Legislative Assembly Hansard 1944
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 3 OCTOBER 1944 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 640 Questions. [ASSEMBLY.] Questions. These figures are exclusive of the sum of £8,343,770 invested by the Insurance Com missioner in Commonwealth loans, and advances to local authorities and similar bodies by way of debenture loans. '' 2. This information will be made avail able in the quarterly statement of the Trea sury Accounts, which will be published shortly in the 'Government Gazette.' '' SHOWGROUND RESERVE, LONGREACH. Mr. DEVRIES (Gregory) asked the Sec retary for Public Lands- '' 1. Will he give further consideration to the matter of vesting the Council of the shire of Longreach with control of the show ground reserve at Longreach, pursuant to the provisions of section 45 of the Local Government Act of 1936 ~ '' 2. Have the councils been vested with the control of showgrounds reserves in the towns of Barcaldine, Bundaberg, Charle villeW" Hon. A. JONES (Charters Towers) replied- '' 1. The showground at Longreach is a reserve set apart under the pTOvisions of the Land Acts, and it is at present under the control of trustees comprising three local persons appointed pursuant to the provisions of those Acts. The Land Acts provide that a local authority may be appointed trustee of a reserve. Upon receipt of the resigna tions of the present trustees, and an intima TUESDAY, 3 OCTOBER, 1944. tion that mutually satisfactory arrange ments have been made for the Council to take over as trustees the property, &c., of Mr. SPEAKER. (Hon. 8. J. Brassington, the trust, I am prepared to seek Executive Fortitude Valley) took the chair at 11 a.m. authority for the appointment of the Long reach Shire Council as trustee of the show QUESTIONS. ground reserve under the provisions of the Land Acts, but I am not disposed to view STATE INVESTMENTS AND CASH BALANCES. favourably any proposal which would have llir. MACDONALD (Stanley), for llir. the effect of taking the administration of BRAND (Isis)., asked the Treasurer- land reserved for showground, or for any like public purpose, outside the provisions '' 1. What are the details of investments of the Land Acts. The relevant sections of of surplus State funds at 30 September 1944? those Acts have been specially designed to provide for the administration and control '' 2. What is the present cash balance of of reserved lands and for the supervision of all funds, ex·clusive of investmentsW" the affairs of trustees of such land. Hon. E. M. HANLON (Ithaca) replied "2. No. The reserve at Barcaldine is a ,' 1. Invested on account of- reserve for recreation and showground pur poses under the control of the Barcaldine £ Shire Council as trustee, pursuant to the Main Roads Trust Fund 500,000 Post-war Reconstruction Land Acts. The reserve at Bundaberg is and Development for showground purposes only, and is held Trust Fund .. under deed of grant in trust under the con 8,500,000 trol of local persons as trustees, appointed Treasurer's Trust Funds 2,000,000 pursuant to the provisions of the Land Acts. Other Trust Funds 95,500 The reserve at Char leville is for racecourse and showground purposes, and is held under £11,095,500 deed of grant in trust under the control of local persons as trustees, appointed pur Invested as follows: suant to the provisions of the Land Acts.'' Commonwealth Inscribed Stock . 5,045,500 FIXED PRICES OF MUTTON. Fixed Deposit with the Commonwealth Bank 6,050,000 Mr. AIKENS (Mundingburra) asked the Attorney-General- £11,095,500 '' 1. Has his attention heen drawn to· various Press articles which assert that the Supply. [3 OcTOBER.] Supply. 641 Commonwealth Prices Regulations, especially :Mr. :MAnER (West Moreton) (11.12 in regard to mutton, are detrimental to a.m.) : I should like, first of all, to this State insofar as they give preferential talm this opportunity of congratulating the trade treatment to New South Wales~ Treasurer upon the compilation and the '' 2. If so, will he ascertain from his delivery of his first Budget. The hon. gentle Crown Law officers if in their opinion this man has been selected by his leader as is a contravention of section 99 of the Com Treasurer of this State. That is no doubt monwealth Constitution? in recognition of his undoubted industry and capacity both in this Parliament a'nd in '' 3. If sa, will he recommend to the the Department of Health and Home Affairs, Government appropriate action to see that which he previously administered. the Constitution is observed W" I should like to break a lance this morn non. D. A. GLEDSON (Ipswich) replied- ing with the Treasurer on many important points contained in the Budget, but many of " 1. to 3. Neither I nor the Crown's legal the subjects on >vhich I would do so have advisers have sufficient knowledge of the been so effectively covered by the Leader of facts upon which to base a decided opinion the Opposition, the hon. members for Logan in this matter. Any person who may think and Oxlc:y and other members of the Opposi himself damnified by these regulations may tion, that for the first time for a number take such action as he may be advised for of years I will let the Budget points go by his own protection.'' the board and deal with the report of the l~oyal Commission on Fruit and Vegetables. REPORT OF APPRENTICESHIP INVESTIGATION The preliminary report of the Royal Commis COMMITTEE. sion has been printed and is now available. :Mr. PATERSON (Bowen) asked the Sec It would repay hon. members the time they retary for Public Instruction- would occupy in studying its conclnsions. It '' 1. Has he received the report of the bears out every statement I made in this Parliament last year when I a'sked for the Apprenticeship Investigation Committ·ee~ appointment of a Royal Commission to '' 2. If so will he kindly make the inquire into the abuses that were apparent in report available to Parliament and the the marketing of fTUit and vegetables under Press~'' war-time price control. Hon. J. LARCOlllBE (Rockhampton) :Mr. Gair: It bore out all you said, replied- together with the fact that the farmer was '' 1. and 2. The report will be presented getting his chop, too. to Parliament this morning.'' Itlr. :MAnER: I will cover all points as I proceed. PAPERS. I attended many sittings of the Royal The following papers were laid on the Commission at Brisbane and at Gatton. I table, and ordered to be printed:- pay a tribute to Mr .•Justice Philp, the chair Report of the Police Investment Board for man, for his splendid work. He applied the year 1943. himself with great vigor and brilliancy to Report of the committee appointed to the elucidation of the intricate details and inquire into matters relating to the knotty problems associated with the ma'rket employment and training of apprentices ing of fruit and vegetables as it affects the and minors. growers, the consumers, and the agents. Where the growers' difficulties were concerned Report and balance-sheet of the Public the bulk of the work attached to the examina Curator of Queensland for the year tion of witnesses fell on Mr. Justice Philp. 1943-1944. Unfortunately Mr. Wort, who was selected by The following paper was laid on the the Government as the representative of the table:- growers, proved to be the silent member of the Commission, and was of no help in Proclamatiou, dated 28 September 1944, relating to the cleaning of school build making the growe·rs' case understood. Although Mr. Ha'rvey was the consumers' ings and the allowances payable therefor. representative I should like to express my SUPPLY. appreciation of his very fair and rea'sonable approach to th~ problems of the growers. I COMMETTEE-FINANmAL STATEMENT would remind Parliame·nt that the conclusions RESUMPTION OF DEBATE. and recommendations of the Commission were absolutely unanimous. It should also be kept (The Chairman of Committees, Mr. Mann, in mind that the final report is still in the Brisbane, in the chair.) hands of the Government Printer, a'nd is not Debate resumed from 28 September (see yet available to hon. members. The report p. 640) on Mr. Hanlon's motion- that is available is merely the preliminary report furnished to the Government and " That there be granted to His Majesty through them to Parliament. Unfortunately, for the service of the year 1944-1945 a onlv a limited number of copies of the pre sum not exceeding £300 to defray the lim.inary report were printed. When I applied salary of the Aide-de-Camp to His Excel for six copies I was told that there were lency the Governor.'' none left. Subsequently, however, the officer 1944-x 642 Supply. [ASSEMBLY.] Supply. made inqmrres and informed me that some On page 5 of the preliminary report they body had returned six copies. It seemed to make this quali:fication:- me to be more than a coincidence. ' 'In considering the present high returns Mr. Hanlon: If the officer went to the to growers the following facts must be trouble of gathering them up for you you taken into account:-- should appreciate his courtesy. 1. The fact that through lack of man power the growers generally and their Mr. MAHER: If those were the facts I wives and families have been working should be grateful, but it seems to me that excessively long hours to produce the my stroke of good fortune was more than a crops. Most of those people are middle passing coincidence-six copies were returned aged or older and the ill-effect on their by some person who had no further use for health of the sustained hard work in them and I had asked for six copies.