Legislative Assembly Hansard 1943

Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 1943 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Questions. [1 SEPTEMBER.] Art Union, &c., Bill. 233 PRICES AND SUBSIDY, WARM MILK. Mr. DECKER (Sandgate) asked the Secretary for Agriculture ancl Stock- '' 1. Has he macle any representatations to the Commonwealth authorities regard ing the restoration of the price margin of warm milk over cold milk in the metro politan area, and the guarantee of a sub sidy for a minimum period~ '' 2. If so, what representations has he macle and what reply (if any) has he received~ ' ' 'l.'he SECRETARY FOR AGRICULTURE ANn STOCI{ (Hon. T. L. Williams, Port Curtis) replied- '' J. and 2. I have made no representa tions to the Commonwealth authorities in the direction indicated, firstly, because no request of such a nature has been made to me, and secondly for the reason that the fixation of lJl·ices is not a State function. However, I have been in <frequent contact with the Deputy Commissioner of Prices with a view to avoiding dislocation of sup plies of warm milk to the consumers in the metropolitan area. I am assured by the Deputy Commissioner of Prices that the represrntntions of the warm milk vendors were promptly taken up with the Common wealth authorities and are still the subject of discussion with those authorities,'' PAPER. The following paper was laid on the table- Bv-lnw No. 437 under the Railways Acts, ·Hll4- to J 93-1. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACTS AMEND MENT BILL. INITIATION. WEDNESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER, 1943. The ATTORNEY-GENER\L (Hon. D. A, Gleclson, Ipswich): I move- Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. E. J. Hanson, " 'l'hat the House ·will, at its next sit Buranda) took the chair at 11 a.m. ting, resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole to consider of the desirableness of introducing a Bill to amend the QUESTIONS. Friendly Societies Acts, 1913 to 1942, in MORTALITY TABLES, 1913-1939. certain particulars.'' Motion agreed to. lUr. L. J. BARNES (Cairns) asked the Secretary for Health and Home Affairs- " \Vhat percentage of deaths occurred ART UNION REGULATION ACTS in Queensland, on a population basis, AMENDMENT BILL. bet-ween the ages of 1 to 20, 20 to 40, 40 to 60, and 60 to 80 years (excluding INITIATION. deaths directly caused by accidents) dur The AT'l'ORNEY -GENlmAL (Hon. D. A. ing the years 1913 and 1939 ~'' Gleclson, Ipswich): I move- The SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND '' That the House will, at its next sit HOJIE AFI<'AIRS (Hon. E. M. Hanlon, ting, resolve itself into a Committee of Ithaca) rep lie cl- the Whole to consider of the desirableness ''The information is being compiled, and of introducing a Bill to amend the Art if the hon. member asks his question at Union Regulation Acts, 1930 to 1941, in a later elate the information will be sup certain particulars.'' pliec1.'' ::\fotion agreed to. 234 Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. [ASSEMBLY.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. SUCCESSION ACTS AND ANOTHER ACT give hocpital authorities the opportmiity of AMENDMENT BILL. making provision in their own areas for incurable cases and the comfort and eare of INITIATION. aged persons. At the present time only two The AT'.I'ORNEY-GENERAL (Hon. D. A. institutions are conducted by the State in Gledson, Ipswich): I move- Queensland for the care of the aged who have no relatives to look after them or who '' That the House will, at its next sit· decline to have the care of relatives, one at ting, resolve itself into a Committee of Charters Towers and one at Dnnwich. It the Whole to consider of the desirableness would be far more suitable and far more of introducing a Bill to amend the Succes comfortable and cheerful for the old people sion Acts, 1867 to 1942, and the Public if they could be cared for in the locality Curator Acts, 1915 to 1942, each in certain in which they have lived and in which they particulars.'' would have their friends. Motion agreed to. li'Ir. Decker: That would be a new cost on hospitals boards~ HOSPI'l'ALS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Tlle SECRETARY FOR HJEAL'l'H ANn INITIATION IN COMMITTEE. HOJfE A.Fl'AIUS: That is so. If a hos (The Chairman of Committees, Mr. Brassing pitals board extends its activities in that ton, Fortitude Valley, in the chair.) direction the cost will be borne under the Hospitals Act as it stands at the time. The The SEC.RE'l'ARY FOR HEALTH AND Dill does not in any way prevent the Govern HOJIE XFI<'AIRS (Hon. E. M. Hanlon, ment from giving direct assistance to hos Ithaca) (11.10 a.m.): I move- pitals boards for the purpose if the Govern ment decide that is the proper cour~e to '' That it is desirable that a Bill be take and the finances of the State enable it introduced to amend the Hospitals Act of to be done. Hon. members will appreciate 1936 in certain particulars.'' the fact that the present Government have 'l'he main clause in the Bill provides for the given vast sums of money to hospitals reduction of the proportion of the cost of boards for building purposes apart altogether hospital administration now being borne by from the precepts the Government have to local authorities. Since the passing of the pay under the law, and there will be Hospitals Act in 1923 the cost has been nothing to prevent the Government of the borne, as to 60 per cent. by the Government rlay-I presume that in the future it will and 40 per cent. by the local authorities. be this Government-from continuing to The Government took the matter into con help hospitals boards in the p-encrous and sideration at the beginning of the present considerate way in which we have treated ~nancial year and decided that the propor them in the past. Furthermore, there is the tJon should be altered. They thought it prospect that some share of hospital cosh; would he better to bear 75 per cent. of the will be borne by another Government and cost of hospitals, leaving 25 per cent. only that consequently the hospital authorities to be borne by the local authorities. mav be able to enter into a wider field of work. The rather unusual course was taken of announcing the proposal of the Government Undoubtedly the care of the aged and the ~t the . t~me . the decision was made, that is, incurable, particularly the incurable, should m antic1patwn of the approval of Parlia be somewhere in the vicinity of their rela ment, . but the _Government hail every reason tives. When a person is suffering from an to believe Parliament would endorse it. We incurable disease, at that time in particular did not expect . :'ery strenuous opposition he or she desires to be near relatives, and the from the Opposition. It was necessary to relatives desire to be in touch with the make the announcement at the beginning of patient, and notwithstanding the fart that the financial year so that hospitals boards the Diamantina Hospital in Brisbane has and loca~ governing bodies could prepare been one of the outstanding institutions of then estimates for the current financial the Commonwealth and I believe in the year. Had it been delayed until Parliament world for its care of the incurable, I hold dealt with the matter, all the work of pre the opinion that a hardship was inflicted by paring the estimates would have had to be bringing such people from the North, the scrapped and new estimates prepared. That \Vest, anr1 Central Queenslnnd to Brisbane. is the reason why the Government decidec1 A person suffering from an incurable disease to depart from the established practice in needs nursing and care, but not skilled medi regard to proposals that require the cal attention. Medical scie11ce can do noth approval of Parliament. ing to cure a person suffering from an incur able disease, and all that can be done is to In addition to the provision as regards make him as comfortable as possible by pro precepts, the Bill makes provision for viding the necessary nursing services and ":'larging the activities of hospital authori all the comforts that society can afford to tles. At the pre~ent time there is a very giYc in the last few years or mo11ths of wide definition of the treatment of the sick, his life. It is at that time particularly bn t we propose to add to that definition of that he desires to be within reach of relatives, the prmers ancl responsibility of hosnitnl and this Bill will make provision for the authorities the comfort of the aged and the future development of hospital services in care of the incurable, the idea being to that respect and will add greatly to the Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. [1 SEPTEMBER.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. 235 social services the Government can give to accept them as an added and very desirable the suffering members of the community. improvement in our social service system. The need for such an extension has been Mr. NICKLIN (Murrumba) (11.21 a.m.): felt. Some hospitals are already doing it As the Minister has said, it is unusual for the although no provision is made in the Act. Government to announce their intention in Hon. members must know that in a number connection with legislation before that legisla of country hospitals there are old men's tion is introduced. We all appreciate the wards. I am sure that hon. members have reason why it was done-to enable local been to see some of these, and representatives authorities and hospitals boards to frame their of country districts I am sure know of budgets within the time a's set out in the instances in which people are kept in hospital Act-and that is desirable.

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