Legislative Assembly Hansard 1910
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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 1910 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 2368 Questions. [ASSEMBLY.] Questions. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. GOWRIE REPURCHASED ESTATE. Mr. LESINA (Cle1·mont) asked the Secre TUESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER, 1910. tary for Public Lands- Has his attention been drawn to the passage in the Auditor-General's report, wherein he states that the Lands Department has taken no action either The DEPUTY SPEAKER (W. D. Armstrong, to recover arrears due on selections in the Gowrie Esq., Lockyer) took the chair wt half-past Repurchased Estate, or to put in force the for 3 o'clock. feiture clauses in respect to those selections? PAPERS. T·he SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC LANDS (Hon. D. F. Denham, Oxley) replied~ The following papers, laid on the table, The Auditor~General's conclusions are not well were ordered to be printed:- founded- The Twenty-first annual report of the ( a) The Lands Department has taken such Hydrauliq Engineer. action as the conditions warranted, and I Despatch from the Secretary of State for haYe made inquiry personally and on the the Colonies, relating to Act passed spot; during session of 1910. (b) For a radius of about 5 miles round Gowrie Homestead crops failed season after season from want of rain or other cause, whilst NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE. surrounding areas produced normal results; (c) Forfeiture under the circumstances would The PREMIER : I would like to announce have been unjustifiable; that the plans of ·the proposed buildings in (d) Selectors in arrear will pay interest at the connection with the Central Technical College rate of 5 per cent. per annum on overdue and University can be seen in the large com amounts. mittee-room downstairs by members who take any interest in the matter. (Hear, hear!) QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE-ALTERATION OF QUESTION. QUESTIONS. Mr. LESINA: I rise to a question of privilege. I gave notice for to-day of a ques "THE CHILDREN's CouRTS Acr OF 1907." tion which appears on the business-sheet in a Mr. BLAIR (Ipswich) asked the Chief form so altered that I can hardly recognise Secretary, for the Attorney-General- it. I desired to know- 1. Has his attention been called to the case What was the total amount expended from the against two boys of nine years of age who, in the stud stock trust account for the purchase, keep, police court at Ravenswood, were charged with insurance, freight, and other charges on account stealing a quantity of vegetables and one garden of pure-bred live stock purchased in England on fork, and who, on a plea of guilty being entered behalf of the Government and certain Queensland by the mothers of the boys, were each fined ls. and breeders? 3s. lld. costs of court? 2. Is not this a case which should have been I find that the words " and certain Queens tried in the children's court established under the land breedem" have been left out; therefore, Children's Courts Act of 1907? I shall not ask the question, but give notice 3. For the better administration of the above of it in its original form for to-morrow. statute, will the Attorney-General cause a memo randum to be sent to all police magistrates and The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Will the hon. clerks of petty sessions asking them to use its pro member for Clermont give me a copy of the visions us frequently as possible, and calling their attention to section 5, which gives them power to amended question which he proposes to ask prevent reports of such cases being published? to-morrow in reference to question Xo. 3 on 4. Sr0ing that the idea of the Legislature in lthe business-paper? passing such a measure was to give a child offender Mr. LESINA: Yes, JI.Ir. Deputy Speaker. an opportunity of making a fresh start in life, without a record of his first fault appearing in the The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The hon. mem Preas, will the Attorney-General take steps to see ber for Clermont has taken some exception to that idea <"arried out? question No. 3 standing in his name on the business-paper for to-day. Exception was The PREMIER (Hon. W. Kidston, Rock- taken to the question as originally presented, hampton) replied- and the clerk, under my instructions, altered 1. Yes. the question, because there could be no ques 2. Yes. tion of ventilating- private mattel'S in this 3. The mattf'r is under consideration. House with regard to the actions of a public officer. As far as I am aware, whatever :Mr. Mr. LESINA: You gave a promise to me on Mahon may have done with regard to purchas Friday night that it would be done. ing stock for any private individual in Queens land is not a question which can be a concern CLASSIFICATION INCREASES. of this House, or the present Government, or Mr. MAUGHAN (Ipswich) asked the any future Government. As far as his pur Treasurer, without notice- chasing stock on behalf of the Government is Whether the classification increases payable to concerned, that is a perfectly legitimate ques civil servants and railway employees will be paid tion, but the question as to what Mr. ::\fahon before the Christmas holidays? may have purchased for private individuals in the State does not come within the province The TREASURER (Han. A. G. C. Haw of this House. thorn, Enoggera) replied- Mr. LESINA: I might say in answer to Those cannot possibly be paid until the Estimates what you have said about my question, that arB through, but, as soon as they are through, the it is .stated in the Auditor-General's report earliest opportunity will be taken of paying them. that he was instructed to purchase and did Mr. MULLA;-;: Before Christmas? purchase, and we voted the money. The TREASURER : That is entirely for The PREMIER: Mr. Deputy Speaker,-As the House. you know, I am very averse to interfering Questions. [29 NOVEMBER.] Great Western Railway Bill. 2369 with your ruling, but do I understand that a business while on leave without the permission member of this House cannot ask a question of the department. As a matter of fact he got about the action of a public officer while that the permission of the department to do other public officer is doing private work? I hope business, and I presume he was paid for it. :that you won't insist upon that. But there is no reason why any question con cerning that business should not be asked in HoNOURABLE MEMBERS: Hear, hear! this House, and answered in the House ; and I hold, Mr. Deputy Speaker, this has nothing The PREMIER: It may be inconvenient to to do with the Principal's private business, :ask a question sometimes, but it would be except this-that it may be said it was his £till more inconvenient if the conduct of any private business what he got from those other public officer or any public man could not be people. So it was. But while a public servant asked questions about. is getting paid for doing private work which OPPOSITION MEMBERS: Hear, hear! he chas been authorised by the department to do-and which is no harm to the State-it is The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Chief Sec equally legitimate in this House to ask what retary will understand that it was well known it was; and I would be sorry to have it laid in official circles in Queensland that the Prin down as a rnle that such a question could not cipal of the Agricultural College applied for be answered. certain leave to go to England, and the Go "Vernment took the opportunity of securing HoNOURABLE MEMBERS: Hear, hear! his services for the purpose of purchasing stock on behalf of the Government. Private The DEPUTY SPE'AKER: I may state individuals also utiHsed his services for the that while I occupy the chair I shall do what purpo'e of purchasing on their behalf stock I consider to be right, and, a-s this question .Qf different classes. I understand that the was couched in terms that dealt with private Principal of the Agricultural Colleg" was not affairs, I caused it to be altered. I now under in the service of the Government--that he stand that a public officer on leave is still to was travelling in his private capacity, and went be regarded as a public officer whose actions home in.his private capacity. He was travel are subject to review by this House. I am very ling, as far as I am given to understand, in glad that a definition apparently acceptable his private capacity, and the Agricultural De to the House has been laid down, and I shall partment used his services for the purchase of allow the full question of the hon. member for certain classes of stock, which they required Clermont as originally given to appear on the for agriculture generally in Queensland, and business-paper for to-morrow. private individuals also used his services. The HoNOURABLE MEMBERS: Hear, hear! question which has been raised by the Chief Secretary is this: Wh£ther in this House which is the business house of the country any member may rise and ask what a public MARSUPIAL BOARDS ACT AMEND servant, who is away on furlough-on leave MENT BILL. has done in regard to private business which he has been asked to undertake. THIRD ItllADJNG~--- On the motion of the SECRETARY FOR Mr. CoYNE: The question which the Chief AGRICULTURE, this Bill was read a third Secretary asked has nothing to do with fur time, passed, and ordered to be transmitted lough, or leave.