House of Representatives
23 September 1938

15^th Parliament · 1^st Session

QUESTION
- MELVILLE ISLAND
QUESTION
- WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION ACT
REPATRIATION TRIBUNALS
QUESTION
- TRADE MARKS ACT
QUESTION
- EXPORT OF CANNED PINEAPPLES
QUESTION
- DEFENCE FORCE SALARIES
QUESTION
- BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
QUESTION
- MIGRATION
QUESTION
- EXPORT OF KOALA BEARS
QUESTION
- AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
NEWSPRINTING PAPER INDUSTRY
QUESTION
- NATIONAL INSURANCE
SUPPLY BILL (No. 2) 1938-39
- Second Reading
ADJOURNMENT
- Government Business: Sitting Days
PAPER
- Tariff Board - Report and Recommendations - Newsprinting Paper
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

TRADE MARKS ACT

Mr JENNINGS:
WATSON, NEW SOUTH WALES

– Has the attention of the Attorney-General been drawn to a circular distributed amongst honorable members alleging that before he left for England he promised Mr. Swinton, of W. D: & H. O. “Wills (Australia) Ltd., Melbourne, that on his return he would pass a Trade Marks Act through Parliament, granting the firm a patent right on all commodities manufactured by it, so that it could fix a price from the factory to the public, and that he stated that he had the support of all honorable members. Bread, butter, tea and other lines, were also to be dealt with in due course. Has the Minister any statement to make on this matter? By way of explanation, I may say that, although the circular is anonymous, in view of the serious nature of the allegation, I have submitted this question.

Mr MENZIES:
Attorney-General · KOOYONG, VICTORIA · UAP

– My attention has been directed to the circular; indeed, I have been honoured with a copy of it. As the honorable member for Watson (Mr. Jennings) has said, it is anonymous. The statement that I made certain promises to Mr. Swinton is quite untrue. To the best of my belief; I do not know Mr. Swinton, but became aware of his name for the first time when I read the circular. It relates to a suggestion that some method would be adopted to compel the observance of a fixed price in relation to goods which are subject to trade marks. That suggestion was made, to me about a year ago by an office-bearer of the New South Wales Chamber of Commerce. I discussed it with him and pointed out certain objections to it, as well as certain arguments in its favour. I said that I would refer the matter to a committee of an unofficial kind, which 1 was proposing to appoint to review the trade marks law, just as I had appointed a committee to review the patents law a year ago. The matter has been before that committee, but I have received no report from it. I have offered no personal views on the subject. It has never been brought, before Cabinet, and no change in the law could be made without the approval of the Parliament.

page 108

QUESTION

EXPORT OF CANNED PINEAPPLES

Mr BERNARD CORSER:
WIDE BAY, QUEENSLAND

– Oan the Minister for Commerce say what preferences have been secured to encourage the export of canned pineapples from Australia under the recent United KingdomAustralia trade agreement ?

Sir EARLE PAGE:
CP

– The position is that the preferences in regard to pineapples are still in existence, and that, if ally change is to bc effected, a full statement concerning it will bc made to Parliament.

page 108

QUESTION

DEFENCE FORCE SALARIES

QUESTION

EXPORT OF KOALA BEARS

Mr McCALL:
MARTIN, NEW SOUTH WALES

– Has the Minister for Trade and Customs been informed of the protests made against the suggestion that his department intends to prevent the export of koala bears?

Mr Rosevear:

– That is not an urgent question.

Mr WHITE:
Minister for Trade and Customs · BALACLAVA, VICTORIA · UAP

– It is not urgent, but it is important. No request has been made for a licence to export koala bears, and if such a request were made, it would not be granted.

page 109

QUESTION

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Dairy Herds

Mr ARCHIE CAMERON:
Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce · BARKER, SOUTH AUSTRALIA · CP

– In reply to a question asked on Wednesday by the honorable member for Melbourne (Dr. Maloney), I have now to advise that 761 dairy cows in the Australian Capital Territory have been tested this year, none of which was found to be tubercular. This is the result of a number of years consecutive testing fortuberculosis, and it can now be said that dairy herds in the Australian Capital Territory are tubercle free. There is a number of privately owned cows producing milk solely for the householder’s use and the testing of these for the current year is proceeding. On present indications, fewer than 1 per cent. will be found to be tubercular.

page 109

NEWSPRINTING PAPER INDUSTRY

Tariff Board’s Report : Bounty to Assist

Mr WHITE:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Balaclava · UAP

– I lay on the table the following paper : -

Tariff Board-

Report andRecommendations -

Newsprinting Paper

The Tariff Board has come to the conclusion that this industry will be valuable to Australia, and the Government endorses that view. The Tariff Board has recommended that the industry be assisted by means of a bounty, the funds for which, the board recommends, should he provided by duty, both bounty and duty to vary as the imported cost of Canadian newsprinting paper varies. The Government has decided to grant the measure of assistance recommended by the board to the new industry, but proposes to give this assistance by means of bounty without duty unless the price of newsprint falls materially below the present day levels. No additional duty to that in force at the present time will be imposed unless the c.i.f and e. price, plus primage, of imported newsprint is less than £15 a ton.

The bulk of newsprint being supplied to Australia under 1939 contracts cannot be landed at less than £16 6s. a ton. Under the Government’s plan of assistance to tho new industry the COS of imported newsprint will not be increased. The amount of bounty which will be paid on this figure will be fi 14s. u ton. The bounty will be on a sliding-scale basis, and will not exceed £4 at £12 a ton and will be eliminated at a landed cost of £18 lis. 3d. a ton. In the event of a material fall of the cost of imported newsprinting paper to a level below £15 a ton, the Government proposes to apply duty at rates substantially lower than those recommended by the Tariff Board. The rates of duty will be: Below £15, 5s. a ton; below £14, 7s. 6d. a ton ; below £13, 10s. a ton. The assistance being granted by the Government will continue for a period of three years from the commencement of production; and the question of what asasistance, if any, after the expiration of that period will be determined only after further investigation by the Tariff Board. The necessary legislation to give effect to the Government’s decision will be introduced at an early date.

Ordered to be printed.

page 110

QUESTION

NATIONAL INSURANCE

Mr CASEY:
Treasurer · CORIO, VICTORIA · UAP

– Yesterday the honorable member for West Sydney (Mr. Beasley), and other .honorable members, asked questions in connexion with the appointment of individuals to the staff of the National Insurance Commission. I ventured to treat the question as one upon notice. I have had the information compiled and it will be circulated for incorporation in Hansard.

page 110

SUPPLY BILL (No. 2) 1938-39

Second Reading

Debate resumed from the 22nd September (vide page 105) on motion by Mr. Casey -

That the bill he now read a second time.

Mr PERKINS:
Monaro- Assistant Minister · Eden · UAP

– .’Several honorable members have raised matters relating to the postal administration. Some of these have been considered before, and others are entirely new. Regarding the latter, full inquiries will be made and honorable members concerned will be advised in due course of the result.

Towards the close of the debate last evening the honorable member for West Sydney (Mr. Beasley) referred to the banning of imported magazines. The honorable member was certainly most moderate in his remarks. He did not mention the names of any magazines or question whether they fell within the regulations; but he confined his observations to the question whether the prohibition applied solely to American magazines and whether the action of the department was not somewhat too antiAmerican. If the honorable member has not given careful consideration to this aspect of the subject I can quite understand him thinking that possibly there are grounds for such a conclusion. He is not the only one who has raised this issue. It has been raised, in particular, by the secretary of the committee in New South Wales which represents some of the importers of the affected magazines. Other individuals have also referred to it. I assure the honorable member that there is no foundation whatever to justify any such interpretation of the department’s activities.

In order that the situation may be put very clearly before the House I shall read a report which, in other circumstances, and possibly a little later on, would have been read by the Minister for Trade and Customs (Mr. White). Owing to the absence of the Minister overseas during the last six months practically the whole of the work of dealing with these magazines has fallen upon my shoulders. I have, of course, been helped by officers of the department, but I ask honorable members to appreciate that, before any action was taken to ban a magazine or other publication, the matter had to pass through my hands. I therefore assume full responsibility for all that was done in this respect during the period when I acted as Minister for Trade and Customs. After reading the report, which sets out clearly the reasons which led to the banning of these magazines, and also the course that is adopted in regard thereto, I shall say anything that I consider to be necessary to defend my own personal actions in this regard. The report is as follows : -

Representations from various sources were made from time to time over a long period for a prohibition on the importation of certain types of cheap literature which, while not coming within the prohibition imposed by section 52(c) of the Customs Act on indecent, obscene or blasphemous works or articles, unduly emphasizes sex or crime or tends to encourage depravity.

In 1934 a decision was reached with magazine importers that orders would not be placed for such undesirable literature and as far as possible their sale would not be encouraged.

However, the number of publications of the type indicated which found their way on to the local market became so great as to bring forth renewed and persistent representations against their sale. These representations came from many different sections of the community, embracing social, religious, educational and other organizations. The Premier of New SouthWales also approached the Commonwealth Government on the subject. In all cases the harmful effect on the youth of Australia of the dissemination of the publications was stressed and the Premier of New South. Wales instanced a case where the belongings of a young man who had been sentenced to death in his State for murder has been found to include a large quantity of this undesirable matter.

It was found that books of the type concerned were being given special prominence by many booksellers and also by departmental and chain stores. In some of the cities, shops were opened for the sole purpose of selling this class of publication.

The books are put up in luridly attractive covers with, in many instances, suggestive titles. The general get-up of the books and the low prices at which they were being sold were obviously intended to appeal to the young folk and to those seeking to satisfy depraved tastes for morbidity, sadism and salaciousnese.

As a preliminary to further consideration of the question of prohibiting importation, the Minister on the 21st September, 1937, referred the matter to the Literature Censorship Board, and at the same time forwarded to the board for inspection a number of typical magazines.

On the 2nd May, 1938, the board furnished its report in which it stated, inter alia, that consideration of the publications forwarded to it had led the board to the conclusion that certain types exist which are pornographic and. which, in other ways also, are intended to appeal to degraded tastes. The board further stated that the question at issue was not whether unpleasant facts should or should not be accessible to the general public, but whether the manner of their presentation is such as to make them injurious. The board expressed the opinion that certain of the magazines offered for its inspection were injurious.

After consultation with the SolicitorGeneral, it was considered that the position could be met by the issue of a regulation under Section 52(g) of the Customs Act prohibiting the importation of: -

Literature which in the opinion of the Minister, and whether by words or by picture, or partly by words and partly by picture: -

unduly emphasizes matters of sex or crime; or
is calculated to encour age depravity.

On the 10th May, 1938, Cabinet approved of the issue of a regulation in the terms above quoted, and such regulation was issued and became effective on and from the 26th May, 1938.

The question as to who should be responsible for examination of the publications for the purposes of the prohibition was considered. The. Literature Censorship Board took the view that special literary skill is not essential for the examination of matter of this kind, and the board suggested that the function be left to efficient departmental officers. The position in this regard is that consignments of imported publications are checked by customs officers in the States, and any publication which, it is considered, might come within the prohibition is examined. If examination indicates that the publication is of a type to which the prohibition applies, it is submitted to the central administration of the department where it is perused.by an officer whose duty it is to indicate those portions which he considers objectionable. The book is then examined by a senior officer and submitted to the Minister with whom the decision as to whether it comes within the prohibition or not rests.

To date, seventy-two publications have been determined by the Minister to be of a class to which the prohibition applies, and these are not permitted importation. In a relatively few instances, importers have appealed against the Minister’s action in regard to specific publications and these are at present being given further consideration.

Generally speaking, the action of the Government in imposing the prohibition has been well received, and a very large number of commendatory communications from organizations and individuals representing many different sections of the community have been received. Amongst these was one from the Children’s Courts Magistrates’ Association of Victoria.

I have a list of some of the organizations which have written to the Government on this subject, and I ask permission to have it incorporated in Hansard.

Mr Beasley:

– Oh no; this is not an answer to my question at all.

Mr PERKINS:

– I shall deal with the honorable member’s observations presently. At the moment I am seeking to answer statements that have been made in a circular issued by certain interested parties. I have already said that I do not cavil at the observations of the honorable member for West Sydney, and I shall answer his points presently. The list of organizations to which I have just referred is as follows: -

CONGRATULATORY LETTERS TO THE MINISTER ON THE ACTION TAKEN BY HIM REGARDING THE PROHIBITION OF OBJECTIONABLE LITERATURE UNDER ITEM 14a OF THE CUSTOMS (PROHIBITED IMPORTS) REGULATIONS.

Associated Newsagents of Mackay, Queensland.

Australian Holy Catholic Guild, Broken Hill.

Australian Literature Society, Middle Brighton, Victoria.

Australian National Secretariat of Catholic Action, Collins Street, Melbourne.

Australian Women’s National League.

Baptist Union of New South Wales, Chatswood, New South Wales.

Bathurst Holy Name Society.

Catholic Women’s League, Hay-street, Perth.

Catholic Action, West Maitland- Group Leader.

Catholic Evidence Guild, Sydney, New South Wales.

Catholic Women’s Social Guild.

Catholic Laymen of Launccaton, Tasmania.

Chesterton Club, Perth.

Children’s Court Magistrates Association of Victoria.

Colonial Stamp Club, Bundaberg.

Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane.

Council of Churches in Victoria.

Council of Churches in New South Wales.

Combined Social Questions, Perth, Western Australia.

Father and Son Welfare Movement and League of Youth and Honor, Sydney.

Federal Conference of Churches of Christ in Australia, Homebush, New South Wales.

Gladstone, Queensland, Holy Name Society.

Hawkesbury District Minister’s Fraternal.

Housewife’s Association (Progressive) of New South Wales.

H.A.C.B.S. All Saints Branch No. 421, Broken Hill.

Ketteler Group, Broken Hill.

Lismore Diocesan Union of the Holy Name Society, Casino, Now South Wales.

Methodist Conference, Adelaide.

Manly Minister’s Fraternal,Queenscliff, Sydney, Now South Wales.

Methodist Young Peoples’ Department, Sydney.

Methodist Church of Australasia, Maitland District.

Mothers’ Union Workers Conference, Victoria.

Mr Morgan Branch of the Holy Name Society.

New South Wales Council of Religious Education, Rockdale.

National Council of Women of Australia.

National Council of Women of Victoria, 271. Collins-street, Melbourne, Victoria.

Northern Suburbs Parents’ and Citizens’ Association, Greenwich, New South Wales.

Parents’ National Educational Union, Kew, Victoria.

Public Question Committee of The Methodist Church of Australasia, New South Wales Conference.

Queensland Authors’ and Artists’ Association, Brisbane.

Queensland Authors’ Artists’ Section, Australian Journalists’ Association.

Queensland Country Women’s Association.

Rev. Dean Brennan, on behalf of the Holy Name Society, Catholic Guild, H.A.C.B.S. and St. Vincents de Paul.

St. Patrick’s Branch, Holy Name Society, Mackay, Queensland.

Social Questions Committee, Melbourne.

Special Committee upon objectionable literature, Rotary Club of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Koala Club of Australia, 17 Castlereaghstreet, Sydney, New South Wales.

The Housewives’ Association (Victoria Division).

The British Empire Boys’ Brigade, Baptist Staff Fraternal, Petersham.

Vice-Chairman, New South Wales Baptist young People’s Department, Lakemba, New South Wales.

Wagga Wagga Diocesan Holy Name Union.

Women’s Service Guilds of Western Australia.

Women’s Christian Temperance Union, Melbourne.

Women’s Christian Temperance Unionof Queensland.

Women’s Section, Polwaith District Council, Colac, Victoria.

Western Australian Housewives’ Association, Perth.

I do not think any action which the Government or the Department of Trade and Customs has taken in recent years has won such universal approval as its action in connexion with these objectionable publications.

Sir Frederick Stewart:

– Hear, hear !

Mr PERKINS:
UAP

– If honorable members desire further assurance that the actions of the Government in connexion with these publications have been widely endorsed, I refer them to the published remarks of the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, and many other bishops throughout Australia. I also direct attention to the following letters : -

Father and Son Welfare Movement and League of Youth and Honour. (Registered under the Provisions of the Charitable Collections Act,1934.)

P.O. Box64, Broadway.

St. Barnabas’ Church Building,

Broadway, Sydney, 16th May, 1938.

Hon. J. A. Perkins,

Acting Minister for Customs.

Canberra, F.C.T,

Dear Mr. Perkins,

My Council desires to express its great appreciation of your determination to do everything in your power to stem the tide of literature of a debasing nature at present pouring into the Commonwealth.

We also view with alarm the number of cheap birth-control publications and preparations exhibited in close proximity to schools, constituting, as they do. a very serious menace to boys and girls.

Wishing you every success in your contemplated action and with kindest regards,

Yours in Service.

J. L. Kenny,

Director.

Tramways Building, 159 Craig-street, West,

Montreal, Quebec,

May 14, 1938.

Acting Minister ofCustoms Perkins,

Melbourne, Australia.

Dear Sir,

Canadians were very interested indeed in the reading of a press despatch from Melbourne yesterday that you had banned the importation of over twenty magazines of a salacious nature into Australia. On behalf of our organization permit me to offer you our sincerest congratulations.

Conditions have become so bad here in Canada on account of the importation of such magazines from the United States that a delegation composed of every church in the country, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish, and all welfare organizations and service clubs, recently waited upon the Prime Minister of Canada urging that a similar ban be placed upon these publications. We expect that definite action will be taken along these lines very shortly.

This is indeed a good work which you have done.

I remain,

Yours very truly,

C. Lindsay,

Secretary, Special Committee upon objectionable literature, Rotary Club of Montreal.

– That may be so, but we cannot criticize. From the Children’s Court Magistrates’ Association of Victoria I havereceived the following letter expressing appreciation of the action taken by the Government -

Dear Sir.

At a meeting of our association held on 17th May the following resolution was missed: - “We express our satisfaction at the action taken to suppress the importation, publication and circulation of ‘pernicious literature ‘ “.

I was instructed to convey this to you, and I have now much pleasure in doing so.

Yours faithfully,

B. Patton,

After a comparatively short stay in the territory one is, of course, somewhat diffident in finding faults with the administration, but I desire to draw attention to one or two matters which I think should be rectified. It is natural that, as the representative of a mining constituency in this Parliament, I should take a deep interest in mining in New Guinea. To acquaint myself with mining conditions in the territory, I flew up to Wau, went down the Bulolo River and examined the dredges, and then on to Korangi Creek, -where it enters the Bulolo River, at the spot where William Parkes first discovered gold in what was then the German territory of New Guinea. Before the war the Germans did their utmost to keep Australian diggers out of New Guinea.

My first complaint deals with what I might call the obnoxious tax of .5 per cent, levied on all gold won. Although this tax is to be commended as a wise impost on the profits of the big mining companies, such as the Bulolo Dredging Company, which makes a profit of £600,000 per annum, a sum in excess of the profit made by any mining company in Australasia, the objectionable feature of it is that it imposes severe hardship on prospectors who are endeavouring to eke out a bare living searching for gold. Its effect is to discourage prospecting very greatly and to retard the opening up of the interior of New Guinea. Mining men generally have no fear for their lives. We all remember how in the early days of Victoria’s history the miners at Ballarat made a stockade in which they were prepared to fight for their lives against what they deemed to be an obnoxious imposition by the Victorian Government of a tax of fi for a miner’s right. The miners in New ‘Guinea, however, are paying very much more than that to-day. There they have to work under very difficult conditions and are susceptible to many tropical diseases. If a miner should be unfortunate enough to contract blackwater fever on a second occasion, it, means almost certain death. Apart from the dangers of disease, these men risk their lives even in controlled areas. In view of the valuable service they render under adverse conditions, I regard as unfair the imposition of the 5 per cent, tax on all gold won by prospectors. Knowing the democratic outlook of the Minister in Charge of Territories (Mr. Hughes) I feel sure that he will sympathetically consider my protest. I brought the matter under the notice of the Administrator but that titled gentleman brushed it aside with the comment that the Administration did not receive a large revenue from prospectors. Apparently, in his opinion, the matter was too negligible to bother about. He said, however, that the tax was imposed in order to catch the big mining companies which take the gold out of the territory. I quite agree with the tax from that view-point, but in my opinion it should be imposed only on the earnings of prospectors in excess of what might be regarded as an appropriate wage, taking into consideration the hardships of the country. .

Most of the district officers in the New Guinea service are excellent men. We hear the praises of the district officer at Morobe, M.r. Taylor, sung everywhere, and we of ‘t.en hear of the wonderful work done by other district officers. I hesitate to mention names because if some are omitted certain officers might feel hurt.

Recently I received a letter from two prospectors named Forrester and Tebb who set out on a prospecting expedition from Madang’ into the interior near the Ramu River. They experienced some trouble with the natives and complained of their subsequent treatment by the Administration. I sent on their letter tothe Minister, who was good enough to forward it to the Administrator for comment. These men were prospecting near the Ramu River in controlled territory. I may say that no miners are allowed to go into uncontrolled territory; if they do so without permission, they take their lives in their own hands, and no one is responsible for their safety. Forrester and Tebb spent £200 in the purchase of their outfit and set off on the prospecting expedition with the full knowledge and consent of the district officer at Madang. While they were engaged in their work natives fame down from the adjoining uncontrolled territory in the Bismarck Range and stole some of their gear. The prospectors asked that a patrol officer be sent out to control the natives. These patrol officers do not need- to use their arms to enforce order. Accompanied by only half a dozen native policemen, patrol officers go out into uncontrolled areas in which the natives are engaged in fighting and often are able to persuade them to give up their spears because fighting is not permitted by the Government. The Minister has been good enough to hand to me the reply furnished by the Administrator to the letter in which I drew attention to this matter. It reads as follows: -

Messrs. Forrester and Tebb arrived at Madang on the 26th April and, reporting at the district office on the 28th April, stated it was their intention to proceed to an area near Atemble, west of the Ramu River, to engage in prospecting. The area had in earlier years been visited by prospectors, . including one Cruickshank, and it was believed that the adjacent country was gold-bearing. It was explained to and fully understood by the above-mentioned that the uncontrolled areas Commenced at a point five miles west of the Ramu River. They stated the area they desired to work was approximately four miles west of the Ramu River. They further stated it was not their intention to attempt to enter the uncontrolled area. The party proceeded and nothing was heard of them until the 22nd June, when a letter, brought by aeroplane from Atemble, was received at the district office. A copy of the letter is appended - “We have to report that, having met with some hostility south of the Ramu, we returned to Atemble. We had established a camp on Mogo Creek, about four miles south of the river, relations with the local kanakas being friendly. The mountain natives came down to trade foods and everything was O.K. for a couple of weeks and then the mountain boys, getting bolder, made night raids on our camp, five axes being stolen, together with sundry other gear. As these thieves came from outside the controlled area, we could not make any attempt to get them back. This doubtless had an adverse effect as. from then on, we were subjected to a series of night robbing raids . . . We were all the time in controlled ‘ country and well established with the local kanakas; all our trouble came from kanakas who came down from the uncontrolled area. We should like youradvice and help on the matter as wewish to go back and finish the work we have started. We have every reason to believe that we are opening up a new dredging area. Should this be allowed to pass, we are of the opinion that the kanakas nowpeacable living in the ‘ controlled area’ will be subject to periodical raids “.

In reply, a message was put through by radio telephone to Atemble and this message was confirmed by a memorandum, a copy of which is also appended - “ With reference to your letter of the 21st instant, and in confirmation of message per teleradio this morning, in view of the hostile attitude towards your party by natives living in the uncontrolled area on the Bismarck Ranges, you are herewith advised to vacate your present mining location without delay. It is noted you have been camped at approximately four miles south-west of the Ramu River, thus in close proximity to uncontrolled areas as yet unvisited by government patrols. Until such time as an officer and adequate patrol personnel is available, no action can bo taken to protect your party. Should you delay in vacating your present location, action will be taken to include the area within the boundaries of all uncontrolled areas ‘ in the Madang district. In effect, this will mean you will be permanently prohibited to recommence prospecting.

Is it any wonder that Forrester and Tebb, when writing to some friends, said -

As yon heard we got into a spot of bother with the local coons (natives), and as we did not wish to give the Government any reason to make trouble for us, we sent back a report and asked for a patrol to be sent in. We were very surprised when they told us to come in. We were in controlled country and it really was up to the District Resident Officer to help us.

We were all set in there and had six months’ supplies to carry on with, most of which we had to abandon, ‘ as Oakley threatened to cancel our mineral rights and all permits unless we came out of the district at once. Wo had only been in there three weeks, and most of that time had been spent in making a camp and getting in supplies from Atemble.

What little work bad been done had merely verified my original prospects, and convinced me more firmly than ever of its dredging possibilities. But I’ll give you more detail when I can check up from my diary.

Oakley, the District Resident Officer here, reckons that it will be September before a patrol is available to go in there. Oakley is going on leave in August, and I understand Harry Downing is taking his place. He may be more amenable to reason. Anyhow, it has cost Tebb and I around £200 for this trip, and now we’ve got to turn to and find a way to get a crust while waiting. To ‘ell wid de Government.

Sir CHARLES MARR:

– The honorable member said that a native boy received two blankets at Wau instead of one, but a boy does not require a blanket because the tropical climate renders it superfluous. The law went further in regard to mining boys. They had to be supplied with rubber boots and SOUlwesters. That was the most absurd order that was ever introduced. A boy would never don such clothing unless compelled to wear it. The natives work in the garb with which nature has provided them.

The administration of New Guinea will bear the closest scrutiny, and all credit is due bo the officials for the efficient manner in which the interests of the natives are safeguarded. The officers are carefully selected, and cadets are trained to reach the highest rungs of the ladder. Yet I hope that the Government will give consideration to the evolution of a new administrative policy in regard to the territories under the control of the Commonwealth, with a view to having one territorial service. At present we have five territories with different ordinances and various kinds of administration, as well as separate superannuation schemes. Whilst I realize that New Guinea cannot be amalgamated with Papua, it would be possible to have one service, so that officers could be transferred from one territory to another. One director of agriculture and one director of medical services should be sufficient for all territories.

Mr Green:

– Could that system be adopted in regard to a mandated territory?

Sir CHARLES MARR:

– Yes. In Tanganyika, the British territory and the mandated territory are under one administration.

Mr Green:

– But the proposed road from Salamaua to Wau will not touch the Markham Valley at all. In any case, a road already runs up the Markham Valley for a considerable distance from Lae. My information is that, after gold-mining is finished, the Ramu River district and the hinterland to Mount Hagen and Mount Dixon will be the country for cattle and sheep, and that it will become a great primary-producing country. It is not for mc to say that the proposed road from Salamaua to Lae is wrong; it has been approved, and I do not take it upon myself now to oppose its building; but I bear in mind what the future development will bo, and am aware that additional communications and roads will be needed.

An Australian man unshipped 40 head of Australian cattle, swam them ashore, and drove them up the Ramu River where he built a bungalow which the natives burnt out, and then built himself another one. That man is now well established. He is a typical Australian. Nobody else is allowed into the country - it is not under control - but this man has done good work. Apart from driving the cattle to the gold-fields, where he sold them at £40 a head, bc has done other things to place himself on a firm footing in the Mandated Territory. I take off my hat to him.

When the Germans were in control of New Guinea they estimated the native population, men, women and children, at 30.000. After the Australian army of occupation had taken over New Guinea from the Germans, a Mr. Lynx, who was then a member of the staff of the Commonwealth Statistician, was sent to New Guinea as an interpreter. He then estimated the native population at about 100.000, and two or three years later he made an estimate of 300,000. In the last year in which 1 was the Minister in Charge of Territories, the number of natives under control was 520,000. After aeroplanes had passed over the Ramu and

Sepik River districts, it was reported that there were at least 200,000 natives in that area who had not been accounted for. To-day, between 40,000 and 50,000 natives are recruited for work. I defy any one to see the natives, merely skin and bone, coming from the bush, and then later see them well-fed and nourished, and still say that native labour should not be recruited. The natives who are recruited for work are fed on hard-and-fast scales of diet, laid down by the Administration. There are eleven scales of diet; fish is compulsory every week. One can see from the physical condition of natives who are at work that they benefit from it.

Mr Mahoney:

– How much are they paid ?

Sir CHARLES MARR:

– Pay does not matter to the native. It is what he gets out of life that matters. I have seen, at least 100 times,” natives place their hands behind their black backs, and refuse to take pay when they are lined- up to receive it. What is the good of money to a native when there are no shops? He cannot eat money. The native is only concerned with what he can eat, what sleep he can get, and what he puts on.

Mr Gander:

– What does he put on?

Sir CHARLES MARR:

– As little as possible. The policy of the Administration in New Guinea contrasts with that in Papua, where the natives are all properly dressed. The moment that you start dressing the natives you introduce them to pneumonia. It is to the credit of Sir Hubert Murray that he insists that the native is not to be clothed. It is regrettable, however, that an ordinance was recently promulgated under which the members of the native police force are dressed in khaki jackets and trousers. It is a most atrocious ordinance, and it is a lasting shame that it is being enforced, because the uniforms are undermining the health of those who are compelled to wear them. Formerly, the boys were dressed in little shorts, and the upper parts of their bodies were uncovered. The health of the police force is being menaced by these uniforms.

I had the privilege last night of seeing a film taken by Judge Phillips, of the Mandated Territory, of Rabaul and district before and after the earthquake and eruptions of last year. Judge Phillips visited Parliament House, and some of us were so fortunate as to be able to see the film. He said that if opportunity offered, and honorable members wished, he would show it again to-day. I suggest to the Minister in Charge of Territories that the film, or a copy of it, should be obtained for the National Library. Judge Phillips played a notable part on the fateful 29th of May last year towards solving the problems of the people who were caught in the zone o£ the eruption. The Administrator at the time was away in the goldfields, and did not arrive back until some time later. Meanwhile, Judge Phillips saved approximately 9,000 lives by calling the vessel Montora, which was some distance away, to the scene. I regret that little or no credit has been given to the people who played such notable parts in the rescue work during the eruption. One person who was overlooked by the Minister in this respect was Bishop Vesters of Vunopope. The Administrator was the first person to be recognized for the work that was done, but he was not even at Rabaul when the volcano erupted. The captain of an American freighter that was alongside the wharf has never even received a letter of thanks for his valuable work. He manoeuvred his vessel in the darkness, and moved hundreds of people from the danger zone. The junior officers of the service who did meritorious work have also been overlooked. There has been no recognition of the services of the man who sat by the telephone and kept the town in communication with other parts. Nor has there been any recognition of the man who took over the wireless and sent messages to the outside world when the wireless operator met his death. These men are deserving of more than thanks and the Minister will do himself credit if he obtains a report written by the men on the spot instead of contenting himself with a cold-blooded official document. Judge Phillips is one man who could furnish such a report,

Mr SHEEHAN:
Cook

.- The Treasurer (Mr. Casey), in delivering the budget speech said -

In spite of considerable difficulty created by oversea developments, the past year has been one of appreciable economic advance in Australia. The wide fluctuations and instability experienced in many important oversea countries have not been, to any appreciable extent, reflected in Australia as a whole. Indeed, we may congratulate ourselves on the degree of resistance that Australia has shown to adverse oversea influences.

Taking that as his text, the Treasurer has brought down a budget which does not present to the Australian people any degree of national security. During the last twelve months or two years, he has taken the view that, despite an adverse trade balance and a decline of export prices, Australia is in a unique position and that it will not be affected as other countries have been. The result of this budget will be a drift towards economic insecurity. The increase of the rate of sales tax and the introduction of the national insurance scheme will bring considerable hardship to the community. Dr. R. B. Madgwick, in a statement in the Sydney Daily Telegraph, of the 27 th July last, drew the attention of the people of Australia to the position towards which we are drifting. Pointing out that the Empire markets are reaching saturation point, he made a plea that the Australian people should endeavour to develop the home market. There is nothing in this budget that will assist the people to do that. In the long run, it is very doubtful whether Australian sales of wool, wheat and other primary products within the Empire can be increased very much; so that we may have to face the other alternative of relying less on world markets, and more on the home market. This will entail a considerable change in the composition of Australian production ; for the home market would need more secondary commodities and far less primary commodities. With the possibility of a declining export market in the long run, Australia must realize that it will be able to purchase fewer manufactured goods. And iri any case, as the Australian national income falls with a reduction of exports, the standard of living can only bc maintained by more extensive manufacture at home.

Thus, an attempt to develop manufacturing industries in Australia seems necessary for two reasons. The first is that reliance on world markets places Australia at the mercy of world conditions which either force down the prices of wool and wheat, or induce overseas countries to buy less of these commodities. Inevitably, in these circumstances, Australia faces serious depression, because any considerable decline of receipts from exports causes a much greater decline of the national income as a whole. The second reason is that, in the long run, the everincreasing striving for economic selfsufficiency by nations which were previously important buyers of Australian exports may lead to a gradual decline of the volume and value of our exports, accompanied by persistent instability in the whole Australian economy.

Sitting suspended from 1.45 to 2.15 p.m. [Quorum formed.]

Mr SHEEHAN:

– There is an agitation by the people of Australia generally for a reduction of the fee for broadcast listeners’ licences from £1 ls. to 15s. or 16s. per annum. One beneficial result of the development of radio is the restoration of family social life. To-day, radio is keeping the sons and daughters of the Australian people in their own homes, and is developing home culture Young men and young women no longer look upon their homes merely as places in which to sleep, but as places of instruction and social enjoyment. That change has been made possible by radio broadcasts. Unfortunately, the licence fee is so high that great numbers of people in my electorate and elsewhere in Australia cannot enjoy these advantages. Only a few days ago I received a letter from two oldage pensioners who are unable to pay the licence-fee, and consequently cannot use their wireless receiving set. These people are typical of many who, were it not for the cost, would obtain much enjoyment in their own homes from radio. Should the Government not be prepared to reduce the licence-fee for all listeners, I suggest that at least it should make a concession to invalid and old-age pensioners. The granting of this concession would not affect the finances of the country to any great extent.

Telephone facilities should be made available to the poorer sections of the community. In my opinion, a telephone should bc installed in every home which requires it, and only a nominal charge made for it. The installation of a pennyintheslot meter would obviate any dif ficulty about overcharging for calls. Theprofits made by the telephone department are sufficiently high to enable this to be done. From time to time the introduction of penny postage is advocated,, but” the granting of reduced postal charges would not benefit the workers greatly. Many of them do not write more than one or two letters a week. They do, however, find it necessary to communicate with friends and neighbours in their own districts, and a telephone in their homes would make that possible. The wageearners of Australia are entitled to have telephones in their homes at the cheapest possible rate.

Recently the Department of Defence invited tenders for the manufacture and supply of felt hats. Realizing that the successful tenderer for a previous contract did not pay award rates to its employees, the trade union concerned waited upon the Minister for Defence (Mr. Thorby) as a deputation, and requested him not to grant the contract to that firm unless it complied with trade union conditions in its factory. The Minister assured the deputation that a tender would not be let until he had investigated its charges. Since then the same firm has obtained the contract, but it is still not complying with trade union, rates and conditions. The Minister has promised that the factory will bc policed in order to see that award rate* and conditions apply, but it is too late to do anything effective. No one can tell what kind of a hat is being manufactured –whether >it is a military hat or otherwise - until 70 per cent, of the process of manufacture has been carried out, and therefore it is impossible to police the industry. I regret that the Minister gave the contract to Hatcraft Proprietary Limited, Melbourne, because that firm is not employing trade unionists -at union rates.

– I do not care who made the report. I am giving facts contained in the official document which I have before me.

Mr Anthony:

– The figures given by the honorable member for Parkes were also contained in an official report of a committee appointed by the Commonwealth Government.

Mr HUGHES:

– Well, it has been overlaid by this report and, as with all infants that suffer that fate, the result is most unfortunate for the document which has been overlain. However, I leave the matter there. I repeat that I shall give careful consideration to the matters put forward by the honorable member for Kalgoorlie and see if it is not possible to remove the royalty now being paid by prospectors. I shall also investigate his representations on behalf of the population of Wau.

Sir Charles Marr:

– I rise to make a personal explanation. I did not cite statistics with regard to the population of these places. Everybody in New Guinea knows that Salamaua is a feverinfested area.

Mr. SPEAKER (Hon.G. J. Bell).Order! The honorable member is not making a personal explanation.

Mr Curtin:

– I rise to a point of order. I submit that the honorable member for Parkes is not entitled to do more than offer an explanation of statements in respect of which he considers the Minister has misrepresented him.

Mr SPEAKER:

– I have already called the honorable member for Parkes to order.

Sir Charles Marr:

– Statements which I made this morning have been misrepresented by the Minister. He has said they were entirely wrong. I invite honorable members to go to Salamaua. If they do they will find that the biggest population is in the cemetery.

Mr SPEAKER:

– Order! The honorable member must not proceed.

Mr Hughes:

– I do not think that the honorable member for Parkes should be permitted to make statements of that kind.

Mr SPEAKER:

– The honorable member for Parkes was told by the Chair that he could not proceed on the lines by which he was attempting a personal explanation.

Mr WARD:
East Sydney

.- I direct attention to certain reprehensible practices which are creeping into various Government departments with respect to the filling of vacancies. From evidence in my possession it is apparent that political patronage is a determining factor in the filling of positions in the Public Service. During the last sittings of Parliament I drew attention to a certain appointment that had just been made in the Defence Department, but I was unable to complete the matter because not sufficient members remained in the House to keep a quorum, and the business of the House could not be continued. On the 21st June of this year, I asked the Minister for Defence this question -

Is it a fact that a Mr. Tart, a son-in-law of the right honorable member for Cowper, has been appointed to a position in the Publicity section of the Defence Department? What are his particular qualifications apart from the fact that he married a daughter of Sir Earle Page? .

The Minister replied -

I have no information on the subject at the present time.

It should be noted that when I put this question to the Minister, Mr. Tart had actually been appointed to the position. On the same date, I again referred to the matter on the motion for the adjourn- ment of the House, and, in reply to my representations, the Minister for Defence said -

. I say now, as I said then, that I have no detailed information on the matter. . . .

I draw the attention of members to the fact that, in the morning, the Minister said that he had “no information,” and, later in the day, he had “ no detailed information.” He said further -

I have made inquiries. The person referred to is a son-in-law of the Minister for Commerce (Sir Earle Page). He is being appointed to a junior position in the Defence Department on therecommendaion of the Public Service Board.

Honorable members should bear in mind the Minister’s statement that -

The appointment was made on the recommendation of the Public Service Board in the ordinary way after applications had been invited through the press. It appears that his qualifications satisfied the requirements contained in the advertisement and the needs of the department. There has been no political patronage as has been suggested by the honorable member . . . No honorable member of this House has made representations concerning him, and I have had nothing to do with the selection-

It will be noticed that the Minister denied that he had anything to do with the selection - which has been made in the ordinary course and strictly in accordance with the Public Service Act.

On the following day, I pursued my inquiries and, in a question directed to the Minister for Defence, I said -

.I wish to know from, the Minister for Defence whether it is correct that a panel offive names was submitted to him. If so. willhe supply the names and qualifications ofeach candidate?

The Minister replied -

. AsI explained last night, I did not deal with this matter personally. I have made further inquiries on the subject and am informed that the papers dealing with it will arrive in Canberra this morning. . . .

On the 28th June, I carried the matter further by asking the following questions, upon notice -

With reference to the appointment of Mr W. B. Tart, son-in-law of the right honorable member for Cowper (SirEarle Page), to a position in the Defence Department -

Is it a fact that applications for the position closed with the Secretary of the Defence Department?

To this the Minister replied in the affirmative.

Is it a fact that a panel of five names from the applicants was submitted to the Minister?

The Minister replied that the names in the panel had been based on reviews by departmental officers.

Is it a fact that the Minister personalty interviewed at least one of the applicants whose names appeared in the. panel?

The Minister’s answer to this was that several applicants had interviewed the Minister, including two from the panel of five.

Does his statement on the 21st June, 1938, that the appointment was made by the Public Service Board mean that the matter was taken out of the hands of the Secretary of the Defence Department?

In answer to the last section of the question, the Minister said -

No, the regular procedure for this class of employment was observed. The Minister, after consideration of the secretary’s report on the applications, approved of Mr. Tart’s appointment.

It will be seen that, on the first three occasions, the Minister said that he knew nothing about the appointment and had personally made no selection, but, on the 28th June, he admitted that the selection had been made by himself.

Mr Thorby:

– That was never said.It is absolutely incorrect,

Mr WARD:

– I invite the Minister to refer to Hansard, and to read his own replies to my questions. I have given the dates of those replies, and they show how the Minister first denied that he knew anything about the appointment, and subsequently admitted that Mr. Tart was his own selection for the position. He further stated -

Application was made to the Public Service Beard for a certificate of exemption from the provisions of the Public Service Act, for a period not exceeding twelve months. The Public Service Board, after consideration of the papers, made a recommendation accordingly for the approval of the Executive Council.

Recently there have been many suggestions that political patronage has been extended to successful applicants for appointment to the Public Service. In this case, the Minister has at least something to answer to the members of this House, and to the public generally, since on three different occasions he said that he had no knowledge of this appointment, and had nothing to do with it personally, although seven days later he admitted that several of the applicants had been interviewed by him and that the final selection was made by him. On previous occasions the Minister has tried to avoid answering question by reflecting on the members who have submitted them, but on this occasion he is faced, not with what i. have said, but with the records of this Parliament, whose officers do their work in an able and efficient manner. . As I have quoted the official records the Minister must satisfy the public that the deciding factor in the filling of this appointment - and no doubt this practice extends beyond the filling of one appointment - was not that the successful applicant happened to be related to a prominent member of the Minister’s own party. Let us examine this matter impartially in order to see if such was the case. The applicants numbered 70 or more. I understand that one of the qualifications required of the applicant was that he should have a university degree. The successful applicant had a university degree, but it related to agricultural science, although the position he was applying for was in

I he publicity section of the Defence Department. There were many qualified men among the applicants, including one who holds the degree of M.A., and had been covering the Defence Department for a newspaper. He and many others were passed over, because the Minister was determined that the man selected before the position was advertised should be the successful candidate.

– Only part of his duties have to do with the press. Honorable members may think it proper to try to make political capital out of this appointment, but no distortion of the facts, no argument and no ridicule in order to mislead the public will alter the. situation. We have absolutely nothing to hide in connexion with the selection of this officer. He is competent in every respect. His appointment was recommended after the most careful consideration. The practice followed was that usually adopted in filling such vacancies.

The honorable member for East Sydney went so far as to suggest that the

Public Service regulations had been improperly suspended in order to make this appointment. I assure him that the practice adopted has been followed for good and sufficient reasons, in many hundreds of cases throughout the Commonwealth in connexion with both senior and junior officers when a man has to be appointed to carry out temporary duties of a specific character. I absolutely deny that there has been any ulterior motive in the making of this appointment. It should be remembered that the information which the honorable member used as the basis of his questions and of his attacks on this subject came from interested parties. An analysis of the grounds of the attack levelled at me will prove that the honorable member’s attitude is quite unjustified.

It is significant that the Australian Journalists Association, which has taken this matter up, not only complimented the Government upon the selection of the person concerned, but also declared that the criticism of the appointment was without any proper foundation. The association, in wholeheartedly commending the appointment, stated that the appointee was an officer of the association who had proved his ability to serve not only his own organization but also the employers who had engaged his services in the past.

Mr Ward:

– That comment was made after the appointment had been criticized.

Mr THORBY:

I wish now emphatically to contradict the statement of the honorable member for East Sydney that the Army is seething with unrest on account of this appointment. I say definitely that there is no justification for that statement. The honorable member declared that it was impossible for officers to lodge a complaint about the appointment because of certain new regulations, which, as he puts it, seal the lips of the members of the forces. Here, again, the honorable member is deliberately attempting to misconstrue the position and also the regulations.

Mr Curtin:

– Hear, hear! I am glad to have that admission from the Minister.

Mr THORBY:

Mr ROSEVEAR:
Dalley

.- The Minister for Defence (Mr. Thorby) was heated in his reply to the honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward) because that honorable member has seen fit, from time to time, to criticize the administration of the Defence Department, but I think that it is essential that the Minister should clarify the position in respect of the first matter mentioned by the honorable member for East Sydney, if he is desirous of maintaining satisfaction within the service. In the military and naval services, like other services, every man who takes his position seriously looks forward to the day when he will be able to obtain promotion on his merits. The gravamen of the charge to-day was that the Minister had been responsible for introducing political patronage into appointments to the Defence Department. When a charge of that character is levelled against the Minister who is in charge of the department the onus is on him to clear himself or take the consequences. If he refuses to try to clear himself of any criticism that any member of this House offers against the administration of this department he does a greater disservice than any one else to the country. The honorable member for East Sydney has charged the Minister with favouritism to a member of a colleague’s family in an important appointment in his department. The honorable member has done a real service to this House in disclosing the manner in which the Minister on several occasions misled the House in regard to that appointment. The Minister has been charged with political patronage, and I think that any member who listened to his defence this afternoon, if he were a member of a jury, would find the Minister guilty. Between the 21st June and the 26th June last, the Minister made a number of statements which are not merely recorded in the mind of the honorable member for East Sydney, but are embedded in the records of Parliament. Those records are not subject to the control of the honorable member for East Sydney; they are records of which the Minister himself, from day to day, would get a proof for perusal before his remarks were printed in Hansard. The Minister, therefore, not only had the opportunity in this House, to correct any false impression which he thought might be given by his remarks, but also had the opportunity to make corrections on the Hansard proof when it was submitted to him. He took neither course. We are, therefore, not asked to accept the word of the honorable member for East Sydney as to what was said by the Minister for Defence, because what was said is incorporated in Hansard. There is no question about it. When the Minister was first asked, on the 21st June, about this appointment he said “ I have no information on the subject at the present time “. I can understand the Minister’s position then. Normally, I should not expect the Minister to have a ready answer to any question which might be asked regarding the ramifications of his department. He might reasonably bo expected to say that he had no information. But the facts are that within a week the Minister for Defence had to admit that not only was he in full possession of all the facts regarding the case, but also that this man had been appointed some time before the original question was asked, and that before hie appointment the Minister had interviewed him and others whose names were included in the panel. It is, therefore, not unreasonable to say that at question time on the 21st June, when the original question was submitted to the Minister, and he replied that he had no information on the subject, he actually did have information regarding it, for he had been personally responsible for the appointment. He must have known the facts. But, even assuming that he had no information at the moment, he had every opportunity during that day to obtain it, particularly as his political honour was involved. On the same night, on the motion for the adjournment of the House, the subject was again raised by the honorable member for East Sydney. In replying, the Minister qualified his former statement a little, for he then said that he had no detailed information on the subject. He then went on to say that this gentleman had been appointed to a junior position in the Defence Department, on the recommendation of the Public Service Board. He added, “ It appears that his qualifications satisfied the requirements “! Those words would indicate that he had no personal knowledge of the appointment, but that it appeared to him that the gentleman who was appointed’ must have satisfied the requirements. But subsequent events showed that this gentleman’s name had been submitted to the Minister in a panel of five, and that he himself had approved of the selection. In the light of these facts, what are we to believe? First, the Minister said that he knew nothing about the appointment. Then he said that he had no detailed information about it. A week later, not in reply to a question without notice that he could dismiss with any kind of reply, but in answer to a question upon notice, hewas forced to admit that he knew all about the appointment, and moreover that he had full knowledge not only of this man’s qualifications, but also, as he himself admitted to-day, of his relationship to one of his Cabinet colleagues. According to the Minister’s statement to-day, that relationship was one of the principal bare to his getting the position. There is no doubt that the Minister used political patronage in the making of this appointment, and therefore the charge levelled against him by the honorable member for East Sydney is well founded. In making that charge and substantiating it the Honorable member has warned honorable members, not only of what is happening in the Defence Department, “but also of the need to peruse carefully answers to their questions given by the Minister. We should be able to accept the word of the Minister, but what are we to think when, within a week, he convicts himself, out of his own mouth, of the responsibility for an action which if repeated must ultimately undermine the Public Service. Once it is known that the Minister had had a hand in making a political appointment to this highly paid position, to which men in lower ranks had every right to aspire, the result will be most harmful. Nothing is more calculated to bring about dissatisfaction in the Public Service than the knowledge that political “ pull “ counts for To-day in the making of appointments. To-day, the Minister castigated the honorable member for East Sydney for referring tto defence administration generally, but on the Minister’s own showing, any criticism of himself and his department in the future will lead to a searching investigation in order to determine, if possible, who has given information to members of the Opposition.

Some time ago the Prime Minister invited the trade unions to nominate representatives on the defence panels which were to deal with the implementing of the defence programme, so far . as the manufacture of war materials in Australia was concerned. At first, the trade unions rejected the proposal, but, apparently, the Prime Minister claimed that he desired that proper trade union conditions should be observed in the manufacture of Australian armaments. A phase of this matter has been brought under the notice of the honorable

Ifr. Rosevear. member for Cook (Mr. Sheehan) and myself by the Felt Hatters Union. We have been informed by the union that tenders had been invited for the supply of 13,000 military hats, and that the firm which had the previous contract was not observing trade union conditions. The honorable member for Cook and I accompanied by representatives of the union, waited on the Minister for Defence as a deputation before the. time for receiving tenders expired, and placed the position before him. We pointed out that, although the Defence Department was protected by a signed agreement that the successful tenderers would observe trade union conditions in carrying out the contract, those conditions were being evaded by the Victorian mill which held the previous contract. It was explained to the Minister that that firm took advantage of the fact that no one but an expert could tell whether a military hat or a civilian hat was being made until 60 per cent, of the operation of manufacture had been completed. The Minister replied that the department was covered by an agreement signed by the successful tenderer. The deputation pointed out that although there was a degree of supervision by the Defence Department, the supervising officer did not possess the requisite knowledge to say whether, up to a certain stage of manufacture, civilian hats or military hats were being made. Hat manufacturers in New South Wales have told me that they refused to tender for those hats because they realized that they could not compete against the Victorian firm which, evaded certain conditions of the agreement into which it had entered. Although the deputation waited on the Minister on the 5th August, it was not until the day before Parliament reassembled that a definite reply was received from the Minister. In the meantime a new contract had been let to the same firm as previously had been successful. The Minister promised that if there was any doubt in the matter he would not only postpone the date for receiving tenders, but would also see that the things of which we complained were rectified. After six weeks’ consideration, and after a new contract had been let to the same firm, the

Minister, possibly in the hope of avoiding criticism, sent the following letter, which, however, did not cover the main point of the dispute : -

Canberra, 20th September, 1938.

Dear Mr. Rosevear,

With further reference to your representations at the deputation from the Felt Hatters’ Union which waited on me in Sydney on 5th August in regard to the defence hat contract, Ifind, as a result of my investigations, that arrangements have been made for departmental officers to make periodical inspections of the premises, books and work at Hatcrarft Pty. Ltd. to ensure that the provisions of the award in respect of wages and conditions of labour are observed as provided in the general conditions of tender and contract.

Yours sincerely,

V. C. Thorby,

Minister for Defence.

I am not greatly concerned about periodical inspections of the premises, or inspections of the hooks of the firm, for they will reveal nothing amiss. Indeed, as I have pointed out, an inspection of the work of manufacture will reveal no more to a nonexpert departmental officer than it would reveal to the average member of this House. Only an expert who has served a long apprenticeship to felt hat-making can differentiate between a military hat and a civilian hat until 60 per cent. of the operation of manufacture has been finished. This contract will be carried out under exactly the same conditions as the former contract. Manufacturers who endeavour to do the right thing by their employees find it impossible to compete with competitors who evade their obligations. In this matter I do not ask honorable members to accept my word, or even that of the union concerned. But I do ask them to heed the statement of manufacturers of hats in Sydney that they refused to tender, knowing that they could not pay trade union journeymen wages and compete successfully with a firm which evades obligations which it had undertaken. If the Prime Minister desires the co-operation of the trade union movement in assisting the manufacturers to provide defence materials he must first see that his Ministers are prepared to ensure that employers of labour, who do not now observe award conditions, will not be placed at an advantage in securing contracts for the supply of defence materials over other manufacturers who are more scrupulous in observing union wages and conditions. I know that it is of no use appealing to the Minister for Defence (Mr. Thorby) on this matter. He resents all criticism, andwould, if he could, be a little Mussolini in this country and in this House, denying everybody the right to criticize or advise him. If, as the head of the Government, the Prime Minister desires the cooperation of the trade union movement in this country he should see to it that his Ministers stand up to their job and require that proper award conditions be observed by the manufacturers of our defence requirements. [Quorum formed.]

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.

In committee:

Clauses 1 to 5 agreed to.

Schedule.

The Parliament.

Proposedvote, £19,610.

Mr GREGORY:
Swan

.- I desire to refer to changes that have taken place in the conduct of business in this Parliament, particularly during the last few months. When the Parliament met in Melbourne conditions were entirely different from what they are in Canberra. At present only on very rare occasions is more than one Minister present during a debate. This is discreditable to the Parliament and a great disrespect to the members of this House. Apparently the reason for this is that Ministers are engaged for the greater part of their time in administrative work in the precincts of the House. It seems to me that this building is being used more for administrative purposes than for parliamentary purposes. When the Parliament met in Melbourne I think only one room was provided for Ministers, who were able to carry on fairly well with that accommodation because most of their administrative work was carried out in the departmental offices near by. Here, however, with everybody desirous of getting out of Canberra as quickly as possible, little administrative work is done outside of this building, in which Ministers demand accommodation, not only for themselves, but also for their secretaries and staffs, with the resultthat private members are “tossed” about from place to place. Only recently members of the Country party were asked to vacate their room on the Senate side of the building. I do not know who is responsible for authorizing these changes. On the last day of the sitting prior to the recent recess members of the Country party suddenly discovered that they were to lose their room and were to be “ pitchforked “ into some other room on the Senate side of the building. Coming from Western Australia, I have to store a large quantity of private papers in my locker in the party room. I found on that occasion that all of those papers were being tossed out, and other members of the Country party found their papers taken out <of their lockers and placed on a table in another room. Treatment of this sort should not be allowed to be meted out to honorable members. Are Ministers in charge of this building, or is it under the control of the President and Speaker and the House Committee? If the responsibility devolves upon the President and Speaker they are open to very severe censure for the. manner in which they have allowed Ministers to take control of this building. I enter my emphatic protest against this treatment. If room must be found for officers and private secretaries they should be accommodated on the ground floor. It is not right that honorable members should be “tossed” about at the sweet will of any Minister, and be put to very considerable inconvenience and risk the loss of their valuable papers. I hope that honorable members will insist that this building shall be used purely for Parliamentary purposes and not to an increasing extent as a secretariat building. Arrangements should be made for honorable members to meet deputations in places other than the corridors, which, when tariff ‘ schedules are under consideration, are” usually filled with lobbyists. That does not add to the dignity of Parliament or to the convenience of members which is of just as much moment as the convenience of Ministers. The House Committee should have had the courage to refuse Ministers accommodation on thefirst floor for their secretaries and staffs, while honorable members are thrust into rooms in distant parts of the building. I trust that this matter will receive the earnest consideration of the President and Speaker.

Mr CURTIN:
Fremantle

.- I am compelled to direct attention to the extent to which strangers invade parts of this building, to which strangers who merely desire admission to the galleries while the House is sitting should not be admitted. I can understand visitors to Canberra, who desire to see the Prime Minister, other Ministers, or myself, being escorted to their particular rooms. But under the present arrangement strangers are to be found in both lobbies awaiting admission to the floor of the House either in the Speaker’s gallery or in the seats at the back of the chamber, and entering at the doors through which members enter. I suggest that all strangers should enter from the King’s Hall.

I also say that the facilities which the press have - and I speak as a former pressman - in the lobbies of this chamber to get the ear of members, of Ministers and myself, whenever it suits their convenience to push- up against us, is not only wrong, but also, in some instances, becomes intolerable. The fact that during last week some of us have carried very heavy responsibilities has not saved us from being importuned at times and in places when and where we should have been free from such importunity.

Mr CASEY:
Treasurer · Corio · UAP

– So far as the remarks of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Curtin) and the honorable member for Swan (Mr. Gregory) are the concern of the Government, I shall see that they are brought to the notice of the Prime Minister. I, myself, am in some doubt as to the division of authority between the Government, the House Committee and Mr. ‘Speaker, in connexion with these matters. I think that the honorable member for Swan overlooks the fact that, particularly while the House is sitting, Ministers have a number of gods to serve ; they have their own departments, the administration of which has to be carried on, and they have to answer queries and requests in person and in writing from members, and it is their aim to give as rapid service to members as possible. That is impossible unless one’s own personal staff is immediately handy. I am sorry that there has been discourtesy to honorable members; I shall bring it under the notice of the persons more directly concerned.

Mr BELL:
Darwin

– I did not know that this matter was to be raised but I think it would be opportune for me now to reply to the remarks made by the Leader of the Opposition (Ma1. Curtin) and the honorable member for Swan (Mr. Gregory). As regards the allocation of rooms, it is true that some time ago Ministers said they required additional rooms; I informed the Prime Minister that it was not possible for me to make them available on this side of the building, and that the Government would have to make additions to the building if more rooms were required. A proposal was put forward which I need not discuss now, but, ultimately, more rooms were provided for the library staff and that allowed certain of the rooms formerly utilized by that department to be made available to Ministers. With regard to the statement that Ministers have been using rooms in Parliament House as administrative offices, only one room in this .building has ever been allotted to a departmental officer, namely, the Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Department, who was given a room in order that he could be reasonably near to the Prime Minister. I appreciated the reasonable nature of the request and agreed to it. So far as I know no other departmental officer is using a room in this building.

Mr Gregory:

– -.Secretaries are using looms as offices on the ministerial side of the building.

Mr BELL:

– I know of none other than the private secretaries to Ministers. Ministers have their private secretaries and typists, and I am not in a position to. know what are their requirements in that respect. Each Minister now has two rooms. As a rule, a Minister has one for himself and one for his staff. I cannot take responsibility for whom Ministers put into their rooms. As to the rooms on the Senate side of the building occupied by the Country party, I under stand that the inconvenience caused to the Country party there is not so much due to Ministers requiring more accommodation as to the fact that the larger Opposition party in the Senate needs more accommodation than was formerly allotted to it.

The Leader of the Opposition complained that strangers were frequently seen in the lobbies of Parliament House. From time to time I have asked members not to bring strangers into the lobbies and leave them there, and I have instructed messengers and attendants that any strangers found in the lobbies must betold to leave. I have asked for the cooperation of members in this matter. If they bring strangers into the House and allow them to remain in the lobbies by themselves, it is very difficult for me to exercise control. It is wrong to do this, and I hope that in future members will co-operate with me in this matter. Members of the press have been told that they must not frequent the lobbies, which are set apart for members only, and an instruction to that effect will be repeated. With regard to the entrance to this chamber, 1 do not know how that difficulty can be entirely overcome, but strangers will not be allowed in the lobbies unattended.

Proposed vote agreed to.

Prime Minister’s Department.

Proposed vote, £94,010.

Mr CURTIN:
Fremantle

.- 1 direct attention to ‘the fact that in this financial year Australia House in London will cost this country an additional £8,394. An amount of £4,000 is to be expended on alterations to the building.; the upkeep is to be increased from’ £10,507 last year to, I understand, £14,000 this year ; the amount to be paid to the High Commissioner (Mr. Bruce), for expenses in connexion with his official residence, is to be increased from £1,999 in 1937-3S to £2,510; and the upkeep of his official residence will be increased from £741 to £1,130. In brief, the additional costs will be £4,000 for alterations to Australia House, £3,493 for its upkeep, £511 for Mr.’Bruce’s expenses, and £390 for the upkeep of his residence. In view of the fact that this Supply is being voted for a financial year in which Parliament has to make provision for the highest Commonwealth expenditure on record, I urge that a little more than usual prudence be exercised in the consideration of increased departmental expenditure.

Mr CASEY:
Treasurer · Corio · UAP

. - I have no details of the expenditure on Australia House available at the moment, but I shall give the information required when the Estimates are being discussed.

Proposed vote agreed to.

Proposed vote. - Department of External Affairs, £2,680 - agreed to.

Mr CURTIN:
Fremantle

.- If no other honorable gentlemen has anything to discuss, in view of the fact that the Treasurer has not available details in answer to some of the inquiries which have been made, I am quite willing to allow the rest of the schedule to be taken, inglobo, and shall reserve any comments which I may have to make till a later date.

Remainder of schedule agreed to.

Preamble and title agreed to.

Bill reported without amendment; report adopted.

Bill read a third time.

page 148

ADJOURNMENT

Government Business: Sitting Days

Mr CASEY:
Treasurer · Corio · UAP

– In moving -

That this House do now adjourn,

I wish to intimate that on the resumption of the sittings next week it is proposed that the Minister for Commerce shall make a statement reviewing the work of the. ministerial delegation to Great Britain. The other business will be the Sales Tax Bills, States Grants Bills, and the Interstate Commission Bill.

Mr Curtin:

The following answers to questions were circulated: -

National Insurance : Commencement of Medical Benefits - Appointments to Staff of Commission

Mr Rosevear:

r asked the Treasurer, upon notice -

. Is it a fact, as reported in the press, that the medical benefits under the National Insurance Scheme will not commence until the 1st April next?
If so. who was responsible for fixing that date?
Why was that date considered the most appropriate one?
Why was the original expressed intention of commencing medical benefits when contributions began departed from?

Mr Casey:
UAP

– The answer to the honorable member’s questions is as follows: -

In the course of debate on an amendment of the National Health and Pensions Insurance Bill moved by the honorable member, I informed the House as follows: - “Assuming that the bill comes into operation on the 1st January of next year, insured persons will become entitled to medical benefit on the 1st April.” It was never expected that it would be practicable to commence medical benefit before April.

OnWednesday, the 21st September, the honorable member for West Sydney (Mr. Beasley) asked the following question, without notice: -

Can the Treasurer inform the House as to the number of appointments that have been made to the department of the National Health and Pensions Insurance Commission, and the number of appeals lodged? Is it intended to appoint persons outside the Public Service to any position in the department?

A number of questions have been asked by honorable members regarding appointments made to the staff of the National Insurance Commission. In reply to these questions the following statement is furnished: -

The stalling position to the 22nd September, 1938, is shown on the attached statement.

Briefly,99 positions have been created on the recommendation of the Public Service Board. All positions were duly advertised in the Commonwealth Gazette. Eight positions have not yet been filled:91 positions have been filled, either by provisional promotions or transfers, and all officers appointed tothese positions up to the present date have been officers of the Commonwealth Public Service.

Promotions have been made in accordance with section 50 of the Public Service Act. Eightytwo appeals have been lodged against the provisional promotions made by the National Insurance Commission, and the Public Ser-. vice Board- has determined appeals in respect of fourteen of these positions. Appeals in respect of 51 positions have not yet been determined by the Public Service Board, and of these 45 are promotions, the closing date of appeals against which has not yet been reached.

No permanent appointments have yet been made to the staff of the National Insurance Commission from among persons outside the Commonwealth Public Service. The actuary whose appointment has been announced, will be an officer of the Treasury, and not of the National Insurance Commission. Two temporary appointments have, however, been made by the National Insurance Commission for special work which it is anticipated will not continue longer than six months. One of these is a temporary officer engaged to advise employers and others in the adjustment of private provident and superannuation funds, which will be affected by the introduction of National Insurance, and the other is a temporary officer employed in assisting the commission inthe preparation of literature and publicity associated with the introduction of National Insurance.

Royal Australian Air Force : Supply of Aircraft

Mr Curtin:

n asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Has the Minister seen reports that the date of delivery of reconnaissance aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force, ordered in 1035, is becoming increasingly indefinite?
Has he seen reports that Avro-Anson aircraft to be used for training in the Air Force arc unsuitable?
Is it a fact that these aeroplanes are second-hand?

Mr Thorby:
CP

– The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follows : -

Yes.
No aircraft ordered as early as 1935 is outstanding;.
Yes; but such comment is uninformed and without foundation. These aircraft are efficient and perfectly suitable for the training of service squadrons in all of their intended functions.
No. All Alison aircraft being obtained will be new and unused at the time of delivery.

Surcharge on Air Mail.

Mr Harrison:
WENTWORTH, NEW SOUTH WALES

naskedthe Minister representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice -

Is it a fact that the extraordinarily high surcharge on air mail from Australia to the United Kingdom as compared with the rate from New Zealand has resulted in the shipping of a comparatively small poundage of mail matter from Australia while an exceptionally high poundage is shipped from New Zealand?
In view of the great difference in population and business turnover of both countries, can it be taken that the small poundage posted in Australia is a direct protest against the surcharge? If so, will the Minister give consideration to a complete elimination of the surcharge with the object of placing the air mail rates from Australia on the same basis as other parts of the Empire?
Will he supply in detail the poundage of the air mail matter per flight with regard to consignments to the United Kingdom from
1. New Zealand, and (b) Australia?

Mr Perkins:
UAP

s. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follows : -

During the month of August, the weight ofair mail matter sent from Australia to Empire countries (including the United Kingdom ) was 7,403 lb., and the weight sent from New Zealand was 7,808 lb. During September up to the 19th instant, the weight despatched was 5.632 lb. and 5,080 lb. respectively.
The volume of mail sent by air from Australia cannot be regarded as a protest against the surcharge, but, on the contrary, there is distinct evidence of public appreciation resulting from the reduction of the surcharge from Australia to the United Kingdom from1s.6d. to 5d. This is revealed by the traffic figures, which show an increase of approximately 100 per cent. resulting from the lower rate. In the present state of the national finances, and the heavy commitments which have to be met, it is not considered desirable to eliminate the surcharge at present.
The despatches to Empire countries from Australia and Now Zealand, respectively, each week since the beginning of August are as follows: - From Australia - 1,604 lb., 1.973 lb 1,874 lb., 1.952 lb., 1.850 lb.. 1,887 lb., 1,889 lb. From New Zealand- 115 lb., 3,473 lb., 1,493 lb., 2,727 lb.. 1.834 lb., 1.814 lb., 1,432 lb.

Air Mail Postage Rates.

Mr Perkins:
UAP

s. - On Wednesday, the 21st September, the honorable member for Wentworth (Mr. Harrison) made certain inquiries regarding the charges for parcels despatched by air mail to Ho bar t. I am now in a position to furnish the honorable member with the following reply to his inquiries: -

Air mail services arc established primarily for letters and a uniform surcharge applied to all classifications of mail matter. The department cannot introduce special rates for restricted types of service such, for instance, as Hobart-Sydney. Postal rates must provide for uniform treatment covering transmission from any post office to any destination, and rates are necessarily based on the acceptance and delivery of the article and complete conveyance from the point of origin to the point of destination, which might include one or more air services, railway or sea transportation, and possibly also road mail conveyance.

Technical Training or Unemployed Youths

Mr Holt:
FAWKNER, VICTORIA

t asked the Prime Minister, upon notice -

Of the £200,000 made available by the Commonwealth Government during the year 1937-38 for the technical training of unemployed youths, what amounts were received by the respective State governments?
On what basis was the £200,000 divided amongst them ?
What additional financial provision for this purpose was made by the State governments respectively?

Mr Lyons:
UAP

– The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follows : -

The amount was allocated amongstthe States on a population basis with variations to provide for specialneeds in certain States.

New Guinea: Royalty on GoldTimber Rights

Mr Green:

n asked the Minister in Charge of Territories, upon notice -

Is there a tax upon the gold produced in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea?
If so, what is the rate of the tax?
Are gold-miners who are prospectingthe territory to discover gold, and who are only earning, for the time being, perhaps not enough to purchase adequate food, charged relatively the same rate as large companies, such as the Bulolo Dredging Company, which is showing a profit of £600,000 per annum?
In view of the small amount that must accrue to the revenue of the territory by imposing the tax on the prospector earning less than an appropriate wage, resulting in the discouragement of prospecting, and a check to the all important work of developing the territory, will the Minister go into the question of the abolition of the tax on all gold returning less than an adequate living, and consider, if necessary, the re-imbursement of this amount to the finances of the territory?

Mr Hughes:
UAP

– The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follows : - 1, 2 and 3. A royalty of 5 per cent, is payable to the Administration on gold won from all mining tenements held under the Mining Ordinance 1928-1936.

The suggestions made by the honorable member will be investigated.

Mr Green:

n asked the Minister in Charge of Territories, upon notice -

Is it a fact that tenders are being called by the secretary of Lands, Surveys, Mines and Forests, at Rabaul, for the purchase ofa permit, under the Forestry Ordinance 1936- 1037, conferring the exclusive right to take and remove approximately 50,000,000 super, feet of hoop and klinkii pine and otherspecies of timber from an area situated in the Bulolo Valley in theMorobe District of New Guinea?
What is the approximate area of the lands in the Bulolo Valley included in the tender, and for what distance along each side of the river does the permit extend?
What other portions of theMorobe District do the tenders include, and what are the respective areas?
What is the period of the lease?
Is it proposed to let these immense supplies of timber as a monopoly under one tender, or to let them in appropriate areas, whereby more than one tender may he accepted?
Is he prepared to lay upon the table or the Library a map of the lands proposed to be leased and the conditions set out in the lease ?

Mr Hughes:
UAP

– The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follows: -

Yes.
The information is being obtained.
The present invitation for tenders relates only to an area in the Bulolo Valley.
The permit will be for a period of ten years.
Tenders have been called for one permit.
Yes’. Full particulars will alsobe supplied to honorable members.

Defence: Training of Tasmanian Air Pilots.

Mr Mahoney:

y asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Will he take the necessary steps to establish in Hobart under the control of the Defence Department an aeroplane for the training of air pilots in Tasmania?

Mr Thorby:
CP

– The answer to the honorable member’s question is as follows. -

The Tasmanian Aero Club, a club operating under financial assistance from the Defence Department, and whose head-quarters are at Launceston, maintains an active flyingsection at Hobart with necessary aircraft and instructional staff, which are available for the training of air pilots. The club maintains a fleet of five aircraft.

Commonwealth Literary Fund

Mr Curtin:

n asked the Minister for the Interior, upon notice -

Will he give details of the expenditure of £6,500 provided in the Estimates for the Commonwealth Literary Fund?

Mr McEwen:
CP

– The information will be obtained.

Proposed Sanctions Against Japan

Mr Baker:

r asked the Prime Minister, upon notice -

With reference to the cabled press reports that the question of sanctions against Japan is being discussed by the League of Nations, will he inform the House whether he has had any recent communications from the High Commissioner for Australia in London, Mr. Bruce, upon this matter?

Mr Lyons:
UAP

– The answer to the honorable member’s question is as follows: -

No. This question so far has only come before the Council of the League. The honorable member will appreciate that as the Commonwealth of Australia is not now a member of the Council, it will not be called upon to consider the question unless the matter is referred to the League Assembly for consideration.

Repatriation Tribunals

Mr Mulcahy:
LANG, NEW SOUTH WALES

y asked the Minister representing the Minister for Repatriation, upon notice -

Can the Minister say whether it is an instruction to the Repatriation Commission that no regard is to be given to evidence brought by anapplicant to the commission except medical evidence? If this is so, will he consider widening the scope of evidence to be heard by the commission!

Mr Thompson:
CP

– The Minister for Repatriation has supplied the following information : -

No such instruction has ever been issued, and due regard is given to all evidence.

Trade With the United States of America.

Mr Lyons:
UAP

s. - On Thursday, the 22nd September,” the honorable member for Swan (Mr. Gregory) asked a question, without notice, regarding the matter of trade negotiations between Australia and the United States of America.

I desire to inform the honorable member that the possibility of initiating commercial negotiations with the United States of America has been informally discussed on several occasions. This involves questions of such complexity, and raises so many problems, that it requires further special study. This study is now being made in both countries.It is hoped that a basis for negotiations will be found at a not very distant date.

Telephone Conversations.

Mr Perkins:
UAP

s. - On Thursday, the 22nd September, the honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward) made inquiries as to the recording, by the Postal Department, of portions of telephone conversations, when investigating complaints of overcharging.

I am now in a position to inform the honorable member that it is only in most exceptionalcases that the department makes any record of conversations when investigating complaints concerning accounts for local telephone calls, and, when this is done, the particulars recorded are of thebriefest possible character sufficient only for the purpose of satisfying a subscriber of the accuracy of the record.

Cite as: Australia, House of Representatives, Debates, 23 September 1938, viewed 22 October 2017, <http://historichansard.net/hofreps/1938/19380923_reps_15_157/>.

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House of Representatives23 September 1938

QUESTION

MELVILLE ISLAND

Sir CHARLES MARR:PARKES, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr McEWEN:Minister for the Interior · INDI, VICTORIA · CP

QUESTION

WORKMEN’S COMPENSATION ACT

Mr BEASLEY:WEST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Sir EARLE PAGE:Minister for Commerce · COWPER, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

REPATRIATION TRIBUNALS

Mr THOMPSON:Minister without portfolio, assisting the Treasurer · NEW ENGLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

QUESTION

TRADE MARKS ACT

Mr JENNINGS:WATSON, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr MENZIES:Attorney-General · KOOYONG, VICTORIA · UAP

QUESTION

EXPORT OF CANNED PINEAPPLES

Mr BERNARD CORSER:WIDE BAY, QUEENSLAND

Sir EARLE PAGE:CP

QUESTION

DEFENCE FORCE SALARIES

Mr THORBY:Minister for Defence · CALARE, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

Mr Curtin:

Mr THORBY:

QUESTION

BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE

Mr FAIRBAIRN:FLINDERS, VICTORIA

Mr LYONS:Prime Minister · WILMOT, TASMANIA · UAP

QUESTION

MIGRATION

Mr WARD:EAST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr LYONS:UAP

QUESTION

EXPORT OF KOALA BEARS

Mr McCALL:MARTIN, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr Rosevear:

Mr WHITE:Minister for Trade and Customs · BALACLAVA, VICTORIA · UAP

QUESTION

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Mr ARCHIE CAMERON:Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce · BARKER, SOUTH AUSTRALIA · CP

NEWSPRINTING PAPER INDUSTRY

Tariff Board’s Report : Bounty to Assist

Mr WHITE:Minister for Trade and Customs · Balaclava · UAP

Tariff Board-

Newsprinting Paper

QUESTION

NATIONAL INSURANCE

Mr CASEY:Treasurer · CORIO, VICTORIA · UAP

SUPPLY BILL (No. 2) 1938-39

Second Reading

Mr PERKINS:Monaro- Assistant Minister · Eden · UAP

Mr Beasley:

Mr PERKINS:

Sir Frederick Stewart:

Mr PERKINS:UAP

Mr Beasley:

Mr PERKINS:UAP

Mr Beasley:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Beasley:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Beasley:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Beasley:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Beasley:

Mr SPEAKER:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Scullin:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Makin:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr FORDE:CAPRICORNIA, QUEENSLAND

Mr PERKINS:

Mr CURTIN:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Ward:

Mr PERKINS:

Mr Brennan:

Mr PERKINS:UAP

House of Representatives
23 September 1938

Sir CHARLES MARR:
PARKES, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr McEWEN:
Minister for the Interior · INDI, VICTORIA · CP

Mr BEASLEY:
WEST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Sir EARLE PAGE:
Minister for Commerce · COWPER, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

Mr THOMPSON:
Minister without portfolio, assisting the Treasurer · NEW ENGLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

Mr JENNINGS:
WATSON, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr MENZIES:
Attorney-General · KOOYONG, VICTORIA · UAP

Mr BERNARD CORSER:
WIDE BAY, QUEENSLAND

Sir EARLE PAGE:
CP

Mr THORBY:
Minister for Defence · CALARE, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

Mr FAIRBAIRN:
FLINDERS, VICTORIA

Mr LYONS:
Prime Minister · WILMOT, TASMANIA · UAP

Mr WARD:
EAST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr LYONS:
UAP

Mr McCALL:
MARTIN, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr WHITE:
Minister for Trade and Customs · BALACLAVA, VICTORIA · UAP

Mr ARCHIE CAMERON:
Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce · BARKER, SOUTH AUSTRALIA · CP

Mr WHITE:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Balaclava · UAP

Mr CASEY:
Treasurer · CORIO, VICTORIA · UAP

Mr PERKINS:
Monaro- Assistant Minister · Eden · UAP

Mr PERKINS:
UAP

Mr PERKINS:
UAP

Mr FORDE:
CAPRICORNIA, QUEENSLAND

Mr PERKINS:
UAP

Mr SCULLIN:
Yarra

Mr GREEN:
Kalgoorlie

Sir CHARLES MARR:
Parkes

Sir CHARLES MARR:
PARKES, NEW SOUTH WALES · NAT; UAP from 1931

Mr SHEEHAN:
Cook