speak. allow tho sugar-growers to carry on in such The CHAIRMAN : Order ! I hope the a manner that they would be able to obtain hem. gentleman will not pursue that subject a living for themselves and their families. further. The motion proposed by the Secre­ Everyone knew that it was impossible tc ffiry for Agriculture deals with a specific work under the Dickson award at the present object. I havil just read through the Act time. which the Bill proposes _to amend. The Mr. CoLLINS : All the mills are working up motion now is for the Committee to decide North, and they would be working on the whether it is desirable or not to amend the Burdekin too only for the hon. member for Act in the direction indicated in the Bill. Mirani. The hon. gentleman will sec that under a Mr. STEVENS : They wanted measures motion of that kind I cannot allow him to which would increase the productiveness of go into the whole question of the sugar the State. industry, because it would be absolutely The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE : This Bill irrelevant to the subject we are discussing at is designed to foster production. the present time. I hope the hon. memoor will confine his remarks as to whether it is Mr. STEVENS : In his district the sugar ·desirable or not to introduce the •amending industry was carried on in connection with Bill. I cannot allow an amendment to be dairying, and at a meeting of suppliers to· brought in to deal with the whole question the Marburg Sugar Mill the other night the of the position of the sugar industry. following motion was carried:- Mr. SWA YNE: As the matter was still " That at this meeting of cane sup­ before the Committee, he thought it was a pliers to the Marburg Sugar Mill, we good opportunity for members to express protest agaipst the Dickson award, and their opinion that as legislation de,aling with we pledge ourselves to-day not to harvest the industry was being introduced the Go­ our crops until the said award is sus­ vernment might go further ,and do something pended, believing that the said award is to alter the existing state of affairs. fatal to the welfare and existence of the sugar industry in Queensland." The SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE : This Bill is ooing brought in in consequence of a 'l'hat was only another instance added to promise of mine to the canegrowers. those that came from exclusive sugar-grow­ ing districts to prove that the Dickson award Mr. SWAYNE: Under ordinary circum­ was a monstrosity. stances the Minister would be quite justified The CHAIRMAN : Order ! in introducing such legislation, but they were ·working under abnormal circumstances just Mr. STEVENS thought the Dickson award EOW, and the greater part of the sugar should be suspended, if not entirely annulled. industry "·as hung< up. There were members The Minister was only tinkering with a ques­ on the other side representing the sugar tion of vital importance in bringing forward [llir. Swayne. Sugar ExperimPnt S;atir. That was not a Labour If ever an utter want of knowledge was ~>apcr shown it was shown bv the hon. member Mr. SwAYKE: The fact of the matter is for Bowen when he tried to attribute the that the districts that are not under Mr. stoppage in the industry to the action of Crawford's organisation have eome out and the Australian Sugar Producers' Association. the districts .that are under his organi~ation As to any part they might have had in it are stay1ng 111. he was not in a position to say. but he did Mr. COLLil"S : The hon. member for say-and it showed where the very great error Mirani was often in consultation with Mr. on the part of the hon. me m her for Do wen ·Crawford. It was only owing to the evil was-that where the stoppage of work took influence of the organisation he had named place was where the Australian Sugar Pro­ thal some districts had ceased work. The ducers' Association -was \Veakest. J>:Jragraph read- " One of the largest meetings of the Mr. s~IITH interjected. Lower Burdekin Farmers' Association J\Ir. SW A YNE: If the hon. member would ever held by the association took place m the Theatre Delta this afternoon to re,train himself they would be very glad to discuss the question of starting farming boar lli1n on the queqtion later on. The most and milling operations again. Mr. H. B. peculiar point in the matter \\as this: that Burstall occupied the chair, and there wh~re t,he mills were at work, the Australian were present over 250 farmers. The Sugar Produc0rs' A;;,sociation was n1ost povl'er­ chairman outlined all details to the call ful. He might say that in the industry it­ of the IT';eeting to-day instead of Saturday self-if he might u~e the word-the term next, as Jt was reported that Mr. Drysdale "scab'' had been attached to sorne of thoso was determined to start the mill. The districts, and that was where the association chairman dealt fully with all correspon­ that the hon. member ior Bowen spoke of dence and 'vires accrued sine~ the meet­ \va;, the n1o~t powerful. \Yhert~ the ce::-sation ing of 26th August, and left it to the of \YOrk harl taken place they were th<~ least meeting to discuss the advisability of re­ powerful, and the united canegrowers who star~mg farmmg and crushing. A very represented the small farmer held the sway. confirmatory WJre from lYir. Crawford in As showing the absur·dity of imputing- polifi­ Brisbane evidently gave weight to the cal motives to the action which had taken necessity for caution before even con­ place. he would like to call attention to the sidering a suggestion to commence." position of tlwso growers \Vho \.Yere no\v risking their all in stopping work. ~He was not too sure that behind all this ·movement there was not a desire for cheap The CHAIR:VIA:\f: Onler 1 I cannot allow labour m some shape or form. H was not the hon. nH_>:nbPr to discuss the sugar industry so much the Dickson award as the mill­ g0n0rally. I have al1ovvC'd a fair atnount of ·owncrs working in opposition to the cane­ latitude to hon. nwmbers. and I hope that growers. He was satisfied in his own mind for the rPmainder of this di,cussion they that if the cancgrowers had been left to will adh0rP strictl:v to the qucstio11 bl•fore the themselves crushing would have proceeded. Cununltt~c-that is, whethPr it is desirable Macknade, Victorift, Goondi, and Babinda or not tn introduce a Dill to amend the were working, and so were the Mulgrave Svgar Experiment Station~ Act of 19JO. \Ve and Hambledon mills-as the hon. member a.re not dea1ing with thP sug<.tr industry of kncw~and he supposed they c.~lnle under Qur··nsland. anrl I how· the hon. member the award just as much as the mills further ·will obscrvf' tllat fact. son! h.. The evil i.nfluonce exerted by the orgamsahon mentJoncd bv him was the :\fr. S\Y A Y:\fE: He thanked the Chairman. main reason wh_v· the suiar industrv "\Vas He onh want"t'd to rcnlv to the "tatcment bcin£i helrl up at this time, which was a' crime ab(Jllt th0 Australinn Sti.g~tr Prcdurt!rs' A.sso­ against the people of Oueeml:md and the riation. It was more the action of the ·Commonwealth. The hon. member for united canC'growers' organiso.t.ion. He did 1VIirani's reference to the award, when mills not think the time wrrs onportune for the furth0r north 'vcrc paying the award, "\vas introduction of thi'l Bill, and that other legis­ all moonshine. lation would have been more useful and The CHAIRMA'\i : Order ! I must ask would have done more good to Queensland the hon. member to keep to the question at the present time. before the Committee. Question put and p:>sscd. Mr. Swayne.] 822 Orallo to Injune Creek [ASSEMBLY.] Railway Extension.

The House resumed. The CHAIR~IAN re­ The SPEAKER : Order ! I understand: porte-d that the Committee hrcd come to a that other hon. members desire to speak, resolution, which was agreed to by the and the hon. gentleman will have the right House. to reply. FIRST READING. Mr. MORGA::-i" (ilfuri/la): In connection with railway matters generally, I think they On the motion of the SECRETARY FOR have alwavs Leen looked upon by both sides. AGlUCl:LTCR.K the Bill was read a first of the House as non-party matters, but in, ar:d the sec~nd rea{:ling n1a·dc an Or'i..-ler connection with a proposal of this sort. I oi Day for to~rnorro\v. think, as one representing· an electorate where already a milwav has been passed by this House: where the survey has been made in> DISEASES IX PLAKTS BILL. connection with that railway, and where the land likely to be served by that railway lNITI.\TIOX AXD FIRST READING. is of equal if not of greater value than· the land to be served by this particular On the motion of the SECRETARY FOR exte>nsion, it is my duty to enter a protest AGRlCCLTl:RE, this Bill, initiated in Com- against what I term this particular line, nJittee, vYas read tin1e, and the second that the i'viinister is endeavouring to force reading made cf the Day for tow through the House. In connection with morrow. this milwav, the MinistPl' when he intro­ duced it at one time stated it \Vas for the nur·pose of opening up country, and it has ORALLO TO lKJC.i'\E CREEK RAILWAY also hccn termed a railway for the purpose EXTENSION. of making land available for soldiers. The Jgnd through which this railway will travel APPROVAL OF PLA).[, &c.-PROPOSAL TO GO is not fit for closer settlement' from a IXTo CmnnTTEE. soldier's point of view. I have had reports from people who live in the locality, and I The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS know country similar to the country that is, (Hon. J. Adamson, Rockhampton): Mr. likelv to be traversed by this railway, and Speaker.-I move that vou do now lcaye the I say without fear of contradiction that the chair, and that the Ho;J.se resolve itself into land is not suitable for close settlement. Committee of the Vl'hole to consi-der the It is suitable for grazing purposes, but it is following resolutions:- not suitable for agricultural purposes. .I " 1. That the Houw approyes of the also claim that it is not the duty of this plan, section, and book of reference of House to pass railways simply because they the proposed extension from Orailo to mav go through an electorate represented Injune Creek, in length 31 milBs. bv 'a Government supporter, while already­ and it cennot be denied by the Minister­ " 2. That the plan, section, and book there are manv lines in Queensland that of reference be forwarded to the Legis­ have been passed by this H'?use and hav.e, lative Council for their approv-al by been surveyed, and all that IS necessary IS n1essage in the usual for1n." for the Government to put a sum of money on the Estimates for the construction of these, HoN. J. TOLMIE : As a rule, railways are lines to be commenced, and they would open considered in this Chamber to be non-party un far better land and more '?f it than ~s questions, and I have not broken that rule, likely to be opened up by a railway of this' nor .do I propose to break it at the present description. time. I think that all r,ailways that are The SPEAKER : Order ! I suggest to, brought before the House shoul-d be con­ the hon. member that he will have an oppor­ sidered from the point of view of their ad­ tnnitv of saying all he wants to say when Yantage to the State generally, not because the House is in Committee. objection has been taken to them by hon. members, perhaps because they have not been Mr. MORGAN: I am not particular able to get railways that they required, whether I sav it now or in ten minutes' time. although when it comes to the question of The leader 'of the Opposition told us that railways in certain districts this is the right we will lose our opportunity if we do n?t and proper time for discussion by the House take advantag-e of it now, but if I s~Ill as to whether it is the proper route to be retain my right' to oppose the constrf!CtiOn. a.dopt,ed. This is the time, if members have nf this line on certain grounds that . IS all any objection to the resolution, for amend­ I desire. Personally, I bave no wish to· ments to be mond. I am only stressing that move any amendment. and on .your :r:eco'!'-. point because, through an oversight, an hon. mendation, Mr. Speaker, I w1ll wart till member was deprive-d this afternoon of the House is in Committee. moving an amendment in order to secure Que3tion put and passed. proper discussion in connection with another industrv. He BllmYed the opportunity to go APPROVAL OF PLAN, ETC.-COMMITTEE. by last ~week through inedYortcnce, and when (Mr. Goyne, Warrego, in the chair.) the matter came up in Committee to--day, he The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS, in was told that he could only deal with the moving- question under the order of leave giv!'n by " 1. That the House approves of the· the House previously. Now is the oppor­ plan, section. and b?ok of reference of tunitv if any hon. member desires to move the proposed ~xtenswn fro~ Orallo to· in this direction. Iniune Creek, m length 31 mrles. The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: I ;, 2. That the plan, section, and book desire to sa v a few words in relation to of reference be forwe.rded to the Legis­ this reilwa:v" proposaL The House will latiYe Council for their approval by rememl•er that last year when it was intro­ message in the usual form," duced--- said : In speaking on this railway I want; [Hon. J. Adamson. Ora./lo to Injune Creek [26 SEPTEMBER.) Railway Extmsion. 823 to emphaEise what I ·,,as going to say in square miles resumable at Euthella and reply to the leader of the Opposition. This Cornwall. The railway will pass through line was brought before the House last the cf'ntre of thuc::c lands. The rainfat yea>· and a Select Committee reported on it, is 27 inchc.o, "·hich is practically 4 incheli anti rel)Ol'tCd fayourably. rrhis }louse carried 1norc tban v:e get at Ro1na. There are the proposal and sent it to the other Chamber hru l'f.'8 30!1:'3 whv the line should be con­ in the usual way, <1nd the ot}E:r Chamber sn·ucrt_J. The ~Hr~t: rcaso11 is that the, rejected it. In my opinion this is a most land i~ iu da:ngcr of bec:o1ning iniust· ...·d important railway, and it will fill the bill with 11ear fro1n the pc~r urea, which is a good deal better than some of the lines 10 n1llcs ·.outh of the terrninus of tht: pre­ that the hon. m· rnber for ::iiurilla was going sent line. Another rc·J~on i::J that the to rder to-- Lancb Department ·nt tht lVlr. :MORGAX : That is a question. · .ab:solutc!v ·without f;. ·This on'' of The SECRETARY FOR RAILIYAYS: ttJenu~nt. i~ an:~a_-.; of a large size 111 Sontlwrn .~nslLnd The le·-,g-th of thl.:J railway is 31 n1ile", and suitable "for It a qucs- it is (·stimated to cost £138,155, which is tioll \\·hetl:er will be found at >Yar ratE',, and not the rates that have ir:. Southern ~\t lc.t:,t 75 h.:ea giY(n for ~onl53 l'~Lilwavs that Yvcre L2l' ('{_ut. of lunJ eloncr, although being cog­ l "\\iish to state ·what is the opinion of the nisant of the fact that it is not going to be Lands Department, bccaU',' ::Ylr. Graham a pa~-i'"g line from the jump. says that, be­ u:aYe the following cvi·dencc: before the Select caus(e it will open up land and induce settlc­ Corn:niltce :- rnent, it is a goed lin' for the State. I \Vould '·The Orallo-Injunc Creek Railway, by hkc to quote son1c of the notes taken at a short extension of 31 miles. will bring the Sell', t Com1nittee last Year. The Select >vithin reasonable communication 283,680 Cnmin1ttce said a consjdc1~able quantity of acres in11nediately a\ <'dL1blo for opening aP'ric-lltural and dairying land \Yill be opened for ~election ; 335, nn acres held under up, and that thcrP >Yas no bad land on the lca,c. from which 5,170 acres can be route. As far as that is concerned, I have lmnl;·.:1iah"1Y rcsume·t1 v1ithout compensa­ ,,ot t,-a •·crsed the whole of the route, but I tion, PX;_·cp.t for in1proYe1ncnts; and the have gone out to the end of the line since I L.--tl 'llC'C can b·l' cc.:xruLorily resumed,. was her-e last year, and at any rate on the tmd 90.594 acres held under gr·azing l'JUte,, generally speaking, you pass through sclcctio~lA, 'Yhich could also be resurned good land; not all of it good land, but ::h- uld it b0 dccr-.:.Jecl ncC'fL~al'y.'' moetly good land. haYe hct~n oYer that route since last E-ession, Hon ..J. TOL1TTE: \Vhat route did you take? and I ~. y son1c exceedingly fine areas of Th<> SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: I iand. 'Ih(· land about :'daunt Hutton is ex­ would not like to say the exact route I ccedingi? good agricultural land, and Niount­ trrtYc11c.{l., as I do net kr:o'J; how rnany routes Hutton j,, one of the best watered runs I there re. 1\"e camped at the hotel the first have s(e!l. 1 have se ll some very welt nigl1t, ar~d \Ye rc.fH~hed the station the first wfltered runs in Northern Qucensland­ thing the nr•xt rnorning, aft('r going round nan1ely, Carpentaria Downs and Lyndhurst­ i_je (':'!UntT\', Thf' i...Vldence givPn b2£o:-o th8 and of all the runs I ha.-c seen there ar& Se>,+ Cm!<'nirtco sho-.ved-- verv few that are better watere-d than tl1e· .. There' .1 re about 220 ~quar0 miles of Mo;,nt Hntton run. That is the particular lard !'esu~na blc on ::vlm.u::t H utton and 194 land that we want to have for agricultural Hon. J. Adamson.] 824 Orallo to Injune Creek [ASSEMBLY.] Railway Extension.

settlement. I do not know that it IS neccs· the hon. member clocs not wish the irnpres· sary that I should say anything more about si on to go abroad that there is an,- pear this railway except that it is estimated that there at all. the construction will render available 1,460 The SECRETARY FOR Pt:BLTC LA;;Ds : I want square miles of Crown lands. Hon. members you to state what is a fact. opposite, when they were in office, were very fond of resuming land through which to build Hox ..J. TOLC.IIE: I may state what is railways. As far as this party is concerned, a fact-th;;t there is pertr on Myall Downs. we try to avoid resuming land simply for The SECRETARY FOR Pt:BLfC LAXDS: That is the purpoee of buil-ding railways, but we 15 miles further east. have resumed land for cattle stations and so forth. This litw will go through some land Ho;;. J. TOLMIE: What we did want that had to be resumed for another purpose, when the railway was proposed last year and ir will make that land more valuable as was an opportunity to have the land taken a State enterprise. This line also goes up for close settlement. But I think that ihrough Crown land, and it is very desirable opportnni ty has gone. The 1\1inister has that railways should be built gone into the occupation nf a grazier, and [5 p.m.] through Crown lands to induce has taken the "·hole of Mount Hutton for settlement. That is part of the grazing purposes. policy of the Government, and, so far as this The SECRETARY FOR Pt:BLTC LAXDS : I will railway is concerned, we are seeking to carry let yoll into a secret-- it out. \Y c might refer, further, to what has be0n '"id in i he Select Committee's report. I-Iox ..J. TOL-:\1IE: I object to be let into I should like to remind the Commitb'e that secrets by th,, 00,-crn:TH'nt. I got into the leader of the Opposition spoke very trouble here the other ni(l'ht at the hands famurablv of this line. He savs that it is a of the Minister for Railways because he Yery important line, but that it will not be­ offcrecl to show me something confidentially nmw a paying proposition until it gets and I refused. I grant the courtesy of tho through the pear country and on to the hon. member. but. at the same time. it Mount Hutton property. Ho said that the would place me, as the leader of the Oppo­ party oppo~jte, when they were in office, in­ sition, in a very anomalous position indeed, tended to ~·et this railway through, in order because, if the time came to speak out in that they might induce s<:>ttlement on the l'egard to it. I would be twitted with having land I lwn' rdcrred to-the land of Injunc got my information from him. So I do not >Creek and round Mount Button. want the hon. member to let me mto any secrets until he let~ the House into them. Hon. J. ToL:\!IE: He said all that. In my opinion, there is less opportunity for the land to be used now than formerly, The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: because W" were then looking forward to He said a v,reat deal more than that, and he the time when the State would get the whole said some thino:s when he was in office which of the Mount Hutton country for close settle­ he is sometimes sorry for now. I do not ment. But surelv the hon. member is not think it is de,irnblc to labour this question. going to pay something like £80,000 for a It, is a very good line, that will open up a pastoral property and not go on wtth the great deal of country, and therefore I beg to industry! l110V('- The SECRETARY FOR PuBLIC LAXDS : \V e did " 1. 'fhnt the House approves of the not pay £80,000. plan ..'ection. and book of reference of th0 proposed extension from Orallo to HoN ..J. TOL~IIE: Between £70,000 and Jnjune Creek. in length 31 miles. £80,000. " 2. That the plan. section, and book of The SECRETARY FOR Pt:BLTC LAxDS : \V e only 1·eference be forwarded to the Legislative paid £5.000 for the lease; the rest was for Council for their approval by message in cattle. the usual forrn." Hox. J. TOLMIE: Surclv the hon. mem­ Hox ..J. TOLMIE: I do not agree with ber did not think for one" moment that I the i\Iinister when he intimrtted that when in was charging him with paying between office I said thing-s I am verv sorry now for £70,000 and £80,000 for the re,umption? As haYing said, rrhe staternerlts which -were I say, it cost the Government between made then stand good now. So far as this £70,000 and £80,000-we will discuss that raihva:y is conc0rnC'd, I have ahvavs advo­ question when we have more time to deal cated it. Other people take a differ~nt view with it-and I am pointing out that the and they are entitled to take that view: Government have undertaken the position of It was a matter of great nleasurc to me cattle graziers-it is not fattcning country, that the milway went thr~ugh last year, but breeding country-and they are going in bec

Tailway to Injune Creek-that is, to Mount 2\Ir. :\IORGA::\: \Ye left the :VIinister over Hutron~will pass this Chamber. l have £2.000.000 for railway purposes. and surely no doubt it will. It passed it last year, to Q·oodnc,>; thut is s~1fficient for hirn to go and perhaps, with a fuiler investigation into on \vith. the 'rnattcr. thl• 1~ppcr 1-Iouse lllay SCP Jlt to Mr. :VIc:HPIIY: And YOU left him £20,000,000 put it through and give an opportunity. for \Yorth of railways to~ build. (Laughter.) its construction. I shall support the motion. Mr. :VIORGAK: The GovoTnment did not l\Ir. MORGA:--J : Whilst there mig·ht be intend to build the whole of the £20.000,000 .:sunw j usLification for ihe Minister in bring­ worth at om'·'· They recognised that that inn· for\vard this railwav on smne futuro ·was a pohcv that extended over scvcHtl o,:; dealing with this from which 5.170 acres can be imme­ partirular linf', which the Minister for Public diate! v resumed without compensation, Lands is verv anxiou~ to ha Ye con~tructcd. except for imn.rovenwnts, and the owino· to the fucts that it is in his own halanre {'an he cotnpulsorily rosun1ed, elect;rate and it will benefit him personally. anrl 90,594 acres held under grazing selection, which could also be resumed The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS: I have foun-ht harder to have the Brigalow Creek should it be dremecl necessary." 0 JinP passed and built than I have for this According· to :\Ir. Grahmn. only 283.000 acres line. will bc available through this raihvay at the Mr. l\IORGAN: Did vou sav that you present time. In connection with the lino fought harrl to get tlw Ta,ra line,? from ,Juandah to Taroom, in the speech -cleli,-erul bY the late Minister for Railwavs. The SECHETAHY FOR Puauc LANDS : Y cs. l\1r. Pao:rt,' to he found in "IIanoord," v"o!. 119. 2914. pag·o 2.253, I find- l\Ir. :\IOHGX!\J: The Tara. line is being constructed at the nresent time. There are " In the second Sl'ction the Crown land a fo,,- men employed at clearing b~hyeen to he served h~· the line totals 3.514 square Tara and Snrat, and I give the Mimster miles, equal to 2,248,960 acres." credit for what he is doing in that direction, Thr"e flo:ures \vero obtained from the Lands but he is not doing enough. At t~e pres~nt DPpartrrlcnt. and cver:v bit of that is Crov<"n ra to it will take fhc years to hurld a lme land. The line there would not be adding to to Tara. !30nlC'thin~:t alrecHly possessed bv the capitalists :Yir. KrRWAN: The hon. member for or tho.se who have large areas of freehold l\lurrumba savs the Government are spend­ countrv. The lan<:l is there waiting for the ing too n1uch ~ 1noney. GovPn;rnont to put a line into it. Mr. MORGAN: TheY are not spending ThE' SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: Whv ·did too much mane\ in this direction. \Ve have you not provide the money for it, too f a number of ~ther lines upon which the Mr . .Morgan.] 826 Orallo to Injune Greek [ASSEMBLY.] Railway Extension.

prrmancnt surveys have been rnadc, and it line in 1ny electorate wh1ch h~,, already bee:ru is only necessary for the Government to put passed by this House. On that occasion the the money on the Estimates and they will be l\linlstrr L r Lands also ~,aid- constrl!cted. This line to Iniuno Creek is " 2\Ir. HuKTER: 'That is the trouble. not. r~oing to open as much laild as the line The Govcrnrncnt. ir>stcnd of building the wullld from Juandah to Taroom. line right outJ haY(' a.llowcd two years to: rrht~ SECRETARY FOR RAIL\YAYS: \Ye have not s, ;,ud the pear lws been growing all got th rc;JOrt of che Public \Vorks Com­ Hn1c: and land which should have rni _si on on the lino fron1 J nandah to Taroorn b('Cn settled on is ~til1 vacant, and will . et. \\~a it until \ro , "-'C the report. not be sctdcd until this line is built." rrhc· SE 'T:LT:\RY ;'0;1 Prn::_Ic L_\XDS: That is c\Ir. ~IORG.c\:'\: \Yhy did you not put the the tronhlo. Public \Yorks Con1mission on to report on this line? ;\fr. :\IORGAX: Tlun ;, the point that tho ho::.1. l11('n-:.bcr rnnde-rhat the land "'.Vould not The: SErHETARY FOR RATL\\ AYS: Bec::tuc~o this j- Sf't~lcd u11til the lino wa-; built.. There are lino "..; introduced h\ the GoY0rnn1cnt last G\Tl' 2.000.000 anr;:s of land U 1.~ailable for yc~.r and the con1mi::":lion 1vcre not apvointeJ then. :3c·h' t.ioll in the rraroonl distric-t, and yet \YC . a lin~; broug-ht J)e!on;, ~s this al!cr~ ?vil'. ~.IOEG.\_::\: But the other line fron1 nom1 ·h \nll not sr't "le nalt that (-r-Untry. Juandah to Taroon1 \Yhich the couunission 'Lll· :'clini',ror for Ln,rds 'dso said-- were r: :.k •:1 to :report on -..vns _pu ,--,ed by 'his •· If linr'-:- '\\T L lYt l'CLi~nt1y pas~cd fioUSC, r_rhe l\linister \YOUld lJOt put the a n• to be built in the order in commission on to report on the Orallo line, which ihev hen c bcl'n introduced, it will but l-w put thern to report on the Taroon1 mean delav in the coL"":truction of this line becausL' he ·wanted to give them son1e line if the ~y]a l"_'Cta i:-:: constructed before work. If the )1inister wished to giYe the ir. and I hope that thett will not he done. Publif' \Yorks Commission sornething to do ThJ,, line shnu1d haYe be()n co1np10ted to in order thnt they 1night earn Inore Inoncy Taroon1 inst0.ad of a liowing the T)E'ar to than their parliamentary salaries, >Yhy did he !:!1'0\\' for two years. Thousands of pOl._lnds not 'end them to report on this line from 1 haYf' brPn lo:;t in t 1C Yaluc of land on Orallo to Injune Creek'! Inst<·ad of that he ac,.ount of the tlC'lay. and no1v \Ye have »cnt them to report on a line in mv electorate nut brforc this line tht~ via rc.:ta, which which was passed unanimously by 'this House. ~Y111 delay it s6ll further." \Yhen the Taroom line was introduced in this I-IotLe only one or two spoke on it, Instead of building that line the T\Iinister including the present Minister for Lands, and now rornes along IYith a proposition which I will read the 'lwech he made on tha.t will nwan further delav still. The Minister occasion. The l\Iiii.istcr for Lands was a for Lands is now a membPr of the Cabinet private n1c1nber then, but now be is a and has some influen0e. He now has the ::\1inister and he wants to have a line con­ opportunity of performing instead of talking. >tructcd in his mn1 electorate, while he He now has a chance of putting into prac­ tul'ns do\\n a line which has alrea,dv been tice what he previously talked about. He Das,ed bv this House. I will read what the talks about doing these thing-s, just as he j_)n ·f)nt l\1inister for Lands said when the talks about the soldiers and other things. Juandah to Taroo:n lino was going through The J'.linistcr talks about wishing- to settle thi' Hou,e. the returned mldien on the land. and he knows that there is frtr more land-and The 8E:'RETARY rou Prm.1c LAXDS: \\"hat year wus ihat? suitable land. too-on the .Juandah-Taroom 'cction than then' is on this section. I defy contradiction ou that noint. \Ve know that Mr. MORGA:\: 1914, pa.g-<' 2254 of "Han- some of the finest htnd in Queensland is sard." This is >vhat the hon. gentleman to be found on the Dawson Vallev. That said on that occasion- j., one of thP finest riYers we have irl Queens­ " :Mr. liVXTER: I would like to sav a land. and irrigation ran be carried out in word or two in favour of this line. ·My tlmt country. regret is that the line has not been The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: I have started before. This is one of the pricklv- r0commrnded irrigation to be carried out on poar lines. " the Dawson Ri,-er. "The Secrctarv fer RailwaY.~: \Vc Mr. MORGA"'\: "Cnfortunately, you have have got 41 mile' ··of it _aadc. · not reccJmmended it in the proper place. "Mr. HrxTER: \Vhen that 41-mile sec­ There is another point that the Secretary tion >Yas introclurecl. I urged that the line for Raih,·ays should remember, rtnd that is should be taken ,straight on to Taroom. the bePc•Gt that the construction of the J uandah-Taroom Railway will be to Rock­ "The ScC'rctary for Raihva1,·s: \Ve hr.mpton. \Ve know that it was the policy had onlv the surveys made 'then to of the Liberal Goven1n1~nt to connect Taroorn Juanclah.'" ,·,ith th0 Central Railway. That was the cchcme of the late Government. iVl1·. Kidst.on, The 21uve-ys were onlv n1ade to Junndah at the lat0 representative for Rockhampton. had that tirnc. rrlw Liberal Covcrumcut, in in YiP·,, the iden of connecting Taroom -..nth order to be fair, put the railway 'vorkcrs off tlw Southern Railwav, and also with the the work they -..;;ere doing on the Juandr:h railwav runninv frame Mount Morg-an along ~ine and sent them over D the Orailo line, the Dawson Vallev, so that the wheat could m the electorate of a Labour man, bc~a.use he sent from Roma and other districts dired thev wi··hed to treat electorate· of members to Rockhamnton. the same distance by rail c · ·~.c':h sides of the House fairlY. Kow the as to Brisbane, without the necessity of send­ Labour Goven11ncnt are doing jUst the oppo­ ing through Brisbane at all. site, as t.hev nre introducing a line in a The SECRETARY :i'OR RAILWAYS: It will cost Labour Inau's electorate a.nd turning do-..vn a £10,000,000 to do that. [Ur. Morgan. Orollo to Injune 01·eek [26 SEPTEMBER.] Rwilway Ex:ension. 827

Mr. l\10RGA)J: Then £10,000,000 could giving us an independent report with regard not be better spent, because it would be a to this line which we are now considering? I natio~ 1: sdt0D1P, and not a parochial schmnc !,aY< not b2cn O';cr the route a::: L1r as Injune liko tiw ~11inister proposes in the railway Creek, but I was oYer the fll'st portion of now before us. The scheme which the pre­ the line w!Jilc it was under construction. I vious Go>ernment had in view is one that cnn z.ssurr.: ~cu that I \Ya<; not very much would benefit the whole of Queensland and taken with the country that .,,ye pa~sed would settle many people, who would be through. It was inferior country, and it \'V.:.LS a bJe to rear thousands of sheep and cattle. ccn·crecl ''"~th prickly-pear. If t h:.Lt is a \\"h~· doe' r.ot the :Winister for RailwaY' sd c f lhe c JUllcry further up, then I 1 1 ut, to do ~C:DH thi.ng. big-, something n,stlonal, ~hink mw h of the land. I unclcr.tand nu :~onF'trn:Jg g-rl'.tt, and oprn up our lands dHit i: i:3 b tl-t'r Oil('(~ it gets r-;Jtsil~C the o that .hey will be: suitable for clo·er l·l·1ddy-pear ar·ca. settlcn1cnt ·: After you I(" tV0 Juandah, right up along the Da1vsoll 'l allev is suitablC' laud '>'I;;~ s~z-·~ETAT y FOR PeBLIC LAXDS : Read fo;_· cult(y:J:on. " l1e r:f available country there more suit­ ~ ble for settlement than th~ land on the line Mr. YOWLES: Dmd vou think that the h Iniune Creek will be. The hon. member commi>"ion would be better engaged m for 1\iurilla says it is rather a coincidence' Mr. Vowles.] '.828 Oral/a to Injunc Crrek [ASSEMBLY.] Rail1t'a'J Extcnswn.

that these lines are not begun yet, and a clectonbb·, although you haYe had a Liberal line which is in the electorate of the Minister rqJresentrrtiYe, and they would not givP r:nu for Publie Lands is going to be started. the opportunity." He has qwt opportumt.y ~:o"·· as a member of the Calnnet. to achance The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: The Tara the intcrc··ts of that line. That land is just line is being begun. a', suitable for soldiers. The land is coming under the prickly-pear, and in course of Mr. VOWLES: In what sort of a way? time it will become valueless. He know• The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: The best the conditions which I refer to, but he does way that is possible. not trv to protect the Crown area which is worth 'so many millions. Mr. VOWLES: I will admit that there is The SECRETARY FOR l'l:BLIC LAKDS : YOU will 1.:1, certain arnount of rnoney being spent among the selectors, 'vho are being giyen say anything. contracts to clear the land. Mr. VO'VYLES: Men who have been in Mr. :\!ORGAN: Day work. that district, and more particularly the com­ mission which has just been there, know Mr. VOWLES: In the way they are going that what I say is correct. Everyone knows on, with the amount of money being ex­ that with the weather we are having now, pended, it will be years before the line is after the drv season we have had, prickly­ built. pear is gro,~·ing at a tremendous rate, a?d if the Minister for Lands, whose specral The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: Whv didn't function it is to protect the Crown lands, you get the £2,500,000 when you' had a is going to allow that Crown area to go, chance? then the sin will be on his own head. We Mr. VOWLES : The money was expended have always complained throughout our de­ just about the time there was a lot of men bates that there is no policy so far. as --out of work in Brisbane. If the Minister prickly-pear is concerned-that is, no legrsla­ had wanted to give those men employment, tion is introduced. We have asked that he could ha vo sent them to the Tar a line, prickly-pear boards and other boards should just as well as to the Terror's Creek line, bo introduced to cope with the evil and but the class of men out of work then were hrin~ about some solution of the trouble. not men who were prepared to go and work The ~Minister knows all these things, and up the country under these conditions. he might have go't the Cabinet to agree to The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: \Vhat does this money which is available being expended the hon. member for Murrumba say about in a prickly-pear area which is far adval!-ce~, .that? which is well watered, where the sml 1s good and should be reserved under reason­ Mr. VOWLES : I am talking about the able conditions. But he does not do it, and way the money is spent. The men working is going to have that mon:y expend~d in -on the Terror's Creek line were not men who his own electorate, where prrckly-pear IS not would go out and conform to the conditions so likely to spread as it is in other districts. in the 'rara district. They were men who I think those are good reasons why we should wanted to be close to the picture shows, and seriouslv consider before we agree to the to have cheap drinks; and as soon as the approv~l of the plans and books of reference trouble was over, and the meatworks begun as far as new railwavs are concerned. ag-ain, they would have high rates of wages \Vhat" we are asked to· do now may be again. Look at the words of the present described as " kidstakes"-they are being Minister for Lands as reported in " Han­ p~ssed to gain popularity. Other lines in sard " during the session before last when he manv insbtnces are more desirable than was criticising the action of the Denham this "one. What is the good of passing lines ·Government in connection with the extension from time to time in this House, and then of the J uandah line. How is he going to letting- them slide back inlo the waste-paper reconcile those words? basket? The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LAKDS : I will The SECRETARY FOR Pt:BLIC LANDS : Can you ·stand by every word. find money for them? Mr. VOWLES: What he said two years ::\lr. VOWLES: If there is sufficient money ago applies more strongly now. If it was for the extension of the line from Orallo to a fair stricture to make on the Denham Injun" Creek, that money should first of all Administration that the land was being have been expended in the ·extension of tho deteriorated by the spread of prickly-pear, Tara lino or the second section of the .Juan· it has been spreading all the time, and it dah line. If I am adYocating something in is going to go on spreading, when the money mv electorate. I know that wlwn the 'l\finis­ which could be made available for that tr>~· for R.flilwav:J one of these davs visits that class of work is being spent in the l\-Iinister's rlistJ·ict, he will wonder why on earth the own electorate, probably to gain him more line was not built long ago. support at the next election and, as some­ body suggested, to advance his own private Tho SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYii: Yes, we will interests. The hon. member for Muril!a wonder "·hv all the lines have not been quoted the words used by the Minister when built together. sitting on this side. I ask the Minister hmY :u,·. VOWLES: "Rome was not built in a he is going to justify them? dav." ancl the desirable linc·c in Queensland The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC L:.-:ms: I will will not all be built for many years, but when justify them. the House has ag-reed to certain lines, and to Mr. VOWLES: He used that language extension~ of thc,;e lines, and people have when in opposition

Mr. YOWLES: We passed this and a lot party n1easurcs they ,are becoming \vorse; of other Iincs. \Yhen scledors have taken up they art' becm1jng a n1atter of extending land 111 the expectation of ha .-ing railwa v li1Jcs to suit your o\vn particular interests. communication within a reasonable tinll: and it is not possible for them to carrv ou~ The SECRETARY FOR PuBLIC LAKDS: their fanning or stock-growing opcr~tio11s I am rather '"tonished bv the heat dis­ unless they haYC railway C:olnmunication, all _;_,layecl Ly the.: bon. lllf~Jnbers opposite in thc·-0 thing·" should be taken into considm.-.­ r UiJ!lh tir n \Yith thi:3 railway. It is soinc­ tion b~fore political popularity or elcc­ ;d,al in eon1ra't \Yith the attitude taken up tJoncermg. The hon. member for l\Iurilla l';.- tlll' present GoYcnnnent ;vhen it vvas in told us why the D,,nham Gm·ernrncnt took oppo~itic)n as far as railwav construction was the gang away from the first section of the co::1cc·rnecl. \Y c neYer on ~ny occasion 1nade Juandah lino. They took it away and put it ralhva:y.s a part.v question. into the district of the hon. member for Maranoa, and started a line that thev had ::Vh. l\IrRPHY: You used to vote pretty passed, and gaYe them the first section, so ~olid, though. t!;at the} could not b<> accused of putting the !me through as so much fireworks and then The SECRETARY FOR FCBLIC LANDS: refusing to start it for political purposes. l\Jy yotr-' has gone pretty nearly for all How does the hon. member return the com­ the railways pur before this House except pliment'! He should hrrYe allowed the rail­ two or lhree, and the great number of rail­ way \Yorkers to go out of that electorate ·ways pa·~~C'd during tho tin1e I sat opposite. into some other district, and complete the I :--upported the railway from Miles to Juan­ second section of a line which he is denying dah. and when the first section was passed I tc· them, and he is going to keep them wait­ urged that the GoYernment could not start it ing as long as be can until the \Yholo of his too soon. and shculd proYido for it to be wants arc -.atisfied. I do not think it is completed as one line without delay-to rush "pla"'7 ing the gan1e ., politiC'allv and I tbo line and save the eountry from the pear would like to know in what s0"~uence tho pc"·t. I charge the !at,-, GoYernment with linos are to be paeced. After this line is ha \·ing- lo~t to tl1e State a valuable asset 1n passed, are we going to start it straight the la-nd bohn'~n ~Ii!es and Taroom. awa:"-'? Are you going to conflider the claim :,Ir. )IoEc;\x: You could have started it of other ljncs which haYc been before this f\yc;ye rnonth-- 2;~o. House '1 The SECRETARY roR RALL\VAYS: ProYido the The SECREL\RY FOR P"CBLIC LAXDS: n1oney. The land between :\lilcs and Taroom to-day _11r. VO\YLES: What is the good of talking ls lo'3t t ..> {!utJ'l1s1and. It is covered with pear. ar:"l the selections that were taken up hke tbat? If 'H' hnYC' not !!o1· th0 n1onev to ~,l·e bein.r fcrfcitcd one after the other. build 1his lino, what is it bdor0 the II~me for' "\m! if \Ye ha YC got thP mone'". whv :,Jr. :\IorG.\X: That land W wh\' I do not want all the money -d( a! of th<: land would have been taken up f-pent iu onC electorate. nucl rlcarocl at the time the prc--ent leader of the Opposition "~sas in of!ice. Till' SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: There is a lot being spent in the electorate of the hon. :\fr. :\IoRGAX: You have never seen the rr:cmbcr for 2\furilla, on the Tara extension. land, and know nothing about it. There ha$ l\lr. l\foRGAX: Twenty-four men on that. been pear there for the last ten years. Mr. VOWLES: Twenty-four men cutting The SECRETARY FOR PuBLIC LANDS: scrub, an? that is what you call starting a I know enough about the land to knmy that railway hnc; they are 'Yorking in sections, ·what I arn :

1·cmaining :nine-sixtt'1.11ths was purchased 60 miles of railway before you get to the along with the stock not long ago. It is good land. The GoYernment ha,·e submitted the intention of thco Gm·ernment to haYC the that IT::ttGi' to th0 Public \Vorks Connrlission. whoh of that land surye,·ed too·cthcr ·with the i-Ir. M oRGAN : Have you seen their report? Euthclla lands. and n1ade aYafiabL~ for selec­ tion, as the land is y;a~1tcd for s,:::-kction. Tl., S'~CHETAHY FO:c PUBLIC LANDS: I !m. c not seen the report. \Vhen the report Mr. l\100RE: vVhat is the aYeraD"e m in- is recetYed, I am perfectly sure that the fall? d - :Yiinistc, for Railways will deal with it on The SECRETARY FOR Pl"BLIC L"\i\DS: i• merits. There is no question about the T\','enty-seven incb0s: 4 inches better than report on the railway from Ora!lo to Injune Rmna it"eif, 1yhrro wheat is gro\YD .')uccess­ Creek. It is a good report. fully. Selector" from ::\' l'W South \Y des. r ·; I--Icn ..J. TOLJEE: The other \ountry is the leader of t' J Op]1osition kno '• Lc·t t'•r. over 1t hYo :year"'. ago and ,, ?kt 1 L, ~t land be thro'.Vll cp_:.!l. froi'n "v.ir- Thl' SEC.E._;~~TL-'H."i..- FOl-t Pt-'BLIC L..:\~~DS: toria, selectors fron1 Africa, and The: l)ELlic \York;;; Cm11r1 ~::;sion h~ts been sent so1diers \vho h:l.,YC' left a1'Jd oth..::l' on_ that line, and when the =v.Iinister parts of the ~~-L:tr_tnoa arl~ aftcL' \cc·L that report he will submit this land; and the I ~nd is for soldier- . :;d l the question settlcrncnt. In addition t0 faf't th-"t report is inquiries ha,~c been rccciYcd frnrn all parts hn.s been of Australia in re~~ard to this L!_ nJ, on. There came acr0;:,3 froln · South A fri( [L aLer tho 1nonths ago and th(Lt l'::til \YU ·y 011 behalf of s£'ttler.3 in ;\ hic:1, that iS no left jnstructlons and frmn Orallo to the land to be selected It is all the it is thro\vn open. has'-cn that square 1nilcs of country be 1rPr!clv con~ ~.; l able. Of conr··.c, all of it 1vill not 11-, pOSSlUJE' a to tlu: ra.ih\ ay, hut t:_-n li iF' it i::1 a losing through the centre of Slate; taxpay,_r is snffer- Hntton. On the eastern grncL·, l co1nrunnit:;· is preYentcd, and on the western side \Y c·,tgroYe, as '\Ye] l frorn other ra:ihYav J.dvan- as other country that c n be made aYaitable thc~ othcr,risc h'ave. ~\t for clo~0 settlC:Incnt. The rail rav. to rn,: nrc~r·nt tin1c thcv are l'nnninO" nvo trains rnind, offer;, a SlJlcndid OlJllOl'h:tni(~: for c1o~·(' a ~\ ~Pk ~long thrtt li;~e, \\Thich, with settle1nent SPttlPmcn t and for tht: opening up of good H3;;;luec1 Gnd tirnllcr Lnther \Yill pcr- arorts of land that is wanted to-,L·v ill h) ps l)e j ne re-;. ~eel to t\yo tr.ai ns a ~-'\_long QuecnsL"nd; and it h.:l t}->~:; adYautagc :~that the Injunc Creek Valley, and t'ast. \Y('SL and it doL' not pass throu_;h a single acre of north of that line a Ycry big and prospf'i'OUS freehold property. \Yhat is tbe po~ition" settle1nent, producing a large an1onnt of A number of rv.i1wa~v" ha.vn be·~n built a foodstuffs for the pcoplr~, CQn be estrr.blishf~d, certain longth. like the late GoYP!'nment built and I know of no pa;-t of Sonthern Quecns­ tho railway from Roma to Omllo, and it land-I arn not referring noy; to the 'vill never pay n1ore than axlf'-greasc. It was Burnett di~trict-wh0r0 the sarr1e area of first­ novor intended to stop there. Hon. morn· da~s land Pan l1e Ina·de a-, tli:.a L~Q ·with ~urb a hers opposite say, '·Leave it there; let it short railway extension. Thirty-fh-e miles rc1nnin for all ti tne a burden on the general of raihvay to open np 1,400 'quare miles of t 'XP-fl~Tcr; do not n1ovc it another stroke; land is a vm7 good proposition so far as don't mind if you luve 1.400 sqnarc miles Queensland is concerned. I want someone to of land waiting· for settlement, of which point out to me where the same area of land "300 ~quare rniles are now readv and in the can be found suitable for settlement "ith so hands of the Crown." The construction of little cost. this r:'ihYav will not onlv be a nave.ble l\lr. 2\IoRGA;-;- : There is more land in the . but it will m<>Jce the first~ section Taroom district. a nroposition too. TJnfortunatelv. too 11JL10h o(that has been done in the pa,t.' The SECHETARY FOH Pl:BLIC L \::\DS: I kno\V a good deal about rraroonl. Mr. MuRPHY: \Yhy continue that police'? 2\Ir. l'>IoRGAK: You have never been there. The SECRETARY FCH PUBLIC LAC\~DS: Is this pr I Taroom before the hon. metuber was from Orallo to Injuuc Creek, which, if net 111 --land, and he can tell n1e nothing continued, is not a business proposition. abnut Taroo1n. The on1v reason tho hon. The railway from Roma to Orallo should can poe ,ibly fin'd for raicing his never have been constructed unless it 1.vas thP tD this line is that the Taroom intention of th~ Legislature to continue the cP.T has not been gont:. on with. ThP line right through to Injunc Crcnk. Go\·crn~·ncnt L::tY(; done eYervthing that they onght, iL a11 fairness, to bcv expected to do J:Ir. J\1oHGAN: Does pot th2 sarnc thing -o f

L~o\~ern!nent 1'0\'0·..tnise that n1en had settled member haYing rut that question, would ·on that area with the promise of a railway like to saY that if anv line in this State of -&nd iha.t they were likely to fail in thei1· QuPenslan~l deserves early C'·ltlS]doration and .r-ffo~·t-. uu}p.:..: a raihn1y \YCl'G constructed, woul--l have a hcmcflcial effect. it is the Tara ancl thl'v ,,·ith its constru ·tion as to Brignlo\Y Creek line tha.t has been mcn­ · Thrre have been difilf'u1tie~~ t;n:Jed by the Secretary for Public Lands. \vith n1onev. Raihvays have The SEc·J::'/L\RY FOI~ Pt:BLiv LAXDS: It has able to be built" at the speed they• been ccommcnr ,.d. m~r;ht ha'._; been, but the :!Ylini~tcr ha·~ n1ade th,- ffi{'.:;t use of ·he n1onrY at his CCH1Fnand, ~Ir. ~\J~\C:\RT?\EY: I han) bc.~n over that fo:· this reason : that ho has spent 1noney iri Lnd llf'r2otwl1.v, :Jnd I ktlOi\ something of l1L 1:ing: tq> line's v\ hlch h1thl·rto w0rc not the pos}tion of the unfortunate people "\vho _,_ ~,-,_,nnC'-lJrCJrluc~ng. 1:Ioncy has been spent haYe been settled in that countr,- for so:ne L !' Elltt lJHl'lYoso "-hen 1t 1night haYC been ;.·eJ.l" pabt, v:·ho has bcf'n \Yaiting a.nxiou.31y ;:'·nr in ccn~.~ructing railvya· ':.; 2:1ch as th(~ for t~u ~ rai!v,:a~. 7 c.·:tensimL ·which \Vas pro~ 1 a.ll of ns ..,,cJl <:L tho n1i.~c ._{ th('lll l)c; (}land becin1se of the non-construction of th.·tt line before. If at prcsnm abl~,', of course, the hon. gCntlcmai1 thi~ brne \\"(~ are go1ng to givt~ up dealing wou1d like to take as uuch Cl'erlit :_b no· .. ible with }1rickl~·-pC'nr. 1f we nrc going to give for pu, h!ng this r:J. ih,;u Y throuQ"h the I--iousc•. O'"Cr the countn· to it~---and it se(·ms sonle· The SECRETARY rou. PcBLIC~ LAXDS: I do thing- liko it from the argument of the hon. not wunt any credit. n:ember--- ~Jr. 2·.-~\C':,J~T~El::-: Of course not; he Tho SECRETARY FOR I'rsuc LAXDS: There si1nply got up to g·lse the Com1nittee infor­ i~ no argumL'nt about thnt; :-.ix :'\·cars ago Inntion, and had no interest in it ''"hatf~Yer. !t was growing on it, and it was fairly thickly The ycry fact tha.t the hon. gentleman did got wfcstccl then. up h'11ds so1ne eolour to the suggestion that this is a politinl railway, and that it has Mr. 1\L\CART::-.JEY: We know that it got 'n adYantage oYer all other railways. shuuld be tncklcd bdorc it goes too far. The SECHETARY FOR Pl:BLIC L.INDS : \Y as not The hon. L!f'Inber speaks as if he \Vere n1uch the Rc•na to Orallo Railway introduced bv in favour of the dc,truction of prickly-rear, your Governn1ent? " " but I . present n1o1nent the sucr­ rrtent. in ...-,-jf'y~- of the: worh: done bv the Ll.dv t;'C- -tinn is that this railway should bo pass~d ]n charge, doe..., not sp('ak well for the vie~v now and should get preference over all oth('r of the hou. tnnn1lH._ r i~1 coniH'rtion ·with The holl. gentleman, as a :'11inistcr prickly-pe11t tirnc ari~e"'. fron1 adopted when he was in opposition. I think the prominent position which the hon. mem· ;. I-lan~ard ~) would show that the hou. ber occupies with regard to the Government. me1nber was pretty consistent in his advocacy The hon. member made grievoue complaint of the appointment of a public works com­ that the railways which were rejected last mittee. Although the Legislative Council. session by the Upper House would have sup­ along with a number of other Bills, rejected plied soldiers with the opportunity of settling the Bill to bring into being a public works on the land. The bun. member based his committee, the Government appointed a case, after the rising of the House, on that RoYal Commission to deal with railway pro­ statement. He said that this was ideal land J•os'als. One would have imagined that if the for the settlement of soldiers. Government felt verv anxious about this The SECRETARY FOR Pl'BLIC LAJWS: So it is. particular railway, and so annoyed at its re­ jection bv the Lcg·islative Council, they would Mr. MACARTKEY: It may be; but if ban' asked that commission to furnish a we have to go 350 or 400 miles to get what special report for the consideration of th~t we call close settlement, then I do not know Chamber before again introducing the rail­ whether it is going to be popular. I have way. spoken to some of the gentlemen who have The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: \V e w<'fe' made reports on this 1and, and I must say not going to allow this House to be dictated I have failed to obtain from them any en­ to b~ the other place. dorsements of the opinion that the land is suitable for that purpose. Mr. MURPHY: We have got to stand a The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS: \Vho good deal of dictation in these days. Ewry­ are the gentlemen? body gets dictated to, including the Secrctai:y for Railways and myself. (Laughter.) This Mr. MACARTNEY: I have said all I am may bE! the best railway introduced into this going to say, and I am making my speech in Chamber. All the things said about it by my own way, not to please the hon. member. ths Secretary for Railways may be absolutely I hrrvc spoken to gentlemen whose business correct, but I think it is up to this Chamber­ it has been to report on this land and supposing we agree to the passage of the railway, and I have been unable to get in railway-to find out when it is going to be conversation with them that thev are able to constructed, and how the' mone:v is '{Oing to recommend it for the settlement of soldiers. be obtained. 'I'he Secretary for Railways There is no queotion about that. It does not himself has been complaining this afternoon matter how the ban. member gets it, ho that the money is not available for railways wants it. and he is in a position to get it. that he would like to see constructed. It seoms extraordinary that "\VC are passing, The SECRETARY FOR R.ULWAYS: J\'"ot for all t.Qssion in and session out, raihYaYs of v, hich at once. we cannot soc tho end so far as Con~truction ]:.:; CDnccnted for a long- tiu1e to con1e; and Mr. MURPHY: And the Secretary for y('t this is goino: to be~ passed and get pre­ Railways will recollect that just before the ference. Thl ::\Jinister for Public Lands may end of the Dcnham Government, not only himself but almost everv member sitting on sn1il-n, but t,ho~e \vho run n1ay rcac1. Have the Opr10sition side of the. Ho us:, criticis~d 'Vf' e""~;er vet, in the historY of this Parlia~ m£'nt, consirl.cring raih\,ays jn the latter the Government in conneetwn with Its rail­ bcP.~ way policy. They pointed out how ridiculm!s days of September? it was to be employing a few men on ~h1s The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: \\'hat about particular railway, and a few_ men on tnat yourself? \V e got sixteen railways in the particular railway. And I thmk the Secre­ last fortnight. tary for Railways will admit that the cost of supervision under those conditions is high. Mr. MACARTNEY: Here we are in the third week of September dealing with rail­ The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: \Ve are try­ ways. ing to alter it. Mr. l\1uRPHY: Before we have had a state­ Mr. MURPHY: How do they propose t-o ment as to the financial position of the State. alter it? The SECRETARY FOR RAIL\YAYS: \Ve will tell Mr. MACARTNEY: We have not even dealt with the Address in Reply; we have you afterwards. not even presented our respects and expres­ Mr. MURPHY: All these things should be sions of loyalt~- to the Governor, and yet we told us before we are asked to vote for rail­ have tbe

I think the Goycrnn1ent are getting tv.-o raihvays are subn1itted to thi8 Ch~1r:1!wr you millions fron1 the ConHnonwcalt-!1 Guvt:-c·llLl:..:ld have only to look along the front Treasury this year, and theY are buunU not to ::-nt,T bench and vou can tell in whose electorate on the loan 1na rket tht:nlsel~;es. I ::: 1 \~ that they are going to be built. (Laughter.) ihe Goven1n1ent haY<~ a certain an1o~o1t of Since I have Leen here, 'vheDcvcr raihrays money to spend, and if it is bclieYed to be an~ being introduced there is ahvays one a good thing that thi' railway should be raihvaJ in a l\liuister's electorate. built at once, why does not the Goyernn1ent The SECRETARY FOR R.UL\VAYS: It goes honc.:tlv co1ne do'"·n and tell the countrv ho'n' round, you sec. mauy ~·aihvays the:v propoEe to build this year, and the districts in which they :ne to l\Ir. MURPHY: Yes, it goes round. be built? (Laughter.) The Rockhampton district has The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: \Ye v:ill tcli been particularly fa.vourcd in this respect, you that when the proper time comes. because Rockhan1oton alwavs see1ns to have n representative rn the CaLinet. Mr. ::Y1URPHY: The hon. member sa,-s he will tell us when the proper time comes~ but The SECRE'rARY FOR RAIL WAYS: You sup­ surely the time h tell us all these thillgs is ported Kidston yourself a few times. when they are bringing down ano!hcr rail­ Mr. MURPHY: Yes, and I sYhrm hon. members opposite came into power, what did thev do? 'l'heY relieved Mr. MURPHY: Money was not passed. Rockha1npton of all ~hc1 rosponsi'"'bilitics 1n How could the mone0 be pas,ed . hen the connection with guaranted railways. railway was rejected? The SECRET.iRY FOil RAILWAYS: And every The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: The monev other place tco. was provided for. " Mr. GLJ:DSO~i: VVhat ,lo the settlers around Mr. ~viliRPHY: Yes, and !hirt,- years ago Forsayth think about it? the money 'vas provided for a rai1-way fron1 Mr. MURPHY: The settlers around For­ Nonnanton to Cloncurrv~\vhirh hns lll'\Cr been built yet. (Laugh-ter.) Do s not the sa}·th don't corne to the Government 'vhcn very interjection of thP SecretarY for n) il­ they \Vr!_nt an:. thing. They are able to look wa.ys point out to the peopl0 of the State rtftcr thcmsehes. It is only those districts round Dri2banc. espccjally those that are how ea!:ily gove1·nnu~nts take tlH'-;n i11 '? 'I'hev promise them that thev will build raihYa;.. -. kept" going by the public SPl'vice ,-otc, that \Ve pass a ra ilv..,ay rrorn Duck Creek to are a hva; 3 coruiug to Governn1ent for sornething. Ir is pLces Ips~.. ~ich, \Yhere Smith's Curse, or 'Yould haYc to on the land. Last session when the GoYern­ obtain loan money. \Ye know the position ment introduced their land tax proposals, in I\ ew South \Vales and in all the other they told us that those propos~ls on top of States, and yet \YO do not seen1 to recognise the Federal land ta .., would bring any amount the position. \Vhv is not the Government ()f land into tho market at a cheap rate. honcqt enough to say to the peo1;lo of Q~Jeens­ 'Nhy, then, should we borrow money at nearly land that \YP. arc not 1n a posrt1on, O\Vlng to 6 per cent. to build a few miles of railway war to go in for r1J,ising- considerable sums in order to settle a few soldiers on the land 9 of ~oncv 9 Instead of paying 3~ to 4 per Surely, when we consider how yast Queens­ cent. as ~we used to do a fc\v years .ago, \Ve land is, when we consider the amount of have now got to pay 6 per cent., and 1t would money invested in railways, and the land tax b>2. in the interests of Queensle.nd to ad?pt a imposed by State and Federal Governments, more modified policy in regard to ra1lway land ought to be a•;a.ilable to give our construction. These are the thing-s that the soldiers an opportunity of settling down Government should tell the people. within a reasonable distance of decent The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: \Ve are markets. Bnt, no. I am not going to say adopting a more modified policy. that this is a political railway at all. The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: You ha>e Mr. MURPHY: Still, the hon. gentleman hinted it. comes along and asks us to a pp rove of a lot Mr. "1.1URPHY: I have no desire even to of railways. hint it. but I have noticed during the time Mr. Gr.EDSQ;.; : This is the same old rail­ that I have been in the House that whenever way that you voted for last session. Mr. Murphy.l 1916-3 F :S34 Orallo to Injunc Orcelc [ASSEMBLY.] Railway Ectension.

Mr. MORPHY: I do not know th"t I did Mr. MURPBY: If the hon. mcmher looks vote for it iast session. At any rate, there at his own particular bible, the "Daily is no rcnccv avail a b]Q on th'C' ·1wst of the 1\Ir. l'.HJRPHY: vVe can onl.v go by what linf ':I '"hiclt h:1.d ::drcad~r bcPn :"anctioned. \Ye \YO soo in the Press. l\Tinistcrs giYO tlne do not ..,.,·.ant ro lw put in tllt' · ,1Ple position iufunnatlon to the :Press, and wo kno-w that ns they are jn ~o-..v South \\'a]""" wl1rrc• tht•y it 13 ahva~,s reliable. have to pay n high percentage to the Korton­ Mr. KIRWA;;: Tho: will giYe you a good G: iffiths syndicate. par in the rnorniug. The SECRETAHY FOR R.\IL"\VAYS: \Ve are not propos]ng to do that. Mr. I,IURPHY: If I only f'Ot half the good pal':-) that thn hon. gcutlcman has '.fr. ::'11URPIIY: T\o: at least, I hop<' not; been getting lately they v:oul.d think n1c a 1ut yon c.:.nnot tdl what 1vill happen -\~·hen roal good mall. (Laughter.) Let ns get nror!tbers of Pa r1 i anH~nt rcprPscnting various back to the snb.i<'ct. (Hear, r! and districts in the Sta.tP wnit on the GovPrn- laughter.) If ihe Go,-prnmcnt to haYe 111,- ·lt and in~i--t on line built in thc1r D s;:a,tc rall-way il'orn }ilrnadcn to Forsa~-th, di~ trict. \\Tc only that le:-tds to they ,,,·ill ha•·· to purcha .e the Etlleridge trrublc ~n the p~•.rt"'"". Raibi'ay as ,, ell. :.fount Hntton has got Tlw SEC'FETIRY FOR RAILWAYS·: It is princi· to bn ),·,id for ancl Cccil Plains has got to pally n1en1lX'l'S on the other 3] de of the llonsc be pai(l fol'. fl!HJ 1nonev hr s got to be pro- that do that. vic10d othcT S+-ate rnterprist':3, so it will "c eccn about £1.000,000 of loan money Mr. ::'IIURPBY: T knov what members of \Yill be require-d for those specific purposes ParliarrH'nt an'. ~ Icrnhers of Parlia1n0nt thjs . _•nr. arc just H.S hon!?Rt, f;nanclall!- and other-."';·ise, The bdl indicated that portion of the hon. as tlwir constituents will allow tht'm to be. n1em be1·' s ti n1c had expirE' d. If the Gov~~rnnlC'nt ',;en-~ building a rai]wa:v in my electorate I would not be standing up :\1r. :,IlJBPHY: All that the Government hero· pointing out to the Gon:rnment the can obtaiil from the Commonwealth GoY0ril· iniquities of their finance. (LaughtN.) No, llH'llt is a Lout £2,000,000 per year, so whore I would be sitting· quiet. It would be a good is the nwney earning front for raihvay con­ thing for Queensland if more politicians struction'? If thi"> comes to a division I allowed an open confession to be good for shall be under the painful necessity of having the soul. to vote against it. In fact. I will vote A GOYERKMEXT ME'llBER : It is a good thing against CYery railway proposal this sc~,~ion to keep quiet sometimes. unless the Go,-ernment can show where the,Y are going to get the mono\ to build it. Mr. MURPHY: It is a good thing for That will show them that the railwavs are some politicians to keep quiet at the present introduced merely for the sake of try'ing to time; but we will let that pass. n1akc rnemLcrs safe in their electorates. The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: Your gibe does not hurt me. Mr. FORSYTH (Murrumba): I do not usually oppose a 1notion to build a ra.ilway, Mr. JliiURPHY: I am not gibing, I am becansc it is only by building railways that surprised at the hon. gentleman, who has thi-. State can be developed, but if anybody been so long in politics, being so sensitive, looks at the last report of the Commiesioner especially as he has been kicked about from for Railwavs he will see the enormous mile· pillar to post by his electors, as most poli· age of raiiways \\-e have still to build. Is ticians a.re fron1 tirne to tin1e. it \YiSf'. thf'rcfore. to bring in more rail ways The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: That is not until thoRo tYhich han: alrPady been passe·d true. arr constructed? It is quite true that a number of the lines passed by this House 1\fr. MURPHY: In addition to these rail· ore not likelv to be built for many years. ways, we know that the Government have to In 1910, when the great railway scheme was provide £450,000 to £500,000 for the pur­ introduced costing an enormous amount of chase of the Chillftgoc Railway. 'Vc have mone:·, it introduced a developmental policy seen it announced in the Press, on the autho· whcrrby no part of Queensland, no matter ritv of a :Minister. that the Government ho1v far a\Ya\~ it wa.s in the never-never have purchased the Chillagoe Railway from ccuntry or allyvi'herc ~1:-e, \vould be mor·e the debenture-holders. than 100 or 120 miles from a railway. The Mr. Km wAN: What paper was that in? scheme was " mag-nificent one. I think we will all agree that it would be Mr. MURPHY: In all the papers. [7.30 p.m.] an utter impossibility for this Mr. KmwA;; ·, I did not see it, and I rea

io1· n1any years to corne. The qtH.'::ition \YO :hat is vcty lwclly inL~~tcc~ \vit.h prickly-pear, .!1a.vo befor(' W::l is this: \\'here is thL1 money whieh is JH".Icticaily lo~t for th-._: tirnr ~wing, to come frmu '? The Trc.-tsurcr has told us but \Ylwn you g-et to Taroun1 you 1vould oppn he is vcr,y short of Joan n1oncy this year, up a11 inlinense al'ca of Lwt\\ ~·en 2,000.0JO and and ho \;·ill probably be fal' shorter than he 3.000.000 acr-es of land \\·hich is free fro1n anticipated at the end of the Year than prickly-pear. I do not suppose that the line he is now, because v/c kno1y ho~,, difficult frotn Uc!J.Ja to Orallo is paying. is to borrovv nloncy. Therefore, in the it The SECRETAR\ FOH RAlLWAYS: \Vhen that event of the 1ine being passed be the House, linr ;-,as imilt holl. mpmbcrs oppo ite di·d not does the hon. gentlcrnan intend to ~tart to expect it to pay. build it "_.traight <-t,\Yay, or during the fiaancial ~·ear; bcca.uEe if that is the intention it will :J.J r. FOHSYTli: I na1 orry i1 doe;-) 11ot rneali that olhc!' lines \vhich lutvP been pay, because lines that do not pay are pa•·scd by this House will hiWO to be sheh eel'! ~l lnucku 011 the C011:3olidated l'C'YE'IlUe. rrhc It iA a great n1istakc to go on building a C'cJLln!i~sioncT·s rPpOl't shov:s that this cxten­ ln l'g'8 :lllirlhCr of lines at Olle till!£'. rrhc ~ icn from Or llu to i.njunc {~reek \YiH only idea should be to iini,h ns Ciuicklv as nossible rc:2ult iu a n ,·pnue of .69 per cent. on the

C· __ .L tain sc·~tious of those lihcs, ,, ). as tO nHtkc c:-q1ital expcndjturt', u:nd it appears to rne ~hc,:Tl 1'8\~C'JlUC-pl'ndnc_!ng. rrhat is ~he ~1inis- tlnu it will be many ~-can l1eforP it is likely t0J' :::; b(•hcf, a11d 1s a vpry goon arrangl;- to pay. I would likr' tu J:,w other mcnt. But a 111anv of tho lint~, ha Ye infurrnutio11 \Yith regard lo li~~cs ·which been startPd, and }le ~a}~· 'he is going to go on h:tYe bePn opened up :·. great o.lc.al furthc1· with t.h0n1. There is the extension of the dwn 1lw linP LchYcen Homa and Orallo, :.:.ay ~o:_.1·th Coast line, 'Yhlcl1 ·will h;ke cLn cnor- Ji1F behveen }Ijlcs ar.;d Juandah. Frotn 1nm:;s tldlonnt of n1onc.· , as there i..J a Yery inforrnatiun I can get fron1 the rc'ports, 'O<' ic:0ntble P..- et ion tn lillk up f.o as to n1akc l understand thm that line will open up a it reYcnue-producing. \Yhat is the object of spll'ndid ~Lea of practicall: free £ron1 this lin0 bt>i11g lJn;ug-ht for·-,,ard '? Stu·dy the of acrts of !and- h011. g-cntleEJa!l does not nwan to start it \Yould not op~~ncd Ul) b~, the linP this yP:tr? n:ar1iug i·hc last report llL'twer-u Ro1na and Injunc Creek. I undcr­ of the fo1· H~lihva'·s. and I fntd shu;d from the Mini,ter that 1.400 sqU·. ,July, 1915, amounted to 'I'..::n·oom \YOU i·d open up t\\'O Ol' three tilnes sc~Ycntcen, representing 470 nwrc. rnilPs in longth. The \Ybo]e of the~0 lines Tho SECRETARY FOR RAIL\VAYfi: Thi~ line arc b-='ing built: and _I_ kn(nY th1J a cou::;ider wou_ld open UJ.1 vc~·y fine L ountry. nbk !1nntber have hN'n fini:2hcd. but a lot of thC'm haYe 110t. Then, in 1910. a great Mr. FOHSYTll: Quite but the other nu m bcr of l'ttihYays \vere passed by the line, which would be a fc'\V rniles House. The Yarious line.;; pa~scd by both lcnger, \~·ould open up a deal more land. Houses in that year amon11ted to no less than 1\ir. lHoRGAN : That is the point. 1,549 miles of railway. \Yhen are the0· going tG be built·: If thc:;p lines

railways not altogether on commercial lines bandi extension so;ne years ago. There· is but for the purpose of developing the State, no man in this House n1ore conversant with and in the hope that later on the lines will the for t ho extension of the border be able to pay interest and \Yorking expenses. line :v-ou are, ~1r. Coyne. You know the amount of country it will develop, and Mr. BAR:'iE.S (lrancick) : It appears that you know the feeling that exists to-day the front Treasury bench is scarcely in agree­ regarding the great cattle areas held by Kid­ mir areas in that district. There would be good business to go out and secure is no evidence that they are desirous of hav­ the trade which belongs to us. Then, again, ing any people come to this country. They we have come to a ·dead end at the Balonne are going to run the country in a kind of and Culgoa rivers. Those who have been out collective way on their own account, and they in that country well know that unless you do not want anyone to come here. Con­ bridge those rivers the trade from the op­ sequently, the great need for the continuance posite side cannot come to its rightful port­ of this line from Orallo onwards really has namely, Brisbane. I contend, the·refore, of all disappeared at present. Apart from that railways, that railway should receive first con­ altogether, there are other lines that should sideration. It would be right in the interests receive prior consideration to the building of the country-if we are going to consider of this line, unless we are going to treat rail­ the North and the South, if we are going to­ way construction in a political way entirely. consider the border traffic--to give the earliest possible consideration to the building The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: The via of the very line that the Secretary for Public recta, for instance. Lands referred to. There is no more impor­ tant matter for the consideration of this State Mr. BARNEI'l: Very wise'ly put indeed­ than the building of that railway especially the via recta.. This railway with the present in. the light of the,fact that by ~nd by we Government will have to wait, but I think wrll be able_ to run nght through to Perth, and it should be laid down as a rule that we every 50 mrles saved will be a consi·deration. should do the most important things first. T~ese are arguments which cannot be gain­ It has been pointed out in this Chamber that sard on account of their great importance in there are railways which, to serve the best in­ favour of the construction at an earlv date­ terests of 'the country, should take precedence of the via recta in order to do wh-;,t the over all other railways. We passed the Dirran- Secretary for Railways has pointed out again: (.ilfr. Forsyth. 837

,:dHl again should be done-ltn~n~}\- 1:· -~ 1J ~L·. G l -=-----:-\: J ,-' ·__1 wou.~(~ L~ a i_lp our various "-ysteulS in ordP}'. to 11w k,.' tlH_ ~~1 11 d -:':L to kn·x:k ~_;~r· r·-c 1·iun till thoroughly paying concerns. 1 the• .' ar i ovc1·: .1::.::-t k1we1: rail '-'·...:y CJll- The SECRETARY Fen PuBLIC LAXD'): \YlHtt snud~on in n1~- l'L rtorate :nul. contildlC it about th~ l(yoglc line? il! the ~\Ilrllst~·i' for Lands' E'l•_ .. •t;l·atc. \\~Then the Y::- l' i oyer I t hirlk we .v y-..-ith that line unless he is prepared to hanlrrlP'ot went Orallo. •?xtenswn,. than to ha,·e put that ont o[ po,ver that line 'vas passed by this -arnount of rnoney rnto tho purrhase of 1\iount H~ouse ,,-ithout any crryj}. Hutton. Then, as to the nurchasir;d hew generous the Oppo?-ition was and find money when Inonev had already with reqard to rnihvavi". Quite different fron1 been found for the venture" It if\ monev w"e yen fcllovv:;;, · v.-~nt .. Every me1nhf~r who has ';j.pokcll on thb ,,do of the Home lms dilated on the ""Ir. CH:-N:'\: That line was passed two need ,of cq~it.n)~money: money, all the tilne­ years ag·o. and ha.~ not been cotnnH.:mccd yet. for tnc building of ra1hYay~. I \You1d Eke to qnotP from the Cornn1is~ sioner's report in regard to the Texas Rail­ The SECRETARY FOR Pt·BLI~' LAXDS: 1\:Ioney way. H(~ says- is your god. " Seeing tlu t it i~ expected thi3 rail~ Mr. BARNRS : 'Then there are other rail­ way will fron1 the start p1·a.ctiC'ally pay v;ays 'vhirh should rccciYe pn~fcrcncc oYer WOl'king expen:;::£'s ~'-nd intc-r0st on .:·1pital the lino from Oritllo to Injune Creek. Take inve3tcd, and that it should induce fur· '!he railway hon; Juandah to 'Taroom which, ther sett}pnwnL I recon1n1cnd its con~ rn:-tcnd of o~JCIHng up a fc\v a.crc.~, \Vould slruction." open up 2,500,000 acres of laJ,t!. That railwav is hung up and tJ-:is railway 'l'he CHAIR M \K: Ord0r! I hont• the hon from Orallo" to Injune Creek IS brought rncn1ber will not de£d with that question. · forwa.rd in its place. The Texas Railway is in a better clin1atc for :3Ctt1ing returned Mr. BAR;NRS: I want to emphasi·e the soldiers. It is quite near the Sbnthorne po1nt that 1t should rE". rivo ce_rlv con:_ldora­ diRtricL which has onC' of the tion. \Vc shonld give carh eons.ideration to [8 p.m.] best clinutcs in Qu0cnsl >nd. the qnc -tion of the ,•onstru~i:ion of the border There i,, no prickly·pcar vd1ere line. <',Thich is of great impnrtanr{'. and "'Lich th-is line is going and the final l'esu1nptions would s. {urn to Qn~~on.~·:and trade that othor­ of th0 rnns are du0 this vear, and it \Yould ~wis~ n1a v bo lost to u .:. he possilJlc to "ett]o the~ rcturn"d soldiers fn_ r bettt·l' on those' lands than on the~ 1~tnds ::\lr. Gl:K:'\ (('.v lying dor~ On .~hat oc{;as.iun the rnone;: nq.rkct w~:.s not nHl,ut. Tf that ljne- had been gone on with­ so tight a" 1t r;, .nO\\-, ar:d \rE~ had great hopes and it should haY~ been gone on with-that o£ the end of t.h< '1' _tr. In fnct. we thou,:::-ht n1i11e would have been working and turning the \Var could. 1F1t ln:.t r) nything like up'--' to out zinc and othc·r 1netals •vnnted bv the pn~sent hmr, nnc1 therefore V\'C were the p"oplc at the other end of the world. rathpr J~_x in con~·ide1·ing this railway and That lin0 has bcc>n passed and blcssPd lr~ this othe;· ra.\lw<>:vs brought bdorc us last vcar House. ctnd the onlv reason I !mm•· of whv At thr' prPsent time. rrccordino- to what w~ it has not been go1le on with is th ~t. nnfo1:~ are told by the leader of the" GoYernment tunatelv, I an1 a Liberal mernlx:•r >.l.,.ho and fro1n what \Ye know. v;,-e haye n~ n1oneY reprcsento that electorate. I fancy that the to build any railways. · construction of tlwt line will not be com· mcnced until another election is near. I The SECRETARY FOR PVBLIC LANDS: Then we think that in the matter of railwav con· ·should knock off railway comtruction. struction we have come to a point wh~re we~ Mr. Gunn.] 838 Orallu to Injune Creek [ASSEMBLY.] Railwrry Extension.

will h:we to cha.nge our methods. In tho runs were purchased for doser settlement, past the> drays and bullock teams were and I think if you are going to run them the pioneers who formed our roads. Later as catth' runs-well, when I was behind the on, the GoYernn1cnt, in its wisdom, passed GoYe-rnnlf'nt so1ne years ago the charge ·wae raihvays, and those railways heretofore have thl'<>" n across the floor of the House that beu1 constructed at a comparativC'l~Y cheap were in favour of settling sheep and cattle rate, sometimes from £2.000 a mile up to on the bnd and not rwople. lien: you aro £3,000. On ac<:ount of the increasP of wagcJ scttli11g c~-tttlc on the l.tnd and refusing to and the price of n1ateriab, ralhvays arc now settle pc·op!e. You could settle hundreds costing twice as much to build. Consequently, of ~lcoplt' by constrncl-ing the line from it is too great a jump from the bullock:·· road lnglcYruod to Tcxnc The l\finister snid that to a full·drcss railway, and I think \YC it v. as .vnod lncl'rnc laud. I have never shall have to gPt something in between. I h( A. n! that lucerne grew in that district think wo shall ha ,~c to go in for sorncthing at all. like a light tramlinc. A 2·foot tramlinc The ScCRETARl YOR H.IILWAYS: I ha Ye noi to Injunc Cn·•k \Yould b0 quite sufficient >poken about lucerne at all. until the traffic warranted something better. I notir>t: that the fion1n1issioner, in his r<::>port., =\Jr. Gr;\1":\: 1\o; but the Minisl'r for dcsNibes the country through which the Publ:e La1"d, did, and the report says so. lino wili pass. I ha vc not been in the BiH I kncnY thut luc"rnc pTo\, ~; in the Texas countr\·, but I have been in the vicinitv, f~;:--tr;ct. 1 do nnt \rj~h io keep tlu" linu~e and I know that class of country. The Cor:1. but I 1Yi,~h to put up a protr st n1issioncr says- like thjs bt Tug ft_.,rc.;d on the " Sandy soil countr~, heavily tin1bcrcd so rnJ.l(, oth~..•rs should bP gone with box. \Yattle. ~andahvood, cyprus on \Yid1. n:torc c-pcrially \-Yhcn the Go,:crn­ pinP, and broad-leafed ironbark." lt1cnt nrc bnilcling such raihYays as that to Tcn·or· ., Crel.:'k, iu plac,~ cf what I consider I think everybody who has been in the bush "\\-cJUld be cnc: of tlw bc·,t paying 1ines in knmvs that that is not the best class of Qw.-,cnsland-th at js, the Texas line. conntr,v \YC haYC'. In fact. \Yhcn it is sandy soil, with box and broad.Jcafetl ironbark. it ::\Ir. PETRIE (Toombu/): I am not ono m~ans that there is any ::unonnt of hollow of those \vho 0•1ioyc i11 opposing a railway trees, and any amount of 'possums. It 1neans ~o ns I bdi{•ve it is in ihe intr.re~;ts of that it is onlv first.eJass 'possum country. the in opcnint:- up lands for agricultural And then jt goe~; on to saJ·-- nr grazing purpo::::P". But it seen1s to n1c that " lYiost of the country to 48 miles the' re ha '• ber'n a good deal of diversity of Yar1es frorn light. sandy loa!n to red op1nion l"O&[ardi11g this raiiw.:.ty. \Vo know or brown soil. and should be suitable t1wt a certain Cllamber rej0ct0d it last tin1e, for CfTC'al crops." althnn:;h ir wa~ cniTicd in this Cha1nbor, I think. o:1 the Yoices. Still, I am of the I'~ow, th0 Dcparttncnt, if thcJ arc going to opinion. , tl..:c hon. tnc1nbcr i'-; 1vho has just settle soldiers on that land. should not lea\·o r(-,-ntned h;-< i:-eat. thnt at a ti1ne like this. it to surrnise. Th0~· only know, app<,rently, .. 11d pa~·tiC"ularly whpn "\YP haYc passed lots of that it ma.y b'' suitable. It sa~ later on- ruilv.~ty:-' ,..,-bich hayc not b-:.pn built, on the " provided there is an nscrage rainfaJI." {':'~CP ·e tbnt we hn ,.c net the mon.ey, and 1\'ow, if you a,re going to square the clerk v hen \o.:~· h<:n~e the Go\·crnrrwnt earning for­ of the weathe1· before you get an average \Ynrd with n.n rxtcn~jon that opens up the rainfall, you haw not :tnything like tho ch•ctorate oi thP I\Jinirtcl' for Public Lands Texas district, wlwro there is an avera!!e a,;.; a YE'l"Y JH: ~f':"-' ury rail way, I think at a. rainfall, and a much higher one than thetc. :J·inli~ when \Yf' hayc ~uch a \Yar raging, and Yvn \Ya nt all i he n10n and 1nono7 and muni­ . Several .,poakers have eJludod to the ques­ tion~ \VC u1 n cend to bring j t to a succes~ful l10n of what i' going to be done with the j~3UC, \VP .':'hould ·drYote our 0ncrgics in that ~,fount HuUon ancl olhPr cattle runs. I direction. rather than in building this raii. 1 have seen no mention before that they were \;·n:--'. partl{'u arly "·bf'll we PPP in the rPportof rcsun1cd, or cornpnlsoril:,~ purchas€'d, for the the Connni:::-\innl'r that \YC haYo to pay such purpose of closer settlement. I haYe read hig:h prir'·"' fc,r material. I think this rail· different p;uagraphs in the pa1wr, and from WEll' WOUld not hnTt jf it WCfC a.llO\Yf'od to those paragraphs I gathC'red that the0 would sh~d oyer until the W,ll' is ended, and then, be worked in conjunction with the State pro..-ided \YC haY<-' the Jncans at our dispo~:-11, meat shops. I just wish to quote from tho pr wc~·d ,..,-ith it. "Telegraph" on 1st .Jnnc, 1916. In an .inteniew, the .\.ciing Premier, who is the I do not wieh to seem parochial, but I know present l\finister for Lands, said·- that for y<'ars past I haw' urged the duplica· tion of the line from Eagle Junction to " Questioned as to the GoYernment's A· r:ot, if not to Pinb-:nba. The Con1mis­ intention in rcgr.rd to thP cattle pur­ :c:iGncr. nnrl I bdif'Yf' the l\linistcr. is aware <'wsed b0 it on ihe Dillalah and MmElt of thr fact-know~ that in the intDrL·st;;; of Hutton runs, the ::\[inistcr said that the tlw safety t nl\ information fron1 the va rimts towns along thP W C'·tern line. (.;onllnis<;.;ionor~that ~ n1onrv for that work These traders found it difficult to secure would b0 put {'Y('r~· year von the Estimates, meat at reasonable prices, owing to the every year I was met with the ·excuse that operation of buyers for mcatworks and they had not got the money, and it must other big concerns in the city. These wait. l\'ot onlv should it bo done for the buyers cleaned out some districts, and safety of the p'Ub!ic, but the accommodation the butchers were unable to secure re­ at the stations is also yery bad. I am not quirements. The depots would be dis­ going to oppose the present proposal on that tributing centres.'' ground, but on the grounds that at the pre­ This is the first time I have heard that those sent time it is not necessary, and that WC!· [Mr. Gttnn. Orallo to Injune Creek [26 SEPTEMBER.] Railway Extension. 839 shrn~ld go "low. The GcJYCl'llnlcnt have al­ Mr. SOMERSET: I <~m not q·oing to rcucl5' gono into large State enterprise's, as oppc~,p this raihvay, Lerau~e I bL-iiE·Ye in pointed out LJ.J" scvc.Lal ho11. rnernbcrs vvho rai!wavs. The onlv rca~cm that I v,-ould 1Ht re spoken previously on this side. I do , a raihvoY v.·Luhl be thnt the .-lato of Hc1t know \\ hrre the Go-pc rnrncnt are going finances at' the present time ~loes not tn find thn rnonoy for thern all. I suppose warrant the building· of any furl l~er new that the State hotels will run into £70,000 or railways. \Ve shoul·cl go on and link up the £80,000, and I think that in the interests rail\, ays that vvc have DO\V st.arted. of the pcuplc of Queen~1ond ~lnd in our O\VH Mr. ::YlOORE p ubiyny): When I s::nv the interz_' .t·, ~, c <'ould do without thi"- r·ailwav in pained cxprc&,,ion on the fad'S of i~Iin1~terli\ the meantime. As we were told, I think; by , ..dwn anvonP nlC'ntioncd th 1t this ·wa~ a the \iini ter for Raihya~Ts, it is uL·ged that political fine. it made Jlle fc,,l cliffidf'nt , to c-ast 1117 YUle against it. scttlC'r:::: have taken up land on t.he distinct ''dr. SO:'dERSET (Stan/rp)': I happen to promi'e that a railway ···ould be built there kr:o\: the country through which this lino some fuhuc t.in1e. Vfe haYc settlers In "·ill 11ib·•. Tn 1875 I took :attic out to stock cnnntry fli.~trict~ trying to 1nakc a living, Mount lVIarlow, on the Darcoo, and had to ccu·ti; ·:; their prodLtCP long distanc~s to the pull up at \Vcstgro1·e. I went through a rail \l ,1 v. aud it is not fflir to build a ro ihn:ty gn :.tt deal of this. country then, .and ~.\a~ ovc·r ro op~n up fre>sh country until line"' are the hectrd of Injunc CrPek. I {'Oll-ider('d the cone.tructed to the plaees that are already cc ·r, tr: ahont thirJ-clnss pa.-:tora1 country. settled. There js nut mucl1 drn1and ~or land at the nrcs0nt tirnc, iuHl th(~l'C is no roason J\fr. 1\ioP.GAN : That is all it is. to open~ up nc1~.r country. I an1 not }Huticu­ '\h. SO'\IEUSET: :\iost of it i.; andy l.arlv advocating the llnkinp; up of Tarong and I real!.' fail to sr•e thut it is a ancf Coovar, but I think that the linking up of countr, or;_ which to settle of our different svstcn1s of raihva v is neeos­ all. Thtlt is to s:-ty, on anything sary, because it ~Yill n1akc for eConomy i;r. like aren·->. I also happen to know working the two systems so connected, and rt 1ho countrY bet,vern J unn-d·ah and Taroout, will Jncan that if a no11-paying line is linkOO 8nd 1lwre ~ is. df'cidedly vc:·v Hlnch better up to another line they \\ill both be paying C0L1Etr:-: ;n t}H~ 'l'ar, di2tri~·t. I ~tlPo pur pro1Jositions. chased Gunyan and Bonshaw stations for The Ho:>.IE SECRETARY : Ha vc von such in ~1:·. T~n(:all in 1885. and I know the' conntry ,\Tour f!iector!'lte ·: all abont Tl'X(L'i. r tcuk Yl'l'Y gcKH_l ('{lf(~ to go round and ,.. ee the surrounding country M1~. MOORE: I an1 not refcrr:ng to rny bdorc I cLc·iLlecl to clos• for those electorate in particular. The whole of the end I am Y•-rv well Patisflr d th:'i i:~ Darling Downs will be benefited bY a linking­ Ye: v lwttt~ · country in Qnt>n::;:iand th{tll up proposal with the \Vide Bay ancl Burnott. the;·c on tLc Dumarcsq and :c\1:·Tntyrc' \Ve know that in the Marvborough and riYPrs. J\1y obj0ct in ri::5ing- "-as to support Dundabcrg districts they are anxious . to the hon. n1ernber fDr CarnarYoll's plea for hls obtain the use of the coal in the Darlmg l~til· l'.'. I quite bc~li0vc in opening up as Downs. They have inspected the coal, and much of the land' of Queensland by railwa;;·s thev find it s{,its them better for gas-making, as pc ~i 1 ;];<, Y"....-c h.aYe not got tho water, qo and it will be used if they can get it direct, we must have railways. It is only a reason­ whereas to send it round by Brisbane would ab:c thing to open agricultural country be impracticable. I am sure it will. bo more before we open up pastoral country. satisfactory to link up our present lmes than to build a new section away out p~st Roma. The S!:CRETARY FOR P1iBLIC LAKDS: I ahHvd \\-;o knaw the norma\ condition of tbings U!YC' von cn~djt for knowing sonwthlrig whc·n vou g·et out there js drought and un- ~hout lu11cl. uit.abt'litv 'tor close seHlcnH'llt, r•specially jn ~Ir. SOl\TERSET: I Hm onlv talking about sn1.: 1l a.l'C: as. the 1an.-l that I hnv.o SC'('n. ~There mav be T1.e SEcR--.:TAHY FOR RAILr::\YS: x~ou huvF ~omc' geed land that I }la Ye not c::er;n) ·still drought on the Do\vns soJnetiinc.'i. "'h' 11 g-·t l1ox country and ~.t.ndalwood it lS :-;:"uldy country. Mr. MOORE: Yes, w<· do u·1f0rt:matol:v, Th· SECRETARY FOR PunLrc LAKDS : Do you say but when you get further west it is much that there ic· an)' eandalwood on Injune Creek 1 worse. We aro told thn t this 1inc is to bC< built to settle people who will grow wheat. ~! r. SOYIERSET: It sa :vs in the report It is a n1istakon policy to go in fr;r grow1Hg that there is sandalwood in the first 9~ mile3. wheat in that country. Th•·y will not make The SEf'RETAHY FOH PUBLIC LANDS: But not a living growing wh<;at, ancl it is not a good on Injune Creek. proposition for the State to induce people to Mr. SO:VIERSET: I happened to ride settle on the land there. from IV c•stgrove, when Mr. Gillics, the Mr. BEBBINGTOI'\ (l!rayt0·): I have manager of Mount Hutton Station, tDld me not been up Injune Creek. but I haw been a)l that a young man !lamed Keiler----:c hi1n to grazing country, and se{ ond-c:L1s:l gr, z1ng Roma. which I d;d, so that I hacl a good country at that. The Minister talk .d about opportunit~~ nf looking at thP country be­ putting returned soldiers on that co,mtry. I twel'n these )llace'. I knm, that Gubbcra­ thing it will be a cruel inju-tice to put them Hlun.do. is good country. on any land like that. I ?avc bPC'l up. tho The SECBET'.R'( FOR PUBLIC LAKDS: It is not Dawson Vallev on four different occaswns, as good as Highland Plains, Injune Creek, or and I know that there is gor;cl c•1:mtry all Mount Hutton. along that river. I think that the money Mr. Bebbington.J 840 und/o to Injune Creek [ASSElVIBLY.] Railway Ex/, nsion

;r,ould be b~:ttel' t'pcn~ tu lidk. up tll8 line. ,to Injune Creek, 8!:!d we n1jght h1-Ye tiH?- a,.::i-:t­ I aroon1 w1th thD lme ronung dov.n1 tne ance of 1nen1 bcrs of t hi::: I--1 01~-;_s..: to U'U: •,{\' u::;. Day;son \7 allc~,Y fron1 J\.lount ?dorga'L \Yhvn If it is the policy of the GoYl·rnllll't~i to con- I was up in th,-, Injune Creek cou11trv I sa'",· tinue the lino to Injunc Creek and < up nothin~ but n1onntains. I 1net a nlan'coming agricultural conntJ·y it 1nay uf do1n1 tron1 the rnountains, and he told me [8.30 p.m.J a.ch ant age to the StaT~. But ht'\V that he he d not Been the nm for a fortnight. far vvill it be fro1n a seapott '? The It would be cruc!tv to settle men there. The Minister for Railways always talks about tlw description of thF~ country is box and iron­ distance as the cro\v fii1 s. At tht• prescn~ bade \Ve knoYv Y,S time, Injune Creek 1s 360 n1iles from .Bl';s;_ you ring the box c~:mntry it cJines n~1 thicku· bane, but if we take 1t as tho crow Hie it i~ than ever. There B certainly some scattered much nearer to l\!Iar,yborough, Yili 1\1undnb­ pear there and it will be hard work to k •en bera, than it is to Brisbane. I think tlw boiL it clown. I have also been ov. I sincprcly hope that the Minister will gi,-c u~ an opportun1ty of :;ecuring 1norc in­ The CHAIR:\1AN: Order! The hon. f~JI'rnation beforP thi'3 j-, pressed to a diYi­ gentleman cannot discuss the whole railway sJon. policy on this motion. · Mr. MOHGAN: I wish to moYc an amend- Mr. BEBBI:"oiGTO::"J': All riiTht (Laugh· lTII"'!:t enlbi'accs within it:; scope the ter.). All I wish to say is that thi~ is simnh pol~cy of pre~rnt GoYernment. I n1o\~O grazmg country, and to put returned s~ld(er', the addition. nft0r th•, word " n1ilc1." of there on small areas is really courtiug ·dis­ thr~ wnrd '; bcjng rPfcrred to the Royal aster. CnnlT,:ission on Public \Vorks for rPport." Mr. CORSER (Bw·nett) : This is a proposal \Ye klw'.Y it h_,., been the polic~· of the pre­ to. construct the railway from Orallo to fer m·dlV vcars that dl rail­ ln]une Creek. Whether it is -desirable or not n::{Pn'C

Mr. CORSER: Yes. I believe in renorts l"·'Jdin.,.0 Gf its ]·.datf0rn1 and sub'11it a myself, but the hon. member for Port Curtis l.C,'l I'I\.,.·a·•. cy~•.. this _Elnuc:p \Yitl:c•ut {i t-,.t ~ubn1it- 1 does not llke what he Bees in a report. I tin~~ it 1-0 th Rov~d C 1 ·rrmni~' !en ''·hi{ ~ is have, a report he,re which I do not know in f'x-ist'-~J:ce at the:· rro'3e ·~ tin1('. t_nd ''"~irh whetller I behcve m or not, because I cannot tr.0 nuYr·r;.llH'nr finch \\nrk fot·~bcf'au~.' tl1cv read It. It IS the manifesto issued by the sent the commission into mv <'lPctorate to hon. member for Port Curtis. (Laughter.) r0nort cu a l1ne b" th~i I-Jou;;n-1 do Mr. BEBBINGTO~: It is written in German. nn't unc1.''t3tanYhen the Li b·_ral principal n::asons he gaye was- party were bringing forward railway pro­ .. (4) Failing to adopt a souui policy po.:;;-,~3, but dw Yl'ry n1mnent the Labonr "'-xith r!.--:gard to raihvay construction and p3.rty bring then1 foe.; ard, out of your O\VIl n1auagemcnt.' · 1nouth Yon condpmn the conuni&::'ion, because you saY there is no nr>cd fot it to report on In speaking to thnt, }lr. Ryan made use of the raihyav. thL ,e \Yvrd~- The Sr.:CRF:T.\RY FOR R.HLVIAlS: You kno".Y " It must be obvious to evervboclv that that tln~ C'lHn.mission has reported on three thn s .. l«'l11 with l'E'gtlrd to th~ inti·oduo­ or four railwavs aln_:adv. tion of rail'.'· ays is not a satisfactory ivJr. I tile Minister going to one.'' ~.IOHG~\K: diet>> tc ac; to v. hat 1York choulcl be eubmitted 'fhc systcn1 that he condemned as being unw to the C:CJ;:nrui;;sjon '? I claim that the com­ satisfactorv is exactlv the s~stem that the mission ha::~ a right to report on every rail­ Governme,;t have int~·oduced to-night-bring­ way propo.'ition before it is submitted to ing down ra]lways and submitting them to this House. I;; the iv1inister afraid that the; u" \Yith a report of the Cornmissioner for cmnmi&~.ion ,vill turn do\vn this proposition? 1118111- Raih' ays .and nobody else, and allo;.'.-in.g Thr SECRET.<~..Rt FOR RATLV.lAYS: No. not a bit. bers on e-ach side to say smncthing good er bad about the route or th0 land the railwa'. i\I r. \lORl~AX: Or has it been brought It ma~~ eventually serve. ~1r. l~yan went on-~ down for purely party purposes. looks as if the con11ni:::sion vv·ould give an honest "Tinw and again this side of the House report. inde-pendent of whether the railway has advocated that there should be some was in mv electorate or a:r;:where else. independ<>nt commi,,ion to go into rail­ way proposals and go into the merits of The S':CHETARY FOR R.\I~WAYS: '\Ve are building a railw-ay in your electorate, and each proposal, having regard to the re­ vou kno-..v it. quirements of the rest of Queensland." . Mr. M ORGAN: Yes. and you ought to be I say that in connection with this matter, building it tvvice as fast as you are. I am when the Government say that it is important going to give the Government an oppor­ to have this railway in order to open up tunitv of turninp; down their own proposition land for soldier'l, we should have every re­ -turning down ~something· which they fought port available; we should have this indepen­ for years and years. and which they thought dent commission-if it is independent-to go sufficiently bad to move a no-confidence and ill3pect the land and make a report, if motion in the htc Government about; they they arc capable of making a report; other­ are practically showing the country that they wise they should not be in the position they wr-rc not sincere jn their advocacy of a occupy. 'C;clcsc, the Government look upon Public \Yorks Co1nrrli~sion when they are not th"J.t ccrrnr.ission as a cmnplete farce-- gmng to refer this line to it. ThP CHAIR;>.L\:\: Order! The hon. Mr. SvVAYNE: I support the amendment. me1nber \vill not be in order if he discuss~s It is desirable that we should have some ihe ro:rl!niss1on. other opinion of this line. vVhat more do :\lr. }lORGA:\: I am moving that this we want as showing the need for the fullest be rdcrrccl to the commission, and I am giv­ inquiry than this extract from the Com­ missioner's report. He states that, after a ing rf'a~on3 that v:e have a con1mission in certain number of miles hav<' been ~ravers<'~. cxistenc~·. better countrv intervenes. Adrmttedly rt The CHAIR::\IAX: The hon. member will runs through ~inferior countq:. Is this ex­ not be in order in criticising the com1nission. penditure d £138,155 in openrng up_ mferror \1r. \IOFGA='i: The reason I criticised countrv iustified? I notice that thrs report thc f'C!ll!ni:;_,;ion '\Yas bcc::!usc the GoYcrnincnt is dat~d "last year. It is quite probable that .{'yidc•ntly h~ YP net got confidence in the cnn1- the increa.sed cost of material and work wrll HlJS3!Cll. If thr:-, had ccnfidencG in it, whv increr0 a nH)re h!hD Tt," T:f0:\1;: 8·--cTU:T.\RY: But 1t 1s your of the mo;wy would :Hod m c hr Letter l"0'Uits. flm··:-;,l:J~ The CEAIRl\IAX : Orclcr ! Tlw hon. ? rr. ~~~O:R[~)\~: E:-:actly. }v1y an1cndn1ent mE'rnhc>r is nDw dt al~1 with the an1cndm-"'nt i~; L~· , -'- nrd indnC"t:' the· GcYCrlln1Pnt to adopt to ~11bn1it th0 line to the Ro:·al Con1n1ission the r li,:~- \:L. -: ,- ;1:;- thought a Yery goocl of PubJ1c \Yorks. thir.' t\YO (_ r thrp;' ~-('aTs ago. Mr. S\YAYNE: I prop,J'ic to strengthen The SE RETARY FOR RAIL \\'AYS: Your ideas rny :3u~·1n,:n·t. ?f t~c aniendml'nt by extn:cts an' th.,t the Go-..-crr:.rncnt will go b:Jck on from the· '..\Iinistcr s O\Yn RpPech. Last ses~1on. it-.; pql]cy of 1a:'-I :ven:r in relation to these hYo whPn l_ ,,_as ntoYing for the appointn1cnt of or !lueP raihY ·- the eonm,itter to ,, hi eh "·e de ire to relegate lHr. 3.IORGAX: No, r~r idea is that if tbis iint> fol report-in n1oYing for leave to the ccnn!l~,!Oll ; a good one--if it is a pro­ intro~~UCC' thf~ BilL he sta.tcJ- per thin.::. to !'t'j1Crl on an:v· raihvavs-thon •· At anv- rate. the- intcnt:;~n of the Gn­ th t prc ·· o:· n 1 ~uhn1ittcd by the Go>:ernment YCrnincnt 'is to trv to get a fnll l'Pport on should hayc hl•'n rc:erre·d to the ('Ol11nlission. all the rai i way l)ropocals put before the The SURET.\RY roR R\JLWAYS: The Govern­ I-lo:.1s0.'' ment does not agree with you. Is not this one of the occasions 1Yhen we Mr. Sway ne.-~ 842 Orallo to Injune Creek [ ASSE:YIBL Y.] Railway Extension. should get the very fullest report? Then, diYision. if I remcn1bcr l'ightly, and the on the ·econd reading, we find the Hou. other House threw it out; and do you think the Minister giving voice to this utterance. >Ye arc going to ask the commission whether He sai(1- we are going to build tl1js line or not Y \Vo '· Then, to In~- rnind, too, such a con1- are foroing to use what they had dcne in m i ttee as this rcl i eYes the J\ilinister of relation to thcc,,o linf~s as a. means of con­ the J.n:: of a considcntble per:.:,onal pres­ dcrnning then1 wh0n \YC go to the country. sure To wbieh he 111a: be politically l\le. BAR:'\ES: You lHlYe since bought 1\tlount susecptible." " 1-Iutt.on, I ,!cJ !l'lt for ouc moment think that the pre­ The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: sPnt :\1ini~tcr is particularly liable to political I atn not goiHg to di~-:..:tl":; the rnu:in question pros.sun~; but, a,t the tlnH_' tiinc-1 then' is no a:-,,cndment. If \Ye haY(~ a.ny n1oro gettmg a,n,y from the fact that this railwav on tb~ ma1n que .... tion after the is in tlw electorate of a brother 1Iinistm~, a ~llelElnlcllt is cii,eo JO~t:d of I 1na v haY<~ sorne­ and, 1Jnd<'l' such circ~un~tnnccs as that, every th1llg to ~ay to h~;l. mc:nbcrs. \Ye hn ,.c had t'fll'P hould Le taken that no \\Tong impn:-,. a full-dross debate on the railway policy of (•xist--:, ?.nd -r-hat is a Y(~r.~- strong reason the Gon::'rnment in C'OllUCetion \Yith this pro~ the amendment should be accept; d. posal. If hon. n11:mbers v.. -antr:d to get busi- Ag·ain, I find that th<' :\Iinistcr for Raih' a vs n, --s tbro11gh, ' did the:_v not 'vait until lal~ .ver:v· great stre'-s on the pos~ibilit.~, ~f the loc1-n pro})O IYer introdu··ecl before pohtH' ll pressure. I--lc ~aid-- di2 tl:::-~ing the ra-iiway policy of the GoYcrn­ " But, at any rate, this conunittcc will llWI:t ·~ do som0thi11g to strengthen him in resist­ :\IT. 1-luniJIIY: The~ Conrr(i~:;ioner sa:.·s it ing an: political pr~·~sui·e of a \\Tong will on.ly pay .69 per cent. rhLtl'a('ter, and 111:1lu, him stronger iu fig:hting aga1n.~t wrong proposals for The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: ra1hvays or other public works." rrhere UTO 20il1C raihYUJ'3 which \\'Cl'C built a long time ago cloJC to· Brisbaue by thP late In view of the Con1n1ission{'r's report, I think Govern1ncnt, and they are not paying yet. I we. n1a3' be exrn~ccl for thinking that it is a1n not going to accept t~c arrwncbnent .. and qu:te p_os.;;ibi0 that this is no\", at an.v rate, I hope hon. rne111brrs 1.'nll let n"' get to a a well-judged proposal. Again I find that rlivi'-~011 and get this raihva!· through. I do the :\~inister said- ' not want to do something that \Ve Ycill do if "Then, I think, it may Le said that this di:..cuss1on goes on 1nuch longer. Parliarnent, guided bv a~ comrnittee of its own members, "-h,; have closelv and :i\Jr. GRAYS0:\1 (C'·unninuh '.. ,,): I listened critically examined the proposafs for vcrv can-'full v to the l'C'lW1rks of the ::\iinitlter publ1c works, 1s 1nore likC'h~ to arrive at jn 'ronnectio;l with this an1cndnH~nt. The a wise cleoision than in relying only on Milli,tt•r has nwd a threat to the Houoe a statement h:-- the :i\'l:inister or a hurried inasmuch a.s he said that we ll1U"-t pass this investigation during a debate of the 11ne. ~tlHl if \\.C' want to criticise it •v<.c ·will reports and pla.ns whirh, at the instancA ha,-c to wait until the Loan Estimates are of th0 C01nmi:;:.~ioner for RaihYa",-s. are tn.bl0d. li th0re 1-, any lint in Queensland placeu upon the table of the House." thg,t dt, 0rves inn:stigatiou it j, thj~ particular That puts the position, I think, verv fairly line. Dlll'ing tho ti1rl0 I have been a member of th1s. Ilouse I do not thiuk I lutYe Ol)})OBcd a.ncl fully before the House. I rnv.self la~t session supported the formation of "the com­ a raih\ ay proposal that has bc('n brought mittee, as I considerPd it would bo rnost forward bv this or auY other Govcrnrnent, hut I • av emphatically 'that I havo no hesti­ useful. I have often felt when we have had railwa:· propooals before the Reuse the t:-ttiou in cppt,..:ing this line. want of some report to guide us. I have Tho SE 'RETAHY FOR RA1L\VAYS: \YhY did not had local knowledge myself, and I have ~-our GoYernment pa:3'' the fir:-.t sectiOn of thought how advantageous it would be if we this line ? had such a committee as we now have to Mr. GHAYSO:\": The Liberal Go,-crnment give us a full report. I hope, under the did not pa"'s this line. They PYill acrept tion. but thPv neyc:._· had a.nv jniention of the amendment. I think that when he goes extenc1in£" th~ line to :31onnt~ ~Hutton. Ko into the matter he will find that there are sa no Go\ ,"rnment \YOU~d over think of build­ verv strong grounds indeed for requesting ing a lino intn that district with a Yic-,v to the Public 'Works Commission to report to elo~F'T s~ttlerncnt, ParhanlPnt on the construction of this pro­ The SE~'RE'rARY FOR R,AIL,VAYS: No sano posed railway. GoYernmcnt would build a sec·tion like the Tlw SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: fir"t section and leaYc it there. I just want to say at once that I haYe no intention of arcopting the amendrnont. 1\ir. GRA YSO:--J: I am in favour of build­ ing lines to enrourage closer sett.lc1nent, but Mr. iVloP.GAN: You don't approve of the there is no hope '"hatcyer of people selecting COin!11ir~\,jcn? land in small a.reas on this particular line. The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS: The line will pass through good pastoral The fad that the commission has made four rountrv. and it should be thrown open in inY'.. tig_:-:.tion~ al"'eady into raih\ rt) pro­ areas 'of from 5.000 to 10.000 acres at the po"'ls 1s proof that we do apnrovc of the verv least. For any individual to adYocate commission. If these railways liad not been that that la.nd is suitable for closer settlement thrmYr> out b:v the L'ppcr House, nftcr having is a, farce. ber•n pa'8cd bv this House and recommended The SECRETARY FOR PuBLF' LAXDS: You bv a. Select Committee, thev would have gone never saw the country. to t1 1 C0il1illission, but we arc going to ~ake a protest against the Lpper House as far as :\lr. GRA YSON: I travelled through that tf11 ·C '',Jilways are concerned. This House countrv before ever the JYiinister saw it. I affirmed last year that this is a lino that travelt'ed sheep over that country over forty ought to be built, a.nd passed it without years ago. There was no prickly-pear in the lMr. Swayne. Ora7lo to Injune C1wk [26 8EPTM1BER.) Rail11"1Y Extension. S43

distriet th'·~~. 1 'lt no•s it is thicklv infested Mr. HODGE (Tanango): I think the with 11 T!1 n, agaiE, the eount·~·y is of a ttr-:, uJ:dent 1s a fOOd one, and thr l\Iinister, sandy narun•. in his -wisJonL 1night accppt 1t. I notice Th" Sr'. RETAHY FOR PrnLic L.\KDS: It is 'n lwn other rail way vroposals arc ll1_adc, not. Injuuc Creek is black soil. l>artlcu]ar1v in rnv own 0lectoru.te-t.hcro arc foul· prop~-,·d~ thOro altogether, two railv;;-ay Mr. GTIA YSON: :\otwithstanding all the proposaLs-the Public Works Commission is bol··t' ring th 't the l\linister for Public imtrnctPcl to inn·-·tigate. The Public 'VV orks L8Lr:~ <'~1 n to thii3 particular liEe, I say Commission have dealt with one proposal and -L·, );ne 1:C'YC1' :)C' cJ until the Pul:- :ne llOW lmsv "t work on another. If thrtt 1'(' \\-nrk;;;: (\-)rnmi,,ion tho1·oughly inspcctf.l tho ])rincip~e aplJlir>s as far as an~r 110\Y con­ proposed rotL'·c and n1ukes a. thurou ~·h inYesti~ :-;tnwtion i'3 conccl'IH:d, it -:.hould CC'rt<1inl-, r-,ation iHto tlw po··lbllitY nf settlP1nent in apply in (·onnN~tion -·with this prnpo ,,,Q rail­ the di."tri('t. I r::hal1 certnin!y supr1ort the " aY. 1 think the Minister will be wise in I a:n in f>tYour of further his' generation if he accepts tbe amcndrnent, light. THnticulru·ly after the arguments adduccrl lH ~·e to-night agi!lr:jt the qna:ity of the land }\ill". ICTRW.\'; :. You Yoted against the Bill to be mr,d,, ctYailahle for "''ttlcment. There IYncn 1t \Vas L' •tore oa lust year. i" c~-'rtainl~, no donLt about the land in my :VIr. GRA YSO:'\: I cor•t0nd that no raihYav c1cdoratf' lx·iug ~uitctblc for clo~c settlPment, hns f'YN been tablPd in the history of th'e ond y,·hen tlw ~1inistcr take, the tl'ouhlc to Qnecnsland Parlian1cnt that requires clo.;-cr send the Public YYorks Co1nmission to an investigation thrtn this line. If the Govern­ dcctoratc like the Nanango electorate. where ment made a present of 160 acre- of land tlwre is not the slightest doubt about small in that district and gave tl1~ title deeds free areas being suffiricnt to kerp a family, he I question wlwthcr half-a-dozen soldiers would should not hesitate in connection with the accept the offer. It is not even sheep Omllo to lnjune Creek country. The hon. countr.;,; it is cattle and horse <'ountrY. membn for Cunmngharn, who has been Sheen were h-ied on i\Iount Hutton veai-s ihrow;h tb.ot di,

lTHORlTlES ACTS A11E:::\D­ to hit. He did not "-:th tlw postal ballot so far as i..HH1lJ .. t~ ~viE:--;'T BILL. to go to the booths were In t!L CO::\DIITTEE. congested area1" then: was n.o 1 c ::::on fc r li 1 (J1r. ( 'J/Jilt', 1rarrr'UO: in tht clwiT.) postal ballot., but in the far ou:scdCJ di,t;-icts whore it was difficult to get eO the poll tit,, Claus0 1 put and passed. postal ballot was neces3ary. There were some shires in the country districts C'Jntaining to ::\Pw c'aus" follow clause 1- t f;ou_c;; 1: _cl, c f ~quare .:.nilcs-hal£ as hig as Hox. J. TOL0UE moved the insertion of the State of Victoria-where it would be -a ne.; clause, to follow clause 1. It com­ expensive to make the ratepayers come to the rncnced as follo,vs :- poll, so they re'Sorted to the postal ballot. But in euch places as Toowong, Ithaca, and '' (1) Subsection three of section five of other local authority areas around Brisban•' the principal Act is repealed." which they could get oYer in a hop, stop, and That subsection dealt with the postal voh'. jump the postal vote was not n ccssarv. It Under the conditions •et out by the altera­ would only take twenty minutes or httlf an tions proposed by the Home Secretary per­ lvm1· to ,,;-;dk to arn polling-booth in those sons who had no interest whatev0 r in the places, and there was no reason for them ISTRO:--;'G thought the the expense of the iudividual who h,': 1Jllcnr:d l\iinist€'r was 1nost ungcncrous in declining to be so unfortunate as to own a pic~co of property. It was not going to hurt the tr) uc:ept any a~uendment on the clause '\Vith­ wealthy man. ·whatever the de ire of the out ·~·iyirg· any reason for his refnsal. It had ,Government might be in that direction tlwv been brought under the notice of the hon. could not accomplish that without hurting· that in the rnore closely settled hundreds of small men making home3 for thert~ w u:5 a dcshe that the con1pul­ themselves, and who could not bear undue sory senret ballot should be adopted. Thoro taxation. 'I'hey would rebel against it when \\'Hs a r-ood deal of \Yrongdoing under the 1 they came to understand the powers con­ PG" tal bl' lot system, and it was desirable ferred upon the irresponsible portion of the thn.t it should be stopped. He had known commumty-men who had no 'take in the ballut-papd's lo be colledc·d at hBh post loca! are_a b_ey'?nd the fact that they happe:wd cHi(·e:; : nd talF'n round to people fron1 house to hve_ m rt JUSt so long- aB it suitod their t ) hou~,-~, after being signed by the rato~ ronYe1110nr·0, and \vhen rt suited their con­ payers, by that person and posted. venience they would pass a,,,,ay to some o•h,r rrhL'Y W('1'0 not taken J'OU11d, perhapS, by the division. But that controlling influence was ;>.etual rundidatc. but they were taken round .going to materially injure those persons who bv rcrt~tin of his friends. That was an imM were landowner's 111 the area. H was real! v p;·oper thing, and should not be possible in the artisans, working men, and clerks, an~l connection with an election in closely settled those engaged in businE''i'S, who compri,cd the districts. Instance-s had been brought under ratepayers at the present time. Thev would the notice of the Home Secretarv in which find that the small men who compr;sed the the people desired to have the s~cret ballot ratepaye'rs at the present time were as ten system introduced, but the hon. gentleman to one compared with the wealthv men and had not moved in the matter. In his (Mr. -these were the people that the Bifi was going Armstrong's) own electorate, ;n the division [Hon. J. Tol1m'e. Lvcat Authorities Acts [26 SEPTEMBER.] Amendment Biil. 845

in which he lived, the people hnd made The Hoo'E SECRK~.mY : It does not deal with application to the Govcnunent for the intro­ the question of Yaluation at all. duction of the secret ballot, but the present l\Ir. V-0\\""'LES: "Electors" \Yas substi­ Home Secretary had refused their applica­ tuted for " ratepayers" throughout the Bill. tion. The Minister had admitted that then' were objections to the postal bivc. The effect of the amend­ Mr. VO\VLES : The Government wanted n:;_ent vvould b-~ that thcv wculd rcYert to the to rc,·olutionisc the whole of the Local coLditio11S existing und~cr tho Local Autho~ Authorities Act by depriving people of the ritics Act, which allowe-d only ratepayer, to right to protect their property. In a place vole. HD had already pointed out that it like Brisbane, v here all the property-owners v. ·13 u \vrong principlf' to give a man the were l: viL outside the city, the peoplo in right to votE\ more pn,rticu1arly the right to the slu•ns \vould be entitled to a vote as vot~' on loans for the rcpay1nent of \Yhich to -.,rhc-thc:r tJ1e property \vas to be taxed property would be Eable, rncrcly because he Ol' no ·was a l'P~iLh· nt of an <11'(·2 and had qualifie-d The IIo-,m ;.;.__ cnl~TARY: They pay the rates for r!uolnH_•nt under the Elections _...:\_et. The ir: the rent. reslllt of the prnpc;~d franchitie \V•Juld be J.\Ir. VO\YL}-=S: rrhey pairt only a fe\v that jn nlnces like Brisbane verY ~;aluablc ponnds in prcportion to \Yh· t t·he other man propc rt?c~" \\Tould be unrcprcsent~d on the paid. Theorc:ticJ.lly, it might be right, bat lcca-1 ;;utho:titi(:s, as there \~ere no residenc€~ in practil: it \Vfi.S \vrong. ..._-\.. n1an 1vas going att 1 "bed to _lv> c p:!.·crt:l·ti·_ ::::, -1 the o•.Yner, to h:,\Te b~s rig-ht to protect hi:; o·~' n property o~tl".~ Ji-ved in the uhnrbs. 'ThP "Yho takl'lt f1_'\' ay frot!1 hin1 if they adovted this li-,-cd t:H'l'(' ,,,-c·n~ L1rctakcl'f ~ pl·incip1c. t.e~-- -1 J hn_:_·l. H'C'GtLc:r::; Tlw S JHET'RY FOR .PcBL1C IxSTRc:cnox: pcr5or, -. nur"iH: -cd The people in the slums pay the rates through buted t.( tln~~ r·J~c;;:. the rent. The llo~.;r: SEcRET.\EY: So he doe;;. :'-'r. YU\','LES: The nnde~intbles who liYed l\'Ir. ·vor.,TLES: If that y,-cre so. then in tho5

Quee-n street, and the rates amounted to £160 \\"(Ju1c1 have full control just thP same as a a year. If the landlord ehttrged him £1.260 ',, ., 1" ople would ha Ye control in the city of a year rental, to cover the rate~, it \Yould BrisL::ln('. J-Ie conld not understand how ~D1VlU1t to the san10 thing. r\ny investrnent that could bo considered a fair proposition. m property was made with the intcation that j f there v,

all ratcs should be paid. L:~ willing to give his sup11ort to the proposi­ !Yll-. VOWLES: \Vho would have tho vote ticm. llllt he could nut see any degree of jn rpspoct to your business place? iu ·liCe in the matt0r at alL The man who lw d to find the money to keep the city of The HOME SECRETARY: He did not, Hri:-shnnc going ought to have some say as and he did not intend to n~side there; he to lHnv the mane~~ 've.s to be expended, and prf'forrcd to reside in tho suburbs. uulc:-·s he took a. billvean dmvn and u1ade his tea in the back yard and slept in the corner . Mr. VoWLJ 'l: Does anybody have a vote 111 1·c-,pect to that property? o~- hj'i shop he had no vote. The liO).l.E SECHET.\.HY: That i3 what you The HOME SECRETARY: :'\obody; and \,aLt n1e to do. ''hy should tlw:: Y Ho w-a- satisfied to get ,1 \ ote for t1lP suburb jn \Yhich h0 \\as Hox, J. TOL:'\HF:: He did mt want the Jiving. :.;oL~ 1thstandiiJg the rcrnark of the gcutlL'JlJau to do anythi11g that "\Yotdd ho.!.L monh... l' for Lu.__:kn.:r that it 'iYas uot '-'- oi;;:cc J'urt to hinL he l(id want the good socialisrn use ~uore than one vote 1H.. :u. gel_.: tic• , n to cxc ronllllOll sense in at a tirnc, the pri \Tilege \Y~.s there the· mattl·r, and give the perso11s \\ho owned he 1vas going to 1nakc u,~o of it. It ts a ~}1'0' rty alld j·ot:nd the JlHmr•y to kf'ep the bad principle, a11d tho soone1' it v,ras :tboli.sht~d (it;, f:,Oit .J.' ju.-..t UllC' yotc ('ach as to how the the bcttPr. He could nre TOL~\flE a;:rr<:e '.\-ith lio;;. J. ,who ]Hl Id c-un­ at ~v,·hic·h he t:1e l\Iinistcr 1n th~· Yf t, llOhYiihstanding h:ul ~~r:·iYt:cL The hon. :.all ha 1 told haYl' say us to tht>tll t~.ot lw wa,s ll!J''. thue rates £160 yc-... x, and cf '-t gn•at_•, l'nt~-·aLlf' v: Su•nwse o\vners of p.i·opcni~ s. ~-~'-u~ lil;:(• ihe l•o11. gentlc1nan, and ]H'! ;cl'rrd tu liYr~ in thr hin1 an ~ubtn·,,...,, and one C'!l-d of 0LH'Ul ·_tree~ =\linist<~~· to the orlH•r J'P \~ -:•l'L' ou!_,..· L fc\\" pcr~o11.~ all1CJ1{_hnents. who thL·ir lJLt...:;ine:---.. :Jrcnn~('-... i Le·\· iilu.'-'r: uion in onl:\ <}111'-;.. -.,d1o. hurl u_ · YOt· ,,-h:cb very again, takl' Gcorgp _;:;h·~, t n~d~ t~lC . .J that '-Yhcn tlH' Bill bc-2arne va]tL< property Il t u.y ''-..IJ~,ran- of the citv of 131'i :1CUlC miq·ht chi~cd thC' U\YJlL··s p·,·o ·r·rtit s. th,• by u bout~ 150 e]e~.;tol·s. 11ost \-Vhole of the C'ity of Bri lHtne '':onlrl be con­ i11 b·.1sinF':\S in the citY of Bris­ trolled by a few persons living outside of the in son1c suburb, and tllcy vrould busin(•ss centre, 1Yho had vory little property a Yotc. and paid very little ratP,. VVould that load JI 0:1IE SECRETARY : rrherc are a good to the advancement of the city? Those many on the electoral roll. persons could choose >Yhom thev liked as a council, although they had no responsibility ~Jr. }10RG A:\ : The number on the muni­ as regarded rates, and the owners of the cipul roli and that on the electoral roll valuable properties in Queen street and >nmlcl be altog;ether different. The people Goorgc street would hll\"e to pay whatever ] iYing in hotels and boarding--houses 1vould rates were imposed upon them. be the only ones to have a voto as fm· as the citv of Brisbane "as concerned. The Tho SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC lKSIRUCTION: hon. said he Jl"-id £160 in ratcc If t.hey wore dead the value >Yotdd be there g·,~ntleman and £1,100 a year rent. and he agreed that just the ~ame. he nmd the rates and not the owner of the HoK. J. TOL:MIE: If thev were de"-d tlwv ]1l'OlJC•rty. If they carried that argument to ,,~ould. not LJo asking for v~tes. V\"'hen the~r the logical conclusion, it YHls not the J:-Joino n~achetl that stage they \You1d not worry Secretarv who paid the rental and the rates, '\YIH'thcr the streets Y\Terc n1uddv on a \Yet Lnt the~ persor1s vYho can1e along and pur­ da:.~ or whether gardPn se-ats ~r fountains chased from his shop. w<';-e provided at street corners or not. \Vhat . 1\Ir. KmwAc;: That is what you call split­ did concern the property-owners in the city ting hairs, of Bnsbunc was the arnount of n1o11ey thev had to J)Yas going to place the W<'!'O to be invested 'Kith full autborih- to yal.uablo properties in the rib- of Brisbane tax all_ the property, collect the rates,· and and in Dther Jargc cities, worth, pcrlHlP'', spend It as they hked. It would be a verv millions of ponuds, under the control of had day indeed for the merchant-. in the cit-;,. irrcsponsibles. He wa.s willing to pluce them of Bri,banc. or those who held tho,e valu"-ble undCI' the control of people who might have !Jl'O!Y~rties, when that time arrived, and th~ the 11ov.cr to ,-ote certain persons into power, same thing would apply to a smaller extent w_ith the rc,sult that they might go in for in country districts where persons who had big schenws and leaYe a debt which would no property, and did not pay the rates. but eYentually fall on those who reuted the who had their names on the electoral roll different shops and offices in Queen street, [Hon. J. H uxharn. ' Local Authorities Acts [2G DEPTEMDER.] AmLndn1ent Bill. 847

·or G corge street. and which eventually again it eo ,t him_ The farmer had to pay 150 per woulJ increa3e tho prices o£ cyerything that ce-nt. en his i1uplcH1cnts, but if the Govern~ Wil.< :::old in those shops. So that tht:· whole nu:nt had l-.XtL'_,Jdt'd the principle and handed burdm1 of the lnisma.nagcment of aldcrH thC'!:ll to the furnwr ;;,s thc:v took his pro-duce, he; "-,,u!d not mind pa-ying his ta es. But The IlO)l.E SE 1~'RETARY : You \Yould not i ~1er{_ ,, ere t\Yo la W:'i, ono for the citv and accu~e thc~n of 1nisnutHagemcnt? ~he other for the countrY. and the V other side had no syr:npathy fo; the cunutry. If 1Ir. I\iORC..:\1\: Sornc of then1 vYerc guilty they _,,ized one thing. they should seize the of 1nlsrnanag81ncnt, like son1e l\finlst;~l'S of lo~. The~: did nut n1ind the rnen in the city tho Ct·own-pr._,.-;nt contpany, of CE SEC'REI'AHY: 1\o, I an1 not; but :~11·. GHAYSO::-~ was going to Yote for nil the larg-e arc extending their tL·.: a:n~·nctLu:ut. The Bjl] v. as 0nc: of the p1 ·ui~· -·~. -aacl palat~al buildi11gs. most n:Yoln: ~O!l.• eYer intrndure.d into tho Home. They fonnd that irrc,ponsibleo would =-1r- :'vlORGAX: Fortunately for them­ bP :-~ L1o to rr•C'orJ Yotcs, in:-'tcad sclyc thP:,~ were in the rag trade. \Yhiht [10 p_n1.] of those who own0d property. th~._, GoYernnl\_mt \>:ere refusing to n11ov the _\-; the leader of the Opposition producc1· to take r'~a:- lnablt~ lJl'Ofits: c,n nEHlv n h ,,1 sn-:all hi produc(!, they \YC're sitting '~till and QucPn \Jr(~Ct, Hltd :not 1 per the to rn:tl.;:(~ lin'd on tlH ir Their h; cl as inYc~t' in their busi~ ('OlbU!iH'l theT· had n httlc \VCl''--' ai.io\ cl0dorntr-.. and 1norc fur he-re i.hc-~-L· The SEc .:.1c L\EY FO~l PuBLlc IxsTRC( IIO:\: y;nnld \Y c put: au excc-:,S tax on then1 la:'t yea"!_.. ll1Plll~ b( _:_· for Oxl0v \\ i13 n .::; llliUl, and \Yas ::\IL ~\JORG~·-.:;-: 1ni;::ht be Po, but iutcrc -h' 1 in' n bn·; ine s in ,__h_, cih~ jn ·which the Go\~~'rnnlc·llt thcrn io conti n uo many thou~:1.ndP of ponnd'3 had br ..:_:n inYestcd, Hlakin~· th('rn. but. undel' thi~ BilL h0 '·on!cl not lw :~bl0 to The TEJ\Il'OIU,RY CILUR:\L\1';: Order! haYf' n Yotc- for ilH' Bri .:b ,ne n1nnicipality. this cro~s~Iiring. I must J'.Tr. T. L. ,}O:\ES: I \Yould not Uc entitled :sk the h~ 11. to stick to the an1cnd~ to r· \~otr•.

~Ir. GIL\ YSCYX: If a man h:-td p1·opcrt~~ in ::\h_ =-roRG \X: The Chairman should a rnunicipalitr, lw Phonld be allo1Yed a \ ote call t·· order the 3.1inistcr for Education; it tiH'l'C. \Ylwn' the Lib,ral GoYcrnmcnt "'ere was he who was rc_-:~ponsible for the cross­ in po·n·C'r, thf',' ahva:.Ts ]i~h'n{'d to an:u~nd~ firing. Th(' a.rncn{__hnent \Yas one ·whi('h should l11('llts fro1n Labour n1cH \Yho ha·d been conM and Queen street, but with the country. The nccted \Yith local authorities for many years, taxes at the present time were more than and who h,qd spent their live_ in attending the people could pay. If the people in the mc,iings of councils, and looking after the cities paid a reasonable price for their food, affairs of the mnnicipality. would be de· they "ould be able to pay them, and thev barred from holding a seat in an:: local 'vould have no objection to paying thon1, goYerning body nndcr this BilL <:Jnce the but there were thousands of pounds of rates Bill was passed-and he hoped rt never due to local a-uthoriti's \vhich the people in would lw passed-it would deprive some of tho country could not meet. The Bill was our hest citizenf' of the privilep:e of taking a ,,imply a p;·oposal to give everyone the power share~ in the local goycrnment in Queensland. to tax them whether they paid themselves or not. They might have 100 navYics work­ 1\Ir. BAR~ES supported the anwndment ing in an area for the time being, and thev heeanse it would delete from this rovo· lutionar'/ Bill one of its most obnoxious might ~mpose heavy burdens on the people who had to stav there. and then leaYe clauses,· which was destructive of the rights tlwmselves_ On the other hand. re,idcnts, of indiYiduals as po~s\_ssors of certain proM su('h as sn1all business peoplP, hank 1nanagers, perties. It would haYe the effect of handing o,·pr lo('al goycrnn1ent affairs. to irrespon­ ciY.il S£~r\~ant.s, and others. in countl'y places pa1d only 5s. or 6s., whllst the struggling siblcs and casuals. Hon. members opposite farmer had to pay from £10 to £20. wanted to put a measure on the statute~book that would make for disorganisation and The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC INSTRUCTION : unrest gcncrall:v. It \YE!.S part and parcel I thought it was the struggling landowner in of their platform. It was the objective of Queen street. hon_ members opposite to nationalise every~ JVk BEBBINGTON: At any rate, the thing. It was not fair to suggest that a man Government allowed them to go on making with onlv a month', residence in the town their profits and putting it all on to some~ should ha vc the same power as the owner ?f ?ody else. Whilst they allowed the people certain property. The thing was not c(\mt· m Queen street to make 100 per cent. profit, able nor right. He was surprised that hon. they took the farmers' produce at half what members opposite did not see the effect of Mr. Barnes.] 848 Lo caZ .Authori~ir-s ...4..Lts [ASSEJ\IBLY.] .clmendm,nt Bdl.

legislation of that kind. It \vas not bOing to .franchise that \Vas good enough in connec­ lead to devclopn1ent nor initiation in enter~ tion v\·ith the ('lec:tion of 1nernbcr::: of Parlia­ prise. It \vould bt.) no cncourage1ncnt for a n:_~'nt ought to be good e"!.lough in connection man to enlarge his premises or to develop whh local gon~rnrncnt eleet,ions; but the the resources of the country or engage in c .Jn parison ·did not hold good. If. as the enterprises. There "\Yould be increased taxa­ result of excessive taxation b,y Parljan1ent7 tion, becau3c thf' men who would b.· elected UHl'n'"!p]' J·rnent and {.listref--" resulted, it \Vas to local aathorities \Vould be indifferent as to tuuch harder for a man to leanl the State whether tLe rates were 6d. in the £1 or ls. than it was to get outside the narrow bounds in the £1. of a local authority in the eyent of local lVIr. T. L. JOXES: Pure assun1ption on your taxation producing the san1o results. Hon. part. n1e!noers on the other side ,,neered at pro­ Mr. BAR::-.iES: The only object of the perty as if those who, by thrift and industry, hon. n1e1nbers in po\vcr to-day was to increase got, a quart-::r or a. half acre allohnent .and taxation. Hon. members opposite admitted hu]~t bomc3 for t,homsolve"" \Ycre the en0n1ies that they were out to do that very thing, of the connnunHy. Looking at th~ question bur by and by there would be a reaction. fron1 a broad point of view, he would ask If a rnan had no interest in his countrv, he \Yherc the nation would be during the pre­ could have no real interest in its de;elop­ ~cnt cri i'3, and V.'" here it would have raisOO ment. Hon. members on the other side had it·; \Yar loans from, if there ha·d not been introduc._d the clause with the object of ~uf'h a cJa ,s in the comrnunity? The hon. destroying property; they \vant0d to nation­ member for Bowen said that the extension alise ail property and all the results of of tlk franchise was a. sign of progress. industry, and this was their wa:: of doing it; i\'nu'cl it be p1·ogrhs to give a vote to the and a 111o::;t effective \Yav it >:vas. Bnt it \Vas be b? in the cndle, because that would cer­ well that the Gowrnrn~nt should know that tainlv be an extension of the franchise? they were going to defeat their own ends Tlwn~. the hon. member for :3Iackay talked and were not going to benefit the people of .'1 lot of claptrap about the human soul versus the counhy at all. <- o.uartcr of :?.n acre of ground. Had not the:· owner e;f a quarter of an acre of ground ::\Ir. PETIUE: It was .-cry little u.'C for P'Oi a soul ? But that was not the point. the Oppu~iliun to attempt to arg-ue thC' point, He· .d_id not suppo5c thert: was any town in bec:tu·" t:u~ I-h)me Scr:retary was nut likely Qu,- :=-n~lnnd ·where there was a larger propor­ to take any notice of them when h._, clisrc­ -J-·,,1: cf "\Yage-carncrs ·who, through their Luc:a l A.. uthoritics' Conference. thrift 2.nd e-nergy, were novv the own?"rs of could talk till the,- v.-l'rc t1Jt·il· o\'"'ll l1or.1cs. \Yhcn thev read tlus dis­ th·o £·cc, hLlt the GoYcrmncnt had c :.: inn, he felt sure that the,; \vould not con- up their 1ninch nut to accept any anlcnd­ 2ldcr it fair that the right t.~ decide y,-hcther rnenr~. rr::c nr--;·nlnent.s adyancecl b,\ the hon. their nrc>Pl-"'l~ti:·-.; should b~' t dnfisf'atc{·1 or not nlC''.lbCl' fer Dalbv \Yerc uuan:-,Y\T('rab~c, a1rl ,]wulc; b,; !Ht'JdP--1 m·rr +o rho'" \Yho mi,;·ht \Y,i';; nn n.:;:e anything t.:s they it f-.:a~-{ng CO:T'L j1!tn the pl8CC anJ c.tny tl;c·r:' ~'!_ fo\V t -,uld to C'OllYincc the r ~jclc. 1 !itr~ .. 1s rnd rLcn 1 aYtC: it f1r eYt r. They It \YH" lo-;,v do~:~, n Y. _,1;~ th:-~t no r:norc unj"c.:.. could ru~ ~hl· l-,,_' ('0" Thn p{.:::i ·;Du 0£ o~.n.ler~~ of 1 111 ,!--::. ,,v·n" C\'fl--.: \l·or~c'. :: ~011 \YhO · ·l·ricct~y in·e~P~lr~Yb'l<~n~.~-~~, t the \and jn -t-~~(' ccuntr~: hn::--\ to ·~r~h.ql,T"' tl-nJ ·yn're tht~ ri\-f'l' b:nJk would h::t\0 as ntud1 •_av a~· bo' tho'o living in the cities; they thP O'\':Jl(~r of the city propert:_-;T. ~The to 'Uffcr privations in order to acquire Lttcr alrrad:_v hnr1 pay hcav~,T land ta.x0s th, i1· farn1~. and now thev \Vere asked to to the State and Commonwealth, in addition hmxl owr the ri o:ht of sayiJ}g what should be to incon1e taxc" and hcayy local goY-ernn1e:1t l._lonc ·with their fanns t~ people who n1ight taxes, and these latter taxc'c could be in­ f'On1o into the district to-dnv and bP aone creasrd gn:at.I:~· by thPso il'responsib1os. They in six lllOnths. and nr~Ycr sec !-b0 placP £p:nin. ha.d been told of the people in the " ra c;" J:'\cthing rtFJfC' unjust than that could be trrvdc. a~ it \YaP. call0d, and of the big proM (_ unrci,TPcl, but it -was in keeping "~ith the fits they made, but thPy had to pay taxes if gc'ncral policy of the party '"ho were now in they rlid make those profits. The next thing YJOVi.TPr. 3-Iembrr'J had ~.poiu n of the old would be tl1at th0 nH,mbers nf the local autho­ ~on'1tn-. ;-nd nnjntcd out ho\Y ·wide \\'a~ tho ritic3 would want pa~Yll1Pnt for their : ., Hyan, H. ,T, KoEs, 33. Hartlcy, "\V. , Rmith J' Hunter , Thcodore Mr . ..:\_damson :Jlr. Kir}\an , Huxham , , \\-e llington ..:\rmfit,lcl , Land , .Tone", T. L. , \.Vinstanlcy Barber ., Larcombe Tellers: Jlr. Kinvan and :Jfr. retcrson. Bertram , Lennon , Carter , Lloyd , Collins , }lay :\oES, 16. Dunstan , }lcLachlan Mr. _\rmstrong Mr. Hodge Fihelly , McPhail , Barnes , Moore Foley , O'Sullivan , Rf'hbington , Morgan Free , Payne Bell , Petrie Gilday Pcterson , Bridges Stevcns Gillies , Ryr...n, D. , Corser , Swayne Glcdson , Ryan, H ..r. , Grn.~·~on , Tolmie Hardacre Smith , Gunn Vowles Hartley, W. , Theodore ,, Hunter , \Vellington Tellers: :llr. Corser and ),fr. M organ. Huxham ,. \Yinstanley Jones, T. L. PAIRS. TelleTS: Mr. Gilday and Mr. Free. Aycs~1fr. T ..J. Ryan, Mr. Stopford, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Poiioclc PAIRS. Koes~}[r. Rankin, 1\Ir. Stodart, Mr. Appel, and Mr. Booker. Ayrs~Mr. Rankin, Mr. Stodart, Mr. Appel, and Mr. Booker. Resoh·od in the affirmative. Kocs~Mr. T. J. Hyan, Mr. Stopford, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Pollock. At 10.30 p.m., Resolved in the negative. The CHAIRMAN resumed the chair. HoN. J. TOLMIE moved the addition, on Mr. MOORE moved the insertion after line 23, after the word "repeal," of the fol· " electors " on line 33 of the words " and lowing proviso :- ratepayet;s respectively> He submitted that this was only a reasonable thing to ask for. " Providc·d that no elector shall be In the shire he represented he knew of one eligible to be elected or appointed as a ratepayer who only paid 9s. in rates, while member unless he is an occupier or owner in the adjoining shire he paid £160 in rates, of rateable land in the area in respect and it was only a fair thing to allow that of which all rntes due on the thirty-fir,-t ratrpayer to elert whic-h shire he should have day of December immediately prior to n 1·ote for. otlwrwise there would be no vote the election have been paid." in C''•lll1Cction with the property on which he It was a very simple proposition, and one paid such a large amount in rates. In New whieh he thought would appeal to the Com­ South \Vales they had recognised that prin­ mittee. \Vhen the measure was before the ciple, and they g-aYe a m«n who paid r«tes House last session they discussed this matter, in two shires an opportunity to elect in 1916-3 G Jrf r. llf oore.] 850 Personal Explanation. [COUNCIL.] Question. regard to which property he would exercise his vote, and he saw no reason why he should not be allowed to do so. It was only .a reasonable proposition, because, if a. ma.n paid a large amount in rates, he should have a say in the spending of the money. There was no justification in giving a man who paid no rates a \"ote and not giving a vote to the man who paid a large sum in rates.

~1r. BEBBINGTO~ supported the amend­ ment. It would give the Minister a vote in connection with the property he was renting at the present time, and would give the owners of property in Queen street a chance of having u vote in the election of repre­ sentati'"' to the council.

Qucstion-'rhat the words proposed to be inserted (Jir. lffoore's amendment in clause 2) be so inserted-put; and the Committee divided:- AYES, 12. :J.Ir. ArnHttrong :J.Ir. :J.Iocre Rarnf's , .:\lorg:m , Bcbbington , Petrie , Bell , Swayne , Oorscr , Tolmie , G-rayson " Vov.-les Tellers: 1\:Lr. Barnes and Mr. Petrie.

NoEs, s-7. J\!r. Adamson Mr. Jonr-s, T. L. Arm field Kirwan Barber Land Bcrtram r.. arcombe Carter Lcnnon , Oollins , Lloyd , Cooper :iHav Dunstan J\lcLachlan ., Fihe!ly 11cPhail , Foley 0'.:-:ullivan , Free ,, Paync , Gilday Petrrson Gillies Ryan, D. , Gledson Hyan,R. J. Gunn Smith Hardacre rl'hPodore , Hartley, W. ~Wellington ,. Hunter " \Vinstanley , Huxham TPilers: l\fr. T. L. Jones and }fr. vVinstanley.

PAIRS. Ayes-Mr. Rankin, Mr. Stoclart, Mr. Appel, and Mr. Booker. NoPs-1fr. T. J. Ryan, Mr. Stopford, Mr. Wilson, and Mr. Pollock. Resolved in the negative.

PERSONAL EXPLANATIOX Mr. GUNN said he dc.sired to make a perwnul explanation. The CHA 1RMAN: Is it the pleasure of the Committee that the hon. member bo a.llowed to make a personal explanation? HoNOcllABLE ME11BERS: Hear, hear! Mr. GUNN: It was through inadvertence that I gave my vote with the Government just now. (Laughter.) The House resumed. The CHAIRMAN re­ ported progress, and asked leave to sit again. The Committee obtained leave to sit again to--:.norrow. The House adjourned at nine minutes to 11 o'clock. [Mr. Moore.