15 December 1914
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
(15 DECEMBER, 1914.] 227 Hon. D. G. Gawler: No. ltoislAItive Eseenblp, Hon. Sir E. H. Wittenooin: It is per- Tuesday, 15th'Decemnber, 1914. missive, not mandatory. The COLONIAL SECRETARY: Every year dozens of persons are ar- Papers presented ... .................... 22 rested and charged with being of un- Agroewent With the Austrolia Waes:~opedWan Comnpany...............227 sound mind, and, if the doctors were to be Electoral Departmect...............228 Urgency, Motion: Psaling Industry at Broome m2 called in every ease, the expense would Questione: University Students...............265 Works Dept., Ftoad Constuction, BuIIvIo~k 206 be heavy. Mr. Gawler's amendment, Mlining Leases. Golden Mile, renewal ... ..... 267 however, I consider quite reasonable. If Financial Statement...................." Bills- Trades Disputes, n..................207 a man is in a condition to say that he Grain and Foodstuff, Coca.................207 desires to have the doctors called for the purpose of cross-examination, then it is a pretty fair indication that the man The SPEAKER took the Chair at 4.30 is not of unsound mind. p.m., and read prayers. Hon. J. F. CULLEN: I should cer- tainly have asked the Committee to re- ject the entire clause but for the cir- cumstance that then the Bill would not PAPERS PRESENTED. accomplish what the Minister desires, namiely to prevent a crop of litigation. By the Minister for Works: 1, Regula- As amended, the clause will meet that tions, under the Workers' Homes Acts, difficulty, and also meet the intention i9.11, 1912, and 1914. 2, Report of Public of the Minister, and, further, meet Works Department for the year ended pretty fairly what I desire. 30th June, 1914. Amendment put and passed; the clause as amended agreed to. Clauses 5 to 10--agreed to. PAPER-PROPOSED AGREEMENT Title agreed to. WITH THE AUSTRALIA WHALING COMPANY. Bill reported with an amendment. Hon. R. H. UNDERWOOD (Honor- House adjourned 5.32 p.m. ary Minister-Pilbara) [4.37] :I beg to present a copy of a proposed agreement between the Government of Western Australia and the Australia Whaling Company, Limited, and I move-- That this paper do lie upon the Table of the House. Air. HOLJMAN (Murchison) [4.38]: Before that motion is carried, I wish to ask the Premier whether he will place upon the Table of the House the whole of the papers connected with this matter before the agreement is completed or a license is granted. The PREMIER (Hon. J. Scaddan- Brown Hill-Ivanhoe) [4.39]: Yes; if hlln members think it advisable, I will lay the whole of the papers on the Table as desired. Question put and passed. 228 228ASSEMLY.] PAPERS-ELECTORAL DEPART- stances, I claim that the charge of in- MENT. activity and delay against me does not The ATTORNEY GENERAL (Hon. lie. T. Walker-Kanowna) [4.40]: Last Mr. SPEAKER: Order! By what Thursday evening the member for right does the Attorney General claim to Perth (Hon. J. D. Connolly) raised read that statement? a question in connection with the The ATTORNEY GENERAL: I claim laying on the Table of the House the right to put the public in full of certain papers connected with possession of the facts in relation to the the Electoral Department. I intend rolls with respect to which a charge has to lay those papers on the Table this been made. afternoon, and in addition I intend to lay Mr. SPEAKER: The Attorney Gen- on the Table a f urther paper from the eral must get the consent of the House Chief Electoral Officer which reads as to the reading of that statement. The ATTORNEY GENERAL: I follows: - understand it is with the consent of the The Hon. the Attorney General. House I am reading it. Perth District election, October 1914- M1r. SPEAKER: I have no such un- Hlon. J. D. Connolly's remarks in the derstanding. Legislative Assembly ro :-1, With fur- The ATTORNEY GENERAL: Then I ther reference to the above subject and will ask the consent of the House to my the remarks submitted to you, dated completing the reading of the statement 10th instant, I beg to furnish herewith which I have begun. the following supplementary statement: Mr. SPEAKER: Is, it the pleasure of -2, So far as Mir. Connally's complaint the House'! of delay in attending to this matter is Members: Aye. concerned, I beg to say that the marked The ATTORNEY GENERAL: The roll was not handed to me by Mr. Con- statement continues-- nally until some time after the elec- 3, With regard to Mr. Connolly's inter- tion; I am not sure of the exact date, jection that he (Mr. Cannolly) was not but would say that I obtained access to surprised that the Electoral Officer had the roll some time in the beginning of visited certain residences and found November; and I then informed Mr. people still there, I can only say that Connolly that it would not be possible in view of the fact that 156 names out to commence inquiries at once, as there of 3S9, or nearly 50 per cent, of those are always certain important matters who voted, were found npon inquiry which required the attention; of the being made to reside at the very address whole staff immediately following upon for which they appeared on the printed election day. Moreover it must be re- roll; and as these 156 names did not in membered that before commencing the one instance represent a duplication- actual inquiry it was necessary for mue such having been already eliminated to ascertain the names of the individual from the list-I cannot understand electors-out of the total number of that Mr. Connolly was not surprised 2,439 marked names-who actually at such result, as the departmental in- voted at the election. This entailed quiries in fact proved that his canvass comparing each of the 2,439 names was so inefficient and incorrect that with each of the 14 electoral rolls used half the number of electors he com- at the Perth election, which naturally plained about, and in regard to whom occupied a considerable time as it was inquiry was made, actually were found necessary to make absolutely certain to reside at the address given an the elec- that no mistakes were made in this toral roll, whilst 70 others were found respect, in order that inquiries might to reside at other addresses within the be limited to the persons who were Perth electoral district, which, accord- actually concerned. Under the cireum.- ing to his own statement, had been [15 DnasmH, 1914.129 229 thoroughly canvassed by his friends. The Premier: That is not a matter of (See Mr. Connolly's letter to me of the urgency. 7th instant.) 4, As already stated, Mr. MALE: It 'will be before I have the inquiry is proceeding and a com- finished. I would ask whether I, repre- plete statement will be submitted at a senting one of the big industries of the later stage; but the remaining stages State, have received that courtesy which are more tedious, as they entail cor- a member expects from the Premier. I respondence with country districts and noticed in last evening's paper that the inquiries through the pollice in various Premier, in reply to an interviewer, said parts of the State. (Signed) E. Sten- that the appeal made by the mayor of berg, Chief Electoral Officer. Broome to the people and the Govern- Imove- ment in regard to the position of the That these papers do lie upon the pearling industry would be considered by Table of the House. Cabinet that afternoon. I found also that Question passed; the papers ordered the Honorary Minister (Mr. Underwood) to lie upon the Table. in reply to an interviewer, made remarks very much to the same effect. Those re- marks would make it appear as if this URGENCY MOTION-PEAING wag the first time the matter bad been INDUSTRY AT BROOME. brought under the notice of the Premier Mr. SPEAKER: The member for or of Cabinet. I wvish to say to the Kimberley (Mr. Male) has notified me House and through the House, by med- that lie intends to move the adjournment ium of the Press, to the public generally, of the House in order to draw attention that such is not the case. It is within the to the crisis which has occurred in recollection of members that war broke Broome. So that the matter may be out early in August last. On the 6th placed in order, it is necessary that when August, when speaking on the second the hon. member rises to speak seven reading of the Control of Trade in War other hon. members rise in their places Time Bill, I suggested that the industry to signify their support of the motion. which I represented -would probably be Seven members having risen in their one of those hardest hit in Australia. I places, also referred to the fact that the shell Mr. MALE (Kimberley) [4.44]: In trade throughout the world was practic- moving the adjournment of the House, I ally paralysed. Although I did not know wish to state that I do so after mature at that time, I thought it was quite pos- consideration and fully realising the re- sible that before long it would be my uin- sponsibility which I am assuming at this pleasant duty to ask the Treasurer of the particular period, when Christmas is so State to come to the assistance of the near anid the time of this House is of pearlers in Broomne.