Queensland
Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]
Legislative Assembly
TUESDAY, 24 AUGUST 1943
Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy
Special Adjournment. (24 AUGUST.] Papers. 131
TUESDAY, 24 AUGUST, 1943. Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. E. J. Hanson, Buranda) took the chair at 11 a.m.
QUESTIONS. STORY BRIDGE FINANCES. Mr. DART (Wynnum) asked the Pre- mier- ''Will he give the following particulars in regard to the Story Bridge for 1942- 1943:- " 1. Toll receipts; '' 2. Interest paid on borrowed money; " 3. ~Working expenses; '' 4. Amount paid on upkeep and repairsW '' The PREMIER (Hon. F. A. Cooper, Bremer) replied- '' The il]formation desired by the hon. member is as follows:- '' 1. £25,723. No toll fees are collected for the use of the bridge by vehicles of the Australian or Allied Services. '' 2. £58,350. '' 3. £5,851, including salaries and wages of collecti11g staff-£1,997, ancl vVar Dam age Insurance-£3,R73. "4. £1671."
LoGAN BRIDGE FINANCES. ::ur. })ART (Wynnum) asked the Secre tary for Public Works- '' 1. What was the amount of the toll Teceipts of the Logan Bridge in 1942-1943 ~ '' 2. vVhat amount has been received c·ver and above the cost of the bridge? '' 3. ~Will he give favourable considera tion to the removal of the toll?'' The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS (Hon. H. A. Bruce, The 'l'ableland) replied- '' 1. £6,385 gross; £4,516 net. '' 2. The total net receipts 10 30 .June, 1943, were £146,221. The capital cost of the bridge was £27,906. The total expendi ture to 30 .June, 1043, on ~ho Pacific High way, upon which the toll is placed, was Permanent woTks, £472,670; maintenance, £206,690; total, £679,360. Of the above, onlv £21,000 has been charged to local autlwTities on account of perinanent works nnd £30,500 on account of maintenance works, repTeRenting a total charge of less than 8 per cent. to local authorities. The above expenditure includes the cost of con structing 33 new bTidges, but does not include expenditure by the Lands Depart ment on otheT peTmanent works. '' 3. It is not propoRec1 to remove this toll at the present time.''
PAPERS. The following papers were laid on the table, and ordeTed to be printed:- Report of the Agent-General for Que<:ns land for the year 1942. 132 Death of Mr. W. J. Vowles. [ASSEMBLY.] Death of Mr. W. J. Vowles.
Hcport of the Auditor-General under the said exactly what they were intended to say; Supreme Court Funds Act of 1R95 for he was a great help to Parliament in that the year J 942-1943. respect. Report of the Director, State Children I belieYe Mr. Vowles, while he was in this Department, for the year 1942. Parliament, attempted earnestly to do the work his constituents sent him to do, and he The following papers were laid on the stood valiantly for those things in which he table:- believed and in which he had a great faith. Order in Council under the Financial He was Leader of the Opposition for three Arrangements and Development Aiel Act Yery strenuous years indeed. I believe the of 1942. position of Leader of the Opposition in this Proclamation under the Prisons Act, 1890. House is as strenuous a position as there is in the House. It is necessary for him to Order in Council under the Supreme Court keep an eye on not just one department but Act of 1921. all departments of State, consequently his Order in Council under the Jury Act of time is taken up in very many ways that 1929. do not fall to the lot of the ordinarv member. l'vir. Vowles paid great attention tt; his work By-la>YS Nos. 434 to 436 under the Rail as Leader of the Opposition; he did that work ways Acts, 1914 to 1934. according to his lights, showing application, study, and versatility in the work he was called upon to do. DEATH 01-' Mr. W. J. VOWLES. I saw I\fr. Y mvles in Dalby n fn1 "·eeks MoTION oF CoNDOLENCE. ago. \Ye talked of Yarions matt. t•o, nncl I 'i'Ile PRE:rtHER (Hon. F. A. Cooper, little thought as I waved him .a:oorl-b.\e Bre:Jlcr) (11.S a.n1.), lJy lcaw, \\·ithont notice: that it would be the last occasion on which I moYe- I should see him. He was apparently then in good health. He was cheery and very '' 1. That this House desires to place on optimistic a bout a number of things. He rc•1rd its appreciation of the services had the outlook that he had in this House rendered to this State bv the late Willialll of a broacl appreciation of the views and .Tohn \lo\vles, Esquire, a ~foTmcr nte1nbcr uf opinions of other people, to whom he extended tJ,e Parliament of Queensland. the right of expression he claimed for himself. '' 2. 'l'hat Mr. Speaker be requested to eonvey to the relatives of the deceased J\!Ir. Vowlea was a. gentleman with whom gentleman the aboye resolution, together many of us hacl many happy associations, with an expression of the sympathy and nnd I feel that we all agree to this resolu sorrow of the members of the Parliament tion exprPssing our appreciation of the of Queensland, in the loss they have senires he rendered to the State and desiring snsta ined.'' you, Mr. Speaker, to convey the sympathy nnd sorrow of the members of the Parliament Mr. Vowles enme to this Parlimncnt as the of Queensland to his family. rep; esentatiw for Dalby during the 18th Parliament at a by-election on 26 April, 1911, Honourable lliembers: Hear, hear! succeeding Joshua Thomas Bell. He sat throngh the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nc1, and 23rd J.Ur. ThiAHER (West Moreton) (11.14 Pnrliaments, tlms rcpre,enting Dalby for an n.m.): On behalf of the Opposition I offer nnbroken period from 26 April, 1911, until '' l1oleltearted support to the sad rcsolntion R April, 1926, when \V. A. Russell defeated t hnt has been moved by the Premier extend him at the general elections. He was Leader ill.(!; our sympathy to the relatives of the late of the Country Party and Leader of the Mr. W. J. Vowles. I had not the opportunity Opposition clnring the 22nc1 Parliament, fTom of sitting in this Parliament during the period 1920 to 1923. that he was a member, but I knew the deceased gentleman very well indeed. His Mr. Vowles was a member of this House death is a distinct loss to the clisb·irt of iYhen I entered it in 1915. He >vas therefore Dalby. He had been always to the fore in in this Parliament during the stormy days every local moYement for the welfare of of 1 ~ll2. He sa>v Mr. Denhmn, Pn•mier, c•,omc that district and he succeeded a notable bac·k with a wry big majority in 1912, and member of this Parliament in the person of he saw Mr. Denham replaced by n Labour the late J. T. Bell. He was mayor of the Administration in l !115. He saw much of i lce town of Dalby for a number of years. He stirring days of the advent of a Labour was a very progressive and cultured man. Gowrnment into Queensland. I remember He rose in this Parliament to the position J\fr. Vowles particularly well during that of I"ear1er of the Opposition and carried out period, and he was a good member of the his duties to the satisfaction of the members Opposition. He was a lawyer and he had the 'li'hO supported him. He also enjoyed the legal mind and dm·elopcd the mental pre confidence of a great hody of opinion in this eision that comes from nssoeiation ,., ith exac·t State that constituted the Opposition of that principles and all of those things that make time. for v;rrert expression of opinion- and conect The late Mr. Vowles was also a prince of Jwss of speech. He was a valuable member good fellows. He mixed well with the of the Opposition in that he was very careful different people he came in contact with nnc1 to see that clauses of Bills and amendments was generally well liked and popular. His Address in Reply. [24 AuousT.] Address in Reply. 133 death was a great loss to the Dalby district. Mr. LUCKINS (Maree) (11.20 a.m.): First I am sure all in this House-and there are I wish to congratulate those new hon. mem many members of the Opposition of to-day bers who have taken their seats in this who sat with him and also many members of Assembly and to express the wish that their the Govemment Party-regret his death. 'Ne efforts will be in the interests of those thev of the Opposition associate ourselYes with the represent and of the State, · resolution and desire to express to his widow I deRire also to take this opportunity of and his Yery fine family, one of whom is at congratulating His Excellency the Governor present serving in the Australian fighting on his services to the State. He has played forc-es, our very deepest sympathy in their a wonderful part in the history of Queens time of sorrow. land. He is held in very high esteem and has Motion agreed to, hon. members standing been prominent in strengthening the link in silence. between the Empire and this State. ADDRESS IN REPLY. Discussion of the Address in Reply giyes EXTENSION OF Tll\IE FOR DEBATE. one the opportunity of bringing many matters before this House concerning those we The PREJUIER (Hon. F. A. Cooper, Tepresent. Amongst these is the welfare of Bremer) : I move- the individual and the family man. Th~ '' That unuer the provisions of Standing family man to·day should be receiving the Order No. 17, the period allotted to debate utmost consideration from both State and on the Address in Reply be extended to Commonwealth Governments, and it is to seven full sitting days.'' that point that I cle.sire to address myself Motion agreed to. to-clay. Much has been said and written a bout the PUBLIC CURA'l'OR ACTS AMENDJ\fEJ';T conditions unde1· which people are living in BILL. Australia to-day. The most important o1f these is housing. There is an acute shortage INITIATION. of accommodation for the man who is rearing The ATTORNEY·GE:XERAL (Hon. D. A. a family under trying and acl\-erse conditions. Gledson, Ipswich): I move- Statistics show that in the Commonwealth up '' That the House will, at its next sitting to 1933 there were 1,750,000 dwellings, and I resolve itself into a Committee of the Whol~ take it that figure excludes boarding houses to consi where the conditions arc not ideal for the The Secretary for Health and Home rearing of families. I hope the time "ill Affairs: Re has already done it. soon come when all families will have an opportunity of enjoying living conditions Mr. LUCKINS: My point is that the cost that will enable them to bring up their to the home-dweller is so hea,·v that the ohildren in ideal surroundings. All families service should be undertaken entirely by should be placed in 1l! financial position to the State. obt-:in their homes and to obtain the fee Let us look a't the subject from another simple of their land. angle. It would be logical to say that because insurance companies accept premium& and give Another matter that causes me great eon the public protection against burglary they cern is that of fire brigades, particularly should subsidise the police in order to suppress the cost to the people affected. No doubt burglaries. these brigades play a very important part in the protection of property and they may Tile Secretary for Health and Home be called out at any time during the day Affairs: They do, actually. or night to extinguish a fire. At the present time the. expenditure is borne on the basis Mr. LUCKINS: It is true that the State Government provide the Police Force. This is of two-sevenths by the Government, two a point that requires a little explanation. sevPnths by the local authorities and three If a person is covered against the risk of acci sevenths by the insurance. comparries. During dent by the payment of a premium to an the financial year just ended the cost of the insurance company, do the Government pay metropolitan fire brigade amounted to a subsidy to the company or impose a tax £142,799_, an increase of about £80,000 com on the insured person for the purpose of pared with the pre,·ious financial year. My giving him protection against accic1entf No. point is that the people of the metropolitan \V e must then come to the logical conclusion aren have to contribute very heavily towards that the State must provide the expenditure the cost of maintaining the brigade. For for a fire brigade to protect the people instance, an o\nler of a property pays his against the risk of fire. rates to the municipal council w)1ich in turn pays its share of !fire-brigade. expenditure The Secretary for Health and Home to the fire-brigade board. Then again, an Affairs: Why should the farmer, say, in owner of a propeTty pays his income-tax the Brisbane Valley, pay taxation to protect assessment and the Government in turn pay the ''Courier-Mail'' building or the premises their share of fire-brigade upkeep. Finally of a banking institution in Brisbane against t l1e insurance companies pay their share out the risk of fire? of premiums received from home dwellers. :Hy point is that having in view the henvy .:Jir. L UCKINS: For many years past the tnxation pnid by the \Yorker nm1 the home l\! etropolitan Fire Brigade has been fortified rbvelleT generally the entire cost of lJy the pa:·ment of subsidies by the Govem mnintaining the brigades be undertaken by ment and insurance companies. I am not tl1e State as an essential senice of the State. see.king any concession for the insurance com panies; I am simply asking that a public The Secretary for Health and Home service like the bTigade should be supplied Affairs: The insurance companies benefit by the State in the same way as it has h.v the work of the brigades. created the Police ::E'oree. Let us look at the subject from another ::IIr. LUCKI:"iS: They may not. For nngle. In England the Government pTovide all instance, n propcrtr may llot J,c incmred. Of facilities a,;·aiust war risk n nd damage. oour'C, the eo1npnnics have the benefit in this respect thnt if nn uninsurorl rropcrty Sccretarv for I-IcaJth and Home i.' al,laze the hriga(le will take whntcwr : We do ·here, also. measures nrc ncu•ssnry to prevent the sprearl of the fire to adjoining properties, "hich .:IIr. LUCKISS: I know the Government ma~· be insured. c1o, hut \\-ho is paying for it. :\ ot tlil~ State. The Secretary for Healtl1 and Home The Secretary for Health and Home Affairs: If the Government and the council Affairs: Yes. pnlled out, the insurance companies would maintain the brigades on their o1vn. liir, LUCI{D'S: :\To. The increased fire brigade expenditure of £80,000 that I men }Jr. LUCKINS: I do not know that they tioned is provided by the insurance companies, would. Of course, the insurance companies the local authorities, and tho State Gm-ern sell tlw COYCJ' in return for a payment of ment on a thrce-sevcn1 h ,, l\m-sc,·entlls, an ,j premiums. t>.<·o-sn2nths Lasis, rcsportiYel:'. The Secretary for Health and Home The Secretary for Health and Home Affairs: If your case is right then the Affairs: War damage insurance is a insuranre con1panics n1ust he ehal'ging Commonwealth function. exorbitant premiums. lUr. LUCIUNS: I am talking about the 1\Ir. LUCKINS: I do not know that they cost of maintenance of fire brigades, and I are. If they are, it is the duty of the will not ha've the issue confused. I will come Insurance Commissioner to see that they are back to war-damage insurance in a moment. r('dueerl. Re has power to do that. I want to clarify my argument. It is only Address in Reply. [24 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 135 reasonable and just that the State should There is far too much taxation in Australia provide the whole cost of the fire brigade. to-day in comparison with the value given in War-damage insurame is a matter that is return. lOausing some concern to property-owners. These are minor matters that are of fOil!<' 'l'o-day, they are paying the Commomvealth concern to the people who own their homes. Government, mH1er a compulsory Act, a pre The extra stamp dnty tax put on the insur mium of +s. for c1·ery £100 co';er ou their pro a nee of properties is another tax that should perty fol' dnn1:1ge against \rar. ThL nwucy 1s he eliminated. \Yhen the family man comes being accunmlate delay or Jag in canying out the work after the creation of employment on reforestation the termination of hostilities. projects, the construction of :m1_in .roads, A second committee with the Director of feeder roads and railways and ungabon m Employment as dwirman, deals with the various centres of the State, there is another organisation of the labour market and working factor that calls for attention-that is, the conditions generally. The third, of which the provi,ion of the necessary funds. It wiii i~e Public Service Commission is chairman, has for noted from the Speech c[elivered by HIP Excellency that this Government hnve tnken its funetion the re~employment after the war of sailors, soldiers, airmen, and war workers a step towards making this pro.-ision. '£he generally. The fomth, which is under the funds already created, YYith additional funds that YYill be obtained from th·' ConnuonweaHh chairmanship of the Dhector~Gmwral of Bducation, deals with youth employment-an Government and any direr: nssistance that important matter in this State. The fifth, they may give, will enable us to lo?k ~orwa~·cl presided owr by the Director of the B_ureau to a big progran;me of YYork m tlus Stnte m the post~war perrod. of IndustTy, deals with dewlopment of mdus~ try generally and its members YYCl'e chosen The Prime Minister pointed out just before for their gencTa l experience and knowledge, the decision of the people '"as made thn t lYe which will be YCry helpful in guiding the have already during the war period liftcrl council. It YYill be agreed that Yvith the the income of the Commonwealth from organisation I have referred to we can look £800,000,000 to £1,050,000,000 and he saw no forward to the future with at least some good reason why that new level s~ou:d be degree of equanimity and the knowledge thnt reduced. The Commonwealth, by JUdicwus the organisation has been built on n defined organisation and planning, should be abln basis to gnide not only the State GoYernmcnt to keep that income at a similar level during but nlso the Commonwr::tlth Go,'ernment in national projects that can be carried out with peace~time. If that can be done we can look advantage to the people, which includes th(' forward to a long period of prosperity at ndvantnge of the army of workers who will the termination of hostilities. The State need employment of yarious kinds at the end Government have, as I have alrea~y men~ of the war. tioned, placed £5,250,000 to the credit of the It may be well if I mention the interest Post-war Reconstruction and Development that has been taken in the elections of the Trust Fund to be used for the purposes I representatives on employment exchru1ge have mentioned. boards. The nominations numbered 207, of I wish now to refer to another Common~ which 73 were workers' representatives, 40 wealth measure the prices~stabilisation employers' representativps, and 94 candidates scheme which has a connection with the from the local authorities. The various cla'sses matter' I have just been dealing with. If of representatives were- any hon. member refers to the statistics or Industrinl union of employees 31 graphs dealing with the increases that have Industrial union of employers 14 taken place in prices in Australia, Canada, Local authorities 91 America Great Britain, or any other country during war period, he will find the same Of the loeal~authority candidates, 50 were ~ mayors or chairmen of their respective local story-a very severe increase in prices during authorities. the war period and a drop in pr~ces at the termination of the short boom penod follow~ The personnel I have mentioned can afford ing hostilities, resulting in chaos and confu ~ a good deal of help with respect to local sion as a result of deflation of assets, followed services in the districts they represent. I by a period of instability during which unem~ might mention, in passing, that I have ployment and distress were general. .That con~ received complaints from certain sources tha~ clition of affairs is brought about owmg to the parochialism may affect the operations of absence of anv effective system of price~con~ some of these boards, but provision has been trol. The Conimonwealth Government deserve marlc against such a possibility. If such commendation for taking up early the matter should oecnr, those concerned can send then of prices~stabilisation and instituting a system representations or suggestions direct to the more effective than the outworn and out~of~ State Employment Council, which will see date system that was established by the that the matters in question will have the J\Ienzies Government, under which the Federal desired attention. Prices Commissioner, the Prime Minister, or :Much can be performed by this organisa~ the Government did not have control, and tion for the benefit of this State in the post~ prices began to rise until we find ~hem now at war period. The fullest collaboration r 'F· index figure 25.1 per cent. m excess of between this organisation and the Common~ that ruling before the war. The old system wealth GoYernment will exist. As a matter pro.-idcd thnt when an iucreasc took place of fnct, that has already occurred. ·we in the cost of production of any article all the ha Ye been able to sup ply the post~ war pla':~ manufacturer had to do was to submit to the ning and reconstruction org:misation consb~ Co·mmissioner documentary evidencH to proYe tuted by the Commonwealth Government with that the rise had taken place, and then the the res~lts in proper form, of a prelimina~y Commissioner would permit him to add that survey of the possibilities in the 34 econom1c increase to the price of the article. No districts I have referred to. Government could control prices under such a Apart from the big possibilities of scheme with the result I ha\·e mentioned. In development, the e;;:pansion of exist~ng ind.us~ order 'to keep pace with the cost~of~living tries or the establishment of new mdustnes, increase, commensurate increases in YYages Address in Reply. [24 AuGUST.] Add,·ess in Reply. 139 had to be given, but immediately an adjust· shall now have a method of subsidising manu- ment was made in the "·ages of the workers <:turCTs, importers, and others, if necessaTy, that increase entered into the cost of produc the Govennuont bearing the cost. The con tion, and so we had the spectacle of the dog suming public will not carry the incTeasc ''Thirty-two plants were installed for it is to see a beautiful crop, estimated to cotton and yegetable irrigation, and "·ater yield two and a-half to three bales to the conservation work on schemes valued at acre, almost destroyed in two or three nights £73,000 embraced three major products for by grubs, caterpillars, or grasshoppers. bridge and storage works. .:\Ir. Muller: Have not the entomologists ''The policy d producing vegetables as been able to help in that connection~ near as practicable to centres of consump tion has resulted on large-scale production in North Queensland, both on the coast and The SECRETARY FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOY.:IIENT: They have done a great tablelands.'' deal of investigational work, and with proper \\' e ha Ye been endeavouring over the years co-operation between the farmers and the lo establish the cotton industry on a firm community it is possible to organise com :>nRis, and to date we haYe achieved much in mittees and patrols to discover the egg-beds that direction, but unfortunately other indus of the grasshopper and so destroy them in tries have developed and these tend to retard the larval stage by the use of a poison d1e progress of cotton as a new industry in mixture of bran and pollard before they can the Commonwealth. do much damage. Then there is another pest, the Jassid wasp, which sucks the sap :ilir. :iliuller: The price is too low, is it from the plant. Efforts are being made to not? produce a Jassid-resisting plant, and the The SECRE'l'AR.Y .FOR LABOUR t:m results have been encouraging. Of course, ElUPLOYJUENT: Many producers contend considerable time is required to cross and that it is. At one time they produced cotton re-cross various types before one can be fixed \Yhen the price was 3d. and a fraction of a that is capablCl of resisting such a pest. penny. The price was then increased to 4d. and a fraction, and it now stands at 5~d., My time has nearly expired, and in the hut many producers still contend that owing few remaining minutes I desire to emphasise 1 o the hazards of the industry this price is the importance of the organisation about not enough when dry-cultivation methods are which I said so much in the beginning of used. That matter will have to be in;-csti my speech. Tremendous problems will have gated. At present I am unable to say to be faced in the post-war period when the whether it is too low, but one meets other pro great army of men and women-the munition ducers who, like the wheat-growers, say that workers and the construction workers no\Y if they get one bumper crop in three they engaged in providing war-time facilities, such are doing very well, indeed. as roads, aerodromes, and dock improvements -return to civil life. They will have to be The point I desire to raise is the need for catered for, but the more one contemplates greater efforts to encourage the cultivation of the problems the more tremendous they r;otton by irrigation, for this appears to me appear. Unless our plans to cope with them to be the method that will have to be used in when the war is over are properly laid, this State. \Ve have done much on these nothing but chaos, unemployment, and dis lines. Already we have made available finance tress can occur. I have already pointed out to the extent of £73,000 for irrigation plants that Queensland, New South Wales, and other for farmers and for the building of small States have already m·oved in the matter, weirs that have conserved great bodies of and I feel confident that in collaboration with water. We shall have to continue our efforts the ~'ederal Government the necessary plans at a greater tempo in the future if we are will be ready to carry out a successful going to hold this industry and produc0 cotton organisation that will provide employment at a price that will convince the Common that will be of benefit not only to ihe workers wealth authorities that it is better to concerned, but also to the nation as a whole. encourage it than to import cotton from such cheap-labour countries as India. lUr. J. F. BARNES (Bundaberg) (12.29 In the Theodore area we have gone a long p.m.): I agree with the previous speaker that '"·'Y in developing this method of cotton since this House adjourned something has <"Ultiva tion. happened, and nobody appreciates it more than I do that the Curtin Government will be The GoYernment laid down a purely experi returned to power with a majority in both mental irrigation scheme many years ago at a Houses. considerable cost, but to-day the farmers admit that thev have gained from it a knowledge lUr. Clark: You do not mean that. of how to cultivate the soil under inigation. The key to the successful production in that lUr. J. F. BAU.NES: I mean that from t11e arcn is proper grading. The farmers haYe bottom of my heart, but it is how they got discovered that improper grading will lead into power that has me very 'orricd. I am only to disaster and poor results, but if the more worried perhaps than any other hm:· land is properly graded by com pet en t men member in this House, including the Opposi they can hope for a greater measure of suc tion, and it was their party that lost the cess, nnd so can carr~· on at the price that election. I want the Curtin Government to rules to-day. be in power, and I am worried only because There is considerable room for investiga of the way they got into power. On the tion b~· the experts of the Department of eve of the election we had Menzies and AgTieuHme and Stock of the pests that Fadden fighting. Time heals, we know. attack cotton crops. If there is one thing Having healed the sore, they went to the that disheartens a fanner more than another election. Mr. Fadc1en delivered his policy Address in Reply. [24 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 14t speech in Toowoomba and Mr. Menzies con· childhood endowment. Good luck to them! tradicted one of his staterr!'ents about post It is the Tory Government that gave the war credits. people child endowme.nt. Why should they Let us examine it from a common-sense take it away? Labour advertised that Labom· point of view. We will suppose that what protected the mother and child and put a Mr. Fadden said in Toowoomba was wrong. big photo of the mother and her baby in the The only discreet thing that :Mr. Menzies advertisement which suggested that they gave could have done would )1ave been to shut up child {'ndowment, but refrainecl from mention about it, that is, if Mr. J<"adden was \Hong. ing childhood endomnent, knowing full well I referred to Federal ' 'Hansard'' and I that it was the Tory Government \Yho placed found that Mr. Fadden had moved an amend childhood endowment on the statute book. Here ment on the floor of the House to the same is the point: ~Why were not big advertisements effect as the undertaking he gave in Too inserted from the other side pointing out that woomba. I also found that Mr. ::VIenzies had it was the }fenzies Government who gave the voted for the amendment moved by Mr. people c-hildhood endowment? Fadden. The truth, therefore, is unveiled, and what Mr. Faclden saicl was not wrong The Secretary for Publie Instruction: and was the policy of his party. Can it be Why did you not suggest it to Mr. :E'adden? said that Mr. ::\Ienzies was so small in his You were supporting him. make-up that he, in a spirit of spite, clis .lUr. J. 1<'. BARNES: I was not. I voted claimed Mr. Fadden 's policy on this subject fOT three winners in the election-Collings, because he had been elected his leaded No, Courtice, and Brown-but you voted for four that cannot be said, because Mr. Menzies is a "\vinners. man broader in character than that. If :Nir. Faclclen was wrong Mr. Menzies, as leacler of 'rhe Secretary for Public Lands: No-one his party, should have occupie M.r. J, F. BARNES: Overgrown boy, how Wilson was voting. That was a deliber speak when you are spoken to. When I went ate lie. I wrote a note and ga.ve it to the to the Prime Minister's office and was asked Sergeant-at· Arms to take to Wilson, ''Don't that question I told the Prime Minister this: let Coles get away with that.'' When he ''In the first place, it is confidential, as read the note he shook his head, indicating A lex \Vilson has not released it. I have he "·ould not bother about it, and he did not. never betrayed a position of trust in my Coles knew half an hour before the House life, and will not do it now.'' That was resumed after dinner, and although he said to put him off. I said, '' Furthcr he did not know how \Vilson was voting he mme, I do not know.'' On the second day, had told Fadden he was voting the way Colonel Rankin, of VictOTia, also asked me \Vilson was voting. That means he was not up to have a drink with the Prime :Minister voting \Yith the Labom Go\·enunent, but he and the same question was asked by Colonel was voting for \\·honwYer \Vilson voted for, Rankin and the same ans,ver given by me_ which ::\lenzies himself had ananged some On the third clay Francis, of Queens time previously-to put him in as a stone land, asked me up. I call him Fmncis waller. because he calls me Barnes. He invited We now have the position of the Labour me up to have n, drink with the Prime Government in Australia returning to power Minister. The same question was asked by "·ith such a big jum;p that it has shocked Aus Francis and the same answer was given. At tralia. Why~ the end of the third day, which was the crisis clay, I was talking to Artie Faclclen an(l I A Government IIIember: And you, too. said to him', '' Artie, you look down in the mouth.'' He said, ''As a matter of fact, Mr. J. F. BARNES: No, it did not shock I am very worried.'' I said, ''What is me. I had already said when speaking at wrong~" He said, "I have just had Coles Mount .Morgan that anything could happen in to see me and Coles is voting the way now. Menzies has betrayed his own party, Wilson is voting, and you know how Wilson mcd anything can happen nmY. The Govem· is \"Oting.'' I gave him the same answe.r. n,cnt capitalised on it. Good. luck to them! Hon. members will note that point, '' Coles That is their business. They see these people is voting the way Wilson is voting.'' get up on the soap box and say to them In other words, if Wilson voted Tory, selves, ''These people talk about having a Goles would vote Tmy. I left the national Government without having unity Prime Minister's office at a quarter past one amongst themselves.'' Naturally, they got that day. It was the luncheon adjournment. away with it. Good luck to them! Nobody I telephoned Wilson at the Hotel Kurrajong is more pleased than I that Curtin is in arid told Alex what was happening. I said, power in both Houses, but I am frightened, ' 'Coles is voting against the Government.'' l am genuinely frightened because I know Wilson could not be.Iieve it. After I in the last two years of two very important explained to Alex he then knew what I was things that have happened in this country. saying about Coles ,,.as concct. \Yhcn he One is that they have sent the farmer's son came back at lunch time, he told Colcs holY he to war, they have sent his labourer to war, they have sent his machinery to war, and was voting. .\lex 1\'ilson allowed me to release those who have any machinery left have no this information an hour ahead of anyone petrol to run it with the result that produc else in Australia, and I telegraphed the tion has slipped more than 33 per cent. The ''Telegraph'' in Brisbane with the idea of other thing is that we l_lave had 0olossal getting publicity out of it, and they did not strides by Communism in Australia. In mention my name. Furthermore, I told their Sydney they bought the ''Newsletter'' for representative in Canberra. The '' Tele £24,000 and were negotiating to buy a gm ph'' wrote me a very nice letter thanking building for £80,000, and they are trying to me for the information. However, they did spend the same amount of money in each not menbon my mune, so l missed out on capital city in Australia. \'\"here tlid they my publicity. get the money? As I said _IJcJ ore tlw intcrnationrJ financial Jew maugma tc Ilow ciid he make it po~->ilJle with members at R-ockhampton and say, ''My Govern of Parlimnent who knew nothing a bout bank ment have changed their policy. \Ve are ing':' \Yhen :Mr. Halston, the then manager 11ot borrowing from head office, we arc bor~ of the Qucenslanll National Bank in Bris ro ,ring in the tmvn \Yhorc we build the post b~ne. w,•nt South to try to stop the creation o :lee.'' Supposing the land cost £1,0011 of the Commonwealth Bank, he met Andrew anil the post office was to cost £10,000. He FisheT and Andre>v l''isher said to Kinv v ,JUlil then bonow £11,000 fTom the ban~< 0 '}!alley, ''How can you know more about j1· i{oe:~·~halltpton :~ncl pr'occec1 \Yith the pu.'· will not have anything to do with that; I will bank credit and £440,000,000 to support wheat, vote against you.'' 0 'Malley said, ''If you butter, meat and other pools. 'l'hat is the want that £100, say that you put it in Ready's amount we used in the last war, but in 1927 box. He has been away for a fortnight.'' did the Scullin Government use at least J ohnson then got up and told Billy Hughes £20,000,000 to eliminate the malnutrition of he had given notice of motion, that he had put the people? Ko. \Vhat happened in 19+1 it in Ready's box, and had forgotten about it. before the Tory Government were put out That is how the bank was established. It was of office"? They had proYided £70,000,000 through forgery. King 0 'M alley is now 90 national credit and thev >Yerc defeated and years of age and lives at 58 Bridport street, .John Cm·tin increnseJ the amount to Albe1t Park, Melbourne. During my cam £~2,000,000. In other words, a Tory paign it was said that he was not on my side. Goverm11ent implemented the Labour I have here a booklet written by King Party's platform. Hon. members opposite 0 'J\Iallcy, entitled: '' 'l'he Big Battle of King think that bank credit and national credit 0 ':\ialley. '' He has written on it: ''To aTe the same thing, but they are not, although brother ]'. Barnes, JVI.L.A., Queensland, from the £300,000,000 bank credit at least proves Brother King O'Malley, 12 July, 1943," also mv argument that banks can and do create a souvenir of the Trans-Australian Railway, credit. As far as the £300,000,000 is con inscribed: '' 'l'o Brother Frank BarnE'~, cerned, it has been lent by the bank to the J\I.L.}L., Queensland, from King 0 'Malley, people, and the people' have never pni \I ill soon accomnwdatc themselYes to the pretext, such as men refusin;.; to 'vork in coal parliamentary atmosphere. If they aTe guided production because of butter rationing, other by rea;,on and common sense they will become collieries ceasing woTk because a few wheelers useful members of the House. have been pulled out for militaTy duty, these We are wq grateful to His Excellency, hold-ups on the whaTves, go-slow and irritation Sir Leslie Wilson, for his fine example and strikes in the meatworks, are sapping at the splendid leadership in these gTim times. His strength and the Yitality of the Australian Excellency 11eyer spares himself. He displays mttion :mcl helping to reduce our -war output a wonderful amount of energy, and his instruc nnd "·ar elfol't. tive and informative talks on subjects of the Public Works: There day are pleasing to all of us who take an Queensland during the interest in the welfare of the State. war. 'l'he Federal elections aTe over, and I hope Jir. liiAHER: Of course there has been whateYer ill-feeling was engendered by them a ~trike in the meatworks and there have been will Tapiilly disappeaT. TheTe was intense other sioppage:o, but I must confrss Queens inteTnal discord and matteTs of domestic con land has been reasonably free from stoppages. eern were argued with such ferocity that even My criticism applies genemlly to the a great deal of the importance of the war Southern States, and there is no excuse. These and the fact that on the outcome of it depends strikes occur in defiance of the Industrial our very existence as a free nation sometimes Court Tulings and they are being continued in seemeil to be very far off. Election post defiance of the special Tequest of the Govern mortems are profitless. A vaTiety of causes ment of the time-the Labour Government eolltTibuted to the overwhelming success of therefore, theTe is no excuse foT them at all. the Cm·tin GoYernment, but it is useless to Now that 111". Curtin has been returned recount them. I should, however, like to pay greatly strengthened and with a mandate to a sincere tribute to an old friend and par govern, whether he intends to see that law liamentary colleague, Arthur Fadden, for the and oTder and discipline will prevail among tireless eneTgy and the gTeat fight that he the civilian people as in the fighting services put up thTOughout Australia. The political is the big thing. I sincerely hope that, defeat was ceTtainly not due to any defect strengthened as he has been by the suppoTt on the part of the leader who submitted a of the people, MT. Curtin will face np to this sound policy and who did not spaTe himself very grave responsibility. in his effort to win popular approval. There has been also a great deal of waste, l'\ow that the great political battle is oveT, muddle, carelessness, ani! extravagance in it is time foT all to pull up our boot-strings Federal affairs. The report of the Anditor and keep closely befoTe our minds the unwel Geneml of the Commonwealth indicates glaring come fact that there are hundTeds of thousands examples of loss, extTavagance, and waste in of Japanese fighting men in the island teni war·time government. There have been numer tories close to our shOTes and that our own ous exposures by the newspapers from time to liberty and fTeedom is secured only by the time of idle factories and annexes that are sacrifices of those lads who are fighting and eating up Government funds with no cor d~·ing foT us daily in the Pacific. It will be, Tesponding results in production. therefore, the supreme obligation of the new Government to see that our lads who have A notable example was the establishment of been n long time in the line are Tested, that a factory for the manufactme of anny pistols. ample reinfoTcements are sent forward to The cost involved was £264,000. After t"·o relieve them from time to time and that all years wmking only 90 army pistols were pro· duced. Several large munition factories have modern ~weapons, equipment, and food of good quality are made freely available to them. been erected at inland Australian counh'v town;,, but none of those inland country-towi1 A very great duty devolves on the newly munition factories are \Yorking at full elected Govemment of the Commonwealth to capacity. That means big capital inYestme11t see also that civilian indiscipline, lawlessness, in buildings ancl idle tools. There must be and defiance of constitutional authority by some fault in management and control \vhen organised gTOups or individuals are sternly these things happen. It is the duty of those suppTessecl. Strikes in war-time industries of us who haye some Tcsponsibility of goYcrn should be prohibited by law. Full powers mcnt to tT;· to keep the pressure on the should be given to the courts foT vigorous Federal Government to see that the vast sums :1ction against instigatoTs of strikes, and of mone)· that are flowing into the Common the funds and propeTty of any organisation " cnlth 'rrcawry to-day are used prudently, paTticipating in any strikes. Accmding to \Yihely, and in the inteTests of the people who competent authorities labom cost, that is, the hnvc to find money on a scale greater thrm cost of giving employment in waT pToduction, eycr before in our history. There should be approximates 95 per cent. of the total costs. a national stocktaking, for we cannot go on It has risen to that figme because of the \Ynsting millions of pounds of public money limitation imposed on the daily output in some in the muclrlle, carelessness, anc1 extra,·ngnnce war-time factories and also because of the that has preYailed in the last two or three innumerable stTikes that have occurred. I years. do not make these Temarks from any partisan The Federal Government have introduced a spirit, ::'>fr. Speaker, but because I feel that nnY 11rineiple in Austrnlinn eeonomy by the this is 011e of the things that aTe sapping the snbsidisation of foodstuffs and clothing. The strength of the nation to-day. The innumer dairy farn1er was appeased on the eve of thn able strikes that have occurred on the flimsiest election with a subsidy of £6,500,000. The 148 Address in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Address in Reply. consumer has been appeased with a subsidy 4d. a lb. for butter to give a fair standard of £2,000,000 a year with respect to tea. of living to the dairy farmer I cannot see 'l'he consumers of potatoes have been why that should cause runaway prices. appeased with a subsidy whereby they buy potatoes very cheaply and at much below the '!'he Secretary for Labour and Employ market value. There have also been reduc ment: It would increase the basic wage tions of sales tax on clothing and textiles. immediately. The employers have been appeased by the !Ir. })IAHER: That may be so. Teimbursement of the cost-of-living wage increase. All of these, on the admission of 'l'lle Secretary for Public Lands: Why the Prime Minister, as reported in the Sydney uid not the Butter Board increase the price ''Sun'' on 21 July last, will cost the com of butter~ munity £11,000,000 for the current iiscal year. .'. 1cHt of us have the feeling that we were ;)Jr. :MAHER: The whole matter was paying high taxation levies for the purpose taken out of its hands by the Federal Prices of aiding the war effort. It was not generally ( 'ommissioner. The Butter Board was never believed, and to-day perhaps it is not widely eharged with the responsibility of iixing known that millions of pounds of the tax pTicos. levies are being used not so much as a subsidy Tl!e Secretary for Public Lands: You ~n the producers but rather as a subsidy to sa icl that it was vested ·with complete consumers, as an appeasement-some people authority. might feel justiiied in calling it a bribe-to the consumers. Why should our tax funds lUr. MAHER: No. There was a body be used in this way? Why should £11,000,000 known as the Commonwealth Equalisation he used in this way to create an attractive Committee which voluntarily agreed to fix purehasing price for the consumers 'I The the Australian price for butter as between an~rage wage-earner to-day has never been the different States, but it had to take into in a bett'2r position to pay a fair price for account iirstly public interests and secondly ],i butter, tea, potatoes, clothing, textiles, in the competition from margarine. If it fnct anything he buys. Wages are higher nch-ancecl the price of butter Ly 3d. or 4d. a than at any time in my memory, therefore lb. then obviouslv such a sharp rise in price those who produce from the land arc entitled >Yould have moved hon. members representing to receive a straight-out increase in prices the consuming public in the cities to do some ·· ·· their products, an increase the consumer thing to counteract the Tise. Again, if the '.~.~ill p::i~.~ ir_._ the v:r.-:1~.iJi~u.,v na,Y rather than price or butter was increased, say, from that they should-the dairy farmer, for ls. 3cl. a lb. to ls. 6cl. a lb. there would have instance-be called upon to pay heavy taxes been a ...-ery wide gap between the price of first and then have a proportion of the tax butter to the consumer ancl the price at which returned to them in the shape of a subsidy. they coulcl buy margarine retailed at lOci. a lb. That may have been to the detriment of Tlle Secretary for Public Lands: You the dairy farmeT in the long TUn. Therefore, have said on previous occasions that the the whole system o.f price-fixation which dairymen were too poor to pay tax. applied in the early stages of the >YYithin the taxable range at all, anrl that is why the dairy farmer to-day is paying )Ir. j)IAHER: No. I am prepared to taxes on a high scale. Tinder this svstem assert to-clay that the subsidy is a consumer's of pnbsid;· the consumer is en.io:vin!! the on hsich rather than a producer's subsidy, hcm•nt of huying food for lf'ss money than :mi! that it is an appeal to the consumer it co~ts to proclnre on a :fnir liYint:; standard, rather than an appeal to the farmer. nnrl I rlo not think he is entitled to that The Secretary for Public Lands: In that pr~!ercntinl treatmcrt. If he is earning goorl respeet it has some merit. mmwv, wh.- shonld he not pay a fair price for his butter~ Jfr. })LUlER: Whatever benefit has been 'I'lle St>cretary for Labour and Employ confeTred on the daiTying industry by the mellt: 'l'l1e only other alternative is run sub~idy of £6,500,000 has been offset by the :1 wa~~ prices. innease in the cost of li...-ing, which, accord in[( to official figures, amounted to 22.5 per Jir. lfAHER: That has never been rent .. PO th2t the subsidy of £6,500,000 barely demonstrated to mv satisfaction. If the con overtakes the rise in the cost of living during sumer is called up.on to pay an extra 3d. or tlw 1;-ar period. It is offset further by the Address in Reply. [24 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 149 award that has been imposed upon the dairy which as everybody knows, has been reduced ing industry. in purchasing value to 15s. to-day as against pre-war standards. Therefore, we all must Tile Secretary for Public Lands: That face the unhappy fact, disagreeable as it may is the nigger in the woodpile. be, that our savings-bank accounts and our life policies are down 25 per cent. in value, )fr. )fAHER : I am not averse to while if any hon. member or any wage-earner workers in the dairying industry getting sells his home to-day for £1,000, it will be a reasonable return for their labour, but \YOl'th only £750 in real pre-war money. it is a very difficult industry in which to apply an award. Furthermore, competent 'l'he question is: can this inflationary move leaders in the industry have calculated ment be stemmecl or is it going to destroy us that to meet the present increase in the all? Everything will rise under the hands of cost of living, plus the effects of the Dairy the Government who have assumed control of Award, the price of butter to the dairy pro the Commonwealth as a result of the recent ducer on a butter-fat basis would have to be election. Credit-expansion is inevitable in in the vicinity of 2s. 6d. a lb. Although time of war, but as I pointed out a while ago butter rose to 2s. 6d. a lb. during World when I drew attention to the muddle, waste, War No. 1, nevertheless that is a very high carelessness, and extravagance that were price. If the dairy farmer is expected to apparent in the Ministry for Munitions and p1·oduce butter for war purposes, for the several important Pederal departments in the fighting services, for the civilians and for the last few years, unless something is done to needs of Great Britain and has to stand up prevent that extravagance and waste and pro to a dairy award, plus the increase in the tect the taxpayer there will be fresh credit cost of living, then the subsidy of £6,500,000 expansion, our money will be worth less, and falls far shOTt of what will be sufficient to the gradual spiral tendency in the cost of enable him to do the job. It is just as well living will accelerate, and the value of the that hon. members who think they have done pmchasing power of the £1 note will be a big stroke by supporting a subsidy of further depreciated. Therefore, it is neces £6,500,000 take that important point into sary for the new Government to have the consideration. national stocktaking that I referred to and make searching investigations into all forms The Secretary for Public Lands: The of government expenditure >vith the object Australian Dairymen's Federation recom of curtailing waste and seeing that value for mended that that should be done. every pound spent under war-time conditions lir. MAHER: I suppose that the indivi is received. dual dairy farmer is not greatly concerned There is one other important point I \Yant whether he gets the increase in price by way to mention. It relates to the problem of man of a subsidy or by way of a straight-out power on the farnl'S. This remains one of the increase to the consumer. The fact that he bmning questions of the hour. There has gets it is really all that weighs with him. been a notable drop in the number of When he got the subsidy it had strings employees in the rural industries. To-day, attached to it in the shape of a dairy I obtained this extract from the '' Tele award plus the cost-of-living rise. After graph''- he examines the pos~tion he finds, he '' Canberra: The Acting Commonwealth is no better off and in some instances, Statistician (Mr. S. R. Carver) said where the award rate ;has to be paid, that male employees in rural industry had he is worse off. I might inform hon. decreased from approximately 200,000 members, particularly the Secretary for before the war to about 120,000, while farm Public Lands and thP Secretary for Agri owners, lessees, and unpaid male relatives culture and Stock, that to my knowledge working on farms had decreased from several big dairy herds have been turned out 300,000 to 240,000. to grass because the owners feel that they cannot meet the terms and conditions of the ''\Vomen working in rural industry award. Therefore, so far from increasing either as owners, relatives, or paid the volume of dairy production, the subsidy employees, had increased from 20,000 to will have the reverse effect. ·whatever more than 60,000. influence hon. members opposite might have ''The number of men and women with the Curtin Government, if they want employed in industries other than rural and any increase in dairy production, they will see domestic at May 31 last was 1,885,000. '' to it that a better price will be offered for That is sufficient to illustrate the point that dairy produce than the present one in order there has been a very substantial decline in to cover those two points, the 22.5 per cent. the number of employees in the rural indus rise in the cost of living as disclosed by the T''iPs since the war began. official figures, and the cost involved under the dairy award. Of course, that effect is appa.rent in pro duction, but to-day there is an urgent call Despite all the government controls referred by the Federal Government, which is sup to by the Secreta.ry for Labour and Employ ported by our Secretary for Agriculture and ment by interjection, they have not prevented Stock, for people to grow vegetables. the deterioration of the value of the £1 note During the election campaign, every evening in Australia. The fact that subsidies are the radio flashed from different stations being paid and all manner of price controls calling upon the people to grow vegetables have been fixed has not prevented the in their backyards. Tremendous pressure is deterioration of the value of tho £1 note, being put on the people to grow vegetable~ 150 Address in Reply. [ A1-lSE:YIBL Y.] Address in Reply. bcc~ In Mr. Kemp we have a man with out living there than on the farms. Who can standing qualifications and ability and one deny them the right to leave the country for eminently capable of placing the poten· the towns and cities if the conditions there tialities of Queensland before that council. are more attractive to them~ I am firmly The Queensland system, with its central body of the opinion that if we are to develop the under the. chairmanship of the Hon. T. A. State it should be carried out by a policy of Foley, provides for the establis)lment of 35 developing ele electricity in our farming community in the ' ' At the request of the combined .Produc southern areas of the State must see the tion and Resom·ces Board the combined need for such action. I have a sister who Chiefs of Staff, organised a combined ship has a farming property at Tamborine and I building committee and appointed as chair· have there seen the benefits that have accrued man, Mr. W. F. Gibbs, controller of ship to it because the area was tapped with elec building on the War Production Board, tricity. The responsibilities of developing who is a designer of wide experience in electricity within this State should be with preparing plans for the mass production of the Federal and State Governments, not with ships an cl accomplishing standarclisa tion the local authorities, although I am sure of components from many sources for that they will receive the wholehearted assist inclusion in identical ships made in many ance of those bodies. For example, the yards. Maryborough City Council, the majority of its members being adherents of Labour, ''This committee works in close co-opera which swept the polls at the last elections, tion with the Maritime Commission, Navy is meeting the Premier to-morrow in deputa Department, War Department, British ancl tion, introduced by m'e, to lay before him Canadian naval and merchant shipbuilding plans having for their object the develop authorities and the War Production Board, ment of a district electricity scheme. If top-ranking representatives of all of which that is accomplished it will be a starting are members.'' point. It is an object in which the Govern That is very interesting-that in America as ment should help. It is not right that such in other countries it has been fonnd necessary problems should be the responsibility of any to set up similar committees having for their local authority. object the laying down of a basic plan It was rather interesting to note during whereby ships are constructed not so llllUCh the recent Federal elections that Federal for the profit as for the interests they are :Ministers realised the importance of func required to serve. In shipbuilding in this tions that hitherto have been the responsi country, it has been found from time to time bility of State Govemments. In the course tha.t when the ship is almost 1·rady for of a broadcast address the Mi11ister for the launching some alteration has been made in InterioT, Senator Collings, spoke of the plans the design, and a tremendous amount of time being prepared for the development of elec is lost in carrying ont the altemtion. The tricity, ·water conservation and irrigation, the men who are doing the work sometimes know building .plan, the health scheme, and various perfectly well that the plan sent up is not other matters. I am sme that the Federal in accordance with common sense, ancl often Government, with the aid and co-operation parts of the equipment are taken out and cast of State Gowrnments, will be able to accom aside. I belie"\ e if a committee similar to the plish many things that will bring happiness one set up in America was established and and contentment to our people. It is rather standardisation of shipbuilding was carried interesting from my point of view to observe out here as it is in America, Canada, and that it is the intention of the Commonwealth Great Britain, it would be of great advantage Government to accept their share of the to this country. If we arc to be a big ship responsibilities of such schemes. building centre, we shall have to develop our shipbuilding activities and put them on a Another of the things in which we are proper basis. 1'hat can be done by a co-ordi vitally interested in my electorate is the nating committee, with a designer as its chief development of the shipbuilding industry. We executive officer. To enable the plan to be are doing a very fine job there indeed. put into operation it is necessary for us at Maryborough to see that the river is dredged. ~Ir. Sparkes: You are worried about the elections. I hope the Federal and State Governments will come to the aiel of M:nr:·borough to see Jir. FA.RRELL: I am not worried about the river is dredged sufficiently to enable the the elections; I am worried about the future. work to be carried on. It is nece~sary that we I speak of the reconstruction plan we shall lay down plans, not for the present but for have after the war is over. It is expected the future, so that when the time comes, we that shipbuilding will go on throughout Aus shall be able to carry on where we left off tralia, and we have that assurance from the in the war period. \Vhen it is necessary to Federal Government. change from war-time production to peace time production we should be ready to do so. I was interested to read thp, following para It is posible for the national Parliament to graph in yesterday'~ ''Telegraph'':- lay clown plans so that we shall be able to "New York, August 22: Vital economies do this without delay. It is worthy of note achieved by American, British, and Cana that the Cm·tin Government had that in mind. dian co-ordination in effecting simplifica tion of ship designs have been explained by From time to time sta tcments have been Mr. Donald M:. Nelson, chairman of the made by the Prime Minister and other U .S.A. Production Board. responsible Ministers that blue-prints for the development of the Commonwealth are ready, ''A few months ago, he says, it became and we are particularly interested in those evident that the war, which the Allies were that apply to Queensland. We have been told getting well prepared to win on land and from time to time that the development of in the air, could well be lost meanwhile our road system, electricity, ·water conserva at sea unless extraordinary measures were tion, and irrigation will do much towardR taken immediately. the progress of our State. I agree, ns I 154 Addre88 in Reply. [ASSEMBLY.] Addr688 in Reply. think most people would, but it is first of Mr. FARRELL: No, they will not suffer all necessary to make proper plans and to at all. lay down the basis on which the payment JUr. JUaher: From engines in the South? for putting such plans into operation is to be made. Up to the present the policy has Mr. FARRELL: They will not suffer at been for the States to ''carry the baby'' so all. Walkers Limited suffered because t,he then far as their own development is concerned, Government decided to withdraw the pro but from day to day we see that idea chang tective tariff that had been promised by the ing and the Federal Government preparing Hon. Frank l<'orde when Minister for Cus to accept their share of such responsibilities. toms, and they were not able to proceed with In to-day's issue of the Brisbane '' Tele their scheme. They had to wipe off the whole graph' '-I appear to be getting all my thing bee a use of the very thing t,he hon. information from the ''Telegraph' '-there is member is suggesting-the influence of an item that affects my area. It reads- Southern interests. The interests in the South were so powerful as to be able to '' Plans for Oil Engine Production. persnade the Government to wipe out the pr.o ''Canberra: Plans to develop Aus tectiv·e tariff; they could obtain machines tralian production of internal combusti.on overseas on more favourable terms than engines for war purposes and essential from Walkers Limited. needs were furthered last night with the You know, Mr. Speaker, that the amount establishment of a control committee olf influence that Southern manufacturers which will take charge of the importation, and interests have been able to bring to bear production, and distribution of the engines. on previous Governments has been enormous, ''Annexes will be set aside for their andl that this to a large extent has retarded manufacture for launches and dairies as the development of industry in this State. well as de{ence undertakings. The com Knowing that, you can realise only too well mittee will take a census of stocks of what would happen if we allowed the engines in the country, will design standard Southern interests to interfere with the types and determine the number to be Queensland timber industry. You know that manufactured, but reserves will be built if they had their way they would import up. T,he committee can acquire private softwoods because it would be to their advan engines.'' tage to do so, and they would have no regard whatever for the Queensland timber industry. That is interesting from our point of view, Anyone who knows a11ything about timber as it affects Walkers Limited of Maryborough. appreciates the magnificent job that is being During the period from 1929 to 1932, when done by Queensland sawmillers for the war the Scullin Government were in power, effort. A marvellous job is being done in Walkers Limited decided to embark on the my district simply because. we have .the construction of Diesel engines. They sent some capacity and the plant to do It. At one time of their best engineers to England to gain a even our Main Roads Commission would not first-hand knowledge oif the building of such accept certain types of timber for bridge engines and whilst they were overseas the construction and other purposes, but to-day compan'y took up with t.he then Government it will accept alm·ost any timber. The vast the question of a protective tariff to enable resources of Fraser 's Island are being them to build these engines against over exploited to the greatest possible extent, and seas competition. The present Minister for we are able to use hardwoods also from our the Army, who was then Minister for Customs, own district. The timber industry has so gave every possible encouragement and assist developed that it is meeting the requirements ance to Walkers Limited in developing their of the Defence Department from time to project, but unfortunately for Queensland time. the Scullin Government were defeated and the friends of the Opposition wiped off any Mr. Macdonald: Hardwood is getting intention of helping Queensland to estab v·ery scarce. lish an industry that in the present crisis Mr. F ARRELL: Yes. It has been getting would have been exceedingly valuable. At scarce for years, and so has pine, but it must the works of Walkers Limited are to be found be remembered that we should not do what our some of the ablest engineers in the world. forefathers did in the building trade. At Their work is outstanding and had encourage one time we thought it necessary to have ment been given the project, the production certain types and sizes of timber, both soft of this class of engine would have been wood and hardwood, for house-building. We developed to such an extent that it would do not need them tu-day, because of the have been invaluable in the present crisis. great work done by the Commonwealth I am not one of those who contend that oil Research Committee in connection with the engines should be made available for farmers drying process tha.t is adopted by sawrnillers for irrigation because, as I have already in general throughout the State. stated, I put my faith in the development of electricity. That should be the first con When the chairm·an of the Housing Oom sideration, and the development of engines mission visited Maryborough the other day such as Diesels, should come later. How he was keenly interested in the building of ever, we must not stop progress for any con hardwood houses, and no hardwoods are sideration. better than those in our district. Our hardwoods are unique in that they have many JUr. Maher: Are you clear that Walkers fine qualities that make them eminently suit Limited are going to suffer? able for walls and flooring. I was pleased to Address in Reply. [24 Ac;aus'l'.] Address in Reply. 155 notice that the Commonwealth Government appreciated by farmers generally. During are willing to accept responsibility for the Federal election campaign it was said refor:station. Our State Department of that such a payment was a mere pittance, and Pubhc Lands has ueveloped the timber indus so it might be in relation to future develop try to a maTvellous extent and has carried ment, but it has to be admitted that the on reforestation work that has proved of Federal Labour Government were the first incalculable benefit during this war period. GoveTnment to endeavour to place the dairy That work is being continued, and the present ing industry of Australia on a proper basis. <_lovernment ,propose to carry it on in the It is not true to say that the dairy award is future. When the war is over we shall be responsible for compelling dairy farmers to compelled to do a great deal for the devclop sell their properties. The only people upon n;'ent of our softwoods, othenvise American whom it may have an unfavourable effect are timbers will be coming into the country. those who have let out their properties on :Mr. l1Iacdonald: Our hard woods will cut the share-farming system. The farmer who out before our softwoods. owns and uses his own farm with the help of his family is reaping the benefit of the sub lllr. F ARRELL: I do not think that that sidy and no-one can deny that it is greatly will happen, but it will be necessary to appreciated by him. I know that of my own educate our people to use haruwood to a knowledge, because during the Federal election greater extent than they do at present in campaign I had some doubt whether the dairy the building of homes. If they userl hard farmers weTe satisfied with the position, and woods to the extent to which they could be upon making inquiries from them was told used in home-building, much \Voulcl be done that they were more than satisfied with the to relieve the position that will confront us treatment that had been accorded to them. It when the war is over. No-one will deny any should always be borne in mind that the individual the right to own his own ·home. Curtin Labo.ur Government were responsible W c all realise that the person who has an for the subsidy, but it should not be forgotten equity in his town through owning his own tlmt the people responsible for the report and home makes the best citizen of all, for he recommendation to Mr. Scully, the Federal stands fom-square behind the dewlopmcnt Minister for Commerce and Agricultme, that of his town. such a subsidy should be paid, are the very One cannot help feeling thankful for the people who are responsible for the develop help that has been rendered from time to ment of the dairying industry throughout the time by Ministers of the Crown ancl ]'ederal Commonwealth to-day. That is to say, the departments in the development of the timber people intimately associated with the industry industry. I desire to pay tribute also to the recommended to the Comrnomvenlth Go\·ern work of the Liquid ]'uel Control Board. ment that they should allot the subsidy. If No-one has a gTeater right than the officers we are to help the mnn on the land he of the Liquid Fuel Control Board to the must be kept in a contented frame of mind thanks of tho timber industry for "lvhat they in the same wav as the intlustrial worker is. have done. I know something about it, After all, who has a gr0ater Tight to live in because I am continually in close touch with peace and contentment than the man on the the industry. lnnd ~ He is entitled to the same rights as If it had not been for the sympathetic the industrial worker. They all have the treatment extended to the timber industry by smne right to liYe in peace and contentment the Liquid Fuel Control Boarrl the industry and one of the import::mt "·ays in which we would not have been able to do the job it has can enable them to carry on in a contented done. l''irst of all, the timber has to be mamwr is to give them the same amenities felled in the forest, and if we are not able to of life as those enjoyed by other sections of haul thP log timber from the forest to the the community. If we can de"l·elop our road mills, we shall not bo able to carry out the system and electTicity so as to give farmers defence contracts for timber. It has been and nual workers generally the same amenities suggested by many people and by the hon. or some of those enjoyed b;· people who live member for Stanley to-day that "1\·e may be in the cities, we shall go a long way to>l·ards faced with a shortage of hardwood timber, but creating a happy and contented rural popu that fear has been exrnessed for many years lation. and we are still able to supply the timber I was interested in the question usually required. I sincerely trust that the Com addressed to witnesses by members of the monwealth Government will accept their Federal Housing Commission during its visit shaTe of the responsibility for developing the to Maryborough when it was asked if timber resources of the State and in carrying refrigerators would not be of great benefit in out reforestation. Timber is a national asset a home. They certainly would be of great and whateYer money is expendGd in reforesta benefit, hnt first of all let us extend elec tion will be returned later for the benefit of tricity to the yarious nnal areas and other the community. things "IVill follow. I repeat that the people Much criticism has been levelled against the in the country have the right to enjoy the policy of the Commonwealth Government in same amenities of life as those who live in paying subsidies to industries, but whatever the city and if we can provide them we shall may be said for or against it, it has to be have done much towards the creation of a admitted that the Federal Government are contented people who will strive to bring about endeavouring to stabilise hoth prices and the maximum development of this great State. wages .. The subsidy of £G,500,000 allotted to Debate, on motion of Mr. Power, adjourned. the dauying industry of Austr·alia is greatly The House adjourned at 3.46 p.m.