Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Assembly

TUESDAY, 16 JUNE 1896

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

2 Openin,q qf Pa'Pliament. [ASSEMBLY.] Election of Speake'P.

George Kerr, Barcoo. , . Robert King, Maranoa. ,John Leahy, Bnlloo. Isidor Lissner, Cairns. Frederick Lord, Stanley. Thomas Macdonald- Paterson, North. William Foster McCord, Burnett. Charles McDonald, Flinders. Frank McDonnell, l<'ortitude Valley. Thomas McGahan, Cunningham. John McMaster, Fortitude Valley.. The Hon. SirHnghMuirNelson, K.C.M.G., Murilla. John Newel!, \Voothakata. William Henry Bligh O'Connell, Musgrave. Andrew Lang Petrie, Toombul. The Hon. Rohert Philp. Townsville. George Charles Sim, Carpentaria. Robert Harrison Smith, Bowen. William Smyth, Gympie. \Villiam Stephens, Brisbane South. Alfred John Stephenson, Ipswich. J ames Charles Stewart, Rockhampton North. George William Bennett Story, Balonne. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. Jacob Stumm, Gympie. Lewi' Thomas, Bundanba. The Hon. , Fassifern. TUESDAY, 16 JUNE, 1896. William Thorn, Aubigny. Nicholas Edward Nelson Tooth, Burrum. OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. The Hon. , \Vide Bay. THE House met at 12 o'clock this day, pursuant ELECTION OF SPEAKER. to proclamation, and shortly afterwn,rds pro­ ceeded to the Legislative Council Chamqer for The HoN. J. R. DICKSON said : Mr. the purpose of hearing the Commission opening Bernays,-At this stage of our proceedings I Parliament read. On its return- think it is customary for us to proceed to the election of some member to preside over our The CLERK read a Commission under the hand deliberations. I believe the Government have of His Excellency the Governor, authori,ing the no desire to make the proposal, but would rather Hon. Sir H. M. Nelson, K.C.M.G., the Hon. H. leave it to the discretion and judgment of a Tozer, and the Hon. T. J. Byrnes to administer private member to do so. Therefore, as an old the oath to members elect. member of this House, I rise to submit a name The following members thereupon took the for approval of hon. members. The gentleman oath and subscribed the roll:- I propose to take the chair as Speaker is Mr. John Thomas Annear, Maryborough. Cowley. He presided over· our deliberations William Drayton Armstrong, Lockyer. during the last Parliament, and it must he ad­ John B:trtholomew, Maryborough. mitted on both sides that he had at times very Matthew Battersby, Moreton. troublesome and embarrassing questions to deal J ason Boles, Port Curtis. with. Although there may hn,ve been some Thomas Bridge~, Nundah. irritation at times-for a gentleman occupying \Villinm Henry Browne, Croydon. that position cannot be supposed to please The Hon. Thomas JosephByrnes, Warwick. everybody-! am sure that upon reflection it Albert James Citllan, Fitzroy. will be conceded that Mr. Cowley discharged Robert Martin Collins, Albert. his duties as Speaker amidst these troubles \Villiam Henry Corfield, Gregory. and perplexities with credit to himself and Alfred Sandling-s Cowley, Herbert. maintained the dignity of this Chamber. I Thomas Bridson Cribb, Ipswich. believe that after the probation of the last th1·ee .Tames Crombie, Warrego. years he will be even better able to discharge John Michael Cross, Clermont. the important duties of Speaker. In the full The Hon. David Hay Dalrymple, Mackay. belief that the dignity and privileges of this Henry Daniels, Camhooya. House may be safely entrusted to him, that he Anderson Dawson, Charters Towers. will afford fair opportunity for debate and con­ Tbom:ts Dibley, Woolloongabba. duct the business of the Honse in the manner in The Hon. ,J ames Robert Dickson, Bulimba. which we all desire to see it conducted, I have John Donaldson, Logan. very much pleasure in moving that Mr. Cowley J ames George Drake, Enoggera do take the chair of this House as Speaker. John Henry Dun"ford, Charters Towers. Mr. GRIMES: I have great pleasure in Thomas Finney, Toowong. seconding the motion that 1\fr. Cowley take the Charles Borromeo Fitzgerald, Mitchell. chair as Speaker of this House, and I do so feel­ John F0gart.y, Drayton and Toowoomba. ing surB that the privileges of members will be The Hon. Jnstin Fox Greenlaw l<'oxton, safe in his hands. Our pa•t experience of him Carnarv0n. assures us of that, and I therefore have very Robert Fraser, Brisbn,ne North. great ple ,sure in seconding the motion. Thomas Glassey, Bundaberg. Mr. McDON ALD : It is, indeed, very plea­ Samuel Grimes, Oxley. sant to bear the mover and secondt>r of this \Villiam Henry Groom, Drayton and Too- motion speak in such high terms of Mr. Cowley; woomba. but I, tmfortunrttely, intend to break up the Herbert Freemont Hardacre, Leichhardt. harmony of this happy family. I am not one of .Tohn Hoolan, Btwke. those who think Mr. Cowley has been the best George Jackson, Kennedy. Speaker we haw• had. Certainly, during my Denis Thomas Keogh, Rosewo_od. short experience in this House, I think Mr. Eleation of Spealcer. [16 JUNE,] Election qf Speaker.

Cowley has bllen a most unfair Speaker, and done. On repeated occasions he has made a that on many occasions the evidence we had special set against me. I have heard interjections before us shows that many of his rulings were come from the other side in perfect torrents and purely put-up jobs. Now, I am just going to no notice has been taken of them, but if I or the refer to one in particular. late member for Toowong, Mr. Reid, made an An HONOURABLE MEMBER: Incited by Ministers. interjection, the Speaker thought it his duty to Mr. McDONALD: I believetheywereincited immediately get up and call the hon. member by Ministers. Somewhere about September last for Flinders or the hon. member for Toowong, we had a discussion in connection with a certain as the case might be, to order. This was done Railway Bill. On that occasion the hon. member so repeatedly that I have seen it commented for Bulloo moved certain amendments. Those upon m various prints. For these reasons I am amendments were carried, and afterwards they opposed to the election of Mr. Cowley as were ruled out of order by the Chairman of Speaker; strongly opposed, and if by any Committees. But first of all they were allowed chance he is elected-and probably he will be, to be carried, and then the Chairman of Com­ owing to the support behind him-I hope when mittees came down and stated that they were out he gets to that chair his conduct will be a of order. Well, what do we find? That with­ little more reasonable than it was in the last out any request by this House Mr. Cowley Parliament. I think it is in tha interests of the came down that night with a ruling already fixed country and of members personally that he should up tu back up the Chairman of Committees. be. The manner in which he has conducted Now, to prove that that ruling was already himself in the chair on repeated occasions is not prepared, I wish to draw attention to this : That creditable. Just before the close of last session the proof copies of Votes and Proceedings were he positively refused to give a ruling upon a issued and placed in the boxes of members certain matter which came before the House. in the morning, and it was distinctly stated Now, these are things which I think want closely towards the end of the ruling "the ruling of looking to, and I hope when Mr. Cowley is the Chairman was, in my opinion, absolutely elected as Speaker he will at least extend the correct." Then, of course, the other follows. same fairness to this side that he does to the To show that this had been an already prepared other. There was a very good cartoon in the document, the Courier als o published it the Worker-- following morning, with exactly the same words MEMBERS on the Government side : Oh ! oh ! as appeared in the proof slip of Votes and Pro­ Mr. McDONALD: I am not referring to the ceedings. When we met in the afternoon what did one which had the Attorney-General in it, but we find? vVe found the whole ofthose words taken one equally as good. It illustrated Mr. Speaker out. That goes to prove that the ruling was Cowley in the late Parliament very well. He already prepared, and that some person or per­ was represented as sitting in that chair, and he sons must have been at the Speaker's back in had a blind eye to this side and a good eye to getting him to prepare it ready to meet the the other side. He also had a trumpet which House with it ; but, as a matter of fact, the was in the ~ar on this side, but extended over House had already decided that they would not his head to the other side, so that whether it was refer the matter to the Speaker. In the face of with his eye or his ear he was always atten­ that, I want to know how Mr. Cowley could tive to that side of the House. Without come down with that ruling. Now, there was delaying bminess any further, I may just add another ruling which will be well remembered by that I hope whoever is elected to the office members of this House, the ruling given at the of Speaker will extend to this side of the House time certain members were suspended, and therp, that courtesy which uught to be extended to it. is no doubt that that was a prearranged plan. I If any other member has anything to say about have said so both in and out of this House. It Mr. Cowley, I hope they will act as I have done, was originated in the refreshment room that cer­ and get up and say it. I stated outside that I tain members should be suspended. Fortunately was going to say what I have said, and I have or unfortunately I was one of those members. said it because I think this is the proper place Mr. BATTERSBY : You ought to have beha•Ted and proper time to say it. I have said what I yourself, and you would not have got that. believe to be correct. If it is not, let somebody Mr. McDONALD: The hon. member for else get up and dispute it. Moreton Cltn chip in and have his say when I Mr. HOOLAN: I do not know that I have have finished. I intend to have mine now. It any particular objection to Mr. Cowley ur any­ is only natural that I should feel aggrieved at thing particularly favourable to say with regard the action taken by the House on that occasion, to his rulings as Speaker while I was in the when things became pretty heated. In fact there Assembly. From my point of view I thought was hardly a member on the other side of the that on certain occasions he displayed partiality House, including the Chairman of Committees, to the strong >ide of the House, that is to the who had not lost his head. Certainly the Chair­ Government side, from which he comes. At the man of Committees had lost his head, and outset I may say that I ohink it is very unfair probably the whole of the members on the other indeed to appoint a strongly pronounced partisan side had lost theirs. as Speaker, and I say this after years of careful The SECRETARY FOR WoRKS (Hon. R. Philp): deliberation, and lookimr at the matter from an Your side lost their heads. impartial standpoint. If ever I become a mem­ Mr. McDONALD : Even without heads we ber of the Government or have any influence are better than members on the other side. with the Government, I shall seek for some Ministers lost their heads to such an extent that person who is free from the taint of partiality they were bound down by a few of their for that office. Some of Mr. Cowley's decisions supporters, and rushed into taking an action as Speaker may be cavilled at, and perhaps which is a disgrace to thi,; colony. I refer to the give very good grounds for strong objection. But -Peace Preservation Act. I remember what there are also some of his decisions which are action was taken on that occasion, when the well worthy of notice. I refer l]l)W particularly Speaker rushed into this Chamber, although he to one given last se'lsion with regard to the could have had no personal knowledge: of what adjournment of the House under the Standing had taken place, and he dropped down and fell OrderF. \Ve all know about that. It was stated into everything that was done, without any then that Ministerial supporters could adjourn consideration. He took it as part and parcel of the House whenever they liked, and that no his duty, when the Premier gave him the wink member having a grievance to bring forward or a nod to do certain things, and they were could exercise that privilege unless he was Election of Speaker. [ASSEMBLY.] Election of Speaker. strongly supported. It was so arranged under gard to words which are used under the nose of the Standing Orders by Sir that the Queen every week, expressions which I could the Speaker was the sole arbiter in the matter, print and publish at the gates of \Vindsor Castle. and that he was despotic in his decision, and I unhesitatingly say that his decisions with regard could adjourn the House at his own sweet to them were ndiculous, and I thought so at the will. Mr. Cowley felt the tremendous unfair­ time. I trust that if we hear any arrant folly ness of that, and very wisely decided to from members in this Parliament, or what the allow the question of the adjournment of the Speaker might term arrant folly, he will pass it House to remain in the hands of members them­ over with indulgence. se] ves. That is one very commendable feature Mr. COWLEY: I am deeply sensible of the in his administration of the office of Speaker of honour which is sought to be conferred upon me, the Assembly. I cannot say anything about and I return my warmest thanks to those hon. what occurred at that very awful time when the members who have proposed and seconded the Peace Preservation Bill was passed. I think it motion. If the House should again elect me to originated very unwisely, and looking at it from preside over its debates, I shall do all in my a distant standpoint in my position in a remote power to fill the offic_e in a becoming manner. part of the colony I think the matter was very I now humbly submit myself to the pleasure of injudiciously and improperly dealt with by the the House. Government, and also by the Speaker. I do not The hon. member was then conducted to the think the Government were fair in the matter. chair by the mover and seconder. I think the Chairman of Committees was out­ Then, rageously unfair, without any sense of reason, The SPEAKER elect, standing on the upper right, gentlemanline>s, or good conduct as a man, step of the da\s, addressed the House as follows :­ as a citizen or as Chairman of Committees. And I again ri'"e to return my warmest thanks to the I think the Speaker very unwisely, or perhaps House for the honour it has conferred upon me, and in the heat of the moment, got himself mixed up I now repeat that I shall rlo my utmost, whilst I in an imricate way with a lot of perwns who occupy this chair, to actin a becoming manner, and wished to do an unconstitutiona,l thing in an with fairness and impartiality to all. It is easier to unconstitutional way, an impropPr thing in an do one's duty than to impress upon others the improper way, a brutal thing in a brutal way, a fact that one has done his ctuty. I am conscious bad thing in a bad way. It should not h·ave that in the past I have done my duty whilst been forced upon the Government. The Govern­ occupying this chair, and, in spite of all that ment have bLen, since I have been here, a strong has been said, I shall strive to do what I consider Government, with a strong following-a following to be just and right to all hon. members, no strong in silence; and they certainly could have matter what their politics may be or on which afforded to have looked at the matter in a side of the House they may sit. I also wish to different light, and also to have acted in a dif­ say that if any new members are desirous at any ferent manner when the trouble aroAe. It cer­ time of obtaining information upon the rules, tainly does not reflect credit on the persons forms, and procedure of the House, it will afford who forced the 1natter on the G·overntnent, me g-reat pleasure to give them that information, and it certainly reflects discredit on the Go­ and to assist them in any way I possibly can. vernment, and will do so· for all time. How HoNOUR.~llLE ~fEMllERS: Hear, hear! f1tr the Spe~1ker was mixed up in it I cannot The ATTOR~EY-GENERAL (Hon. T J. say. I only speak as an individual, and I think Bvrnes): I esteem it a very great privilege to the Speaker acted injudiciously. Of course we myself to convey to you the congratulations of know that Mr. Cowley will be elected again, and the House on the occasion of your elevation to probably the same old wrangles will continue in the chair of this Assembly. You are known in the Assembly. The hon. member for Flinders your official capacity to a great many members has levelled a charge of partiality at the Speaker, who are here, and who wen~ members of the bst and even if others follow on the same line, I hope Parliament. There have been, of course, occa­ that in spite of those charges Mr. Cowley will sions when your decisions have been cavilled at. act in the true spirit of the Speakership, and I suppose that no Speaker ever presided in the deal impartially all ronnel. The Government chair of any deliberative assembly whose deci­ have nothing to fear except the words of a sions were not from time to time cavilled at; but few perwns, and l do not see why there I think that I am right when I say that you should be any irritability felt because a member ul ways acted according to your sense of duty, likes to debate a matter, even if he is an und that, although that sense of dnty may not unruly member, like the hon. member for have seemed correct to some people, I believe Flinders. 'I'here is not likely to be any bre"ch the great majority of hon. members and the great of the peace caused by it-nothing more than majority of the inhabitants of this country thought worda and wind, and as this A0semhly is founded that you on all occasions acted properly. It is, upon wind and words, and continued on words perhupR, to be regretted that the occasion of and wind, and is likely to continue for long ages your elevation has to some extent been marred on words and wind, being commonly known as by some remarks that have been made. They the House of Parliament, or House of Jaw, I do were intended to convey censure upon your­ not cee why there should (,e any curtailment of self,. but there are some forms of criticism­ debate. Some people come here who do not like criticism coming from some quarters-that are talk, and yawn heavily. People who do not equivalent to the highest praise. I believe talk, and who do not like talk, should not come that in the future you will do your duty here. It is no place for them. This is a House as you have done it in the past. If from a of 'falk, and anyone who objects to talk would be serious strain I may turn to something that fnr better away. There >hould be no curtailment may seem jocular, I may say this: You have of debate; a member should be allowed to say been accused of keeping a blind eye to the other what is in his mind, whether those thoughts are side of the House-for the future keep your best burning, or frivolous, or full of intelligc·nce. It eye on that side, and I believe you will then give is very unfair that anybody should be curtailed satisfaction to all sides. To come back again to in his speech, and I do not think that certain the real object of my rising to my feAt, I members have been allowed their full privileges tender you, Sir, the congratulations of the in this matter. \Vith regard to Mr. Cowley's House, and I hope that in your office you will in decisions. on one or tv\ro cccasions when certain the future bear into fruit the promise you have disluyal1itterances were made his decisions were given in the past. ~imply absurd I refer to his decisions with re- HONOURABLE MEMBERS: Hear, hear! Tke Opening Speech, (17 JUNE.] Tke Opening Speeck. 5

The PREMIER (Hon. Sir H. M. Nelson) : Allow me also to join in these congratulations, in which I entirely concur. I know that you have for some time devoted your time and talents to qualify yourself for this, the highest position this House can confer upon anyone ; and I feel certain that, with the experience you have gained, the dignity of this House may safely be entrusted to your hands. I have now the pleasure of intimating to the House that His Excellency the Governor will be pleased to have the Speaker presented to him to-morrow forenoon, at a quarter­ past 11 o'clock. I therefore move that this House, at its rising, adjourn till to-morrow, at a quarter to 11 o'clock. Question put and passed ; and the House adjourned at six minutes past 1 o'clock.