Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER, 1928

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

1582 Appropriation Bill, No. 2. [ASSEMBLY.] Questions.

THURSDAY, 25 OCTOBER, 1928.

The f'PE.IKER (Hon. vV. Bertram, Maree) took the chair at 10.30 a.m.

QUESTIOC\JS.

CosT or XEw RAILWAY Moc:LDING SHOP. RocKHAii!PTON. Mr. GRIMSTO::'\E (Stanley) asked the Secretary for Railways- " 1. 'Sha t was the cost of the new moulding shop at Rockhampton? '• 2. \Yhen completed? " 3. How long in operation? " 4. At what capacity are they now operating: and if no work being done or less than full capacity, what is the rea~on ?') The SECRETARY FOR RAILWAYS (Hon. J. Larcombe, [[ eppel) replied- " 1. £9.015. "2. February. 1928. " 3. Since March, 1928. "4. Les> than full capacity. The g<:-neral manager is furnishing a report, which is not yet to hand." Questions. [:::3 OCTOBER.] Questions. 1583

1\F.W SOCTH \YALES E1rBARGO ON QCEEXSLAND police. thPn the police will take action CATTLE. -(Opposition laught.er)-but I have no :\lr. W. A. RGSSELL (Dulb!!) asked the intPntion of allowi11g the Governrnent. as a Gon~rnrnont, to he inYolvC'd in the Sevretary for A grieulturc- plebi~·witc·, of either part.. v in thi~ 1-Iouse." " ln viPw of the fact that the embargo (Lnu~htPr.) imno··ed upon cattle going into New Soi1th \YalP' from certain districts in :\lr. KI:\G: The editor . I'· a defeated (}ncr·Jcsland has been upheld by the recent catl-; 1st ~'l.ugust, and, in the intel'csts of the CATTLE SoLD I;; ENOGGER.\ YARns. trade· and ports of Queensland, and the protection of railway expenditure already lVIr. COSTELLO (Carnarron) asked the made, consid<'r the wisdom of proceed­ Secretary for Labour and Industry- ing with thP construction of the section ,, 1. Is he aware that State station from Dinanhuncli, the plans of which cattle" with faked br,mds, have recentlv wC're appl'OYcd by Parliament in 1914? been sold in th0 Enoggera yards'! , '' I fnrt her ask if the hon. gentleman ' 2. If so, hat number of ouch have will look up the late l\Ir. Thallon', report bt,cn traced ' of 1399, \,·herein that gentleman recom-' '' 3. Has anv action been taken to mPnderl the construction of the railwa v the a~certain n ho c~re the people respon~jbh_,,: as hPing Yital to State, as on th~ ,n·ca that would be served bv the railwav " 4. Has anv action been instituted, 7.309.000 sh<'e)l we1·e d0pastLired 'I" " or i' it intcucicd to take action against tbP guilty parties., If not, for what The PREMIER (Hon. W. McCormack, 1 '-''aaon ?~'- ( 'uirn') replied- Tbe SECRETARY FOR LABOCR Al\D " The Uoverllillf'nt. have beC'n giving I:\'DeSTRY (Hon. D. A. Gledson, lpH1rich1 cor; ,icleration to the danger of losing ,·cplicd- traffic along our Sontbprn border to :"Jew " 1. Yes; it is allegt'd so. ~outh \Yaks. The New South '\Vale< Govcnmwnt have bet'n getting into "2. Three. trouble with adjoining Governments, both '' 3. YPs. tho.;e of South Australia and Victoria as " J. The matter is still m the hands well as Queensland,, as a result of their of thc police." desire to pirate-! used the word ach·isedlv-traffic from other States and ~\LLEGED :>[ALPRACTICES Dl Cou;.;TRY PARTY- di,-ert it to tlwir own railwavs. \Ve are " ATIO;.;ALIST PLEBISCITE Df STA;.;LEY nov.· considering the position both in ELECTORATE. regard to the line of which the hon. Mr. vVRIGHT (Bulim ba), without notice. member spoke and o£ the line· from ,asked the Premier- Inglewood to Texas. The whole question is bound up, first of all, in finance­ " Has his attention been directPd to the being able to borrow money at a reason­ ' Esk Record ' of 4th February, 1928, in able rate-and secondly, in railwav which serious charges are made of mal· finance itself-being able to secure suffi­ practices in the conduct of the cent traffic on these lines to bear at least Country Party-Nationalist plebiscite, in some' of the burden of their cost. I which Mr. Grimstone, the hon. member cannot at this stage say what the Go­ for Stanlcy, was successful?" (Laughter.) vernment will do-they have not come The PREMIER (Hon. W. lVIcCormack, to a decision. The Government, of ('airns) replied- course, are not opposed to spending loan ,, l\l[y attention has been drawn to an monev on railwav construction when it article in the Esk paper, in which it is will be for tbe benefit of the State. We asserted that in the Nationalist plebiscite do not want railways merely for political in that constituency the voting ballot­ pm·posc.; or mNely to fmd work for papers were already voted upon before unemployed. There must be a definite th0:,- were handed to the voters, and the busin••s, objective in the construction of order of voting was :-lVIr. Grimstone, 1; our railways in the futnie, and this Go,·ernment intends to apply that test Mr. Butler, 2; and somebody else. 3. to tlw proposals under consideration. If The paper, which, of course, is liable theY an,-wer that test. the deeision pro. to prosecution for defamation, has hably will lw in the dirPction of doing­ a~~erted that this is a fact. All I have sonwthing where the interests of the to sav to the hon. membPr for Bnlimba State are concC'rn('d." is. that, if the aggrieved people in that ·clJstnct lay an mformation with the Ho;.;oi.RABLE lVIEMBERS: Hear, hear! 1584 Harbour Boards Acts, Etc., Bill. [ASSEMBLY.] Police Acts Amendment Bill.

PAPERS. COAL ::.\II::\1~0 ACT AY!END::.\IEXT lllLL

The following paper was laid on the table, THIRD READING. and ordered to be printed.- The SECRETARY FOR :\liKES (Hon. Hcport UIJOn the operations of the A ..J. Jones, l'addinuton): I bc;g· to move- "Golden Casket,. Art Union from " T!Jat the Bill be now read a third: ht July, 1927, to 30th June, 1928. time" The following papers were laid on the ~Ul'Stion pnt and passed. table:- · Brisbane City Council Ordinances­ Buildings, dated 30th August, 1928. STXrE CHILIJI\E'.'\ ACTS A:11EJ\'DMENT HP:. ,.y t.raffic, dated 5th September, BILL. 1928. 'l\•nnis courts. dated 12th September, T,HIRD READI);G. 1928. The HO.iVlE SECRETARY (Hon. J. Theatres and places of public amuse­ Stopford, J.lount J.Jr,ruan): I beg to move­ ment, dated 18th October, 1928. " That the Bill he nmy read a third Animals and birds confined in the tinH~." Botanic Gardens, dated 18th October Ouestion put and passed. 1928. ' .\nirnals. datNl 18th October. 1928. FrPc air to\Ycrs, water towers and UWRIGI?\ ALS PROTEC'riON: A?\D ,imilar obstructions, dated ' 18th HESTRICTIOX OF T'HE SALE OF October. 1928. OPICC\1 ACT ~\.iVJE?\DME::--JT BILL. OrclN in Conncil under the Queensland Law Society Act of 1927. THIRD READING. Ordpr;:; in Council under the Supreme The HOME ,':JECHETARY (Hon. J, Court Act of 1921. Stopfonl. J.lo1u1t J[oruun): I beg to move- .. That th1 Bill be now read a third tin1e '' DESTRlTTIOJ'\ OF BALLOT-PAPERS. Question vut and pa~:l'<.-1. 'l,le l'RE:\IIER (Hon. W. :\lcCormack, •Cuirns) : I Leg to n1oYe- ,, That the House approyes of the BL.\CKALL, EDMOXTO)J, GA'l'TOX, clcstmction of all ballor-pa;wr in the E\:'-JISF~\1L, IPSIYICH, :VlARB"CEG, ke,,ping of !he Clerk of the Parliament the period for the safe keeping of which .\TDGEE BEACH, ROCKHAC\LPTOK has expnc•d by law." UBOBO, AXD WALLU1\1BILLA PGBLIC Qut•stion put and passed. LAXD MORTGAGES BILL. THIRD READING.

POLICE AC'TS A::.\IE:'->DME~T BILL. The SECRETARY FOR PeBLIC LA:'-:DS (Hon. T. Dumtan, U!!m]iil:): I beg to I~ITlATION. lllOYC'- The HOME SECRETARY (Hon. J. Stop­ "That the Bill be now read a third. fcrd, Jiount Jloryan): I beg to move- tirnc. '' " That the House will, at the present Question put and passed. sitting, resohe itself into a Committee of the \\rhole to consider of the deoirableness of iutroducing a Bill to further amend POLICE AC'fS AME:'-:Dl\1E?\T BILL. the Police Acts Amendment Act of 1921 (as amende-d by the Police Acts Amend­ IsrTIATION IN Co:>~MITTEE. ment Act of 1924) in certain particulars." (.llr. Pollock, (-}regory, in the chair.) Qucst-;on put and passed. The HOME SECRETARY (Hon. J. Stopfocd, Jiount Jiorgan): I beg to move- IXCmiE TAX AC'T:'< AMEKD::.\IE~T "That it is desirable that a Bill be BILL. introduced to further amend the Police Acts Amendment Act of 1921 (as THIRD READING. amPndecl bv the Police Acts Amendment The TREASURER (Hon. W . .:\lcCorrnack, Act of 1924) in certain particulars." Cairn.<): I beg to move- Briefl ,-. the proposed amend·ments provide· " Thar the Bill be new read a third for an increase in the amount payable tin1e.'' to retiring 'members of the poli~e force as Question put and pa,,sed. set forth in the Act whtch exists to-clay. When the present Premier .. as H:nne Secre­ tary introduced the amcndmg Blll of 1921, HARBOl'R BOARDS ACTS AY!ENIJ:\1ENT the 'fund that then existed· was rapidly BILL. makinc: towards insolvency. It was ql~ite recog·msed by e>erybody that superannuat:on THIRD READING. funds. wch as the Police SuperannuatiOn Fund in Queensland and in other States, are The TREASt:RER (Hon. W. ::\IcC0rrnack, Cairns) : I bPg to move·- neYer of a very solvent character. The idea is to compensate men who by loyal service " That the Bill be now read third to the Crown-service that calls for sacrifice time." on their part and the performance of Question put and. passed. unplea,ant duties--should be able to retire Pol~ce Acts Amendment Bill. [25 OcTOBER.] Police Acts Amendment Bill, 1585· with a certain amount of assurance that in do a measure of justice to men holding non­ the eventide of life thev will be free from commissioned and cDmmissioned rank by the want that would otherwise assail them. ):iiving them incre-.'1sed remuneration until in Provision was n1adc for a maximum pav­ 1921 officers who, had they retired before· ment of superannuation based on a flat rate that, would have been retired on pensions of paympnt, both a,, regards contributions and £000 per annum, were retiring on pensions the payments to the officers retiring, with a of from £400 tD £500 a year. In amending maximum of £25D per ye.'l,r, based on a the Act in 1921, the present Premier, who· retiring allowance of £120 after fifteen years' was then Home Secretary, said that he had sprvice, with an additional £5 for each no desire nor had the Government any desire· year of service beyond that period. Aftm· -he was supported by all sections of the some years' experience of the working of Chamber-to repudiate what was practically the Act the police have been agitating for a contract with those men, and we have not. some alterations, contending that notwith­ interfered v.-ith that contract. The result has standing that the amounts contributed are not been that, fulGllin):i the contracts with the on a flat rate they only get a flat-rate pension. men under the Act of 1863 has made a severe· Another important factor was that to obtain drain upon the fund. Some men came in the rmcximmn pension of £250 per annum under the a mended Act of 1911 and paid 4 per­ they would have to serve forty-one years, eent. of their salary. One feature is that \yluch means that, with the retiring age there are not many of the men at present in f1xcd c,t srxty years, the men would have to the force who are under the old Act. They· join the police force at nineteen years of age. will gra·dually disappear, and that severe· After extensive and exhaustive inquiries drain on the fund will disappear with them. by the actuary, Mr. Rendle the Government \V e cannot help recognising that a police· are introducing what they deem to be a superannuation schcrne has to carry a Govern­ measure of justice to the police force. With ment subsidY. Year after year we pass an the retiring age fixed at sixty vears 90 per amount on the Estimates for that· purpose. cent. of the police force sho~lld ~t least With the disappearance of the 1863 and the reach non-commis~ioncd rank. The proposal 1911 men a corresponding saving will be set forth m the Drll now under consideration made. I do not want to tell the Committee i3 that after· fifteen years an increase will that I believe that it will compensate for be made in the pension from £120 to £125, what we are proposing under this Bill, because ~arrymg the present provision of a yearly I would be wrong in saying so; but it will. rncrease of £5. but with an additional recog· relim·o matters eonsiderably. The actuary, nition in the. shape of £15 ac~ual payment to in his tables. sets forth the estimated added' non-corrlmlssioncd and commissioned officers cost to be something in the vicinity of ~ per giving them an increase of £20 if they reach cent., and the Government propose in this a rank above that provided for to-day. The measure to bear the burden of ~ per cent., actuary has reported that there will he no leaving the police to pay the other k per cont. burden on the State for the first few years as their quota towards the fund. 'ill e recog· or, if any, that it will be merely a matte; nise that a 5 per cent. drain on a man's salary of a fe": hundred pounds, which will is a heavy enough burden for him to bear, gradually mcrease with the passage of time. but we olso recognise that we cannot depart For tlw first ten years the added pa:vments from the strict actuarial basis upon which the· from the State will not amount to verv fund· has been started. Although it may much, but. naturally, as the calls upon the appear that the police are getting moro than fund become greater, we mav expect to they are actually entitled to, inasmuch as the· have to meet a larger annual p'aymont. Government are shouldering a portion of the burden that they should bo asked to shoulder, Mr. MOORE: Have you any idea what the amount. will be? still we feel justified in doing it because we· recognise that a force such as we have in The H01IE SECRETARY: It is hard to Queensland, to be effective and carry out its estimate. Even Mr. Rondle cannot estimate many duties and to get what we expect from what it is likely to amount to. It mav rooch it-undivided loyalty to whatever Government £7.000 a year. That is what he ad;nits to may be in power and to the Throne-should bo the ruaximum that mav be reached over a at least be secure so far as superannuation is period. There is a compensating factor in concerned and that the members of the force, that under the existing superannuation when thpy complete their t.erm of duty. should schem<' a number of thf'se oflicers are under receive d to stage. daim ihe full amount of th~ir 'salaries. but The CIIAIR11AN: I would point out that the practice of Government after Govorn­ it: is the generally ace. pted parliamentar" nlent, rcrognising \vhat mav be tcrn1e-d the practice that the debate upon the principles ~nirjt of the agrc,rnent haS been to aivo to these oflict~rs a r<~tiring allowance pra~tieallv contained in a Bill should take place at the second rf>adin!r stage. Of course, if hon. equal_ to 1hp s~laric~, they w0rc n::ceiving a't the trmc of ret1rement. At the time the Act members seek to widen the scope of the Bill, ,,-as brought into force it did not an1ount to they have the right to do so now, and they have also the right to advance arguments very much because the police force then was whv the Bill should not be introduced; but a very poorly paid body of men; and to rebre them on the full salan was to g·ivo properly the discussion of the principles of the Bill belongs to the second roadmg stage. them hn rel~- enough ro n1aint'llin theinselves in an~.- dcgr('c of c-01nfort. Bnt, as the poliro Mr. MOORE (Aubiony): I merely desire to had acPllt Act. 1\o one eau di,Jlllte that be able to say more about it. the pre~e11t Act has :"ornc~ very good points. Questiou put and passed. chlPf arnongst iYhich ar(' security of finance The House resumed. for t)H' cclrnmitt<'PS and the 'tabilising of the financial position so that thc.l' can approach The CnAlll:l!.\5 reported that the Committee the Gov0rnmont as anv local authoritv C'an had corn" to a n"olution. do and obta.in funds fen· the proYision' of a Hc,olution agreed tD. :-.f-l'Yjce of a conlnJunitY nature. the an1ount t-J be ~'C·paid OYPl' a pCriod r0prcsenting the FmBT RE.\mxG. life of the aHN in which it is ntilis0d. t:nder The liOME SECRETARY (Hon. J. Stop­ JllT"'nt conditions. if a person donated £100. ford. JI071nl )Iorga•>) prc•,enteJ the Bill, and s>t::. to the :\Ionnt Morga11 Hospital. £60 of mol·ed- llwt amonnt would be utilised in liquidating " That the Bill be now read a first •the Uon•rmuent's share of the liability, the time." t'c•rnaining £40 going towards the liquidation d the share of the liability upon the locality. Question put and passed. \Y P dpsire to alt<'r that. \Ve wish to ·provide Second reading of the Bill made an Order that. if in anv giYen cPntre the community of the Day for a later hour of tho sitting. by its 0fforts through the conduct of a gymkhana or picnic races collects a profit of HOSPITALS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. £50, the amount will be creditPd to the locality, and will be utilised in liquidating lxrnATIOK rx CmriiiiTTEE. ib 40 per cent. of the liabilit~· involYed. In (Jir. l'o/lock, Grcgory, in the chair.) other words, the Goyernment will forgo the [11 a.m.] 60 per cent. that they collect to-day. That should largely restore the yoluntary effort, The HOME SECRETARY (Hon. J. and, if the public accept the amendment in .Stopford, Mount Jiorgan): I beg to move- the spirit in which it is offered, then the rates " That it is desirable that a Bill be imposed on the Yarious districts should dis­ introduced to amend the Hospitals Act of aprwar. I wish the position to be clearly 1923 and the Hospitals Act of 1847 (as understood. Take, for instance, the Too­ amended by subsequent Acts) in certain woomba district, comprising the city of particulars.'' rroo\VOOnlba and 11 nurrrber of shires. If one The amendments proposed arc four, of which of those shires, "·ith an actiYe body of men only three arc of any importance. The most and women. determines to make an effort to important is in relation to collections of a a 1 oid a rate being imposed upon its district voluntary chameter and special efforts in any tu n1ePt hospital paynH'nts, any rnoney they particular locality. The Hospitals Act of ral'-'P Yoluntarilv will be credited to their 1923 provides for a guarantee to n1eet any particular locali"t:v-not to the whole district. deficit that may occur in a hospital district If in one prosperous year they raise rnore at the end of nny financial year, the respon­ Uwn the "mount required to remove the sibility being shared in the ratio of 60 per m·cessity of a precept, then the balance . will ·CPnt. by the Government and 40 per cont. by he carried forward and stand to the credtt of the local authorities in tho district. the locality concerned for the next year. l.Vlany people think that the local :VIr. :VIORGAX: You arp displaying some .authorities arc ·paying 40 per cent., but that ~l'llSf' HOW. io not ··o. As I pointed ont in the Estimates T:e HOME SECRETARY: I am pleased debate. in practice, the contributions of local to han• the approYal of the hon. member to authorities in hosi>ital districts work out to­ the scheme. day roughly at 22 per cent. of the cost of maintaining the hospitals. They paid prac­ Mr. :i\IouGAK: You would not allow it tically the same amount prior to the passing bP fore. of the Act. althcugh the local authorities The IIO:i\IE SECRETARY: We get more thetmehes did not actually have to find it; sense a;; we grow older, and tvc Lecome the [lC<>ple in the locality in each case had more virtuous. too . .to find it. Under the provisions of the old Another important proposal in the Bill is Act the rmyment by the Government was £2 the remoYal of an anomaly in relation to for eYer:> £1 found by the locality. Under areas. \Yhcn we first decided upon intro­ ihe Act of 1923 power was taken to levy a ducing the Hospitals Act we had a desire rate in any proclaimed district to meet the to seeure con1munity ot' interest, and we local authorities' proportion of the deficit in selected the municipal and shire bouncla,ries .each financial year. as the boundaries oi the hospital districts; lt is worthy of note that nearly every but W<' found that there is no wav possi.ble hospital that has been districted asked to correct any anomaly existing in" the shire the· Home Office to take the necessary boundaries, 'vhich haJ the effect yery often action in that direction. They were con­ of doing a measur'> of injustice to people fronted with grave difficulties, even in raising liYing in a por6on of a shire. The Act ,ufficient money to meet their maintenance 'tipulated that we could onlv take the shire costs, with no prospect at all in the direction eu bloc. [n the proposed "amendment we of proYiding a better service. It is surprising intend to take in parts of shires or muni­ that a large proportion of the revenue neces­ eipalitirs. That is, a widPly scattered shire sarv eYen in the worst districts was forth­ m a;· ha vc at·eas which really belong to three coming under the voluntary system. 'I'he different hospital,;. At present the rates Gon mment did not propose that 40 per cent. collected in a shire all go to the one hospital. f'hould be borne by the local authorities, but \Ye underbke that "·here such a position the action of the people in withholding as that arises we shall consult the shire nJlw:u,;··· contributions had the effect of council and ask it t;o diYide its are,as into making that payment a compulsory feature whatever hospital districts it thinks is just of the Act. We desire, as far as possible, to and right in the interests of the people in [Jlr. Jloore, Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. [25 OcTOBEl~.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. 1587 the shir,,. Bv that mdhod WP ,-hall have }Jr. \Y. "\. RCSSELL: The tax as at r•art~ of shire~ iu a ]JO;,pital di.striet whereas preSPHt leYil -t is unjust, un~:conoruic. an·d ~ to-clay \Yt' are couqH~llcd to cJnUrace the lot. c\as::; tax. lt i::. a tax that 13 Inore resentctt .:\Ir. EuW.\RDS: ln ~o11w c::t::;c.-s you rnay not than an:\' othf'r tax, 111oru oppositi?n _being gt t O\'L'r tlll' difficulty. directPd to its incide11ce than to ihe Incidence o~· any other tax that has been levied in The IlO:YlE SEl'l\ETAUY: There may be rece11t year::>. ::\la11v supporter:::; of the Go\·crn­ occasion::~ vvheu I ':lhall have to deal -\Yith the IHent ,;,ho rcpresc:i1t couiHry districh recog­ rmtttcr personally, but I \Yant 10 try to nise that i1 i:-, u11ju-st and unfair to pla{:c the nlPPt the wi~he·- of the loeal atlthoritics and burrlPn of hospital taxation. 011 the- pnr;~ar_y han~ the advantage of thelr locai kr:O\'.le-dgo. prudncL'l s. It i:-; unccollOlUIC because 1t: IS The third arneudtnent, i;;; Onl~ ·-which, 110 lP\-iL•d uH the lanJ after the rents have doubt, will lead to some deb words- Mr. \Y. A. RUSSELL: We know very ' such particulars to include altera­ well that the great bulk of the primary tion of the incidence of taxation so producer' at present do uot . pay taxes in as to afford relief to primary pro· this direction, as many hospitals have not cmccrs and landholdcrs who are been districted. ThP:-'0 people. ho\vCYPr. 2lrcadv ovcr·burdencd by other taxa­ practicallv have to pay by compulsion. tion.'" because. ·unless they contribute sufficient .Mr. COLLIXS: Good old squatter! towards the upkeep of their hospital, it will Jfr. 1r. A. Russen.] 1588 Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. '[ASSEMBLY.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill.

be brought under the Act. These people I also suggest the imposition of an enter­ contribute largely rather than take the risk tainment tax. This form of tax was first of the ho,pital being brought under the Act. imposed in South Australia in 1916, and soon I do not know that it is any cheaper to pay afterwards it "·as adopted by the Common­ voluntarily. as the people pay just as much wealth GoYernment in order to obtain as if the hospital wr.s .. districted." About n~vennc. It \vas suggested so1ne years ago.. in sixteen or eighteen hospitals have been C,lueensland that an entertainment tax should bronght under the Act, and it is a big burden he levied for th0 upkeep and improYement of on the people in those areas. The other day the roads in country districts, so that country the Premier said that in one instance oniy people would haYe easy access and better seventy-four 9ut of 7,800 taxpayers paid over In<>ans of cmnmnnication to the city. £5, and 90 per cent. of them paid less than [11.30 a.m.] £1. That show' how unfair it is to make this ~ _cla~": ___ t~'l:_._ So much rnonpy· is spent en a!nusenlC'nts thal_T_t-lii:Ill{ --a-Jt·--;su-te-r~Giu_l_illCnT tax- ill Iif~li- of l\lr. LLEWELvx: \Yhat do you mean by a class tax'? a tax on country lands would bp a 1nuch better way to Ji'r'JYidt' fOI' the npkt'el' of Mr. \Y. A. Rt:SSELL: It is a tax on ho:::;pltals. The Con11nonwt1 ,lth Gov 'l'l1lllOnt people who own land or rent land from the have p-radually reduced their collections until Govenmwnt. Some people say that the tlwv h:: H' almost \'acatcd this field of taxa- source of all n'venue should be the land. 1 io;,_ :mtl I am 'atisf\l'd that £75.0JO conlcl But that is not correct. because 94 per cent. lw colketed \Yith Ycry 1ittlc' co,t. 'iw·' it of the land is not owned by the people. would be dow• b";· 1ncaus of _111 irnprc6Sed It 1s owned bv the Government and the st.,:mp on tickc•b. · Governrn~,nt lP,:Y as high a rent ~s possible :\fr. \\'mGHT: How much could be collected on this land. and in sorne ca~cs a higher in ~vour district? rent than the producer can pa:;-. Therefore, an additional tax in thif' shape is 'vrong. Mr. \Y. ,\. RC8SELL: Those persons only The prCR<'nt hospita.l tax impooes too great would contribute who can afford amusements a burd0n on the man on the land and --and eycrybodv knows that the people of when the Opposition point out how ad~ersel~ Queensland and Australia generally s[wnd a it affects primary producers, the GoYern­ con~iderable amount upon an1usen1ents-and nJof the wish to contribute towards the hospital or hospitals should be placed. I sav anvwhere pa:v- the tax, they could deny themselves the else rather than on the man on 'the land. annUJement. There would be no loophole for cyasion of the taxation because it would be . The. HmrE SECRETARY: You were a long t1n1e In n1akrng up your mind. raid on the ticket, and the proprietor of the show would be re;;ponsible. Mr. W. A. RCSSELL: I am shortly going I submit these proposals to the Committee to m'lke a proposal which I think will meet as a mPthod of raising funds for the hospitals. with the approval of hon. members on both and I feel quite sure that hon. members on sides of th0 Chamber; but, before offering a the other side who represent country con­ sugges!w:1 for the solution of the difficulty, I stituenci''' will find, if they look carefully into am pomt_m!l ont my reasons fa~ thinking tho them that thev ofier a reasonable solution present mc1dencc of the tax IS unfair and of th'e difficulty. Although they may sit on unjust. the GoYcrnment side. I feel snre that many I do not want the tax to be put on the of thorn must feel diss&tisfied with the inci­ workers. \Vhcn thr basic wage has been dence of the tax under tlw pre•,ent Act. and 0stablished by the Board of Trade and I commend my propo,als to their considera­ Arbitration, an additional tax in this direc­ tion. tion should not be put upon the worker, as he would then be in the same unfair position ~r. :y[QRGA:">:' (Jlw·il/a): I support the as the man on the land is with reu-ard to it. amendment. It is generally admitted by The lessees of the Cro"·n and the owners those who have any experience whatrver of of land are entitled to have their rents and this taxation that it m>ty be called class rates reduced by the amount, of the hospital taxation because only one section of the tax wtth wh1ch they have been as~essecessity arises. from the two sources. l\1r. CARTER: They pay rates. [Mr. W. A. Russell. Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. [25 OcTOBER.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. 1589

:\lr. :\IORGAN: A great number of them the Bill is a palliative. it is better than do not. pay rates. They occupy Government the original Act. The amendment •,hould ·building-s-railway station-masters and others, encourage the people to become more charit­ for instanc·c-. _..\.. n1an 111av have been suffi­ able, and to organise local entertainments ciently thrifty to c-n~ble hl!ll to purchase his with a view to meeting the 40 per cent. o bli­ ·own property, but unmed1ately he becomes gation which rests upon the district. This a landowner he is subjeet to this class tax, may eventually lead to the abolition of all whilst his workmate, who possesses no land, taxation on land for the upkeep of hospitals. but merely lives in a Government cottage or in a hotel, goes scot-free. There may be a Notwithstanding that this Bill is an number of people in fairly prosperous walks improvement on the present Act, I think that of life in country towns, such as a postmaster, the Opposition can take credit to themselves station-master, clerk of petty sessions, police for their oppo·oition to t·he Act, which throws magistral" and numerous others receiving the whole cost of upkeep on to the land. vV e have been opposing that principle since 1923, gn~ater emolunnnts than the majority of the people in the locality; yet they need not con­ and our constant opposition, like the little tribute anything towards the upkeep of the drops of water which wore away the stone, hospitaL A hospital is maintained and is together with strong protests throughout the there foe their benefit as well as for the whole Ste"te, has worn away the opposition benefit of others. I claim that the people on the Government have to the voluntary system the land, particularly the more prosperous for the upkeep of hospitals, and they are ,;cttlnrs. do not avail themselves of a general beginning to ~.C'e reason. I do not know hospital when sickness occurs in the family, whether they are beginning to see rc~son preferring· to call a medical man to their became of the near approach of the electwns. homes and there receive the necessary atten­ The SErRETARY FOR P<:BLlC WORKS: You are tion. or preferring to utilise a priv.ate hos­ always suspicious. pital in that centre. I am not claiming that J\lr. M ORGAN: I am, because we always this i~ dorH." in every case; but in the get these good things on th0 eve of an elec­ majority of cabes. "·here people are fairly tion. It shows that the Government are well to do and can afford the expense, tht>.v looking for votes. I a-dmit that this Bill will prder the services of a private hospital bP an as~istan~e in rertain directions. I hope rathc1· than go to a general hospital. General tbae th0 mnendment moved bv the hon. mem­ hospitals are Pstablished principally to render ber for Dalbv will be taken into serious senic0 t:> the members of the communitv who consideration ~tnd giYen effect to. are in n1ore hurnble circ'umstance~. buf it is highly e"ential that thesP needy people :Vl1·. \VRIGHT (Bulim ba): I listened with should have the very best of treatment. a good deal of interest to the remark;; n1ade b:v the hon. member for Dalby when mm·ing Mr. C. J. RYAX: \Yhat arc you moaning his arncndnl('Ilt. I -,vas tnost interpsted to about'! hear him state that he did not believe in :Mr. MORGAX: I object strongly to the da" taxation. The Opposition have told us imposition of class taxation. for the mainten­ that before. I was also interested to know anr·e of hospitals. ::\'o one begrudges the that rhe hon. member did not IJelicve in the skilled medical attention and nursing that are prc,cnt '-YStcm of imposing a •:ax on land provided for the members of the community; for the upkeep of hospirals which ha vc bee!! hue \Ye do strongly claim that every person ·districted. ThP method the hon. member should contribute according to his means. belieYe~ in iu rai::5ing tlle nece~sary a.tnount There is HO doubt that every tax imposed to meet the needs of hospitals to give the upon the land decreases the value of the nccessarv serYices to the connnnnitv is an property. If people came from other parts optional' tax, l fail to understand the real of Australia for the purpose of settling in n1eaning of an optional tax. I cannot .anv district. thcv would ascertain the shire in1agino for one n1on1ent that rnany people rate. the water rate, this rate and that rate; would pay an optional tax. I take it that and, if thcv cliscQ\·ored that on the top of the hem. member-and the Opposition are all those 1:atc•s there \Vas a hospital b1x behind him-believes in an entertainment tax imp os< cl upon the land. it would seriously to rnake the ncf'essary finanC'ial proYision for disi2ouragc ih<'m in their desire to settle in the upkeep of hospitab. An entertainment those parts. It may be claimed that this tax tax will undoubtedlv be a cla"s tax, because is not ver:-· helLYY; that that tax is not very who arc the people "who largl'ly attend cnter­ hc.c1\·y ; that on]:~ a ver:v small percentage of tairnnents : taxpayers }Jay a. ho·,}pital tax exceeding £5 ~ :\Ir. CL\YTOX: l'\ot the farnwrs. but it is this £5 and that £5. making an accunmlatecl burden, that seriously injure the :\Ir. \VRIGIIT: I muc!P an interjection countrv parts of Queensland, hinder progress, when the hon. member for Dalbv was speak­ and retard the growth of population in those ing. but he evaded it. I aske·d him if he arpas. could tdl me how much monev h., could. \Ye all know from expcril'nre that. once a raise for the upkeep of the hosjJit'al in his board is formed in a certain locality to man­ district bY an entertainment tax. He does nut agf' th0 hospitals concerned. voluntary con­ kno·,y_ The wltolc quc,tion is problematical. tributions immediately cease. The Act pro­ I 1 n __•sunlC> the arnount to be raised in that vides that tln·ee representatives shall be manner in his district. and rnanv sin1ilar c>lectNl b 0· the loc ;t] authorities-- districts. would b<' very small. " An 0PPOSTTIO!\ :\lnTBER: :'\ot at all. The CfLHR:\fAX: Order! The hon. mem­ ber ''ill not be in order in dealing with the c\Ir. WRIGHT: The tax \\ould be raised principles of the Bill at this stage. frun1 the '.vage+earning conununity in tho?e centns. \Ve lutve to assume how this tax w1ll :Yh. :\IORGA:'\: I was going to connect work out' in its incidence. Take the metro· rny l"C'lllarks with fhP n1otion for lcaye to rwlitail area. Here the faYourite for!ll of intwclncP the Bill; but I ,hall get in my entertainment of the majority of pE>ople '' t_he remarks on the second reaclin·,·. The 11oint I picture shmva. The only form of enterta ltl· £1esire to make at the present is that, although lllL'lll indulged in by tlP married man on the JJlr. li\Tright.] 1590 Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. rASSE::\fBLY.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill.

basic wage is the picture show on Saturday n1onPv necC'ssarv to rnalntain and construct niaYt'l'S ·wr:nild flnd thP member for Da lbv that the t policy of the Go­ a re \2.'0iw2..· out, c1ud ~ontc br·ttcr 'Y~h~lll should YL'l'lll!H'nt-the nrce~~ar:v fund~ for tlle rna in­ hf' <··ons{df'IYd bv tht• Gov('rtiUH'nt, Cnfor­ t>:IUllH'f' aud con:.:truction of ho~pita]:-; v•:i1l tnnntc•lv thr·v ha~-(' JJOt gi\'('JI this grc:.1_1 qne-5- hP n~ i:--t'd f rolll t.ho:-;p who arc br~r. abl<~ tu tioa th~: f'Oil'lid('raticm that i~ du~~ to It. a1,1cl aiford it. I au1 :-;trongly oppo~ton~Id{?rati?n of the am0'ndn1ent. lllOYed bv the hon. n1ern­ to this matt~r. and plrce thrs hm;pital taxa- ber for Dalby. It was me,:ely a wgg0stion 1ion on a. better ha~i~. hPcausc w.e know that, bv the hon. member, vvho i::;: anxious to alihough the Home Secretary sal~ the pe?ple rcwoYe this form of taxarion from the arc not forcPcl to nH:Intatn th01r Pospitn)s ;;houlclers of the man on the land. YVe have under this tax;ttion. in the futur~' th~y _vnll alway' advocated that the prcsc•nt system be, bceau~e the ho~p1tah 1n cortt;Jn dt~tncts. is unfair and llnjuf't in itR incidenee, because if theY cannot pa~· their way,. w1ll be_ forced it falls on the shoulders of on!' daiP paid in thm<' clistriets. Though some the countrv. Our contention is that it should of the hospitals at the pnsent tune may b.e be ba~(,~d ~on jncon10, ev~:rvone contributing ca.rried on under the prC'sent sy~tcm. lt IS according to his ability to pay. At. the onlY a matter of timt' when thu form of prc~cnt tin1e sm:ne p('ople who nlak(~ large taxation will be genenll thronghout t)1c StatP. incomes but do not own land e'capc this Thcre£01·~. we ask that greater consHlcra twn form of taxation. h~· crivcii to th~· qnl'stion and a bettC'r systen1 It. is admitted that the health of the corn· of ;axation dcYi~cd. munit:-- should be a first chargp upon any CI!Ir. :\IOORE (A.ul!iyny): I am 'ilpporting· GoYcrnmcnt; and tho on1y points 'WC raise tht' amcmlnwnt bec•awc., I think the prese;Jt :tre '" to the incidence of the taxation. and systeJn of hospital taxation is wrong. unf~1r, as to what is the best way of rai;;ing the n.nd unjust to one 8ection of the commumty. money to comtruct and maintain hospitals, Ou.e rweds only to takP these few ftgures to. ancl to provide all necessarv facilities show the absurdity of imposing a tax on land throughout the State. The times have for this purpose- changL·d ; the olcl system of raising money by Yoluntnry contribution is going out-- Fruit fanner" ·who paid lnconw · tnx lVfr. FERRTCKS: You have an opportunity Dairv farnlCl'S \VhO paid inC'OITlP to lJI·ing it in again. ta~~ 178 lVIr. BELL: And the call;; upon the Sno-ar far1ne-r~. n1i·~~d f~,rn1€'~~: variou~ hospitals an" becoming greater as a~)(! others who paid income tax 1.917 the r,opulat.ion increases. ThF!reforc, we ..\ total nf 2.159 f~trmers in QucC'n land paid should ha vc a better system of raising the i11cornc tax; but there were 4:028 fanners r1111-. 1Vright. Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. [25 OcTOBER.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. 1591 who paid land tax. Although thev did not Mr. MOORE: We arc talking about hos­ ruakc enough to pa:v irtcon1~ tax.-Lth(':V had pital taxation-there is no exemption under to pay land tax. the Hospitals Act. The amount of income :Yir. FoLEY: How manv of tlieso 8mall tax paid by fruit and dairy farmers was farmer~ paitl land tax? · £3,945, while the amount paid in land taxa­ tion was £6.416-double the amount of tax ~lr. ~IOORE: I ltaYe given you the number paid on land to what is paid in income tax ----+.028 pald lmH1 tax. by this section of the community, who are :Jlr. FoLEY: SnHtll fanners: not wealthy peoplo. The hon. gentleman 'Mr. :iiOORE: Y<'B. may sa;; there are only two or three people in an area who pay over £5 in hospital taxa­ !vlt-. C.unER: ?\a-city hnclownC'r.<. tion; but it does not matter whether they :\Ir. MOORE: 1£ the hem. mewber wili pay oYer £5 or £20; what we are pointing look up t h" r·c·port of the Connni,sioner of out is the injustice of this taxation being Taxes he will .···o lhat the follm\'ing fanners placed on one section of the. community. It paid land tax:- :is absoiuteJy "Tong: especially \Yhen you take Fruit fanners 161 into considPl'ation the mortgage on a pro­ Dairy farmers 664 pcrb~. ::\o onP can say a rnan owns the htntH~rs. inc:i;1di!:~." -~ugar fll'Oy;ert.v in that. case. The whole principle 3.203 of this taxation i,; wrong. Tho local authon- 1-icR triyc the taxnavers a service for \Yhat they !'Jay. " Total 4.028 ~ :iir. C. J. Rn;,;: So does the hospital. Of tl1<· 'a me da,. oes of fanners 2 159 do not pa,Y in er tne tax:. hut, although thev do not :\h. :\IOORE: It does not. If the hon. nHl kc enough to pa: incmne- tax, the:y; have HL ~1bcr goc::J to a hospital. he pays his -way, to pa:· luud ta·'· Those aro the people the the san1c a\ aHybody else \vho goc.~ in. ( ~oyu·nn1;:on:· !tit up again b:.· 1naklug then1 :VIr. C'. J. RYA~: If h,, is able to pay. pa,v a hos)Jiud tax. · :\Ir. :\'IOORE: If Jw gor•s iu, he does not :'.Ir. Fou:y: \Ylwt is the percentage tliey lTCCi\~l~ a bit. UlO!'e :5ervicc than an~vbody else; llU~: ·: 1Jnt the indiYidual -vd1o contributes nothing :\fr. :\IUOHE: ~<'VCl' mind about percen­ goc~ in for 11othing. Pco11l(' who pay unde1: t.ngc--hon. HlCtnbor opposite alwa.vs want to " incenv tn.x il'. hit np with land tax; and :VIr. :\IOORE: I know of many cases in ho11. rnern1 tC'rs opposite \Yant to know the '"hich peoplP \Yell able to pay do not pay perccnt<.Jgc·. anvthing·: vet thl' land-holder. who has to JH'0Yidc' for' various other scryicc~. is singled Tlw CIJ \IR:iL\~: Order ! I hope the ""' to pay for thP upkcPp of the hospitals hon. me m Ler \\ill nDt allow himself to be t1nd also has to pay vdH'll he uses 1t. I say dra \\-n a wa:· from the subject before the tlwt lS wrong. Committee hy the remarks of other hon. rn('rnbcrs. i12 noon.] The liO}IE SECRETARY: The basis is purely l\Ir. :\lOORE: Hon. members opposite for­ the local authority basis. get that a larg-e number· of people pay in stamp duty £1,000,000, in totalisator tax :\Ir. :\100HE: 1 say that that basis is £90.000, and in land tax over £500,000. in wrong. Every ~ection contribnte~ to the addition to license fees, all of which goes gr'neral reYenue-landholders and eYerybody into the revenue. \Ve all contribute on that d~e-and the 60 pPr cent·. comes out of that basis. Then they say, ''You have the land." gt~neral reYenue. Then the. 9-oyernn1ent iurn People cprtainly hold it, but nobody says to one sectiDn aud say, " \ ou have to coll­ they own it-they arc occupiers only, and tr·ibate again. \Ye want 40 per cent. horn have to pay, perhaps, interest on mortgage. you.'~ The HO}rE SECRETARY: Isn't t.hat rather an The HmiE SECRETARY: Twenty-two per cont. argument against land tax than a"'ainst hos- :\lr. :viOORE : I know that the percentage pital tax'! ~ sounds YCl'V small on the ayerage, but Mr. ::VIOORE : I am pointing out the uyc·rages do~ not count. There arc individuals injustice of burdening a section of the people who ha\'P allotments and other land which who do ,not make enough to pay income tax was ('Ut up year's ago and is really of little by makmg thern pay a land tax and also a or no Yalue, and. on the average. the tax hospital tax. mav be onlv 5d., 6d., or Se!.; but th<' average The HO}IE SECRETARY : Arc you not arguing of i·hc n1en~ "\Yho are earning their living on that the 8tat<' should get out of the field of 1he land are paying is considerably higher, land taxation? and. although the others may bring down the· :tYerag-e, it does not make the syste.m of taxa­ Mr. :VIOORE: If the hon. gentleman says ! ion anv more just. I do not obJect to the they will got oat of the field of land taxa­ amount" v·e have t'o pay. I think my con­ tion. ihere wou_ld not be so much grumbling tribution is about £2 16s. per annum. I about the hospJtal tax. gave n1ore before in the way of ordinary The Hma: SECRETAHY: You will not admit r'ontributions. The point is that I, as a land­ that hospitab arc a local authority service. holder. baYc to contribute to hospitals, whilst other people who are making incon1es 111 Mr. RE: admit that the ratepayers MOO I other way, and haYc t'heir monev iuyested in i~ the local authority areas proYide the ser­ other do not contribute. " ''icc ; but t bat does not get over the fact that for~ns 40 per cent of the contributions come from The liO)!E SECRETARY : :\' ationalisation ! one srna n section in a partiC'ular area. Mr. ::VIOORE: Call it that, if you like. I Thr Hmm SECRETARY: You should be fair do not think it is necessarily nationalisation. to the cit:: clwdler, and admit that there is I ·recognise, as the Homo Secretary said, thar an exemption of £1,500 on country lands. the committees asked to be brought under Mr. Moor(< 1592 Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. [ASSEMBLY.] Hospuals Act Amendment Bill. the Act. The committees were not local Mr. CARTER (Port Cw·ti"): vVhat amazes authority representatives. Some were elected me in this discussion is the mean attitude bv the sub,,cribers, others were appointed by taken up by hon. members opposite who have the Government; and, when they saw an easy spoken in fayour of the amendment. One way of securing all the money they required, would naturally expect that, as a body of ·no matter how much, they naturally asked legislators, they would formulate some sound :that districts should be proclaimed. scheme to take the place of the one that they The Hmm SECRETARY: A lot of th<· requests desire to remove. The object of the amend­ \Vere refused. ment is to remove certain payments from ratepayer,, but they do not pt·opose any Mr. MOORE : I do not know why they scheme in its place. They ask that the sfwuld be refused unless t'hey were too close present scheme be wiped out : but they have .to other districts. not the courage to say that tb0y believe that The HoME SEClUTARY: Because it "as con­ the hospitals should b& nationalised. They ·sidered they were able to carry ou. ha,.. e not the couriH~·c to co1ne out as a party .. Mr. MOORE: I can quite understand that and sa v that thev believe in a poll-tax. which in cases such as the Home Secretary men· they tlo believe· in. They sugg-est that the ·tions, such a:; Toowoomha, they jumped at revenue should lw derived by a tax upon .the opportumry. ammements. That is to say, that the families The HO}IE SECRETARY: They were bankrupt. of the poor should have no amusement unless they pa:c something towards the hospittd. ::Vfr. l\IOORE: They were bankrupt, and l'Ylr. vY. A. RrssF:LL: Is that not fair? we recogmse that another sHtem had to be introduced. \V c have no ,;bjcctions to the Mr. CARTER: E,-ery landown0r who is object of the tax-the financing of ho,pitals asked as to the Yalue of his land refers to the -bnt we do object t'o the principle of the fact that it has a certain value becau"e of 'basis of the tax, and I have never vet heard the proximity of a school or a hospital. . 'rhe the Home Secretary or anybody else 'justify it. land has many adYantage·~. and the land­ The HO}IE SECRETARY: You appreciate the owner sells tho>e advantages--the proximity problem? of a school or a hospital, or the police pro­ tection g·i,,cn to the property. I do not say Mr. MOORE: I do not admit that it is a that that is any r<'ason \\·hy ho, pit;ll revenue problem an:v more than it is a problem to should be deri n'd bv means of land taxation. alter the boundaries by including part of a Hon. members lmO\;~ that I am not in favout· local authority area in another district. It is of a rate bf~ing i1npo-,0d upon land for the pel'fectly easy. in fact. although we ha Ye had purpo~e of deriving revenue for the upkeep to wait four or five vca rs for the Government of hospitals. to do that. • :vir. '\Y. A. Rc·•SELL: \Yhat do yon favour? :Ylr. LLEWELYK: You do not think that the alt'eration will affect the next eledions? Mr. CAHTER: 1:\ationaJisation of hospi­ tals. T ban; made that statement dc•fmitely. Mr. MOORE : If the hon. member were I bclieYe that the whole of the reYenue living near ~anango and had to pav to the required bv the hospitals in cxcch of volun­ Toowoomha ho,pitaL I think he would object, tarv contr{bution" shoultl come directlv from and perhaps he mig·ht say, '· I will alter mv the. consolidated l'PVCllllt'. • \·ote." '--' · ~ Mr. KrxG: That is certainly preferable to :\Ir. LLE\VELYX: ThP Govcrumcnt hav<' no the pi'C'PE'llt S) stern. •upporters in Pith, r electorate: (Laughter.) :\Ir. CAUTER: lion. mcmiwrs opposite ::\Ir. :\IOORE: That is one of the reasons­ ha Yf' not the courag·e to say so. because th<'y ha vP been treated so unjustly. Mr. J\IAXWEI.L: Pure l,lufL . :\Ir. HAKLOK: You do not apply that prin­ dple of taxalwn to tlw railway sen-ice. and Mr. CARTER: Hor. membt•rs opposite ;-ay that the people who get the actual service expect the GoYernment to abolish the prcsem l'endered 'hould pay all the cost~ ,ystem. and also to pick out some scheme to J\1~'· l\IOORE: Otheh have just as much takP it::; place. ThL~y haYe not suggested sen·ICe rendered to them. The hon. nwmber ar:ythin~ to take the place of the present woul-d not get anvthincr to eat unless the ~chenH'. railways brought the ProdtH't) down here. }.fr. \Y. A. RFSS:t:Lf.: I rnade a sugge~tjon. Pe'?ple are _growing pl'Oclucc. and they pay Mr. CARTER: An:; suggepital tax than he does, and I am quite under a sv8tcrn where the ratC'payers contri­ agreeable to do so. It is because the hos­ bute onlv· one-fdth of the amount required pital tax fr11ls heavily on sugar-growers and fl.lld get 'four-ninths of the representation on or.hers who have rich land, and in some cas(),s the board there is sorncthing mdically wrong. Jnghly rated land, that I say the incidence It is quite ·due to the subscribers that they of the hospital tax is u:dair. I would point ·hould get more representation than they do out to hon. members opposite that all house­ at pre,;ent, becau>le, although the voluntary holders pay rates. If a man occupies a sub:;cript'ions total £1.148 in the ra·-e I have house in Brisbane, Gladstone, Rockhampton. quoted. the voluntary subscnbers arc only or elsewhere, '1-ou may be sure that he is aJ!owed one representative. I believe that paying the rates for that property in the all hospitals should be nationalised, that all re11t charged him. No landlord is stupid money required over and above voluntary -enough to charg-e a rent which does not subscriptions and hospital charges should be include the rates, a fair return on the cost obtained. from the consolidated revenue, and of the ]and and building, and depreciation. that rho subscribers should control the hos· All rents include those costs. Therefore, everv pit al. \Yhcrpas in my district. the voluntary ratenayN is taxed for the upkeep of thos'8 ,;ubscriptions totalled £1,148, m the Bunda­ hospitals which haYe been districtcd. berg district -a much bigger plac:-only Yrr. \Y. A. RuSSELL: ·what about the £8 l2s. v;as raised in voluntary subscriptiOns. fanners? Who arc responsible? The ratepayers of the Dundaberor < there 1s very httle for have wlwn the hon. member's party was in horL members opposite to complain abou_t. I

1•ower. It is only since this party came into ltaYl' a just clainl 1 because I an1 a behc,~er office that one man one vote has been intro­ in natiunalisatioH. !Ion. rnernbers opposite duced. I knew ratepayers who used to have belicYP in everything except the hxation of thirty votes. To come back to the subject, t'hl' wealthy section of the commumty. They eYery householder is a ratPpayer inasmuC'h \Ymdd tax the poor for amusement, and put as the rent. paid for the house he occupies a poll-ta'< on people who in many cases are includes the rates charg-ed against the pro­ on the brcf1cl-line. I do not think the weing to hear J\1r. r''HTEH: 'l'hat is what you are always from hon. memb<:'rs opposite that the farmer doing. pa,,·s very little taxation, although they go into the country and tell the poor deluded .Mr. SW AY::\E: The speech of the hon. men there who ha.vc no inbrmation before membc,· for Port Curtis is a fair sample Mr. Swayne.1 1594 Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. [ASSE::\fBLY.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill- of the argument or lack of argument against PAIRS. this amendment. The hon. member, instead AYE~. ,.OF~. of voting against the amendment, should vote Mr. Brand Mr. W. Cooper for it, because, as far as I can gather, ,. PPtPrson Riordan he does not approve o£ the present system. , W. H. llarne• Smith HQ has a system of his own, and. if the Hesohcd in tlw negative. amendment is carried, he will have an [12.30 p.m.] opportunit:;, if he can !'et a majority, of putting his systYe. I tinw.'' have a list of thn taxpa::ers in one of the :-:hire~ in rny clc(·torab._l, -\Yhich ~ho\Y::-. that a Qu('~- ta-x fll}l('.'' tlwt hou. mernbcrs oppositf' would have us h('licY('. :\Jau,~ peo]l1C' '1\'llo rna.kp far larger Quntion pni~ and pas cd. HH'OD1(':" than prin1ary protlucr-r~ paY no tax :\!r. :\IOORE (A uliir;~'.''): :\lr. SpeakPr,­ at all. Then' is no doubt that thi, is a (Gon~rnnu•nt laughter.) direct in1po~t. on t.h~~ 111an who goe>s on the Inr~d allcl produce~1 the foundation of a11 ont· ::VIonox TO oo IJ.:To Co>niiTTEE. prospPrity. \Yhen 0~on add thi, tax to his otlwr h xc> and the other PX]lC'Il'c' which he The Hakcr, I amount<. to a s1m1 ont of all proportion to lf'g to IHO\ c- h1:-< f'<-Lrntng~. I cannot under:o;t.and how any­ ,, That vou do now leavP the chair, and one who rcali:'ies what primAry production the Hous0 l'l"'olw it,elf into a Committee nwans to the Rtai~c objecting to the motion of th<' Whole to considN the Bill in bcmg enlarged so that the Bill mav be detail." au1cnded jn ~uch a rnanner as to pr~vide for an Pquitable m<>,tns of raising. the moncy ::VIr. KING: \Y c hav<' not se0n th<' Bill yet. ncc1'"ary for the upkccv of our hospitals. · :VIr. J\IOHG.\K: That wa' a dirty thing to do. Question-That the words proposed to he '{ou should play the game. as we do. It IS added to Hw motiOn (.1[r. lV. A. Ru.,.r/l's Eharp practice-nothing ntore or less. •JIIIf'n'lmrnt) be so added-put· and the The HO::VlE SECRETARY (Hon. J. Committee divided:- ' Rtopforrl, Jiotll'f Jiorr;an): I rise to a point AYES, 22. of order. Is the hon. member for Mm·illa Mr. Appel Mr. Logan in m·der in saying that it is sharp practice? , Bell , Maxwell It is nothing of tlw sort , Clayton .. Moore , Costello , Morgan Mr. ::\foHGA"': You ask for fair play from , Deacon , Russell, H. M. thi' side of the House. and we g:·ivc it to you, , Edwarns ., Russell, W. A. and this i8 what we get. ,, Fry .. Sizer , GrimstonP ., Swayne Th<> SPEAKER: The hon. member is not , Kelso , Taylor i!1 order in accming the ::Vlinister of Rharp ., Kerr , Walker ,. King , Warren prnctieE'. A1nple time was given for some hon. member to rise and oppose the second T~llers: Mr. Grimstone and ::\fr. Kerr. rt'ading, if he :'iO desired. NoEa,35, Mr. Barber Mr. Hynes ::Vll'. MoRGAK: I say that ample time was ., Bertram Jones net giYcn . ,, Row .. ·Kirwan ,, Bruce ,. Larcombe The HO:Idure on a Bill, which .. Gledson Wilson I followNl. I understood that hon. members , Hanlon , Winstanley Hanson , Wrig1t opposite were making their second reading , H:.rtlcy

The HO :VIE SECRETARY: Hon. members 'If the chairman rlrctPcl bJ- the practising later hollr of the day. architect~ aucl the rcprt'~entaiiYe:::; appointcJ }lotion, by l!•ave. withdrawn. by the GoYCl'llill\'Ilt'. the Go,·erHnH~nt will haYc Con;id,.,·ation of the Bill in Committee an absolute pO\\'L'l' of YC'tO and can don1inato

made "'' ( lnlcr of the Day for a later hom· the board. Th: j board is con~tituted for the of the ~iajug. purpo~c of bL 'H fitjng 1he architects. and ~hould not he dmninatcd bv the Gnycrnrnent. The GoYPl'llnicnt ha V(\ not' l'l1t' ~ar11e intcrc:::-t ',RC'HITECTi'i BILL. crl· t Pd for llh• iJurpose of looking uftt·r tl1c· ;nh·rl· t:-:. of tho...;c connected The ( 'li AIR:\! A:'\: Orcl,,r: I ,-ug-gcst that •.. -ith fb0 prt'ft'-=-:-:io•J; cu~d I c:un1ot. :-;pe the boiL HH·wber~ li ...:;tcn tu the clau:-;r~ bciug suh­ ju~tifi._:cttioJJ for rhc· Uon•JTil1H'~lt hadng- the Initt(:d tu tht: Connnittee, othenYisc they 1nay 1 epl'f·.;:entation proYid\•d un,1cJ· thi..; Hill. lt b0 J,·H. i':' really- n!Ol'(' 1ha:1 ha\ in~·: r('jlrP.-.entHtiYP ... 011 :\Ir . .\IOORE: I beg to nJoYe the following tb"~ hoard. It alH011:1t;:; to a <'Ojltl'ol of the anH'IH11lH'llt :- boH.rd by the· G-overnrnent. lr ha'i been rccog~ ni~ecl h\- the GoYennnL~nt in other cases, fuch .. On line 45, page 2, to lino 5, page 3, ;:-...: ht~rbour bon r n. good thing ornir the wol'ds- fo:· thC' chainnan to hn Plt'cted by thP rr~pre­ ' (1,) One of the representatiYes of fr ntatin)o. ..:.: c·on1no.:.;in;.r tll" bo·nd. It has also the Government shall be trw chairman brcn provicled in u mccny c·a,,' that local CJf the board., and the GoYcrnor in enthoritif's should have th<' l'ig-ht to elect Cuuneil shall appoint such chairman. their Ol,.Vll chairman. The GoYcrHment go out In the event of the absence of a of tlwir W"- y in this Bill to 'a v that the rPpresentative of the GoYernment l'hairman ,h.all be appoint< d by "them. and from any meeting of the board, wme thrv make proYision right throngh the Bill "ther ]Jer·on, t'o be appointed by the for thP ch so, und shall for the purpose of that 0specially considering their interest in tho meeting be deemed to be a member Bill. of the board. The SECRET.\RY FOR L\BOrR Ac;n I:-;11T'S'IRY: ' In the CYent of the absence of the The chairman will onlv have the right to a chairman frorn any n1ceting of the deciding Yob:'. w board, one of the other represent'a­ tiYes of the Government appointed by :Mr. MOOHE: Whv should the chairman the Minister shall act as chairman of b~ nominated by the ·GoYernment? 1 h,, board for the purposes of such The SECRETARY FOR PTJBLTC \VoRKS: There n1eC'ting .,' are. good 'itnd sufficit•nt reasons for it. and insert in lieu thereof the words- ::\1r. MOORE: I fail to sep "·hat t.hey are. , (b) At the first meeting of the The SECRETARY J.OR l't

one of their nommecs as chairman of the a most extraordinary statement to the effect board. that the public wei·e not much concerned. I think they are greatly cor,ccrned, and that Mr. KING (Lar;an): I desire to support is whY the Government haYe laid clown the the amtOndment moved bv the Leader of the princi.ple that the chairman should be Opposition. The Sccreta;·y for Public Works nominated by tlje GoYernor in Council. 'has stated that there is ample justification for the chre•.t or public concern, or where sentatiYes, and it is in thPir rliscrrction to the Government is called upon to safeguard appoint a chairman. They might appoint the interests of the public generally. :--Tone an accountant or a clerical rn;ln. of the~e graVE' rnatters is eoncerncd to justify 'l'he SECRETARY FOR PuBLIC IYORKb: l\'on· thP UoYcrnment taking an active part in Rense ! .Pigs might fly. dealing with the parties concerned. Mr. MAX\YELL: Some of them arc flying Ylr. HARTLEY: The public are concerned. no-..Y. One never knows "'\vhat mav be done. :Mr. KI:--JG ; The public rtrc only slightly Certain influence mav be used. \\7e know of conrerned. an instance in conncection with local authority \vork here pre-ssure was brought to bea.r ~Ir. HA).'LO~: That IS where vou arc '"r on rhc Home Secretary, and. uctwithstanding \Y1'0I1g. that certain objections wPrc raised.. tho i.\Ir. KI:\'G: Seeing· that half th0 nwrnbers opinion of tiH~ people int.erestt'd wa~ ent1rely of the board will be GoYPrnmcnt nominee,, Pliminatecl. I say unhcsitatinglv that the ::-urely that is sufficiPnt to conserve the rights registration of architects is nece~~ary. The of the public. I think it will be eonccclecl arChirccts themselvef' say it is nec£'~sary t of 1 hP bo,ud, parti<>ularly as not be prot~cted by theoe professional men. there eau tw no question that the public l\Iy experience of architects has been that they iutere~t~ will not he safr•guarded b!' the ant t·o eliminate the man who does things thr00 Goyprnulf'nt norninces on the board. 1 of an unprofpssional nature. Thev want to hope tlw Minister will accept the amendment be in a position to >ee that onl;- competent 1noved h:v t:lf' Leader of thr Opposition. tnen arc allo1vcd to carrv on the profc~sion of an architect. · The SECRETARY FOR PT:BLIC' \YORKS (Hon. :\1. .J. Kirwan. Rrid1U111): It is yery ~Ir. HAxLox: To cut out competition­ hard to underi'tand the general attitude of that is what it means. the Oppo .... ition toward.:;; some of th('RC' Inea· Mr. i.\L-\XWELL: I hope the Minister will mr~s. \Vhcn the 'econd reading- of the Bill accept i.hc amendment. 1vas hring rli~"U~~ed thr other clay. there seemed to b" 'ome voulcl not be materially pro· shows that he has not had much experience tPcted. 'T1H' GoYC'rnnJ~·nt gaYC' son10 con­ of architect". or. if he has, that he has not sidcrntion ro thi~ a~peet of tl1e qnc~tion in profited by tbat experience. 'l'he rlillicu_lty fl',"lning- the ruea:->ul'P. and. although the hon. in ('Onnection vvith all building eoll"'trurhon rnmnlH'r fo1· Logan is eorreet when he saYs is to get cffcctiYc supcryision. .c\~; proof of that the :;\;c·•· South \Yalcs Ad provicl~s for that. one has only to listen to th() ~tories the ele;·tion of the chairman bv the memlJCrs going wund Brisbane' about the but!dmg oE of the boarrl. tlw GoYernmcnt. bcelieved that rhe present town hall. It has been stated it would br• \Yi~c for the GovPrnor in Council that utcn \Yere put off that job f~r not put­ to nominate the chairman. It is alwolutelv Hng th0 right arnount of Ct"'rnent 1n the con­ cssemiul that iliP public int0rests should b.0 cretE>, rtnd the other evening wt' had the paran1ount at. all tilllPS .so far as the achnini~­ LNHler of the Opposition in the Fcdeml 1~a:·­ tration of the lmard i~ concc'nlr-d: and I am liamcnt t0lling us that at the lH'Cscnt time ratif'fied that tlH' hc~t guarant<'e we cnn hav0 borings arc being made under the founda­ for that i~ for the chairrnan to lx• norninated tions oE the Federal House of Parliamr nt in b7 tht: Gov0rr~or in CounciL I believe from Canberra to get samples. of the c·oncrPte to rn.v f'xpericncr of :::imila1· n1easurPs that the RC'C \vhat proportion of cenwnt \Yent into it. attitude we haYf' a:dopted and th<· principle' l'\ o one j:-; ~o den~e as to sa v that, bt~r·au::3c a ''" ha,·e laid t1own iu Lhis Bill wiil l:e amply man i~ an arrhite\..t, he inu~t be honest. juHif~r-d. Tl!c lton. lllCillbcr for Logan 1nadc Tlwrc is e,·cry bit as big· a proportion of [Jir. Moore. ATchitects Bill. [25 Oc·roBER.] Architects Bill. 1597 dishonest architects as there are di,honest The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC \VORKS: Oh, no! naYvicP wharflurnpers, or dishonest men1ber::; 1 M1· KI:\n · It 'ecme to me that that of any other section. The public do need belief is "·ell found<'d, bccaU':o the Govern­ pron)etion frorn rhe architcctfoi, because it is ment will not trust them the one profr,ssion in which the public who are paying for their serYiecs. arc not thoroughly The KECRETARY FOR l'cBLIC \\' ORKS : The competent to judge of the value of the work :'declical Board and the Survevors Board arc the:v are getting. Consequently they have ou the satne line~. ~ to nu,r '" chitects to a much greater extent Mr. KI:"-JG. It does not matter whether than they do otlwr professional men. For thev are. If I were an architect. I would tLar rea •on the public are entitled to protec­ prd:,•r to be free of the Government and to tion. Thc Bill, to n1y rnind, does not giYe be able to carry on my profession ·without ;.,ufficicllt protection, bearing in 1nind that suf'h a charter. ~1y e:xperiPnce is that the the omunm of protection will -depend on the architects do their job and look after the UH!nllH!rs appointed to the boal"d and ho\v interests of their clients. tl ePe lnt~rnbPr~ yje\Y rnalpracticcs by rhe member' of the profession. It would be rank The SL'RETARY FOR PcBLIC \Y ORKS : I have foolislme·' for the Minister to agree to had no objcction to this proJ10sal from them. rpmon• tiJC nnly protection which the public ::\Ir. KII\G: I can speak from my own of QlH'('ll~lalJd haYe fro111 the 1nernbcrs of this c•xpcricnee. \\'hf'n I "·as having my house pl'ofcssion. buiH OYC'l' thirty :vears ago, 24~gauge iron ::\Ir. DEACO:\ (CunninyTwm): I unnot ,-~as speci[icd for the roof, but the contractor untkrstaud the ai·gument put forward by the put on 26-g·augc iron, -and had almost corn­ hon. lllClnbc~r fot' Ithac1. The arr1endment lllctcd it wr•cn the architect c~me along and N dc:i~'riCd 10 giYe protection to the public:. madt• him take it off and pnt on 24-gauge Th~ b." reasonableness. I should like to know how Jlr. 111.axzrell.] 1598 Architects Bill. [ASSEMBLY.] Architects Bill. manv nwmbers are on the :Medical Board, po,es. and the hon. member for Filzroy quite and }f the Uovernrnent haYc a preponderance candid!" admitted that that wa; Pxactly the of 1n0111bers. intention. The board should be constituted :\!r. }.lOO RE (:! uiJiyny): The Minister b,, the el0ction of qualified p<'rsons, seeing stated that. there was no difference in the lhat it i.- the dutv of the board to attend to cou>titut.ion of the :Vlcdical Board. The such Jnattcrs a.,s t'he ex~unination of students and thP is~uc of cprtilicntes. As thu l\Iinister Go\~t'rllnH;.:_.t haYe no repre'·cntatives on that board. say~'. Hnder prc:,Pllt conditions it is quite possih!,, to appoint a wharf labourer to the Tl>c SECRET.\RY FOR l'lBLlC \YoRKS: Is not boa;·d. t!1c Loan! appointed by the Government? The SECRETARY FOR P1·nuc \VOHKH: I did :VIr. i\lOORE: Yes: but the Government not suggest anything of tiJO kind. I said haYc no representatives on the board. In that yam· argument suggested that. connection with this Bill there arc three direct representatives appointed by the Mr. 1\IOORE : I di{l not suggest that, but Govemment In referring to the :Medical i; is po"ible. The principle is wrong. The board should be allowed to elect its own Board the Medic~! Act says- chairman. It should be constituted by the " It sh"ll and mav be lawful for the elediou of qualified men, and that is the Governor in Council to appoint a cam· reason whv I ha vc moved the amendment, m i ttee consisting of not less than three which I ti1ink is only fair and reasonable. persons being legally qualified members IT will place thP board in the position in of tlw medical professiQn, one of whom which it should be placed, and make it the shall be nominated president." deciding factor in the profession, which it There is nothing in the Bill to say that the will not be if the amendment is not accepted. liovernmcnt representatives on this board The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS shall be qualified architects. (Hon. M. J. Kirwan, Brisbane): The Leader The SECRET,\RY FOR LAB::Jl:R AND IxDl:STRY: of the Opposition and several of his sup­ The British Medical Association has no repre­ porter> arc labouring under most erroneous •ontati,·e·o on the Medical Board. Ideas. The hon. gertleman cannot have read the Medical Act. Mr. MOORE: The members of the Medical Board must be legally qualified medical prac­ Mr. MOORE: I did read it. titionel'S: but there is nothing in this Bill The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS: to_ ~~.V .~hat_ ,t.he" C:ov1e~·.nrr~ont, r.~P.re~ent~~iye~ l sug-g-est that the DPnutv LPocJp,· of t.hA v_;__,_ vue J.... n.hu u (n r1.ruu Le cL~ snau oe quannea ~-~L.:~n-~-. rT'l ,-;" --~ • • ' Opposition should dea1 with these le~ral a 1'l'""'lill·llle lilt_. cutllrl.u<:tu u1 Lills voaru. Then~ i~ nothing· to f'8.,V that he shall be a Mr. Moom: I •·ead it. qualified architec:. lie mav be a GO\·ern· The SECRET .\RY FOR PFBLIU WORKS: nwut official. ~ Section 4 of the ldcdical Ad. dealing ''"ith Th(' SECREL\HY FOR Pt:nuc \\'oRKS: You tlw constitution of the :Medical Board. reads- surely do not think that we would appoint " There shall be a board, consisting of a v. atcro;ide work<,- to the board? not less than five members (\\·hich shall :\Ir. :UOORE : I do not know what vou lw c.: !led ' The Medical Board '). Such would do. I thon<:;ht that pos>'ibly the Un.der members shall be appointed. by the Secretary of the Department of Public Works GcYcrnor in Council, and one of them would be appointed to the position of shall be so appoiPted to be president of chairrna11. - the board." The• SECRETARY FOR PcBLIC ·woRKS: No. There is EO opporturcit;, there for the medical He doe-. not want the job. He has enough practitioners of this Stal<> to >elect one to do. member of the board. Then we have the Pharmacv Act-one of those Aets with which i'dr. l\lOORE : These officials are not this Gov~rnment had something to do-which alway>' asked if they want the job. has conferred a great deal of benefit on Tlw SECRETARY FOR Pr·BLlC 'vVORKS: If he pharmaceutical chemises. Section 4 of that were appointed. h': would be a very reason­ Act reads- able n1an. " There shall be a board, eonsisting of Mr. MOORE: I am not talking about seve.n pharmaceutical chemists. to bP that: I am talking about the principle called ' The Pharmacy Board,' and shall tll\·olved. The Government representatives, be constituted in rnanuer fol1o"' in g. who are to have the controlling influence namely:- ehould be qualified architects. ' (1) Four of the mPmbcrs of such }Ir. \VEIR: ::\at necessarily. board shall be appointed by the Governor in Council, and shall remain }L. }lOORE: If the Government were in office for three years. to appoint three qualified architects, it would !Je a different matter. (2) Three of the mernbPl's of such board shall be elected by the pharma· l'dr. vYEm: Thorr> arc other things to be c~utioal chcmio;ts of QueenK!and in cons1dered apart from the building of houses. manner prescribed, and shall remain in :11r. ::VIOORE: I do not know what the office for thre<' years." ton. gentlen1an has in n1ind. There you have two of the most importrtnt Mr. WEIR: I '·:rcow the Bill from A to Z. boards· created under Acts 11assed by this Government where the majority of the mem­ }h .. 1\lOORE: It. dab not appear so. I bers reprf''lr>nt~ ~o to sp0ak, the GoYernrnent. o!JL et ro the P'"W 'lple of the Government ThP hon. n1f'rnbcr for Toowong; mad0 u baYing pov;cr to f'Xacth- as tlwv like. I do ~peech on the S<'cond reading stage of this sug-g-c~ted that it ruight be' for poli'iical pur- Bill, and I do not know wlut has happened [Jli'. J[a.nuU. Ar:hitects Bill. [25 OCTOBER.] Architects Bill. 1590

J.o biu1 sinr-P. In thP cotl!'.;,0 of thai spt•C<·h Clan:-;0 8~"T( nurt ({J/fl 1'e/11Un: ration of l1f' ::-a id--- ~'' [ ni1J t rs " The JJ<,hts ot the public are p:·o­ l\lr. ~]()(JHE iAu/;il/1·,11!: I beg to mon• the t t ctt'Priod Illay bl' inYOlYl'd in the I'Pl1HtilldPr of .of the Pharmacy Act and I 1\nd that then' the term fur which the mernbe1, of the board j., somc,thing in sccliol! 4. 'Yhich he quot0d. arc appointed. The clause has been framed that he did not rcacl. That s0etion lll'OYides t') ayo1d dw l'Xpens~" and trouble iucidentul that the GovPrnor in Council shall appoint tu tlw holc.liiJg' of an l~lectiou under ~uch four phar1naccntical chen1ists to bP mentLer~ circmnstanccs. It can be safely a"umcd that of iho board. There is no proYision in the the ~\linister in charge for the time beiug Hill before the Committee to sav that the would r·on,ult the lnstitutP of Architects ii t~nee Governrnent n.>pl·e.-:.entat1vC" on tlw , \·acancv O{'curred in the nH:!nlbcrs represent­ Hoard of Architect:< shall lw architects. S<'c· inn· thl' iH·otC"':3ioual ar<'hiteCt;3, and it is safp tiou 7 of the Pharmacy Act reads- tob~av that tlw no1ninee of the instirute would ,, At their first meeting held after tlw be a'ppointed by tllP Governor in Couneil. coPStitut:oll of the board in tllf' Yl'ar lf, howeYPl'. the amendnwnt mov0d by tlw 1918. or at sonw adjournment tlwreof. Leader· of the Opposition is agreed to, 1t and thereafter "-t their first meeting held .,,·ill mean that where, for example, t·he in January CYf.'r:, year OI' art ::ou1P adjourn­ members of the board have to servp only two ment thereof. tlw m0mhers prcsellt shall OI' three n1onthP. before cornpleting thPir elect a m<'mbct' to br' tlw pr·c;.idenl of term and a vacancy occurs at that tiwc, an 0lcctiou in,·olving unnecessary expense, will the hoard." 1 ha ye to be held. J\fr. MAXWELL: That does not "n that he is to he a Government nominee. · Mr. :\1AX\YELL (Toowong): Apparently the Minister is not in a very good mood Mr. KF.LSO: 'l'hat is the point. ThE' this afternoon. as he does not feel disposed whole of the Pharmacv Board is composed to give un.Ythin~ away. The anwnd1nent .is .of pharmaceutical chemists. As the Leader a reasonable' one. To be C'onsistent those who, of the Opposition pointed oul·, thcrP is somP· in the first place, nominate the representa­ thing left out of this Bill. I would like ti,-c on the board should surely be given an io sec in this Bill a [liOYision requiring the opportunity of nomina.ting- the deputy. ThP representatives of the GoYernmellt to be il.1inister ha' pointed out that it will depend architects. otherwise how can thcv reasonablv on the attitude the Minister for the time consider the technical business lil~elv to come being takes up as to whethPr he will con­ before them? As I point"d out. the Phar· ,ider the recommendation of the Institute of macy Board has the power to sPl0et one of its Architects. It ought to be made hard-and­ o\vn' numbC'r as C'hairrnan. and 0vcrv 11'1C'lnher faEt so that it '"O'Jld not be necessary for the of the board is a chemis't. The" ~Iinister 2vlini~ter to adopt anyone's suggPstion. The ought to reconeiclcr this mart<>r. and proYide amf.'ndn1ent is a reasonable one. that no man appointed by the Government to the board shall be other than an architect. The Sr.cRF.'L,RY FOR PUBLIC \YonKS: This pro·:i,;;;:in:J ha~ been in operation in New The SEr'RETARY FOR PUBLIC' \YORKS: You ~outh \\'" al~>s for years . .can take n1v a~surallC'(;- that he will be an architect. · :0-Tr. _\IAX\\ ELL: I would point out to Amendment (JJr. Jf oon) negatived. thP hon ged!cman !hat he and other hon. lilCtnbt_'l''=' on the Governnl.rnt Ride- ha ,-p Clause 5 agreed to. point0d nut ag-ain and again that they have Clauses 6 and 7 agreed to. been making history-history of a certain Mr. lli.axu:ell.] 1600 Cathedral Land Sales Bill. [ASSEMBLY.] Colonial Gas, Etc., Bill. class that we do not like. It doe, not matter mon' central site, and, in order to facilitate· what :!:\cw South \Yale'' has done, let him this and to procure the Jwcessary funds, it go a littlP further and show that he is i.; desired to sell the whole or any part or arncnablc• to rca:,on. parts as may lH' d<>emed advisable of the said lands and to use the proceeds in or Mr. KI:'\G (J,o[Jan): I would like to point towards tl,oe pnrchaec of the central site out that. when the Nurses and .Masseurs decided npon in another part of the citY. Regishl1tion Bill was bcforP Parliament thic and for the erection of the now cathedral ~esEion, the l!omo SecrC'tary aC('CIJted an thercon. exactly similar amendment from the Opposi­ tion pro,Tiding that, i£ any vacancy occurred I would jw't like to say here that Arch­ after the election of the board, that vacancy bishop lluhig recently had an inteniew with would be iillcd by the persons who elected a rPprcsentative of the '' Courier ., on tlus the particular re]JH'·•Cntative who caused the uHLtler, and. in order to allay anv fears that vacanc~'· Surely that is a rea:-;onable pro· au,v pt~nwns rnay haYe luld that it was vision. I hopeo the Minister will accept tho intended to interfere with the present cathe­ amendment seeing that the principle has dral, he oa id-- ttlready been accepted in tlther Bills during .. All the land attached to St. Stephen's. the prc~Pn1- ~c~~~iou of Parlian1cnt. \Yotdd not be required, on accouut of the remov-al of the cathedml site, but he Ametrdmcut (Jlr. JJ a ore) negatived. ~:tres:·wcl tbe point that thitJ in no way Clan"' 8 agreed to. .dfcctcd th€ old cadJ' clral itself, which. HHLny wor::-hippcrs regardetl affection­ Chws~s 9 to 31, bo:h inclusive, and schedule, agreed to. ately, and which vvould always remain.'' The House resumed. That statement. will remov-e from the mind of am·bocl·, vdw had in it the idea that it was The CHA!R:'.IA" reported the Bill without illtcnJed to mov-e the cathedral. arnendml'nt. The whole of the original trustees of the 'l'HIRD H.EAl>IXG. l-and~ have been dead for rr1an:v years, and The SECUETARY FOR FCBLIC WORKS i1- is not. kno\nJ \Yhich of the trustees was the !Hon. :\1. J. Kirwan, Bri.,uanc): I beg to lust survivor. There is no machinery which I110Y8- giveo:. power foe the appointment 0£ fresh trustee:-;. and it is prDposed in this measure ·'That the Bill be now read a third tl1at rH''\· trustees shall be appointed according tinlt:.'' to the method set out in the Bill; and the Question put and passed. procedure set out for that purpose is such that at no tinw will it again happen that BRISBAXE ROMAN CATHOLIC t her<' will be no trustees, for, should any trustee die, 1n·ovibjon is nutdc for the CATHEDRAL LAND SALES BILL. UJlpOintrnent of a SUC'Ces~or. rrho Ulethod of 3ECOXD READIXG. appoirning sueh ~uccpssors is :;.et ont clearly ::\Ir. }'.fcLACHLAN (Mert!tyr): This is a in the Bill, so that there will practically be Bill to ycst in new trustees certain lands in trustees in JlPrpl'tuity. The authority which· the City of Brisbane gncnted for the purpose is being- asked for for the sale of the land is of the erection thereon of a church, school, not ne\\·, bec;mse other churches have from alld clcrgyrnan's residence and for other tim~ to time obtained Parliamentarv purposes in connection with the Roman authority for sirnila.r purposes. " Catholic Church, and to enable the trustees I think that is all I can say about the to sell such land or any part Bill. which is a small one. l have pleasure [2.30 p.m.] thereof and to apply the pro- JH rnoving-- ceeds to the purchase of other " That th;; Bill be noy, read a second lands and the erection of a church thereon tirne." in a rnorc convenient situation. In 1849, Question put and pas-ced. under the proYisions of an _.\et then in force in Xew South \Vales known as "an Act to CO)L\JITTEE. r•romote the building of churches and chapels and to proYick for the maintenance of minis­ (Jir. l'ollock, r!reyory, in tlu· chair.) ters of religion in Kmv South \\"ales," cer­ Clause, 1 i'o 10. both inclusiv-e, and pre­ tain lands situated between Elizabeth street amble tigrePd to. , ;me! Chlirlolte street iu this cit:- were granted The House resumed. to t!l·:_ then Rotnan 1. 'atholic ~Archbishop, c1 ohn B(•dc Polding, and others upon trust The CH.UR)JA:\ reported the Bill vv-ithout for the purposes of the erection then•on of u JllC'JHlmrnt. a RonHtn Catholic church~ a clergyn1an's THmJJ READI"G. Year;;; rc~ideuce. anrt a schoollwusc. In the ~•Ir. :\IcLAl'HLAX iJir rth:;r): I beg io 1851 and in 1855, two other allotments oi land adjoining the site referred to were pur­ tllOYC~ chaspcl from the Crown b;r Archbishop .. That the Bi11 be no\\· read a third I'olcling and certain othere. aud Crown grants time." were ismed ID them upon trust for church Que·•t irJn put and pa~.o;cd. purposes. A church was erected about the y<'nr 1851, and subsequently the existing catlwclral \\as erected on part of the land, COLOXL\L GM; "\Si'OCIATIOX LI:.\IITED aud a e.chool also was built on the property. BILL. In ;·eccnt ,·ears it has been found that the IxrnAno:-;; Ix Co:\DJJTTEE. cetlwdral is too small for the requirements (.llr. Po/1ot·l.., Grrgorp, in thi· chair.) of the people by \vhorn it is u~~d. Jnd, as the area of the land does not allow for the :\Ir. S!ZER (Smul(!({fr): I beg to mov-e- cnl;trgclnellt of the catlwdral to any great " That' it is de,.irable that a Bill be uxtent. it has been decided bv the church introduced to enable. the Colonial Gas authorities to erect a new c'thed ral on a A>Sueiation Limite-d, a company duly [ Jf r . .Zvi axwell. Colonial Gas Association [25 OCTOBER.] Limited Bill. 1601

incorporatcu and registered in England, o£ the Opposition arc prepared to give con­ to supply with gas the town of Sandgate cessions to wealthy companies \\ hich they and its suburbs and for other purposes.'' arc not prepared to admit arc the rights of This is purely a formal Dill. Its purpose is the people' of Queensland. to ratifv au anonudv that has existed over a 'l'his Bill seeks to lcg·alise the collection of uun1ber~ of years. Il1 1890 ·an agrcen1ent was rnom·ys from the people of Sandgate for a con1e to bct\Yet•n tho Sandgatc Tovt'·n Council jJeriod of forty years. Actually that money and the then chairman of the Colonial Gas ''a~ illegally coB.pc-tcd, and, if hou. rnon1bers Association Li1nitcd for the erccrion of a gas oppcbito~~panicuLdy the Leader of the plant and thP ~upply of gas to bandgatc und Opposit'ion-were honest in the opinions they its fiuburb~. At that tin1c, through the nL·~~·l"'ct cxprc"cd the other

in regard to which I considered it was the all other Gas Acts. None of the other Gas duty of the Goyernmcnt to . intenene. I Acts have such a proposal as this, and it is suggested this clause in the Brll so that the only put in to safeguard the public interests. public would not be placed m any c]lffcront position after the passmg of tho Bill than Mr. SIZER (Sund(!ale): What the Premier thcv were in prior to the passmg of the Brll. "'. s is correct, but the clause which was It i's proposed that the Brisbane City Council wg·gosted in the original draft of the Bill shall have the right of resumption after v, rts similar to a provision in the '\Vynnum thr0e years, npou . giying t'iYPlYo 1nonth.s' Uas Company's Act.. The Brisbane City notice. The counC'll itself rLpparcntly {hd Conncil raised the question that the not take the view that I hold. If the pro­ machine1T was indefinite, and suggested that perty had been resumed aflor the Bill bcJIER: No; that dause was put possibb· have clanncd goodwill; . and whii_e ill by the parliamentary draftsman-not the we should confirm the company m Its posi­ macl1inery part of it, but the goodwill portion tion and its busino.'s nndcrtaking so long of it. as the local authority vas not desirous of !aking over tlw _business a:i _a public. utility, :\lr-. SI:1.ER: I am referring lo the goodwill It would be unw1sc and agamst the mterosts portion of it. The company endeavoured to of the people of this State tD giYe the com­ mt·l't !he City Council and the Government pany something that they had not previously in overy po,sible way. Its only got. /3 p.m.] desire was to legalise the position All franchises have a due date of expiry; · and obtain a legal status which all the gas corn panics operating in Queens­ il woctlrl not otherwise possess. The Premier land have definite d>Ltes !j,n which their \Vas perfectly fair in saying that it was a franchises expire. In this 11articular case I quPstion of either dispossessing the company understand the company is quite agreeable or of h'gali.-;ing \vhat was done. ~4.s there was to get the legal rights that it has not pre­ no question of dispossessing it, the Bill was viously obtained. I have been looking into introdneod and machinery provided in it the history of this maJlor, and certaiuly it hv which no future council will have to pay is unusual for a company to spend a lot of for ~1;oodwill, so that really no objection can mone\· in an undertaking for tho distribution he rai,ccl to the clause. of gas without any legal authority. I under­ In fainw,s to !he compauy, I want t.o say t-itand this js not an .. A_uslra.lian cornpany, 1hat then• is nothing in the point the hon. but a British company. lllcmher for Ilhaca raised. The Colonial Mr. SIZER: It is registcre

That is the natural place from which to get will pay under the Bill. 1'hese are the a. supply. figures- 1\.fr. HANLON: The Brisbane companv will ban' no po>ver to hold it up? Rank. Mr. SIZER: Not when this Bill is pa•.,ecJ.

Clauses 1 to 50, both inclusive, agreed to. £ £ 8. d. Schl!du:e and preamble agreed to. Chief Inspector 675 35 8 9 Inspector .. 600 31 10 0 The House resumed. Sub-Inspector .. 24 18 9 Senior Sergeant 19 13 9 The C'HAIR:liA:-1 J'eported the Bill without Sergeant .. 18 12 9 amendment. Acting Sergeant 17 6 6 Constable 15 4 6 THIRD READING. :Ylr. SIZER (Srtndgate): I beg to moye­ l'ndcr this Bill an acting se1·geant will P':Y " That the Bill be now rea·cl a third a11 additional amount of 2s. per annum 111 titnC'." cxc•oss of the additional amount payable by Question put and passed. ~· constable; the constable will receive an additional pension of £5 per annum, but an acting sergeant will receive an additional pcnsion of £20 per annum. POLICE ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. The HmiE SECRETARY: Ninety-five per cent. SECOND READING. of the men will retire as non-commissioned officers. A man may be injured before. reach­ The HOME SECRETARY (Hon. .J. ing the r"tiring age, and we recogmse the Stop ford, .:tl'ount Jf organ) : In order that no position by paying the additional £5 as a one shall be deceived, I now say that I rneasure of justice. intend to move the second reading of this Bill without making a speech. (Laughter.) Mr. MOO RE: If he is injured, and is com­ I beg- to move- pelled to reriro from the force before. he has served fifteen years, he does not recmve any " That the Bill be now read a second increase in pen:don. time." The IIo:uE SECRETARY : Oh, yes he does. Mr. MOORE (Aubigny): I clo not intend Mr. :MOORE: According to the Bill, he to allow the second reading of this Bill to does not. pass as easily as all that. I do not know whether the Home Secretarv is ashamed of The Ho.'

police force who are compelled to retire tion, and it is pleasing to note that the through injury. Government are at last recognising that The HOME SECRETARY: Through injury or excellent principle. from reasons that are no fault of their own. Question---" That the Bill be now read a Mr. MOORE: It may be right, but the scrond time"-put and passed. way it is drafted appears to me to be ambiguous. At all events, I do not see very Co~.L\IITTEE. much in it. (Jfr. l'ollock, Gregory, in the chair.) The PRE1IIER : This Bill increases the pen­ Clauses 1 to 5, both inclusive, agreed to. sion payable to officers who are compelled to retire before fifteen years' service from £120 The House resumed. to £125. The CH.\IRMAN reported the Bill without Mr. EDWARDE!: That is not enough. amendment. Mr. MOORE: That is when he retires THIRD READING. after fifteen years' service. The maximum The HOME SECRETARY (Hon. J. Stop­ amount is increased to £250. ford, Jiount .'V! organ): I beg to move- The Hmm SECRETARY: This Bill continues " That the Bill be now read a third all the principles of the old Act. time." Mr. MOORE: As we have not had much Question put and passed. information given to us by the Home Secre­ tary on the second reading of this Bill, it HOSPITALS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. will be rather interesting to read what the then Home Secretary said when introducing CmnnTTEE. the principal Act in 1921- (Jfl'. l'ollocl', Orertory, in the chair.) " I think hon. members on all sides of Cleus" 1-" Shod title und Consl"r·uction'' the House will give support to this measure. In fixing the rate of pension ~agN•Pd to. I was actuated by a desire to give the Clcl is found by the L,overnment a~c.ording to cap~ci~y. The Bill is a. recog­ ami thtl local authorities in the proportion mtwn of the prmctple that a man who is of 60 per cent. and ~0 per cent. respectively. promoted should receive greater compensa- Contributions arc limited to a. certain extent [Mr. Moore. HoszYitals Act Amr-ndment Bill. [25 OCTOBER.] Hospitals Act Amendment Bill. 1605

by excluding rural groups or industrial a.nthority has the option of striking a special g~·oups .or contributirms or payments of any rate or paying horn its ordinary funds. That kmd giVen or made for a specific purpose giv·cs the local authority the opportunity of m· under a condition. It means th~t only hltting the ratepayers know exactly what aCtual contributions and the proceeds of tlw: are paying· for. sports meetings and so on shall be calculated. The liOl\IE SECRETARY interjected. It has also provided that, whatever part of the local authoritv area it comes from it :\Ir. :::'viOORE: We struck a rate every Fhall be credited to the particular part or' the year. but we lowered i10 when we found we dis~rict , That may possibly g!vc a l.ittle did not want it all. \Ye got down fairly rebeL rho last Act has practiCally kllled Io,L Because one shire may have struck voluntary contributions. This may possibly a. hospital tax and used the money for flying· help m a small wav, but I do not think it fox destruction, that is no justification what­ will moan very much, although it may alter CYcr for altering the whole scheme of the the precept v.:itl1 reg·ard to the taxation to section. I say it is quite justifiable that a be raised by a local aL!thority by a small lot al authority which has to collect that tax an1ount. . for a specific purpose-that is, hospitals­ The rcsponsibili ty is cast upon the local ,hould let the people know exactly what the authorities to collect the money from the money is for. The hon. gentleman seems to people in their areas. I do not think the think that a local authority is able to deter· clause will have much effect, because the mine e>xactlv how mueh it will need each position is only going to be altered io a year. It does not. \V e may strike a hospital c8rtn,in extent. rate this year, but we may not get it all in, The HO)!E SECHET.\RY: I think it will. and it is necessarv to have a small balance in hand. ' Mr. MOORE: The ::Vlinister is going to The BO}!E SECRETARY: It is only worrying recede, I wpr,osc, from the position he has people. taken up, and this is the first step. The \vhole t)1if!g will be unsatisfactory so long as ll1r. MOO RE: It is not. 'This clause proves the basis Is. what lt Is to-day. I suppose the (.) me that the Government are ashamed of next step will come after the general election. their m!'thod of taxation and ·do not want the people to know what money is being !'he Ho~m SECRETAHY: You are very pessi­ collected for the hospitals. It is designed to InistJc. prpwnt the local authorities from telling , }fr. ED\VARDS C'\arwnD•o): The Home their ratepayer, what they are paying for, flecrctary said that the local authorities con. j U> t as v c "ere told tna t cC>rtain dairy Cf,rned woul.d b9 asked to consider the ques­ cornpanies "\YC'l"C' not putting do1vn stainp twn of thstl'lct,; lYt connection with the upkeep levies as stamn levies in the individual of the hospitals. n turn~. but ·we~rc taking the 1nonev out of their general revenue RO that the SUppliers The FfQ)[E SECHETARY. l\1 V intention was that I would seek ihc adYice of the local ',\·ould not know >v-hat ilwy were paying. I authorities. do nc•t agree with that. If there is a special tax, I believe that the people should know Mr. ED\YARDS: That is the very point it. This is a dclibprate abandonment of the I want to make. It is quite understandable principle in the Act which gaY<' the local that a hospital board deriving a certain authority the option of taking it from the revenue through rates in a district is not local fur,d or of striking a special rate. If YPry likely to g~vc way without a great deal the rate is low, then it is all the hotter. o.f pressure bcmg put on it. It is not Wlw should the pcopic not be able to do likely that it is going to give way as it? The hospital rate in my area amounts to suggested by the Home Secretary. eomethirw like £736 for this year. Why [330 p.m.] shonld w";, not stL·ikc a special rate, instead of taking the money out of the general fund? Mr. CLAYTO::'~ (Wide Ba.11): The Minister That is onlv misleading the people. should giYe very serious consideration to the The llo\;E Sl:CRE1'W.Y: ThPy have been suestion of boundaries, because we have had misled. msta!'ces at Mar,,·boroclgh, where the hospital :\Ir. MOORE: The hon. gentleman does d1stnct,; are confined to ihe boundarie., of lncal authorities-·- not wish ihctt they should know the reason \\·hy thc:i arc paying the money. He wishes :r'he CHAIRMA::"J: Ordt,r! The Cam. the amount. to be taken out of the general nllttce has already paeeed the clause dealing rate. so that, when the people complain that with that principlP. they are not receiv-ing v-alue in the con­ Clause 9 agreed to. struction of roads, they can be told that so much is p>1id towards the maintenance of Clause 10-" Amendm,.nt of Section 2G­ the hospital and in connection with infectious l'l'CCPpt on local authoritics-H ospital 1'ate"- dist•asPs. The principle is wrong. \Ve should Mr. MOORE (.iuiJignp): This is the clause lH• entitle-d to strike a special rate, and the which IS cndeaYouring to compel, or which l'"''ple should know what they are paying for. H gomg to compel, a local authority to pav lf the Government were not ashamed of the a hospital precept out of its local fund · principle. they would welcome the idea of The HO}!E SECRETARY: Except. wh01·c only the pcoule knowing. They should say, " Why a part of its arra is included. shonl<{ the people not understand?" At the Jll't;cnt time they want to cover it up and Mr. MqORE: I krow that, because in mislead ihe people into thinking that they that case 1t would not be Yen easy for the arc prrying for something else, and that the Home Scnetary's Department 'to compel the conncil should take the amount ont of the local authority to take its precept out of general funds rather than strike a special t h<; l~cal fund. I cannot understand the rate. I am opposing the clause because it ob.]ectwn of the Home Secrctarv to a local is absolutely wrong. If service is rendered authority levying a rate for a particular and a special rat

The HO:VIE SECRETARY (Hon. J. Stop­ hospitals. and I anticipate that, when t~is ford. Jlount "1laruan): The Loader of the Bill is passed, the whole of the hosp1tal dis­ Opposition is right in the main in saying tricts will be redistributed. Take \YarwJCk that the clause has been used for the pur­ for example. \Vaewick can carry on now pose that he dcscriGcs-of not letting the under the yoluntary systern so far as maHl· people !mow <'xactly what they were paying tPnanc:c is ccniccrn0cl, but' it cannot progress. towards hospital maintenance. 1 t can etill carrv on under tlw voluntary I <- :n instance the rran1bourinc Shire, mpt]wrl and com~ under the Hospitals Act which defrayed the cost of flying-fox destruc­ without any rate Geing struck by the loc~l tion, etc., out of the hospital rate. I could authoriti<'"· for maintenance purposes. but a­ give several instances of local authorities can obtain a loan und<'J' the Ad for the pur­ which struck what they termed a hospital posp of im,talling- a proper septi_c system and rate, and paid the cost of the health an X-ray plant, which the cormmtt.ee has been inspector. asking mn to install. If we drstrrct that hospital we will gi.-e that hospital board the Mr. MoORE: They should be pwsecuted. control of the whole of that district. We do The HOME SECRETARY: Other local not want anv authoritv that is not stable to anthorities paid for the cost in connection come in ancr' start othe'r hospitals within that with infectious diseases out of the hospital district and be dPpendent upon public sub­ rate. It was done with the idea of leading scriptions. If a hospital is justified, the aut·ho­ the people to believe that the Hospitals Act ritv which creates it should come under one placed on the statute-book by this Govern­ or 'the other of these Acts. \Ye have instances ment had cost the people so much. where a few enthusiasts start a hospital. Tlw~ ha 1-c no diflicultv in raising funds to Mr. MOORE: Did the Auditor-General build the hospital; but immediately they approve of that? co;np face to fac(' with financial stress they The HOME SECRETARY: HP Jid n0t al'P unable to carl'y on. Xo sane Govl~nuneut know until the thing was dono. He was v:onld a !low a hospital to be built under continually upsdting these do<:isions. We thusc f'OIHlitions. had two casL s in the Goondiwindi district ::\lr. :\IooRE: Will that clau·-e refer to a where more than the :tmount required was hospital like 1'lt. Vincent's, Toowoomba? struck. In those cases action was taken on The H0)1E SECRETARY: ::'\o; that is the eye of an elocticn to demor.. ,trate-- cxc•mptcd. I \Yill giYe a f'oncrete instance in 2\lr. 2\1oORic : K o. a district rcprcoent<.•d b" the hon. member for );,anano-o. .\. hospital is <'stablished at The HOME SECRE'l'AHY: That is my \Yondai. I do not know if that is the right interpretation. In the Goondiwincli district loL !!tion-prolJably ::\Iurgon >v~mld be the they st1 uck a rate sufficiont. to close one of them. In the Bill now 11nder discussion I am Clause 10 agreed to. seeking the same a11thority so that people Clauses 11 and 12 agrecJ to. cannot start "mushroom " hospitals m any old place. These people will have a right Clause 13-" Hospitals to be cstubli

'l'ho HOME SECRETARY (Hon. J. Stop­ I desire also, Mr. Speaker, to thank you ford, Mount M organ): Xo; th>1t is a matter aud the officers of tlw llouse, including the for the Department of Public Works. I do clerks and the " Hansard " staff for the not deal with improvements. splcHdid work that they do on behalf of Clause 13 agreed to. l'arliament and the public. (Hear hear!) ~ornc criticisn1 has taken place id regard The CHA 1R:\IAN: As this is the last to tho " Ha nsard " staff. l am one of those business of the sC'ssion, I wouid like to take \Yho desire to be treated bv the '' Hansard" the opportunity of wishing hon. members the staff, not with justice, 'but with mercy. complirrwnts of the t>C'asotL (Laughter.) For that reason I am very loath HO!>t up in this liouse and criticise the gentlouwn who have to report whing the good will V.\LEDICTORY. of hon. members towards the officers of the [I ow-.c, aucl L'Speciallv towards the " Han­ Tlw PHEMIER (Hon. W. ::\IcCormack, sanl " staff. !If< ar. "]war!) I quire agree ('uir .,•;): I beg to tllOYC- \\ ith P\ L'l'ything that the Pr~._ rnior has said. '· That the House do now ..tdjourn." I knoYY that rny speeches nre reported much better rhan they are delin•red, and, per­ ~\s this will be the last occasion on which , onally, l ha vc !lever had the slightest fault hon. members of the presC'nt Parliament will to !iiHl with the reports in " Hansard." meet in assembly together, I desire, as (Hour, hear !) In many cases I have not had Leader of the House, to thank hon. members time to look at thom, and I am perfectly of both parties for their attendance and atten- \\·illing to take on truc.t \vhat they have done. 1ion to the business during this Parliament. Parliament and parliamentary discussions I am not going to cxpro-s the same senti­ are rather nerve-wrarking nowadays. The rnonts as the Premier did in hoping ti,at public outside haye little <·once]Jtion of the we would all como back Tlw strain on the an1ount of nervous energy that 1s taken out rne1nbers of the GoY<'flUHPnt l1as been very o~ men who take a prominent part in the great, and 1na11y of thcn1 deseryc a rest. ricbates in Parliament. Sp0aking for myself, \Y c almost had the opportnnity of getting it is most difficult-of course, I have been OYer on the opposite Bide', but, v~--hcn that waR against day sitting·s-to carry on the adminis­ going to take pla('f', a El'W rule was brought trative work that falls to the lot of the head in and wo \\ere 'hovcd back on this side. of the Government, and at the same time do I hope th'-~ people are going to recognise what I think is necessary-keep one eye on the ~train ""hich has been nut on the Gov-ernM Parliament, of which, after all, I happen to ment, and that ihev \\·ilf ,·calise that it is be the Loader. I also know that the work time that the ()ppos!tion should relieve them entailed must be and is very heavy on the of the strain. Leader of the Opposition ranks. Of course, I am looking also to the welfare of the the ideas contained in Bills are ours, and a State of QLic'ensland. :'\aturally, wh<'n people draft is handed to the draftsman; still, hon. haYc been n long tin1'' in office, they begin members of the Government have the assist­ to get out of touch \\·ith things. \Ve feel ance of all our officers, but, unlike a .Minis­ that it would be for tlw adYantage of the ter who has his own Bills only to deal with, Shto and the arh-antagc of our party if thd Loader of the Opposition must become Wtl got on the oppoBi tn :: i dn. I kno'v the fa.irly conversant with all the Bills that difficult task the PrnmiPr has had e.ncl I come from every department, and he has trust th"t he will rc·coYcr from th~ effects rather a big task. Consequently those men of thP stl·a in w hi eh he has had to cor. tend in Opposition and behind the Government ,,.-ith dnriug this ht~t ~C'~::-ioll. I recognise who give attention to the details of Bills at \Yhat ~ trr~mendou;:; ta~Lct(']' of the Opposition, liament thoroughly desene success at the ],.,. the Premier and other M;nisters. On next election. e\·ery occasion when tl:;ey could do so they Mr. Moore.] 1608 V alediotory. [ASSEMBLY.] V alediotory.

have r0ndcred my task as easy as they BILLS ASSENTED TO AT CLOSE possibly could. OF SESSION. I also appreciate the assistance I haYO received fro!n hon. nu:rnbc•rs sitting behind (/o~-t!fr .-; J~'.r:traonlinary were issued notif_y­ me. I also think that many hon. member3 ing the assent of His Excellency the behind the Government could bo doing more Governor tG the following Bills:- useful >York than preventing the Opposition from improving Goycrnment measures. Up (Thursdrty, 1st ,Yot·eml"r)- to that point they never criticised the Govern­ Kurses and Masseurs Registration Bill; mcmt, but they did so when the Estimates came up. Main Roads Acts Amendment Bill; I thank the officers of the House for the Commonwealth and State Income Taxes great a"sistance they have giYen me. I trust, Agreement Act of 1924 Extension with the Premier, that we will won have the Bill; rain to which the Premier referred. If we get rain, Queensland will progress, in spite of Stamp Acts Amendment Bill; whatever party is in power. Appropriation Bill, No, 2; [4 p.m.] Police Acts Amendment Bill. The SPEAKER: Before putting the ques­ tion "That the House do now adjourn," (Thursday. 1.5th X ornnbcr)- may I say that I am quite sure that Colonial Gas Association Limited Bill; Mr. Bernavs and the officers of the House, including "the reporting staff, appreciate "\ boriginals Protection and Restriction what hac boon said by tho Premier and the of the Sale of Opium Act Amend­ Leader of the Opposition, and on their behalf ment Bill; I thank the Hou,e. I also want to take the opportunity of saying that I thank tho Harbour Boards Acts Amendment Bill; Chairman of Committees for the splendid Hospitals Act Amendment Bill; assistance hP has given mo during the session. His work, as a result of the ruling State Children Acts Amendment Bill; that I grrve some years ago in the direction Coal Mining Act Amendment. Bill; of preventing discussion on the introductory stage of a Bill in the House, has boon made Brisbane Roman Catholic Cathedral much hea.-ier. I appreciate his help; I Land Sales Bill; thank tho officers for their assistance, and Blackall. Edmonton, Gatton, Innisfail, the Premier and the Loader of the Opposi­ Ipswich, Marburg, Nudgee Beach, tion for their kindly remarks. Rockhampton, Dbobo, and Wallum­ HONOURABLE ME~!BERS : Hear, hear ! billa; Public Land Mortgages Bill; Question put and passed. Income Tax Acts Amendment Bill; The House adjourned al 4.3 p.m, Architect, Bill.

PROROGATION.

Parliament was· pror<•gncd by the following Proclamation in Ga:ttte Krtraonlinm·y, Thursday, lGth Kovember, 1028.

A PHOCLAMATIO:-< by His Excelltn~y Sm TnmL\S HERBrmT .ToH:-< Cn.\.P}!AX Uoomn:-~, Li.utenant­ Gener.t! on the Retired Liot and in the Rcsene of Officers d His l\Iaj•·,ty\ Army, Knio:ht Commander of th~ Most .fi, nourable Ordet· of the Bath, Compa"ion of the ~IoHt Dis­ tinguished Ordf'r of St. Michael :tnd St. Gt orge, Companion of the JJiolingniHhe l Serdce Order, Governor of the State of ~tucmsland and its D< pendencies, in the Commonwealth of Australia. [L.H] JOHN GOODWIN, Governor.

IN pursuance c•f the power an.! authority vested in me as Governor of the St~te aforesaid, I, SIR THO>IIAS HERB:CRT .TonK CH\P}J.\N GooDWIN, do, by this my Proclamation, Prorogue the Parliament of Queensland to TGESDAY, the Ei;;hih cby of ,January, 1D2D.

Given under my E[aud ann Seal, at Govt•Innunt liousn, Bri~balF", thi:-; fourleuiJt 11 day ()f No.-em ]y r, in the ye:1r nf om .L,,r.J one thou,·and r,ine hundred n-1d twonty . .,ight, and in the nineteenth year of His Majesty's reign.

By Command, W. McCORMACK.

GoD SAvE THE KrNa!