Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly TUESDAY, 24 AUGUST 1943 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Special Adjournment. (24 AUGUST.] Papers. 131 TUESDAY, 24 AUGUST, 1943. Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. E. J. Hanson, Buranda) took the chair at 11 a.m. QUESTIONS. STORY BRIDGE FINANCES. Mr. DART (Wynnum) asked the Pre- mier- ''Will he give the following particulars in regard to the Story Bridge for 1942- 1943:- " 1. Toll receipts; '' 2. Interest paid on borrowed money; " 3. ~Working expenses; '' 4. Amount paid on upkeep and repairsW '' The PREMIER (Hon. F. A. Cooper, Bremer) replied- '' The il]formation desired by the hon. member is as follows:- '' 1. £25,723. No toll fees are collected for the use of the bridge by vehicles of the Australian or Allied Services. '' 2. £58,350. '' 3. £5,851, including salaries and wages of collecti11g staff-£1,997, ancl vVar Dam­ age Insurance-£3,R73. "4. £1671." LoGAN BRIDGE FINANCES. ::ur. })ART (Wynnum) asked the Secre­ tary for Public Works- '' 1. What was the amount of the toll Teceipts of the Logan Bridge in 1942-1943 ~ '' 2. vVhat amount has been received c·ver and above the cost of the bridge? '' 3. ~Will he give favourable considera­ tion to the removal of the toll?'' The SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC WORKS (Hon. H. A. Bruce, The 'l'ableland) replied- '' 1. £6,385 gross; £4,516 net. '' 2. The total net receipts 10 30 .June, 1943, were £146,221. The capital cost of the bridge was £27,906. The total expendi­ ture to 30 .June, 1043, on ~ho Pacific High­ way, upon which the toll is placed, was­ Permanent woTks, £472,670; maintenance, £206,690; total, £679,360. Of the above, onlv £21,000 has been charged to local autlwTities on account of perinanent works nnd £30,500 on account of maintenance works, repTeRenting a total charge of less than 8 per cent. to local authorities. The above expenditure includes the cost of con­ structing 33 new bTidges, but does not include expenditure by the Lands Depart­ ment on otheT peTmanent works. '' 3. It is not propoRec1 to remove this toll at the present time.'' PAPERS. The following papers were laid on the table, and ordeTed to be printed:- Report of the Agent-General for Que<:ns­ land for the year 1942. 132 Death of Mr. W. J. Vowles. [ASSEMBLY.] Death of Mr. W. J. Vowles. Hcport of the Auditor-General under the said exactly what they were intended to say; Supreme Court Funds Act of 1R95 for he was a great help to Parliament in that the year J 942-1943. respect. Report of the Director, State Children I belieYe Mr. Vowles, while he was in this Department, for the year 1942. Parliament, attempted earnestly to do the work his constituents sent him to do, and he The following papers were laid on the stood valiantly for those things in which he table:- believed and in which he had a great faith. Order in Council under the Financial He was Leader of the Opposition for three Arrangements and Development Aiel Act Yery strenuous years indeed. I believe the of 1942. position of Leader of the Opposition in this Proclamation under the Prisons Act, 1890. House is as strenuous a position as there is in the House. It is necessary for him to Order in Council under the Supreme Court keep an eye on not just one department but Act of 1921. all departments of State, consequently his Order in Council under the Jury Act of time is taken up in very many ways that 1929. do not fall to the lot of the ordinarv member. l'vir. Vowles paid great attention tt; his work By-la>YS Nos. 434 to 436 under the Rail­ as Leader of the Opposition; he did that work ways Acts, 1914 to 1934. according to his lights, showing application, study, and versatility in the work he was called upon to do. DEATH 01-' Mr. W. J. VOWLES. I saw I\fr. Y mvles in Dalby n fn1 "·eeks MoTION oF CoNDOLENCE. ago. \Ye talked of Yarions matt. t•o, nncl I 'i'Ile PRE:rtHER (Hon. F. A. Cooper, little thought as I waved him .a:oorl-b.\e Bre:Jlcr) (11.S a.n1.), lJy lcaw, \\·ithont notice: that it would be the last occasion on which I moYe- I should see him. He was apparently then in good health. He was cheery and very '' 1. That this House desires to place on optimistic a bout a number of things. He rc•1rd its appreciation of the services had the outlook that he had in this House rendered to this State bv the late Willialll of a broacl appreciation of the views and .Tohn \lo\vles, Esquire, a ~foTmcr nte1nbcr uf opinions of other people, to whom he extended tJ,e Parliament of Queensland. the right of expression he claimed for himself. '' 2. 'l'hat Mr. Speaker be requested to eonvey to the relatives of the deceased J\!Ir. Vowlea was a. gentleman with whom gentleman the aboye resolution, together many of us hacl many happy associations, with an expression of the sympathy and nnd I feel that we all agree to this resolu­ sorrow of the members of the Parliament tion exprPssing our appreciation of the of Queensland, in the loss they have senires he rendered to the State and desiring snsta ined.'' you, Mr. Speaker, to convey the sympathy nnd sorrow of the members of the Parliament Mr. Vowles enme to this Parlimncnt as the of Queensland to his family. rep; esentatiw for Dalby during the 18th Parliament at a by-election on 26 April, 1911, Honourable lliembers: Hear, hear! succeeding Joshua Thomas Bell. He sat throngh the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nc1, and 23rd J.Ur. ThiAHER (West Moreton) (11.14 Pnrliaments, tlms rcpre,enting Dalby for an n.m.): On behalf of the Opposition I offer nnbroken period from 26 April, 1911, until '' l1oleltearted support to the sad rcsolntion R April, 1926, when \V. A. Russell defeated t hnt has been moved by the Premier extend­ him at the general elections. He was Leader ill.(!; our sympathy to the relatives of the late of the Country Party and Leader of the Mr. W. J. Vowles. I had not the opportunity Opposition clnring the 22nc1 Parliament, fTom of sitting in this Parliament during the period 1920 to 1923. that he was a member, but I knew the deceased gentleman very well indeed. His Mr. Vowles was a member of this House death is a distinct loss to the clisb·irt of iYhen I entered it in 1915. He >vas therefore Dalby. He had been always to the fore in in this Parliament during the stormy days every local moYement for the welfare of of 1 ~ll2. He sa>v Mr. Denhmn, Pn•mier, c•,omc that district and he succeeded a notable bac·k with a wry big majority in 1912, and member of this Parliament in the person of he saw Mr. Denham replaced by n Labour the late J. T. Bell. He was mayor of the Administration in l !115. He saw much of i lce town of Dalby for a number of years. He stirring days of the advent of a Labour was a very progressive and cultured man. Gowrnment into Queensland. I remember He rose in this Parliament to the position J\fr. Vowles particularly well during that of I"ear1er of the Opposition and carried out period, and he was a good member of the his duties to the satisfaction of the members Opposition. He was a lawyer and he had the 'li'hO supported him. He also enjoyed the legal mind and dm·elopcd the mental pre­ confidence of a great hody of opinion in this eision that comes from nssoeiation ,., ith exac·t State that constituted the Opposition of that principles and all of those things that make time. for v;rrert expression of opinion- and conect­ The late Mr. Vowles was also a prince of Jwss of speech. He was a valuable member good fellows. He mixed well with the of the Opposition in that he was very careful different people he came in contact with nnc1 to see that clauses of Bills and amendments was generally well liked and popular. His Address in Reply. [24 AuousT.] Address in Reply. 133 death was a great loss to the Dalby district. Mr. LUCKINS (Maree) (11.20 a.m.): First I am sure all in this House-and there are I wish to congratulate those new hon. mem­ many members of the Opposition of to-day bers who have taken their seats in this who sat with him and also many members of Assembly and to express the wish that their the Govemment Party-regret his death. 'Ne efforts will be in the interests of those thev of the Opposition associate ourselYes with the represent and of the State, · resolution and desire to express to his widow I deRire also to take this opportunity of and his Yery fine family, one of whom is at congratulating His Excellency the Governor present serving in the Australian fighting on his services to the State. He has played forc-es, our very deepest sympathy in their a wonderful part in the history of Queens­ time of sorrow. land. He is held in very high esteem and has Motion agreed to, hon. members standing been prominent in strengthening the link in silence. between the Empire and this State. ADDRESS IN REPLY. Discussion of the Address in Reply giyes EXTENSION OF Tll\IE FOR DEBATE.