House of Representatives
3 April 1941

16th Parliament · 1st Session

  1. House of Representatives
  2. 16th Parliament
  3. 1941

Mr. Speaker (Hon. W.M. Nairn) took the chair at 10.30 a.m., and read prayers.

page 653

QUESTION

GAS PRODUCER UNITS

Mr BEASLEY:
WEST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

– In view of his knowledge of supply, and its planned relation to the Government’s policy, does the Minister representing the Minister for Supply and Development think it desirable to encourage the manufacture and installation of gas producer units? Has the Government noted the statement of the Minister for Transport in New South Wales that steps are being taken to decide on and manufacture a standard unit? If the answer to the first question is in the affirmative, and there is any substance in the statement mentioned in the second question, is the Government prepared to consider claims for aid to persons who have already invested much capital in the development of approved units, and were encouraged by the Government to do so? Will the Government be prepared to discuss this matter with the manufacturers of approved units, in order that those who in the past have tried to solve the transport problem may not incur losses through their desire to assist the Government in this time of crisis?

Mr FADDEN:
Treasurer · DARLING DOWNS, QUEENSLAND · CP

– This afternoon I shall meet the appropriate officers in conference in order to discuss the matter raised bythe honorable gentleman. Conferences designed to encourage the production and use of producer gas have alreadybeen held with the States. The observations of the honorable member will be kept in mind at to-day’s conference.

page 654

QUESTION

COOL STORAGE

Mr McLEOD:
WANNON, VICTORIA

– In view of the urgent need forcool storage space, will the Assistant Minister for Commerce say what steps have been taken to utilize the Murtoa cool stores?

Mr ANTHONY:
Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce · RICHMOND, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

– I shall have inquiries made, and let the honorable member know.

page 654

QUESTION

PAY-ROLL TAX

Income Tax Deductions

Mr PRICE:
BOOTHBY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA · ALP; UAP from 1931

– Will the Treasurer take steps to provide that any amount paid by employers under the pay-roll tax legislation which passed through this House yesterday, shall be taken into account as a deduction in connexion with Federal and State income tax?

Mr FADDEN:
CP

– Provision has already been made for deducting the pay-roll tax from income for Commonwealth purposes, but its deduction for State purposes is a matter for the States.

page 654

QUESTION

MEDICAL OFFICER AT DARWIN

Mr WARD:
EAST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

– Can the Minister for Social Services say whether it is a fact that Dr. McDonald, who was attached to the Darwin medical service, has been transferred to Melbourne, and, if so, will he give the reason? Further, will he say whether it is proposed to fill the vacancy in the Darwin medical service created by the transfer, and if so, when?

Sir FREDERICK STEWART:
Minister for External Affairs · PARRAMATTA, NEW SOUTH WALES · UAP

– It is a fact that Dr. McDonald has been transferred from Darwin to Melbourne, the reasonbeing that it was considered desirable in the national interest. It is proposed to take appropriate action to fill the vacancy.

page 654

QUESTION

CANBERRA

Profiteering - Housing

Mr BADMAN:
GREY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– In view of the disclosures in evidence given before the Public Works Committee that high profits are being made in a certain industry in Canberra, will the Minister for Trade and Customs say whether Professor Copland, the Commonwealth Prices Commissioner, has power to investigate such cases?

Mr HARRISON:
Minister for Trade and Customs · WENTWORTH, NEW SOUTH WALES · UAP

– The answer to the honorable member’s question is in the affirmative.

Sir CHARLES MARR:
PARKES, NEW SOUTH WALES

– It has been reported to me that certain wives of men who have volunteered in the Australian Capital Territory and gone overseas with the forces have been informed that their arrears of rent must be liquidated or they will be required to leave their homes. I ask the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior whether the report is correct ? Will the honorable gentleman cause inquiries to be made in order that we may be informed of the exact position in this regard?

Mr COLLINS:
Minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for the Interior · HUME, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

– I have not heard of any cases of the kind, but I shall have inquiries made and give the honorable member a reply to his question as early as possible.

page 654

APPLES AND PEARS

Appointment of Joint Parliamentary Committee

Mr ANTHONY:
Assistant Minister · Richmond · CP

– I have to announce to the House that the Government has decided to establish a Joint Parliamentary Committee to inquire into and report upon : (a) the administration and. financial operations of the Apple and Pear Board ; (b) the adequacy of the existing National Security (Apple and Pear Acquisition) Regulations for the carrying out of the proper functions of the board; (c) to report upon any otherproposals concerning the disposal of the Australian apple and pear crop. The members of such committee will be the Honorable J. A. Perkins (chairman), the Honorable R. T. Pollard, the Honorable G. J. Bell, Mr. C. W. Frost, Senator J. M. Fraser, Senator J. McLachlan, and Mr. Alex Wilson.

page 654

QUESTION

MAN-POWER AND RESOURCES SURVEY COMMITTEE

Mr MORGAN:
REID, NEW SOUTH WALES

– In view of the disclosures made in this House last night as to the attitude of Mr. Mair, the Premier of New South Wales, towards the Man-power and Resources Survey Committee, will the Acting Prime Minister, if so requested by the committee, take steps to compel witnesses to appear before it?

Mr FADDEN:
CP

– If I am so requested, and should I be convinced that such action is desirable, I shall take appropriate action under the powers conferred by the National Security Act.

page 655

QUESTION

DUTY ON FIRE BRIGADE PLANT

Mr BECK:
DENISON, TASMANIA

– Will the Minister for Trade and Customs go thoroughly into the matter of the rebate of duties paid by the Hobart fire brigade on three motor chassis which were imported and used solely for fire-fighting purposes? In view of the long delay that has occurred in dealing with this matter, will he give sympathetic consideration to the request?

Mr HARRISON:
UAP

– The honorable member has already directed my attention to this matter, as have other honorable members, and I have pointed out to them that the act precludes me from acceding to the request. In view of the further representations that have been made, I shall discuss the matter with the honorable member.

page 655

QUESTION

PRISMATIC COMPASSES AND BINOCULARS

Mr ABBOTT:
NEW ENGLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES

– In view of the grave shortage among militia units of prismatic compasses, will the Minister for the Army take steps to call in, and pay for. all privately owned military prismatic compasses in Australia ? Also, in view of the shortage of binoculars among militia units, will hetake steps to have all privately owned binoculars in Australia registered? Further, will he take steps to have binoculars called in and graticuled for artillery use? In the event of a continued shortage of binoculars, will he call in,, and pay for, whatever private binoculars are needed for the military forces ?

Mr SPENDER:
Minister for the Army · WARRINGAH, NEW SOUTH WALES · UAP

– I am prepared to give consideration to the honorable member’s suggestion.

page 655

SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT

Motion (by Mr. Fadden) proposed -

That the House, at its rising, adjourn until a date and hour to too fixed by Mr. Speaker, which time of meeting shall be notified by Mr. Speaker to each member by telegram or letter.

Mr BLACKBURN:
Bourke

– I desire some assurance as to when we shall meet again after Easter. I understood that it had been decided that the Parliament shall re-assemble not later than a certain date. It is desirable that that date shall be as soon as possible after Easter.

Mr WARD:
East Sydney

.- I join with the honorable member for Bourke (Mr. Blackburn) in urging that we should be told definitely when Parliament is to re-assemble after Easter. When considering this matter, the Government would do well to consider also the proper regulation of the business to be brought before the Parliament. Happenings during the present sittings are typical of most sittings of the Parliament; for some weeks the Government has had difficulty in providing business for consideration, and then, in the closing stages of the period, it has expected honorable members to sit late and long, making it impossible for measures to be properly discussed. In addition to fixing the date for the reassembling of Parliament, the Government should decide upon regular hours during which the Parliament shall sit when in session. In my opinion, it should never sit later than 11 o’clock at night.

Mr Fadden:

– I thoroughly agree with that view.

Mr WARD:

– If the Government would arrange for regular sittings, every measure wouldbe given proper consideration, and there would not be the unnecessary haste and congestion which now occur at the end of each period. I think it is reasonable that Parliament should assemble daily at 2.30 p.m., and, only in exceptional circumstances, should it sit later than 11 o’clock at night. If Parliament were to meet more regularly there would be no need for late sittings.

Mr BELL:
Darwin

.- The. honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward.) has suggested that fixed hours of sitting should be adopted for the House. I should not have spoken to the motion except that the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) intimated by interjection that he favoured that suggestion. If that system were adopted it would be necessary, in my opinion, to restrict more rigidly the time taken by honorable members for their speeches. Honorable members generally do not like the operation ofthe closure. In the House of Commons there operates a system which might or might not be acceptable here. There the Minister in charge can at any time rise in reply, thereby closing the debate. I want honorable members who suggest definite hours of sitting to realize that the adoption of their proposal would necessitate a restriction of debate.

Mr JAMES:
Hunter

– I am opposed to this motion. The honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward) has claimed that Parliament should keep regular hours. I maintain that we have done so - we have never sat between meals. The only time when Parliament has sat during the last three weeks has been at meal time. My outburst, as it has been called, of last Thursday, is now shown to have been justified. I was seeking information of urgent national importance, and could not get it. If I do make a statement in the House my speech is censored. It is said that I am giving information to the enemy if I make any suggestion in regard to defence. It is time the people realized what is happening. There was talk of ships having been sunk off the coast of New South Wales. Why not tell the people that both the ships in question were sunk just outside Newcastle. All the people up there know it, and everybody else might as well know it. I am asking that this important industrial centre, which supplies the whole of Australia with raw materials for the making of munitions, should be adequately protected. When I make a suggestion to that effect I am told that the matter can only be discussed at a secret session. The Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) told us on two occasions that such a secret meeting would be held.

Mr Fadden:

– The honorable member can have such a meeting on Monday if he likes.

Mr JAMES:

– We were told that, because honorable members debated the motion for the adjournment of the House the other night at some length, it was not possible to hold a secret meeting. In reply to that, I point out that the debate did not continue much beyond 10 o’clock, and there was no reason why a secret meeting should not have been held after that time. Then we were told that we could have a secret meeting on Monday next, and now we find that Parliament is going into recess to-day. Members of all parties on the Advisory War Council joined in issuing a statement regarding the gravity of the war situation. Let us, then, do something about it. It is still a week until Easter, and there is no reason why Parliament should not sit next week. I do not believe in rushing into recess.

Besides defence, there are other subjects of importance to be discussed. What is being done to absorb the unemployed ‘( During the Easter season we shall commemorate the crucifixion of our Saviour. Let us then remember that we are crucifying thousands of unemployed persons in Australia to-<day. At a time like this there should not be one unemployed person in the country - all should be absorbed in war work of some kind. What is the outlook of those men for Easter ? What is the outlook of the people on the dole? They have nothing for which to thank the Government. I emphatically protest against the proposal to go into recess while nothing nas been done to provide for the defence of the important district I have already named, or to relieve the suffering of the unemployed.

Mr HUTCHINSON:
Deakin

– The honorable member for Hunter (Mr. James) referred to secret meetings of members of Parliament to discuss the war situation. As all honorable members know, the Government intended to give honorable members an opportunity at a secret meeting to debate the statements made by Ministers. At the beginning of this session several very important statements regarding overseas affairs and the defence services in Australia were made by Ministers at secret meetings. I do not think that any honorable member could have left those meetings without realizing that the situation is very grave, indeed. There followed a series of events overseas which, I imagine, might have appreciably affected the general situation, and about which we should have liked to receive further information. The Government expressed its willingness to arrange for a further secret meeting at which such matters might be discussed, but, on the motion for the adjournment of the House, some honorable members so protracted the debate that, it was eventually found impossible to hold the secret meeting. The debate on that occasion con- cerned itself wholly with parochial matters. I do not think that the parish pump was ever worked so hard before. A good deal of the time was taken up with making complaints about pensions, complaints dealing with individual cases which should never have been brought before the House at all, but which should have .been laid before the Minister in his room. I can understand the position of the Government. If honorable members prefer to work the parish pump rather than avail themselves of an opportunity to discuss matters of urgent importance at a time when Australia is in a position of grave danger, one cannot blame the Government for going on with its own legislative programme. Most honorable members opposite, apart from those who were responsible for the delay, wished, just as I did, for a further opportunity to discuss defence matters at a secret meeting. We should understand that the most important thing at the present time is the security of the country, and we should make it our business to impress upon the public that we realize this fact.

Mr CURTIN:
Leader of the Opposition · Fremantle

– I think it is desirable that there should be an intermission, and I think it is also desirable that some dato should be fixed for the resumption of the sittings of Parliament. I am anxious that there should be an intermission, because I desire Cabinet to have an opportunity to review the many important statements that have been made by members of the Opposition since Parliament has been in session. It is idle for us to ignore the fact that long sessions create administrative difficulties for Ministers. I find it extraordinarily difficult in my own work to make contact with Ministers when Parliament is heavily engaged. I desire, for example, that what I said last night a,bout the Broadcasting Bill should be weighed by Ministers, and I know that they have had no opportunity to do so between the time I spoke and the present time.

Mr Fadden:

– It has been decided to postpone further consideration of the bill for that reason.

Mr CURTIN:

– I regard that as a more constructive contribution to good government than would be an attempt to push the bill through now without giving the Government . an opportunity to weigh the matter properly. During the recess, Ministers will also have an opportunity to consider the representations which have been made by honorable members regarding army conbracts, &c. We must remember that we are at war, and that great demands are made upon the time of Ministers. Therefore, an intermission is called for, but a date should be fixed beyond which the Government cannot keep members of Parliament from exercising a proper supervision over ministerial actions. I am convinced that it is the desire of every honorable member tha t, when Parliament does meet, the Prime Minister (Mr. Menzies) himself should he present so that he may give to us as full an exposition of the situation as his experience and knowledge will permit. When the Prime Minister returns to Australia, he is entitled to some period of time in which to consult with Ministers, and inform himself regarding Australian developments during his absence, so that Cabinet may meet the Parliament, with its mind made up as to what Parliament should be asked to do. We are already into April. I should be content if a date for the re-assembly of Parliament were fixed towards the end of May.

Mr Fadden:

– It will not be later than the 28th May.

Mr CURTIN:

– I suggest that, in order to preserve the rights of the House, a date of meeting should be included in the motion.

Mr FADDEN:
Acting Prime Minister · Darling Downs · CP

– hy leave - I appreciate the anxiety among honorable members that the Government may close Parliament this evening, and not summon it to meet again until next June or July. From the Prime Minister (Mr. Menzies), I have received a cablegram in which he expresses a desire that a semisecret sitting for the purpose of hearing and discussing his report shall be held as soon as possible after his return. The precise date of his home-coming is not. known. As the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Curtin) stated, the right honorable gentleman must be given an opportunity to prepare his report ; but I assure honorable members that Parliament will be summoned as soon as practicable after the Prime Minister’s return, and not later than the28th May. With the approval of the House, I shall amend the motion to read -

That the House, at its rising, adjourn until a date and hour to be fixed by Mr. Speaker, which time of meeting shall be notified by Mr. Speaker to each member by telegram or letter, such date and hour to be not later than Wednesday, the 28th May next, at 3 p.m.

Motion - by leave - amended accordingly.

Mr BRENNAN:
Batman

.- In one particular, the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) has met my objection to the original motion. From various parts of the Commonwealth, I have received invitations to use such influence as I possess to prevent the House from being adjourned indefinitely, and I promised to do my best to give effect to those representations. The amended motion submitted by the Acting Prime Minister provides that Parliament must re-assemble not later than the 28th May ; that date is the “ outside limit “. So far this year, Parliament has been sitting for four weeks, if it can be called sitting, because a great deal of the time has been devoted to the exchange of confidences between Ministers and members.

Mr Barnard:

– An excellent thing !

Mr Ward:

– That is a matter of opinion.

Mr Barnard:

– That is my opinion.

Mr BRENNAN:

– I had hoped that private brawls would be conducted only among honorable members opposite; I thought that honorable members on this side in their domestic circle did not do that kind of thing. At all events, the interjections imply the adoption of a suggestion which I once made when the Commonwealth Parliament sat in Melbourne, that, for the purpose of saving time, a number of honorable members should speak at once. We seem to be doing that to-day. Whilst I am endeavouring to address the Chair, the chamber learns the views of the honorable member for Bass (Mr. Barnard) in a nutshell. This year Parliament has sat for only four weeks and, if I may venture to say so, in such close proximity to the honorable member for Bass, much of that time has been devoted to the exchange of confidential communications between Ministers and honorable members. A few members decided that it would be wise for them not to attend those meetings. Then there was a special adjournment of the House to enable members to participate in festivities in Sydney. Not very much time has been devoted during those four weeks to the serious consideration of public business. To say that we should have one month’s work of doubtful validity, and two months’ respite, is to disregard the eight-hour principle, which lays down that a man shall have eight hours’ work, eight hours’ recreation and eight hours’ rest.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Menzies) is expected to return to Australia at an early date. I am delighted to think that the right honorable gentleman has had such a pleasant time, with but one accidental interlude, which must have been very distressing to him. I am not sure whether the “ please explain “ will be addressed by the Prime Minister to other Cabinet Ministers, or by other Cabinet Ministers to the Prime Minister. No doubt mutual explanations will be demanded. The honorable member for Deakin (Mr. Hutchinson) believes in the value of secret meetings, and seems to be anxious to resume them. He declared that at the recent secret meetings he learned of matters which filled him and other honorable members with forebodings. Perhaps I should mention this with bated breath, but I heard it stated in the lobbies that the war situation is more grave now than it was when the Acting Prime Minister declared it to be of the utmost gravity. My difficulty is to determine what degree of gravity is greater than the “ utmost gravity “.

Mr Paterson:

– The honorable member might obtain that information, if he attends the secret meetings.

Mr BRENNAN:

– So that is the answer ! If I attend the secret meetings, I shall discover what degree of gravity is greater than the “ utmost “. The truth is that the country as a whole does not accept at their face value the lugubrious forebodings of Ministers and honorable members. In a word, it has been proven that the country does not believe honorable members, especially members of the Government, on public matters. Parliament was never rated lower in the public estimation than it is at the present moment, and in case the press should do me the quite unprecedented honour of making a note of that sentiment, I hasten to add that the press has never been rated lower in public estimation than it is now. So Hansard must be the medium between the people and their representatives in Parliament, to reveal what is actually taking place.

Mr James:

– The speeches of honorable members are liable to be censored.

Mr BRENNAN:

– I am happy to be able to say that such a position has not yet arisen; a speech may be censored by Mr. Speaker only with the approval of the honorable member who delivered it.

A complaint was voiced about the long speeches which have been made lately upon the motion for the adjournment. It is proper that speeches, and if necessary, long speeches, within the Standing Orders, should be made on such motions. Apart from the adjournment motion, honorable members have had practically no opportunity to ventilate their grievances or make suggestions. Even though it has to be done at 2 a.m. through the agency of Hansard, we are still able to maintain a connexion between Parliament and intelligent and thoughtful electors who read the official record of the debates. I should like the Acting Prime Minister, when he is making his third speech upon this motion, to define for my enlightenment a “ semi-secret sitting”. I know of his incorrigible amiability, and that he is well disposed towards me, despite the fact that I have found it necessary to criticize his actions. The honorable member for Cook (Mr. Sheehan) suggests that a semi-secret sitting is one in which one-half of the communications are made in a whisper and the other half are “beefed out”.

Mr Fadden:

-Like a meeting of caucus!

Mr BRENNAN:

– Yes, like meetings of caucuses of all parties. After listening to the honorable member for Barker (Mr. Archie Cameron) last night, I believe that the people have lost much by the fact that they have not been able to read a report of what took place in the caucus of the United Australia party before the honorable gentleman submitted his motion in this chamber last night. From my knowledge of secret sessions and caucuses, I think that the deliberations of any secret session to date have been about 50-50 secret. I should say that there you have a semi-secret session straightaway. If the proposed secret sitting is to be less secret than the very secret meetings we have already had, I think it may be estimated that not more than 10 per cent. of it will be really secret. I trust that the Prime Minister will hasten back and tell us how many cigars the Prime Minister of England invited him to smoke. We have seen the most alluring pictures of our Australian Prime Minister as the guest of highly placed people in the Old Country. We have heard of his very natural terror on finding himself in the midst of a “ blitz “. We want to know more about these things. The right honorable gentleman could, perhaps, give us some really intriguing secret information about the private lives of some of the very nicest people in England with whom he has sheltered during those terrible raids. This Parliament should be summoned to meat before the end of May. After so short a sitting, the Government has no excuse for prolonging the recess.

Mr McCALL:
Martin

.- I have no desire unduly to prolong the debate, but I cannot afford to miss this opportunity to place on record my views in regard to the sittings of the Parliament and the long hours for which honorable members are expected to be present, in this chamber. I do so because I have frequently been subjected to gibes by my colleagues on this side of the House for having demonstrated in a practical way my protest against all-night sittings by returning to my hotel at a reasonable hour and spending the greater pant of the night in bed. I favour more frequent and shorter sittings of the Parliament. I support the remarks of the honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward) in this regard. This is the first occasion since I entered this Parliament nearly eight years ago on which the end of a sessional period has not been marked by a series of all-night sittings. I congratulate the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) upon the very efficient) tolerant and friendly way in which he has conducted the business of this House, and I pay a tribute to the members of the Opposition for the magnificent way in which they have co-operated with the Government in an effort to expedite the passage of the legislation with which vc have been called upon to deal. During this period of the session honorable members have been able to discharge their public duties with a reasonable degree of comfort. It is impossible for honorable members to deal effectively with important legislation when they are called upon to sit continuously for long periods. 1 do not object to an all-night sitting when such a course is rendered necessary by an unexpected crisis. I think I may fairly claim to be as well equipped physically to withstand the strain of all-night sittings as any other honorable member; but I am not prepared to sit all night to hasten the passage of legislation merely in order to enable the Government to rush into recess. During the closing days of the last period of the session there was absolutely no need for the hurried determination of the business before the House. Certainly there was no justification on that occasion for asking honorable members to sit continuously for two days and nights in succession. On the last day of the last period of the session I returned to this House at six o’clock in the morning after having spent the best part of the night in bed at my hotel. At that time there were only three members on the Opposition side of the House and it was utterly impossible for me to hear the honorable member for Melbourne (Mr. Calwell) because of the loud snores that emanated from this side of the House. I wish it to be understood that I make no reflection on honorable members when I draw attention to that unsatisfactory state of affairs.

Mr Francis:

– The honorable member’s remark cannot be anything but a reflection on them.

Mr McCALL:

– I do not agree with the honorable member. It is practically impossible for honorable members to sit in this chamber hour after hour during an all-night sitting without falling asleep. I make no apology for recording my protest against all-night sittings in a practical way by retiring to my hotel.

I trust that the example set by the Acting Prime Minister in the conduct of the business of this House during this period of the session will be followed when we re-assemble after the Easter recess.

Mr LAZZARINI:
Werriwa

.- 1 am quite prepared to concede that in abnormal time departures from normal procedure become necessary; but I protest against the action of the Government in rushing into recess when during this period of the session the sittings of the Parliament have been very few. During the last three weeks much of the time of honorable members has been taken up in listening to addresses by Ministers at secret meetings of senators and members. I did not object to the adjournment of the House to enable Ministers and honorable members to welcome the American fleet. I am sure that all honorable members accepted with enthusiasm a short adjournment to enable them to do honour to our American cousins. I cannot understand why the Parliament should not be summoned to meet again next week in order that the business on the notice-paper might be completed. If that were done private members would be given an opportunity to discuss the important matters in relation to which notices of motion are now standing in their names on the businesspaper? The Standing Orders provide that honorable members may place motion.? on the notice-paper, but if the business of the House is conducted in such a way as to prevent their discussion, of what use is it to take advantage of the forms of the House in this way? The rights of private members are gradually being filched from them. I speak feelingly on this matter, because I have given notice of a motion touching upon a matter of urgent public importance affecting the successful continuance of our war effort.

Mr Fadden:

– The honorable member will be given an opportunity to deal with that to-day.

Mr LAZZARINI:

– We shall see whether the honorable gentleman’s promise will be fulfilled. I was told last night that nearly every honorable member opposite had booked a seat for the afternoon train to Sydney to-day.

Mr Fadden:

– I do not think that that is so.

Mr LAZZARINI:

– Whether that is true or not it is certain that when the afternoon train leaves for Sydney to-day this House will be nearly empty. The Acting Prime Minister knows that his suggestion that members may meet in secret session on Monday is only so much humbug. I ask for an opportunity to debate the motion now standing in my name on the notice-paper. I realize that in these strenuous days Ministers are faced with an almost superhuman task. I know something of the difficulties which must confront them in carrying on their administrative work while the Parliament is sitting, and I agree that they should have ample time to carry out their jobs; but much of their difficulty would be overcome if shorter and more frequent sittings of the Parliament were held. If that course were adopted private members would not be deprived of their rights as they are now. This House could sit until, say, 11 p.m., and to-morrow. If it were necessary for Parliament to rise this week, we could even sit again on Saturday until midnight, and honorable members could return to their homes on Sunday. Of course the Government will not agree to that. The same thing happens towards the end of every sessional period. I protest against the holding of all-night sittings. If my employer told me to work all night, I would tell him to keep his job; I do not believe that any honorable member would allow his boss to make him work all day, and all night into the following day. It is unjust to expect honorable members to analyse legislation with mental clarity during all-night sittings, and it is an unnatural method of doing business. I commend the Government for not having held all-night sittings so far during the current period. But there is no need to adjourn the Parliament to-day. Whatever may happen next week, we still have to-day and to-night, all of to-morrow and all of Saturday, in which to transact business this week. We should not rush into recess this afternoon.

Mr SPOONER:
Robertson

.- As a new and interested member of this House I was disappointed to hear the honorable member for Batman (Mr. Brennan) state that, in his opinion, Parliament had lost prestige with the public. If his statement be true, we are unworthy of the great days in which we live, and unworthy of the sacrifices that are being made for us by our lads in the army, in the air, and on the sea; and surely the onus is upon us to try to restore this Parliament so that democracy shall at least be proud of it. I am afraid that if the incarnation of democracy could peep into this House this .morning it would come to the conclusion that tomfoolery and political senility lay behind the remarks of some honorable members who now are almost the fathers of this Parliament. The Government has two very important functions. One is to inform the public and honorable members about matters of national importance, and to keep the Parliament alive for the performance of legislative works. The other is a very important f unction : Ministers must keep in touch with their departments and with matters that are to-day vital to Australia, and they must go away from Parliament in order to do so. Therefore, Parliament cannot meet continually. It must meet regularly, and that is what the Government proposes to the House. It is preserving a proper balance between the time that this House must occupy in the safeguarding of public welfare and the time which must be allowed to Ministers in order that they may have a reasonable opportunity to carry out important work in connexion with the departments which they administer.

Mr CALWELL:
Melbourne

– We have heard lectures from honorable members supporting the Government regarding the length of time that has been occupied by honorable members on this side of the chamber in discussing motions for the adjournment of the House, and in taking part in debates on various important measures. We have been told by the honorable member for Deakin (Mr. Hutchinson), in his usual amateurish and immature fashion, that if honorable members on this side of the chamber had not spoken for two hours on a motion for the adjournment of the House one evening, the secret sitting which had been promised to us by the Government might have been held. I suggest that the now notorious filibuster that was essayed in this chamber by four disgruntled exMini isters of the Crown, and some Ministerial aspirants, on measures relating to the establishment of a child endowment scheme, wasted far more time than did any discussions which took place on motions for the adjournment of the House. After listening to the views on the subject of child endowment expressed by some of those ex-Ministers, I marvelled that they were ever favoured with ministerial positions at all, and I was greatly impressed with the recuperative powers of a nation that could tolerate them, as Ministers for even 24 hours.

Mr. SPEAKER (Hon. W. M. Nairn). Order! The honorable member will be out of order if he continues along those lines.

Mr CALWELL:

– A number of ministerial aspirants took part in the debates relating to child endowment.

Mr SPEAKER:

– Order ! The honorable member may not continue in that strain.

Mr CALWELL:

– The sham-fight over child endowment, which really had for its objective the defeat of the Government and the replacement of members of the Ministry by other less acceptable persons, resulted in the wasting of a considerable amount of time which could have been devoted to a secret meeting. But it is not too late even now to hold a secret meeting. The Government has announced its intention not to proceed with the Australian Broadcasting Commission Bill in its present form; consideration of its proposals is to be deferred until May, when a fuller and, I hope, a better, measure will be brought down. In this event there still remain several hours to-day and many hours to-night when Ministers could submit themselves to criticism and hear suggestions from honorable members on all sides of the chamber in regard to the conduct of the war, for which Parliament has a joint responsibility. The manner in which Ministers treat honorable members suggests that they are so impressed with a sense of their own importance that they regard themselves as the brain carriers of the nation. I have very grave doubts about that view. The honorable member for Martin (Mr. McCall) urged, the holding of more frequent short meetings of Parliament. I doubt whether we could hold much shorter meetings than have been held during the current periods. These sittings have been, in effect, a grudging concession by the Ministry to the fact that Parliament ought to be supreme. No real attempt has been made to provide Parliament with important business. Two fairly important measures have been introduced ; one is to be withdrawn, and the other has been passed in spite of fierce and unrelenting opposition by super-statesmen such as the honorable member for Boothby (Mr. Price). We should have more frequent meetings. But if we continue to sit as we have done so far this year, we shall meet for only about three or four months of the year. The British House of Commons meets for at least six months each year-, I see no reason why this Parliament should not do likewise. If this Parliament is too small, the Government should introduce proposals for increasing its membership, so that the responsibility of government may be shared by k greater number of people. The Government does not want to meet more frequently because it realizes that honorable members supporting it have not the ability which would warrant the delegation to them of powers of national importance. Even on the ministerial ben’ch there is not that array of talent which one is entitled to expect.

Mr SPEAKER:

– Order ! These personalities have nothing to do with the date of re-assembling of Parliament, and the honorable member must desist.

Mr CALWELL:

– The Acting Prime Minister’s repeated suggestions that Parliament might meet next week, or some other time, are not a fitting compliment to the intelligence of honorable members. There is no reason why the honorable gentleman should not offer to meet the House this afternoon and this evening in secret in order to hear our views on various important subjects. If he is not prepared to do this, at least we cannot be accused of attempting to frustrate the war effort when we tell the public that Ministers refuse, apart from making mere cursory statements on the war situation, to permit their actions to bc questioned at secret or semi-secret meetings. This convenient cablegram from the Prime Minister (Mr. Menzies), which has arrived so opportunely at a time when the Government is in difficulties, and which promises that a semi-secret session will be held when the right honorable gentleman deigns to return to Australia, is most intriguing to those of us who wish to know the difference between a secret meeting and a semi-secret meeting. If musical terms may *b** applied, and the meeting becomes a demisemisecret meeting, the debates will be as short as the musical terms would indicate, and we shall not learn very much. Parliament should have met earlier this year than it did. The Government should not have waited until the Ides of March ; it should have called Parliament together in February. When we adjourn now wa should arrange to meet again early in May. An adjournment of Parliament for six weeks, in order to give Ministers an opportunity to collect their scattered thoughts upon matters of domestic importance and problems connected with the war effort, would be either too long or too short. If Ministers cannot collect their thoughts in less than six weeks, they should not be in the positions which they occupy; if they can do so they should be prepared to meet this House within a week or a fortnight after Easter. The Government seems to believe that any excuse is good enough for closing Parliament. It is earning the reputation of being a hit-and-run government; it wants to meet Parliament as infrequently as possible, and as briefly as it conveniently can. In the halcyon days of the Fisher Ministry, the Parliament met in Melbourne very frequently indeed. I understand that th«3 sittings lasted from 10 a.m. to about 6 p.m. daily; it was not customary to hold all-night sittings or very long sittings. During the sittings of this Parliament at the end of last year, the Government, by testing the endurance and straining the physical powers of honorable members, hurried important legislation through both Houses. I have no doubt that, when the Prime Minister returns to Australia, there will be the same indecent haste to scurry into recess almost immediately after we have met. The honorable, member for Deakin said that the country was sitting on dynamite; in view of the inglorious display of some honorable members on the other side of the House, I would say that the Government is sitting on dynamite, and that the sooner it closes Parliament the safer it will be. I should not be in order were I to say some other things that I would like to say concerning the numerous shortcomings of Ministers. I shall, therefore, content myself with making this vigorous protest against the wrong way in which the Government is conducting the business of the nation. I hope that Parliament will meet earlier than the 2$th May, and that it will have submitted to it a reasonable programme of business, and not simply one important bill as has been the case during these sittings.

Mr LANGTRY:
Riverina

.- I make an emphatic protest against allnight sittings of the House. I remember that, at the unreasonable hour of 12.51 a.m. on the 11th December last year, honorable members were required to enter upon the debate on the Wheat Industry (War-time Control) Bill, a measure providing for the stabilization of the wheat industry, which was the result of twenty years of effort. As a matter of fact the bill came before us like a thief in the night. That is not the only important subject by any means, that honorable members have had to debate in the early hours of the morning when, because of long sittings, they have been unfit for the task. I ako desire that the sitting hours of the House shall be more regular. It is not often that urgent meetings of the Parliament are necessary. In any case, various committees of the House are active du,ring recesses. The Advisory War Council is available to the Government for consultation, and such committees as the Man-power and Resources Survey Committee and the Public Works Committee may also be consulted. . I do not think that it is necessary for Parliament to remain in continuous session, except when the Prime Minister thinks that that is advisable. Measures for the defence of the Commonwealth are in capable hands. I repeat my protest against all-night sittings.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

page 664

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Motion (by Mr. Fadden) agreed to -

That leave of absence be given to every member of the House of Representatives from the determination of this sitting of the House to the date of its next meeting.

page 664

QUESTION

CANBERRA: ERECTION OF ABATTOIRS

Sir FREDERICK STEWART:
Minister for Health · Parramatta · UAP

– by leave - I move -

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Commonwealth Public Works Committee Act1913-1936, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work, which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, and on which the committee has duly reported to the House the result of its investigations, namely: - “Canberra, Australian Capital Territory - Erection of abattoirs “.

It is proposed to adopt the committee’s report to the extent of drawing detailed plans and endeavouring to provide essential services within the maximum expenditure recommended. If any difficulty is experienced in giving effect to this purpose theGovernment will consult the Public Works Committee again.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

page 664

QUESTION

BARLEY BOARD

Mr MARWICK:
SWAN, WESTERN AUSTRALIA · CP

– I ask the Minister representing the Minister for Commerce whether the Government will give further consideration to the appointment to the Australian Barley Board of a representative of the barley-growers of Western Australia?

Mr ANTHONY:
CP

– I understand that the Australian Barley Board has issued an invitation to a representative of the barley-growers of Western Australia to attend its next meeting.

page 664

PRINTING COMMITTEE

Report No. 2 of the Printing Committee brought up by Mr. Conelan, read by the Clerk, and - by leave - agreed to.

page 664

QUESTION

MUNITION FACTORY ON COAL-FIELDS

Mr JAMES:

– As the Prime Minister promised six months ago that a munition factory would be established in the coal-fields district of New South Wales, I ask the Acting Prime Minister whether he is able to indicate when that promise will be fulfilled, where the factory will be established, and when it will begin operations?

Mr FADDEN:
CP

– Pursuant to the promise made by the Prime Minister when he visited the coal-fields last year, and as the result of consistent representations by the honorable member for Hunter, the Government has decided to establish a munition factory somewhere in the coal-fields district. The site has not yet been determined, but the preliminary work is well in hand and the factory will be established as early as possible. It is anticipated that it will provide employment for about 2,000 people.

page 664

QUESTION

POPULATION DRIFT TO CITIES

Mr BREEN:
CALARE, NEW SOUTH WALES

– On the 27th March, I asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior a question concerning the drift of population from the western districts of New South Wales to the metropolitan area, because of the shortage of work in their own localities. In the course of his reply the Minister stated : -

There is, however, a gradual but definite process in operation that is correcting the drift to the metropolitan area. It is the establishment in various provincial centres of munition annexes and other war-time industries, and it is my earnest desire to see this policy expanded as rapidly as possible.

Will the Minister inform me where a munition annexe is to be found in western New South Wales? If one is not there, will he say whether it is proposed to provide one in that area? If not, how can he say that the drift of population from the district is being stopped?

Mr COLLINS:
CP

– I shall make inquiries and give the honorable member an answer to his question as early as possible.

page 664

QUESTION

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

Mr SHEEHAN:
COOK, NEW SOUTH WALES

– I ask the Minister for Social Services whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a bill, during this session, to provide for unemployment insurance ?

Sir FREDERICK STEWART:
UAP

– The honorable member must be well aware that announcements of Government policy are never made in answer to questions without notice.

page 665

QUESTION

SERVICE BOOTS AND SHOES

Mr WARD:

– In reply to a question which I asked the Minister for the Army earlier during these sittings concerning the boot scandals, the honorable gentleman stated that he expected, at an early date, to receive the report of the investigating .body. He also said that he thought a prosecution would be launched this week. Is the honorable gentleman yet in a position to make a statement on this subject?

Mr SPENDER:
UAP

– I have not yet received the expected report from the Inspector-General of Administration. Even if I had received it, I doubt whether its contents could be revealed at this stage, because of the intention of the Government to launch prosecutions. I have consulted the Solicitor-General and I am informed that, in view of the passage through Parliament this week of the Defence Act, the Crimes Act and the Acts Interpretation Act, there should be no delay whatever in launching prosecutions in appropriate cases.

page 665

QUESTION

PARLIAMENT

Public Accounts Committee: Foreign Relations Committee

Sir CHARLES MARR:

– Seeing that the Public Works Committee was informed, during its inquiry into the proposal to erect new abattoirs in Canberra, that no accounts were being kept in connexion with killing and general administration costs at the present abattoirs, I ask the Acting Prime Minister whether, during the coming parliamentary recess, the Government will consider the reconstitution of the Joint Committee on Public Accounts, in order that full investigations may be made of the expenditure of public money where such inquiry is considered to be desirable? Also will the Government consider establishing a foreign relations committee within the Parliament similar to such committees of parliaments of other de. mocracies so that matters of great importance to the Commonwealth and thu Empire may be considered, and be made the subject of reports to the Government? I believe that action along these lines would be beneficial to the country at large.

Mr FADDEN:
CP

– The Government will consider the honorable gentleman’s suggestions.

page 665

QUESTION

HOUSING OF MUNITION WORKERS

Mr DEDMAN:
CORIO, VICTORIA

– In view of the necessity for remedying the acute shortage of housing in the Braybrook and Footscray municipalities, consequent on the tremendous expansion of munition factories there, will the Minister for Labour and National Service take steps to expedite the provision of housing accommodation for munition workers?

Mr HOLT:
Minister for Labour and National Service · FAWKNER, VICTORIA · UAP

– The housing officer who has been engaged on inquiries, on behalf of the Commonwealth Government, into the shortage of accommodation resulting from the expansion of munitions activities, has investigated the position in and around Footscray in recent days, and I expect to receive a report from him at an early date. I can assure the honorable member that the Government is giving active consideration to the problem which has been created by this abnormal expansion.

page 665

QUESTION

BANKRUPTCY LEGISLATION

Mr ROSEVEAR:
DALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

– During the life of the last two Parliaments, committees, representative of all parties in the House, were set np to consider amendments of the bankruptcy law. Can the AttorneyGeneral say whether the disappearance from the notice-paper of any proposal to amend that law indicates that the Government does not intend to take further action in the matter?

Mr HUGHES:
Attorney-General · NORTH SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES · UAP

– I have not looked at the business-paper for to-day, but it would appear from the honorable member’s remarks that the proposed amendment is not set down. So far as 1. know it is not the intention of the Government to abandon the proposed amendment of the Bankruptcy Act. As the honorable gentleman knows, several measures of major importance, such as those dealing with patents, trade marks and copyright do not appear on the business-paper for the time being, although notice to restore them has been given. It is the intention of the Government, at least of my department, to proceed with this matter as soon as possible.

Mr BLACKBURN:

– In view of the fact that the committee recommended that section 84 of the Bankruptcy Act should be amended so as to give priority to the whole amount of workers’ compensation, and not merely a limited sum, will the Attorney-General give consideration to that recommendation with a view to introducing a measure for that purpose ?

Mr HUGHES:

– I shall give early consideration to the honorable member’s suggestion.

page 666

QUESTION

ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS

Mr WILSON:
WIMMERA, VICTORIA

– Notwithstanding that the Government’s wheat stabilization plan has given to the industry a brighter outlook, many wheat-growers, because of adverse seasonal conditions and the disorganization of marketing arrangements are in financial difficulties and are being unduly pressed by their creditors. In the circumstances, will the Government seriously consider the enactment of some form of protection of these farmers so that they will be able to carry on, and participate in the benefits of the wheat stabilization scheme after the war?

Mr FADDEN:
CP

– I assure the honorable member that the condition of the wheat industry is constantly before the Government and that no aspect of it is overlooked. His representations will, as in the past, receive the serious consideration of the Government with a view to alleviating the difficulties of wheatgrowers.

page 666

QUESTION

SYDNEY GRAVING DOCK

Mr PERKINS:
EDEN-MONARO, NEW SOUTH WALES

– Although a site for a graving dock has been selected in Sydney by an overseas expert, will the Acting Prime Minister, before work on that site commences, issue instructions that other interests concerned shall be consulted, as in the opinion of many people, a dock on the site selected will be, not only a disfigurement of the harbour but also a danger to navigation?

Mr FADDEN:
CP

– The Government has taken every possible precaution in connexion with the proposed graving dock. It has been assured by experts that the site is a good one and that the decision to construct a dock there is wise. Accordingly, the work will be carried out.

page 666

QUESTION

A.B.G. WEEKLY

Mr DRAKEFORD:
MARIBYRNONG, VICTORIA

– In view of rumours that the publication of the A.B.C. Weekly is likely to be discontinued, will the Acting Prime Minister give an undertaking that no such step will be taken during the forthcoming recess, and that the House will have an opportunity to discuss the matter before any decision to discontinue the publication is arrived at?

Mr FADDEN:
CP

-Subject to conditions which may exist between now and the next meeting of the Parliament, economic and otherwise, the A.B.C. Weekly will be continued.

page 666

QUESTION

QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Mr FADDEN:
CP

– In order that Government business may be proceeded with, I ask honorable members not to ask any further questions this morning.

page 666

WAR PENSIONS APPROPRIATION BILL 1941

Message recommending appropriation reported.

In committee (Consideration of Governor-General’s message) :

Motion (by Mr. Fadden) agreed to -

That it is expedient that an appropriation of revenue be made for the purposes of a bill for an act to grant and apply out of the ConsolidatedRevenue Fund a sum for War Pensions.

Resolution reported.

Standing Orders suspended; resolution adopted.

Ordered -

That Mr. Fadden and Mr. Anthony do prepare and bring in a bill to carry out the foregoing resolution.

Bill brought up by Mr. Fadden, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr FADDEN:
Trea surer · Darling Downs · CP

– I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

The purpose of this bill is to provide £10,000,000 out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the payment of war pensions. This is one of the recurring measures which are periodically submitted to Parliament for the purpose of appropriating an amount from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for payment into a trust account in order to enable pensions to be paid therefrom at the rates already approved by the Parliament. The total amount appropriated by the Parliament to date for this purpose is £165,000,000, and the balance of this appropriation now remaining is sufficient only to meet pension payments to the end of the present financial year. Although the Parliament is being asked to approve of £10,000,000, which is the usual amount appropriated, this sum will not be withdrawn from revenue immediately. Transfers from revenue to the Trust Account are made periodically as it becomes necessary to meet the payments to pensioners. This bill relates to pensions arising out of both the 1914-18 war and the present war. The basis of payment of war pensions has already been established by the Parliament, and this measure merely approves the provision of funds for the purpose.

Mr FORDE:
Capricornia

.- As this is a formal measure, the Opposition will not oppose it.

Mr MULCAHY:
Lang

.- As the refusal of the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) to answer further questions without notice this morning prevented me from referring to a matter relating to war pensions, I propose to refer to it now. Like many other honorable members, I have found that many exsoldiers are not receiving pensions, although entitled to them.

Mr SPEAKER (Hon W M Nairn:
PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

– On a bill to authorize an appropriation of revenue, it is not permissible to discuss matters other than such appropriation.

Mr MULCAHY:

– I understand that this is a bill relating to the raising and spending of money for war pensions.

Mr SPEAKER:

– That is so, but that does not entitle the honorable member to discuss the whole subject of war pensions.

Mr MULCAHY:

– Would I be in order in moving that the amount be increased?

Mr SPEAKER:

-No.

Mr MULCAHY:

– I should like to know, Mr. Speaker, whether I should be in order in moving that the amount be reduced by £1, as an intimation that the subject of war pensions should be reviewed. I am concerned that large numbers of men who fought in the last war, or the dependants of such men, are not receiving any consideration from the Repatriation Department. For several years I have endeavoured to get justice for them, and have urged that the existing Repatriation Act, which is entirely out of date, should be amended. During the last Parliament the honorable member for Balaclava (Mr. White) moved for the appointment of a select committee to consider repatriation and pensions. I supported that motion. Since then I have received requests from numbers of my constituents who are suffering from war disabilities but are unable to obtain redress. In respect of many claims, supporting evidence which could have been produced some years ago is not now available. In one case the country doctor who had been attending a man for some years is now dead, and no record of the treatment remains. The Government should take action now to ensure that fair treatment is accorded those who fought in the last war, and who are to-day practically incapacitated. I appeal to the Government to review the whole subject during the coming recess.

Mr SPEAKER:

– The House has, I think, been willing to grant a certain amount of indulgence to the honorable member for Lang (Mr. Mulcahy) in the discussion of this measure, but that must not be regarded as a precedent.

Mr WARD:
East Sydney

– I should like to claim indulgence, also.

Mr SPEAKER:

– Then the House must grant it. I am not prepared to take the responsibility.

Mr Fadden:

– I have no objection.

Mr SPEAKER:

– This is irregular. Is there any objection to hearing the honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward) discuss repatriation matters generally ?

Mr Brennan:

– I rise to a point of order.

Mr SPEAKER:

– Then there is an objection. Leave is not granted.

Mr Brennan:

– May I withdraw my point of order?

Mr SPEAKER:

– No.

Mr CALWELL:
Melbourne

– I have had no opportunity during the seven months I have been a member of this Parliament to discuss the subject of repatriation. I want to get from the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) details of the expenditure of this amount of £10,000,000. How much of it has been allocated to returned soldiers who served during the 1 914-18 war, and how much to those who are serving in the present war? The constituency which I represent contains a great number of persons who, before the last war, were unskilled workers. They served in the war, and sustained injuries of one kind or another. Now they find themselves unable to earn an adequate livelihood.

Mr SPEAKER:

– Order !

Mr CALWELL:

– I should like to learn from the Acting Prime Minister, whose second-reading speech in support of the bill was notable for its brevity and lack of information, something about the appropriations for this purpose over recent years, and the amounts which it is expected it will be necessary to appropriate in future years. What does h e expect will be the commitments under this heading during and after the present war? I appreciate that it is the desire of those honorable members who sit behind the Government-

Mr SPEAKER:

– Order !

Mr CALWELL:

– I appreciate that not all honorable members are as inquisitive as I am regarding the expenditure of public money. I do not want to be denied my last opportunity to seek further information regarding the appropriation of so large an amount as £10,000,000. I suggest that the Government might give favorable consideration to the proposal that a select committee be appointed next session to investigate matters associated with repatriation administration, with a view to liberalizing the provisions of the act so that a larger appropriation might be made next year. My remarks are directed towards the inadequacy of the appropriation.

Mr SPEAKER:

– In that respect, the honorable member’s remarks are out of order.

Mr WARD:
East Sydney

. I desire to direct attention to the inadequacy of the amount which it is proposed to appropriate.

Mr SPEAKER:

– The honorable member will not be in order in doing that.

Mr WARD:

– Then what may we say on this motion?

Mr SPEAKER:

– The honorable member for Melbourne (Mr. Calwell) asked questions regarding the allocation of the money to be appropriated. That is permissible.

Mr WARD:

– I should like some information on that subject, also. I want to know whether the Government is considering the removal of some of the limitations at present placed on the recipients of war pensions.

Mr SPEAKER:

– Order!

Mr WARD:

– I consider that, when we are discussing the appropriation of money for war pensions, it should be in order to suggest that not sufficient money is being appropriated.

Mr SPEAKER:

– A general debate on the subject is not permissible.

Mr WARD:

– I want to remind the Government of the promises made to soldiers during the last war, promises which have not been fulfilled. I am particularly interested in those pensioners who, because of certain legislation passed during the depression, are deprived of pension benefits in respect of children born after October, 1931. These men are in receipt of pensions for themselves, but they may not draw anything in respect of children born after that date, and in this respect they are in a different position from other war pensioners. It may be advisable during the next sittings of Parliament to appoint a select parliamentary committee to review the act, and to suggest amendments for the removal of anomalies of this kind.

Mr MORGAN:
Reid

.- I should also like some information on the points raised by the honorable member for Melbourne (Mr. Calwell) and the honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward). Members of Parliament are constantly receiving complaints from returned soldiers who have applied for pensions, and have received the stereotyped reply that their applications cannot be granted because their disabilities are not due to war service. We know, however, that the effects of service are such as to render men liable to contract all kinds of diseases.

Mr SPEAKER:

– What information does the honorable member want?

Mr MORGAN:

– I want to know from the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) whether it is intended to liberalize the provisions of the Repatriation Act, or at least to set up a select parliamentary committee to consider amendments to the act. This is necessary in the interests both of soldiers who served in the last war and of those who are serving in this war. I have been asked to attend a meeting of men who have returned from this war. Thousands have already returned and been discharged, and they are very dissatisfied with the treatment they have received at the hands of the Repatriation Department. Some of them are even taking steps to form a new organization to press their claims.

Mr Brennan:

– I desire now to raise the point of order to which I previously referred. Upon the motion for the second reading of a bill which appropriates a very large sum of public money for a specific purpose, which purpose is not set out in any detail whatever, I submit that it is competent for any member of this House to discuss the whole subject - in this instance repatriation - connected with the appropriation. The rights of the public, which are reflected in the rights of members of Parliament, cannot be lightly taken away merely on the strength of some alleged precedent which lays it down that a general discussion on pensions is not permissible because the bill merely provides for an appropriation of money. It is one of the fluiddamental rights of members of Parliament that they may discuss in detail the appropriation of public money. This right is jealously guarded by the popular chamber, the House of Representatives in this Parliament, the House of Commons in Britain, and the legislative assemblies in the various Australian States, even as against the other branch of the legislature. I have raised this point before, I grant, and I have been overruled. I even went so far on a previous occasion as to move dissent from the Speaker’s ruling, and the motion remained on the notice-paper for some time. I was not given an opportunity to support it. Since then, however, there has been a change in the speakership. I do not know to what extent your occupancy of the office is a consequence of my notice of dissent I do know that I have protested before against this ruling, and, there now being a new Speaker in the Chair, I submit that, according to no principle of constitutional law or parliamentary practice, is the Speaker justified in saying to me that I may not discuss the allocation of the money to be appropriated, especially in such large sums, or whether it is sufficient or insufficient. Though I may vote for or against the bill, I am not permitted to discuss it. I may, according to Mr. Speaker’s ruling, ask for information ; but I do not occupy my place in this chamber as one who wishes merely to ask for information; I may desire to give information and to assert the rights of my constituents, at any rate to express an opinion. To rule that honorable members may not discuss the purposes for which the money is appropriated is, in my opinion, incorrectly to interpret the Standing Orders. I protest, against the arbitrary restriction of the debate, and the arbitrary action of Mr. Speaker in ruling that, on a measure which appropriates public moneys, honorable members may not discuss the allocation of the funds. The submission of the motion that a sum of money be appropriated is preeminently the moment when honorable members have the right to examine the purpose for which the money is to be expended. If they happened to be opposed to the principle of repatriation, this stage of the proceedings would be the acceptable time for them to say so. If they considered that the amount of the appropriation was insufficient, or excessive, this would be the opportune time for them to voice their objections. In my opinion, they are entitled, within the limits of the Standing Orders, which prescribe the length of time that an honorable member may speak, to examine the whole subject of repatriation.

Mr SPEAKER (Hon W M Nairn:

– Whilst the contention of the honorable member for Batman (Mr. Brennan) has some merit, I inform him that my ruling followed a long-established practice of the House, from which I am not prepared to depart until I have first given the matter the most careful consideration. Obviously, on this measure, discussion of the whole subject of war pensions is not permissible ; the scope of debate would be altogether too wide. Still, some consideration should be given to the opportunities which are afforded to honorable members to discuss the subject-matter of the appropriation, and to obtain additional information about it. Until I have carefuly examined the matter, I shall follow the rule that, on a simple appropriation bill, discussion of general principles cannot be permitted.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.

In committee:

Clause 1 and 2 agreed to.

Clause 3 (Appropriation of £10,000,000 for war pensions).

Mr CALWELL:
Melbourne

– The inadequacy of the provision which has been made for war pensioners has caused considerable hardship and undeserved suffering. I should like the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) to inform me what sum is being appropriated in respect of the war of 1914-18, and the present war. What are our contemplated commitments during the next few years in respect of the last war? What amount is tentatively envisaged in respect of the present war? Honorable members must endeavour to obtain as much information as possible upon the subject, in order to test the validity of the promise which was given during the last war, that “Australia would be made a country fit for heroes to live in “. Many persons in my electorate work for sustenance rates-

The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Prowse).Order! The honorable member is not in order in extending his remarks beyond the scope of the clause, namely, “ Appropriation of £10,000,000 for war pensions “.

Mr CALWELL:

– I emphasize the inadequacy of the present provision for war pensioners, and the very real distress which exists in many places. I should also like the Acting Prime Minister to intimate whether the Government is favorably disposed to the appointment of a select committee to examine all the possibilities for good, which are inherent in a measure that appropriates an amount of £10,000,000, for the unfortunate victims of the last war and for those who will be the victims of this war.

Mr FADDEN:
Darling DownsActing Prime Minister · CP

– The questions which have been asked by the honorable member for Melbourne (Mr. Calwell) are irrelevant to the subjectmatter of the bill. The measure does nothing more than to appropriate £10,000,000 from Consolidated Revenue to a general fund, out of which will be paid war pensions, according to law, by the administration created by Parliament for that purpose. At this juncture, a recital of the details concerning the amounts to be paid out of that sum is unnecessary. The money is nothing more than a bulk appropriation in order to put back into a fund a sum that has been taken out, so that the requirements of the law may be met.

Clause agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Bill reported without amendment; report adopted.

Bill read a third time.

page 670

INVALID AND OLD-AGE PENSIONS APPROPRIATION BILL 1941

Message recommending appropriation reported.

Incommittee (Consideration of Governor-General’s message) :

Motion (by Mr. Fadden) agreed to -

That it is expedient that an appropriation of revenue be made for the purposes of a bill for an act to grant and apply out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund a sum for invalid and old-age pensions.

Resolution reported.

Standing Orders suspended ; resolution adopted.

Ordered -

That Mr. Fadden and Mr. Anthony do prepare and bring in a bill to carry out the foregoing resolution.

Bill brought up by Mr. Fadden, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr FADDEN:
Darling DownsTreasurer · CP

– I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

The purpose of the bill is to provide out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund the sum of £19,000,000 for the payment of invalid and old-age pensions. This measure is similar to that which is periodically submitted to Parliament for the purpose of appropriating from the Consolidated Revenue Fund an amount for payment into a trust account in order to enable pensions to be paid at rates already approved by Parliament. The total amount appropriated to date for this purpose is £257,000,000, and the balance of this appropriation now remaining is sufficient only to meet pension payments to the 31st May, 1941. Although Parliament is asked to approve the appropriation of £19,000,000, which is approximately a year’s expenditure, this amount will not be withdrawn from revenue immediately. Revenue is only drawn upon for payment to the trust account as required, in order to enable pension payments to foe made as they become due. This measure has no relation to the rates or conditions under which invalid and old-age pensions are paid, but simply approves the provision of funds for the purpose.

Mr FORDE:
Capricornia

.- As the object of this bill is to appropriate £19,000,000 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the payment of pensions and does not allow scope for a discussion of proposals to liberalize the Invalid and Old-age Pensions Act, I should be transgressing the Standing Orders if I were to refer to such details. Whilst I should like an opportunity to do so, I am precluded by the ruling which Mr. Speaker gave a few minutes ago. Therefore, I must reserve my remarks for the proper occasion. As it is necessary to pass this appropriation for the purpose of paying pensions, I shall not oppose the passage of the bill.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time and passed through its remaining stages without amendment or debate.

Sitting suspended from 12.1$ till 2 p.m.

page 671

WINE GRAPES CHARGES BILL 1941

In Committee of Ways and Means:

Mr ANTHONY:
Assistant Minister · Richmond · CP

.- I move -

  1. That, subject to any lower Tate prescribed by regulations made under the Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929-1037, or under that act as amended by the act passed to give effect to this resolution, a charge be imposed at the rate of five shillings per ton on all fresh grapes, and at the rate of fifteen shillings per ton on all dried grapes, delivered for use in the manufacture of brandy or concentrated grape juice to a winery or distillery which during the year in which those grapes are so delivered, handles not less than ten tons of grapes for use in the manufacture of wine, including use in the manufacture of brandy and concentrated grape juice, and also including use in the making of spirit for the purpose of fortifying wine.
  2. That the Governor-General be empowered, from time to time, by order published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, after report to the Minister by the Australian Wine Board constituted under the Wine Overseas Marketing Act 1929-1936, to exempt any grapes from the charges imposed by the Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929-1937, as amended by the act passed to give effect to this resolution.
  3. That any such exemption may be unconditional or subject to such conditions as are specified in the order of exemption, and apply in respect of such period (if any) as is so specified.
  4. That the Governor-General be empowered, by order published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, to cancel any such exemption.
  5. That, where the Governor-General has, by order published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, cancelled any such exemption, or where the period in respect of which any such exemption applies has expired, the charges imposed by the Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929-1937, as amended by the act passed to give effect to this resolution, from the date fixed by the order, or from the expiration of the period of exemption, as the case may be, become payable fu respect of the grapes to which the exemption related.
  6. That the charges imposed by the Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929-1937, as amended by the act passed to give effect to this resolution, cease to be imposed after the date fixed by proclamation under the Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929-1937, as amended by the act passed to give effect to this resolution, as the date upon which that act, as so amended, shall cease to be in force.

The Wine Grapes Charges Act was passed in 1929 in order to provide funds to enable the Wine Overseas Marketing Board, now called the Australian Win6 Board, to carry out its functions under the Wine Overseas Marketing Act which include the regulation of the sale and distribution abroad of Australia’s surplus production of wines. That act provides for the imposition of a levy upon the owner of a winery or distillery handling not less than ten tons of grapes in respect of all fresh and dried grapes delivered for use in the manufacture of wine or in the making of spirit for the purpose of fortifying wine. Subject to a lower rate being prescribed, the act provides for a maximum levy of 5s. a ton on fresh grapes and 15s. a ton on dried grapes. The actual rates at present imposed are, for fresh grapes 2s. 6d. a ton, and for dried grapes 7s. 6d. a ton.

When that legislation was being prepared, it seems to have been understood that the words “ Grapes used in the manufacture of wine or in the making of spirit for the purpose of fortifying wine “, would, in their application to the levies prescribed, be taken to include brandy grapes. The opinion of the Commonwealth legal authorities, however, does not support that view, but indicates that although brandy is obtained by distillation of grape wine, the various processes that are involved in the manufacture of grapes into wine for the purpose of producing brandy are merely parts of the process of producing brandy. Therefore, under the act as it now stands, levies cannot be imposed on grapes which are delivered for use in the manufacture of brandy, but may be imposed on grapes which are delivered for use in the manufacture of wine as the final product of processing the grapes, and also on grapes for use in the making of spirit for the purpose of fortifying wine.

The Wine Overseas Marketing Act was designed to protect and assist the Australian wine makers by satisfactorily disposing of the exportable surplus of Australian wine. All advantages arising as a result of that disposal are shared by all interests concerned in wine products, and particularly by winemakers and distillers of wine for the manufacture of brandy and fortifying spirit. Any difficulties which arise from over-production of wine, and inability to dispose of the surplus, re-act to the same extent on brandy-makers as on winemakers. It must not be overlooked that the manufacture of wine and the manufacture of brandy are closely allied, and that frequently brandy spirit is used for the fortification of wine. In consequence of the position which I have explained, the Australian Wine Board has recommended that the Wine Grapes Charges Act be amended to provide that the levies applied to grapes delivered for the purpose of processing into wine and fortifying spirit shall also apply to grapes used for the manufacture of brandy, and the bill which will follow the passage of this motion has been framed to give effect to the board’s recommendation.

Mr Evatt:

– Producers and manufacturers are represented on the Australian Wine Board ?

Mr ANTHONY:

– Yes.

Mr Forde:

– And the board has approved of the proposed measure?

Mr ANTHONY:

– Yes. It has also come under notice that some producers are converting their grapes into concentrated grape juice and holding this juice for later manufacture into wine, either in Australia, if occasion demands, or overseas, if export opportunities arise. In order that there may be no doubt on the matter, it is desired that the act should clearly state that grapes used for the manufacture of concentrated grape juice are subject to levy on the same basis as those used for the production of the final commodity, wine. During the last five seasons, the annual output of grape brandy has averaged 427,000 proof gallons. It would be difficult to arrive at the precise quantity of fresh grapes necessary to produce that quantity of spirit, but it can be taken that approximately 15,000 tons would be involved. The revenue received from levies under the Wine Grapes Charges Act has averaged £9,000 per annum over the last five financial years. If the provisions of the act aire extended to cover grapes used in the manufacture of brandy, then additional revenue to the amount of approximately £1,850 can be anticipated, based on the present rates of levy.

Mr Evatt:

– Concentrated’ grape juice has no use except for the manufacture of wine ?

Mr ANTHONY:

– Not so far as I know. In the administration of the act as it stands at present, difficulties have arisen in some instances in assessing the amount of levy payable owing to certain wine-makers and distillers being unable to state with any certainty what quantities of spirit have been used in the fortification of wine and the production of brandy respectively. The suggested amendment of the act would remove that disability. The difficulties of the wine industry have been accentuated by the war conditions and the serious shortage of shipping space for this class of cargo. It will be readily agreed that there are many commodities which necessarily must be placed before wine in any order of preference for shipping space and, consequently, the Australian Wine Board, instead of merely regulating and expanding by publicity an export surplus to relieve local market prices, finds itself faced with the problem of disposing of that quantity of wine in some other way. Recently, the Government gave the board authority to use its funds on a publicity campaign within the Commonwealth in an effort to reduce the surplus.

Mr FORDE:
Capricornia

.- Any reasonable measure that tends to assist the Australian wine industry at a time like this should be supported. As the proposed amendment of the Wine Grapes Charges Act has been approved by the Australian Wine Board, a body representative of all the interests in the wine industry, honorable members may take it for granted that this alteration is desired by the industry. After a great deal of expenditure on advertising and representation overseas, the industry succeeded in establishing a very valuable export trade in wine, which made it possible for thousands of grape-growers to dispose of their crops to the wineries, who otherwise might have had difficulty in selling their product at a. reasonable price. The industry has been very badly hit, however, since the outbreak of the war owing to the shortage of shipping space. As the result the Australian growers have been compelled to depend on the domestic market. Whatever views one might have on the consumption of wine, a visit to the grape-growing districts of Australia will convince anybody that the wine industry is a very important one, which gives employment to a large number of people. As the proposed amendment has been submitted at the request of the Australian Wine Board, a statutory body representative of all sections of the industry, I support the motion.

Mr MAKIN:
Hindmarsh

.- Before financial assistance is rendered to any industry, that industry should be made to observe award wages and conditions.

Mr Anthony:

– The bill to be introduced will not provide assistance for the wine industry.

Mr MAKIN:

– If the wine industry at any time expects assistance from this Parliament it should be made a condition precedent to the granting of it that the industry shall observe award wages and conditions. I draw the attention of the Minister to the fact that in South Australia a number of people engaged in the wine industry have attempted to frustrate the efforts of the unions concerned to protect the rights of the union and its members. The wine industry cannot expect the support of members of this Parliament unless it is prepared to recognize the rightful claims of its employees. I ask the Minister to exert his influence in order to ensure that the interests of trade unionists employed in the wine industry shall be protected and that the best relationships possible shall exist between the producers and their employees.

Mr ARCHIE CAMERON:
Barker

– The honorable member for Hindmarsh (Mr. Makin) has raised a rather interesting point, and one which is new to me, although I believe that I represent more wine producers than any honorable member with the exception of the honorable member for Wakefield (Mr. Duncan-Hughes). Many employees in the wine industry are themselves small landholders, and therefore are not likely to be enthusiastically inclined towards trade unions.

Mr Makin:

– I spoke of employees at the distilleries.

Mr ARCHIE CAMERON:

– The wine is usually distilled at the place where the grapes are grown.

Mr Makin:

– The complaint which I voiced came from the Liquor Trades Union.

Mr ARCHIE CAMERON:

– If the honorable member will look at the results of elections held in the wine-growing areas he will realize that the Labour vote there is not so great as he might expect it to be. Many of these men,even if they do belong to trade unions, are not enamoured of the Labour party or its policy. I have not heard of any complaints of the kind which the honorable member has mentioned. He must take into consideration the very unusual circumstances of the wine industry, and the fact that many workmen employed in it are also landholders and producers in their own right.

Mr ANTHONY:
Assistant Minister · Richmond · CP

– in reply - As I pointed out to the honorable member for Hindmarsh, this bill is designed not for the purpose of conferring a benefit upon the wine industry, but in order to enable the imposition of a levy upon those persons who produce grapes for wine. The Wine Bounty Act, to which the honorable member drew particular attention, provides that those who participate in any bounties shall observe arbitration awards and conditions.

Mr Makin:

– The Liquor Trades Union wants to have the right to police that provision.

Mr ANTHONY:

– In certain areas of South Australia which I visited recently, notably the irrigation areas, I was informed that definite awards had to be observed. Therefore, most of the growers of wine grapes in South Australia are bound by award conditions.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Resolution reported.

Standing Orders suspended; resolution adopted.

Ordered -

That Mr. Anthony and Mr. Harrison do prepare and bring in a bill to carry out the foregoing resolution.

Bill brought up by Mr. Anthony, and passed through all stages without amendment or debate.

page 674

CUSTOMS TARIFF VALIDATION BILL 1941

Motion (by Mr. Harrison) agreed to-

That he have leave to bring in a bill for an act to provide for the validation of collections of duties of customs under Customs Tariff Proposals.

Bill brought up, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr HARRISON:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Wentworth · UAP

– by leave - I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

The object of this bill is to ensure that the duties set out in the Customs Tariff Resolutions of the 21st November, 1940, and the 11th December, 1940, shall operate until Parliament re-assembles and has an opportunity to discuss them. The collection of duties under the resolutions is valid only until the 21st May and the 11th June, respectively, and it is considered advisable to validate collections until the 3rd July in order to allow reasonable time for Parliament to deal with them. It is not proposed at this juncture to discuss the tariff schedule item by item.

Mr FORDE:
Capricornia

.- This measure would not have been necessary if the Government had called Parliament together at an earlier date, and had made provision for honorable members to consider the items individually. Some years ago the Government amended the Customs Act at the behest, I believe, of the then honorable member for Swan (the late Mr. Gregory), who urged that tariff schedules should not be allowed to lie on the table for more than six months before being considered item by item. Some tariff schedules had been allowed to lie on the table for as long as two years. The Government regarded the requests made by the honorable member for Swan as being reasonable, and amended the Customs Act accordingly. These schedules were introduced on the 21st November, 1940, and the 7th December, 1940. Honorable members cannot be expected to deal offhand with proposals of this kind when the legislation is brought on hurriedly in the last few hours of the sittings of Parliament. I had no knowledge of this bill until the Minister rose in his place.

Mr Harrison:

– The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Curtin) was notified, and agreed to a three months’ validation.

Mr FORDE:

– I shall not object to anything that the Leader of the Opposition has done, because he would have very good reasons for agreeing. However, I am impelled to say that Parliament should be given an opportunity to give proper consideration to measures of this kind, instead of being asked without warning to pass a tariff schedule, holus-bolus, for a period of six months ahead. This sort of thing is contrary to the spirit of the Customs Act, and does not give effect to the promises made by the Government. I hope that the Minister will not take similar action again.

Mr LAZZARINI:
Werriwa

.- I hope that the Government will not make a practice of dealing with tariff schedules in this way. The tariff is one of the most important taxing instruments of the Commonwealth, and it is wrong that this form of taxation should be imposed upon the people for a lengthy period without having first been considered by Parliament. Industries may be detrimentally affected by this action of the Government, whereas had the schedule been introduced in the proper fashion, honorable members could have taken steps to guard their interests. The protective policy of the Commonwealth lias been whittled down considerably in recent years without honorable members being given a chance to express their views on this policy. I hope that Parliament will soon have an opportunity to discuss the tariff schedule, but I am afraid that the usual procedure of rushing business through this House in the last few hours of its sittings will be adopted again. By this method of legislating, the Government forces honorable members to agree to its proposals in order to protect the revenue. Being fully aware of this position, the Government invariably takes advantage of it.

Mr Makin:

– We should have a special tariff session.

Mr LAZZARINI:

– I agree. The Government deliberately holds a pistol to the heads of honorable members. The practice is wrong in principle, and is contrary to the spirit of democracy. If the Government follows this course of action again it will meet with my wholehearted opposition.

Mr HARRISON:
WentworthMinister for Trade and Customs · UAP

– in reply - It was not the intention of the Government to prevent discussion of the tariff schedule, but other matters intervened, and the exigencies of the moment necessitated a different course being followed. In any case, the validation will be for only three months. There will be plenty of opportunity to have the items discussed.

Mr Forde:

– Will the Minister give the assurance that another validating bill will not be introduced?

Mr HARRISON:

– I cannot give that assurance, because I do not know what may happen in the future. At this stage I can only say that it is the intention of the Government to provide opportunities for the schedule to be discussed.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time, and reported from committee without amendment; report adopted.

Bill - by leave - read a third time.

page 675

CUSTOMS TARIFF (EXCHANGE ADJUSTMENT) VALIDATION BILL 1941

Motion (by Mr. Harrison) agreed to-

That he have leave to bring in a bill for an act to provide for the validation of adjustments in duties of Customs under Customs Tarin* (Exchange Adjustment) Proposals.

Bill brought up, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr HARRISON:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Wentworth · UAP

– by leave - I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

This bill is incidental to the Customs Tariff Validation Bill and proposes to validate until the 3rd July, 1941, the exchange adjustment alterations made by the Customs Tariff (Exchange Adjustment) Proposals of the 11th December, 1940.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time, and reported from committee without amendment; report adopted.

Bill - by leave - read a third time.

page 676

CUSTOMS TARIFF (SPECIAL WAR DUTY) VALIDATION BILL 1941

Motion (by Mr. Harrison) agreed to-

That he have leave to bring in a bill for an act to provide for the validation of collections of duties of customs under Customs Tariff (Special War Duty) Proposals.

Bill brought up, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr HARRISON:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Wentworth · UAP

– by leave - I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

This bill is introduced for the purpose of validating, until the 3rd July, 1941, the collection of the special war duty imposed by the proposals of the 21st November, 1940. The special war duty was imposed for war-time revenue purposes. It is not possible to debate the proposals at this stage, and it is necessary to validate collections made thereunder, in order to safeguard the revenue.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time, and reported from committee without amendment; report adopted.

Bill - by leave - read a third time.

page 676

CUSTOMS TARIFF (CANADIAN PREFERENCE) VALIDATION BILL 1941

Motion (by Mr. Harrison) agreed to-

That he have leave to bring in a bill for an act to provide for the validation of collections of duties of customs under the Customs Tariff (Canadian Preference) Proposals.

Bill brought up, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr HARRISON:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Wentworth · UAP

– by leave - I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

This bill provides for the validation of the collection of the protective duty imposed on lifting jacks of Canadian origin by Customs Tariff (Canadian Preference) Proposal’s of the 11th December, 1940. The period of validation is the same as for the customs tariff proposals, namely, until the 3rd July, 1941.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time, and reported from committee without amendment; report adopted.

Bill - by leave - read a third time.

page 676

CUSTOMS TARIFF (NEW ZEALAND PREFERENCE) VALIDATION BILL 1941

Motion (by Mr. Harbison) agreed to-

That he have leave to bring in a bill for an act to provide for the validation of collections of duties of customs under Customs Tariff (New Zealand Preference) Proposals.

Bill brought up, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr HARRISON:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Wentworth · UAP

– by leave - I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

The Customs Tariff (New Zealand Preference) Proposals introduced into this House on the 11th November, 1940, provide for the imposition of a special duty on chewing gum, and chewing gum confectionery, of New Zealand origin and this bill seeks to validate the collection of duty thereunder until the 3rd July. 1941.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time, and reported from committee without amendment; report adopted. [ Quorum formed.]

Bill - by leave - read a third time.

page 676

COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE BILL 1941

Motion (by Mr. Collins) agreed to -

That he have leave to bring in a bill for an act to amend the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-40.

Bill brought up, and read a first time.

Secondreading.

Mr COLLINS:
Assistant Minister · Hume · CP

– by leave - I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

The object of this bill is to amend sections 8, 48 and 72 of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-40. Under section8 of the principal act it is provided that the act shall not apply, inter alia, toany person employed in the naval or military forces only. It is considered desirable to extend this provision to include persons employed in the Air Force only, and clause 3 provides accordingly. The extension is due solely to the development of the air section of the defence forces.

Clause 4 contains proposed amendments of section 48 of the principal act, which provides for prior government service of an officer as specified to he reckoned as service in the Commonwealth Public Service. As to paragraph a of this clause, it is provided in the principal act that where a person becomes an officer of the Commonwealth Service, and his service in the Commonwealth Service is continuous with, inter alia, permanent service in the Police Force of the Territory for the Seat of Government, his prior service in that force shall be reckoned as service in the Commonwealth Service. The amendment provides for the substitution of the words “ Australian Capital Territory” - the name by which that Territory is known - in lieu of the words “ Territory for the Seat of Government “.

Paragraph c will place members of the Air Force on the same footing as members of the naval and military forces in regard to the counting of prior service in cases in which they are appointed to the Commonwealth Service.

As to paragraph d, the insertion in the act of sub-paragraph e is to cover the cases of officers appointed to the Commonwealth Service from the permanent staffs of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Repatriation Commission, War Service Homes Commission, and the High Commissioner’s Office, London. Officers employed with these bodies were accorded superannuation rights and eligibility for furlough by the Parliament in 1937, and it has been represented to the Government that, in view of the status thus conferred, steps should be taken to ensure that should any such officer be appointed to the Commonwealth Service without any break in his employment, his service with the former body shall be regarded as service in the Commonwealth Public Service for purposes of furlough and sick leave. The Government considers it equitable that this provision should be inserted in the Commonwealth Public Service Act.

No alteration is being made in the existing practice governing eligibility for appointment to the Commonwealth Public Service of officers of the Commonwealth bodies mentioned above, but it is thought desirable to provide that any officer actually appointed to the Commonwealth Public Service from any of those bodies shall carry with him the credit of his permanent service with the former body, provided there has been continuity.

Sub-paragraph / provides for the counting of prior service in the case of an officer of any of the bodies mentioned in sub-paragraph e who is appointed to an administrative or executive office in connexion with any of those bodies - for example, as a Repatriation Commissioner - and subsequently, without break in service, is appointed to a position under the Commonwealth Public Service Act.

The addition of sub-paragraph g is necessary consequent on the passing of the Supply and Development Act 1939. The purpose of the amendment is to confer on persons employed permanently under the Supply and Development Act rights similar to those conferred ‘by section 48 of the Commonwealth Public Service Act on persons employed permanently in a civil capacity in the Department of Defence under the Defence Act. Under paragraph c of sub-section 1 of section 48, the prior service of such a person in the Department of Defence who, without any break in employment., becomes an officer of the Commonwealth Public Service, is reckoned as service in the Commonwealth Public Service for the purposes of furlough and sick leave. As many persons previously employed permanently in a civil capacity under the Defence Act are now in the Department of Supply and Development, it is considered desirable to extend the provisions of section 48 to them.

Paragraphs 6, e, and / effect consequential amendments of section 48.

The existing provisions of section 72 of the principal act cover the granting of leave of absence to officers serving in an expeditionary force, officers called up for service in the Citizen Forces, and officers under agreement with the Minister for Defence for service as munition workers.

They do not, however, contain authority for the granting of leave to officers for the purpose of service in other forces, or to engage in other war service as required under present conditions. It is considered desirable, therefore, to amend the act in the manner proposed in the bill. Cases not now covered, but for which it is desired to have authority to grant leave on the passage of thebill, are the following: -

  1. Officers serving in the Air Force or the Naval Forces, other than the Citizen Forces.
  2. Officers serving in the forces of the United Kingdom or of other parts of the Empire.

  3. Officers employed in other work or employment considered necessary or expedient for securing the public safety, the defence of the Commonwealth and the Territories of the Commonwealth, or the efficient prosecution of the war; for example -

    1. Officers employed on Red Cross duty overseas.
    2. Female officers employed as fulltime members of voluntary aid detachments.
    3. Officers employed outside the Commonwealth Service in munitions or aircraft production work.
Mr FORDE:
Deputy Leader of the Opposition · Capricornia

– In the time at our disposal this bill has been examined to the best of our ability, and the Opposition can see no reason why it should not be passed. I suggest, however, that on another occasion more time should be given to the Opposition to examine measures of this kind in some detail, so that honorable members may compare the proposed amendments with the principal act. The Assistant Minister has tried to make up for the lack of time afforded to us by giving a very clear exposition of the amendment, and for that we are grateful.

Mr DRAKEFORD:
Maribyrnong

– I join with the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Forde) in urging that more time should be given to honorable members to examine the contents of bills of this kind. There are at present serious defects in the method by which persons are admitted to the Public Service. I understand that the purpose of this measure is to make provision for the admittance to the Service of persons who are not now members of it. When a bill of this kind is brought down without prior notice it is very difficult for honorable members to understand its full implication. Many persons are now being admitted to the Service under conditions which are to the detriment of those already in the Service. This has happened in the munition works at Maribyrnong. Young men who have been studying for higher positions have had others placed over their heads, and have lost practically all the value of their studies. I know men who have been studying for accountancy examinations in the expectation of being promoted to higher positions. Now they have been superseded by others brought from outside theService, and, naturally, they have become very dissatisfied.I know that, at a time like this, it is necessary to admit persons from outside the Service, but while doing so we should protect the rights of those already there.

Mr Collins:

– The purpose of the bill is to protect the interests of those who have been permanently employed in one department and are transferred to another section of the Public Service.

Mr DRAKEFORD:

– When theyare transferred from one department to another, the seniority rights which they have acquired in one department should not enable them to supersede others in the department to which they are going. This is a matter which should he looked into carefully.

Mr HOLLOWAY:
Melbourne Ports

– One of the objects of this measure is to safeguard the seniority and promotion rights of public servants who enlist in the Militia or for service abroad. That is very desirable, and I regard the principle as so important that it should be extended to all employees, whether in the Public Service or outside it. While we are encouraging men to enlist in the fighting services, nothing has so far been done to guarantee to them their rights of seniority, promotion and superannuation if they happen to be in private employment. I ask the Minister to keep this matter in mind.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time, and reported from committee without amendment; report adopted.

Bill - by leave - read a third time.

page 679

WAR SERVICE HOMES BILL 1941

Bill received from the Senate, and (on motion by Mr. Holt) read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr HOLT:
Minister for Labour and National Service · Fawkner · UAP

, - by leave - I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

This bill provides for certain alterations of the definition of “ Australian soldier “ contained in section 4 of the War Service Homes Act 1918-1937. Its purpose is to include within that section members of the Naval, Military or Air Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia who, during the war which commenced in 1939, were enlisted or appointed for active service outside Australia or on a ship of war, and also to include persons who were members of the forces of the King’s Dominions other than the Commonwealth, and who, prior to their enlistment or engagement for active service, resided in Australia.

The measure proposes to make eligible for participation in the benefits of the act persons who, during the continuance of the present war, were employed under agreement as master, officer or seaman, or under indenture as apprentice, in seagoing services on any ship engaged in trading between a port of a State or territory of the Commonwealth, and any other port outside Australia, and who, during such employment, were domiciled in Australia.

The original act, as amended in 1920, included, as eligible, members of the mercantile marine employed during the 1914-18 war who were domiciled in Australia, and wore recipients of either the Australian Mercantile Marine War Zone Badge or the British Mercantile Marine Medal. The hazards and dangers of the present, war are no less than those which confronted officers and men of the seagoing services of the last war, and the extension of the privileges of the scheme will commend itself to all who have some appreciation of the splendid services being rendered to the Empire by the mercantile marine.

The amendments ako bring within the act certain dependants of the persons mentioned, just as the original act includes dependants of members of the 1914-18 forces. The act as it stands covers only persons who were enlisted or engaged for active service and certain other defined service abroad during the 1914-18 war, and it is considered proper that the facilities provided by the act in connexion with assistance to acquire homes should be extended to those who in a like manner serve their King and country during the present war.

There is no doubt that there will be a number of the members of the forces who, upon their return to Australia, will be desirous of being married and setting up homes of their own, whilst others who are already married will also desire to acquire homes under the scheme. The measure now put forward is a practical one, and forms part of the broader field of repatriation. It is of national importance because it will encourage the assumption of family responsibilities on the part of some of Australia’s finest manhood, and, where the returned sailor, soldier or airman is already married, provide facilities to secure a home on easy terms for proper restoration to the normal life of peace-time. The original act was not introduced until December, 1918, after the conclusion of the 1914- 1918 war, but it is considered that wherever possible matters which come within the category of post-war reconstruction should be initiated during the currency of the present war in order to lessen congestion when a demobilization of the Forces begins.

There is evidence of a shortage of cottage homes throughout the Commonwealth, and whilst this, it is anticipated, will not become as acute as was the position obtaining in 191S, the existing position warrants the proposed amendment in order to permit of applications from members of the forces returning from active service overseas being accepted and dealt with gradually in their order of lodgment. There will, of necessity, be limited financial resources available for loans applied for under the act - due to the need for war expenditure in other directions - and loans will be subject to the funds which Parliament will be able to appropriate for the purpose. lt is interesting to recall that during the 1914-18 war there were approximately 416,000 enlistments and to the 30th June, 1940, the total homes provided under the War Service Homes Scheme numbered 3”7,385. Homes still subject to the act at the same date numbered 25,851.

Generally, the measure is of a machinery nature for the purpose of enabling the War Service Homes Commission to extend to members of the active service forces of the present war facilities for obtaining the benefits of the act equal to those which the act permits for men who served in the 1914-18 war. I assure honorable members that under the act that has been operating to date, a most useful and valuable service has been rendered to a large group of persons whose services to the nation called for the fullest possible recognition. To be in a position to submit and commend to you this further measure is an especial privilege, and I trust, that the House will, without delay, <rive it a passage through all stages.

Mr FORDE:
Deputy Leader of the Opposition · Capricornia

– As the purpose of the bill is to extend the provisions of the War Service Homes Act 1918-1937 to persons who have enlisted for service in the present war, it is a reasonable measure. Already it has been accorded the whole-hearted support of all parties in the Senate, and I see no reason why this chamber should not pass it without delay.

Mr HOLLOWAY:
Melbourne Ports

, - Whilst the Minister for Labour and National Service (Mr. Holt) gave an excellent explanation of the provisions of the bill, I am wondering whether I missed a statement, which I expected him to make, namely, that members of the mercantile marine are automatically covered by the measure. The war has been brought nearer home than during 1914-18, and Parliament ensured, when amending the Repatriation Act, that the mercantile marine engaged in intrastate trade were entitled to participate in the benefits.

Mr Blackburn:

– That class is not covered by this bill.

Mr HOLLOWAY:

– That is unfortunate. The act contains these words -

Travelling from a port or a territory of the Commonwealth to any other port which is not a port or territory of the Commonwealth.

That means, in plain language, that only mariners engaged in the overseas trade, and not those engaged in the intrastate or interstate trade, will receive the benefits of this legislation. Surely the Minister did not intentionally exclude sailors who, as events have already demonstrated, run the risk of mines in the Australian coasting trade. If this legislation be not extended to cover those mariners, the measure is incomplete.

Mr MULCAHY:
Lang

.- I should like the Minister for Labour and National Service (Mr. Holt) to explain whether the bill will apply to every man who enlists in the Australian Imperial Force, irrespective of whether he serves in a theatre of war. Many men who enlisted for service oversea have been stationed at Darwin. If they be ordered to Malaya, they become entitled to participate in the benefits conferred by the act. What will be their rights if they be not sent abroad ?

Mr Holt:

– I am informed that upon enlisting for service in the Australian Imperial Force a soldier automatically becomes eligible to participate in the benefits conferred by the act, even if he does not go abroad.

Mr MULCAHY:

– That is satisfactory. The honorable member for Melbourne Ports (Mr. Holloway) referred to the hazards to which men engaged in the mercantile marine are subject, and he pointed out that, if their services be restricted to the Australian coasting trade, they are not entitled to receive the benefits of the act.

Mr Holt:

– As I understand the position, that is so, and I assure the House that the point will be fully investigated. I appreciate that some hazards in Australian waters are just as great as those which are experienced by seamen in service abroad.

Mr MULCAHY:

– A large number of war service homes in my electorate, which were built expressly for returned soldiers, have been repossessed by the department and are now being sold to private individuals. Furthermore, many returned soldiers who are weekly tenants are being dispossessed. The practice is wrong. As the homes were erected for returned soldiers, they should be retained for them, even if the occupants be weekly tenants. Many returned soldiers who began to purchase their own homes lost their positions during the depression and subsequently were forcibly ejected from the dwellings. Now, they again have constant employment and require homes. Because they were assisted on one occasion, the department will not help them now. I advocate the adoption of a more liberal system of granting assistance to soldiers when they return from this war and desire to purchase their own homes, than was available to returned men after the last war. Twenty years ago, a man in my electorate began to purchase on the instalment system a home valued at £850. After making regular payments during that period, he still owes £680. The reason is that the repayments, which extend over twentyseven years, are small. The average expectancy of life of a returned soldier is 47 years. The majority of the men were about 30 years of age when they returned from the last war, and were allowed a long period in which to buy their homes. To date, only a few of them would have completed their repayments of principal and interest. The great majority never will own their homes, because the rate of interest, 5 per cent., is excessive. In my opinon, the Commonwealth should make the homes available to returned soldiers at a nominal rate of interest, say 2£ or 3 per cent., in order to give them a reasonable opportunity to acquire their own dwellings for their families.

Mr EVATT:
Barton

.- Under the amended bill the mariner who is engaged in the Australian coasting trade is excluded from the benefits of the War Service Homes Act, although he may be domiciled here; whereas the mariner who is engaged in the overseas trade is eligible to participate in the benefits. The point made by the honorable member for- Melbourne Ports (Mr. Holloway) is that, in the present circumstances, the benefits should be extended to the sailor who is engaged in the Australian coasting trade. There is a good deal of merit in his contention, because, in the present war, the risks that are run by sailors engaged in the interstate trade and the intra-state trade are much greater than they were in 1914-18. If the Minister is willing, an amendment could easily be drafted to include the sailors to whom the honorable member referred. Under this bill, the privileges of soldiers to partake of the benefits of the War Service Homes Act will be extended to those engaged in the present war. It is agreed that mariners shall have the benefit of the same scheme, and the only question that arises is whether or not those engaged in the Australian coasting trade, because of the risks they have run and will continue to run in the future shall be considered eligible to receive the benefits of this scheme. If the Minister be agreeable to that principle, or will favorably consider it in the future, there is no reason why the bill should not be passed at once.

Mr BLACKBURN:
Bourke

.- There are two sides to the question raised by the honorable member for Melbourne Ports (Mr. Holloway). We have to consider the position, first, of the eligible person himself, and, secondly, of the female dependant of an eligible person. It is perfectly obvious that a widow of a seaman who has lost his life as the result of war service in the coastal trade should be entitled to the benefits of the act; but it seems to me that the task is rather more difficult when we are called upon to deal with the eligible person himself. I can understand that every man engaged in the deep sea merchant service obviously risks his life in time of war, but I do not think the same can be said of every person engaged in the coastal service. It would be rather a calamity if we found that practically the whole of the fund available for distribution by way of benefits under the act was exhausted in providing assistance to persons engaged in operations which were not intrinsically war activities. If the proposal of the honorable member for Melbourne Ports be accepted it would mean that every man engaged in the coasting trade, even if his ship were engaged on a run, say, from Melbourne to Western Port, would be entitled to’ the benefits of the act because he would, in fact, be engaged in the coasting trade. It must be obvious to honorable members that such a journey would not be subject to the same hazard as a more lengthy journey, say, from Melbourne to Fremantle, or that very dangerous port, Newcastle.

Mr Holloway:

– My proposal was intended to cover only those people engaged on war work.

Mr Evatt:

– The question to be determined is, what is war work?

Mr BLACKBURN:

– I suggest that as we have had no opportunity to consider the measure thoroughly, we should pass it in its present form. The Minister might be good enough to give to the House an assurance that, during the recess, he will undertake the preparation of an amending bill. It is obvious that some persons engaged in the coasting trade must be subjected to the same risks as those engaged in the deep sea trade.

Mr Evatt:

– Who are they?

Mr BLACKBURN:

– Those engaged in the trade, say, between Melbourne and Fremantle, Newcastle or Brisbane. On the other hand, we have to consider those who may be engaged only on short runs between two ports on the coast.

Mr Evatt:

– But the waters adjacent to those ports may be mined.

Mr BLACKBURN:

– Some provision should be made for the extension of the benefits of the act to those engaged in the coasting trade who may be subjected to war risks. I should like to see everybody subjected to war risks of any sort made eligible for the benefits of the act; but I would not like to see one class of persons get the benefits of this legislation at the expense of others whose claims for consideration may be equally as good. I suggest that we pass the bill in its present form and that the Minister give an undertaking that, during the recess, consideration will be given to the drafting of an amending bill to give effect to the suggestions made by honorable members during this debate.

Mr BEASLEY:
West Sydney

– I regret that I was absent from the chamber during the Minister’s secondreading speech on this bill. I did not know that the bill would be brought before us at this stage.

Mr Holt:

– The bill has just come to us from the Senate.

Mr BEASLEY:

– It is most unsatisfactory that an important bill like this should be introduced into this House without notice. I also regret that I did not hear the remarks of the honorable member for Melbourne Ports (Mr. Holloway).

Mr Evatt:

– The benefits of the act are to be extended to sailors; the honorable member for Melbourne Ports wants to include sailors engaged in the Australian coasting trade.

Mr BEASLEY:

– The Maritime Council in Sydney has given a lot of consideration to the provision of repatriation benefits for those engaged in the maritime service. As the result of a series of discussions we have been successful in getting these men included as part and parcel of the forces and covered by the Australian Soldiers’ Repatriation Act. Difficulty has arisen, however, in connexion with the definition of a theatre of war. In recent months the war has been brought right to our shores, and it is impossible to-day. to differentiate between those employed in the Australian coasting trade and those engaged in the deep-sea trade. I suggest to the Minister that we should he given time to consider this very important matter. One of the surprises of this war is that so far the loss of life in the merchant service has been greater than in the land forces.

Mr Evatt:

– It is proposed to limit the benefits of the scheme to Australian sailors trading between Australia and overseas countries.

Mr BEASLEY:

– Difficulties immediately arise when limitations of that kind are imposed.

Mr Holloway:

– Consideration should be given to those volunteers who serve on ships taken over by the Commonwealth and engaged in the coasting trade. Although these men do nol; go overseas, they enter the war zone.

Mr BEASLEY:

– I suggest that the Minister might very well accept the suggestion of the honorable member for Melbourne Ports.

Mr HOLT:
Minister foi Labour and National Service · Fawkner · UAP

– in reply - I assure honorable members that this point will receive full and sympathetic consideration by the Government. Normally, I would suggest that we defer this measure until the Government has had an opportunity to consider the submissions of honorable members; but, in view of the fact that the Parliament will be in recess for some weeks, and any deferment of the bill might hold up aid which otherwise could be given to men or their dependants, I suggest that the bill be passed as it is now drawn. If that be done, I shall bring under the notice of the Minister for War Service Homes the representations made by honorable members during this debate and ask him to consider them during the recess.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time, and reported from committee without amendment; report adopted.

Bill - by leave - read a third time.

page 683

INTERNATIONAL SITUATION

Ministerial Statement

Sir FREDERICK STEWART:
Minister for External Affairs · Parramatta · UAP

– by leave - In the four months since I made my last statement to the House on the war situation abroad, great changes have taken place. We have had some notable successes, and we have gained in strength, but we still have to flee very grave threats to the life of the Empire. At the present moment, in south-eastern Europe, events are working out which will undoubtedly have a vital influence on the direction and form which hostilities will take, and it is of the situation there that I propose to speak most fully. In order to understand clearly the situation following the change of government in Yugoslavia it is necessary to look carefully at the progress of events and not to accept hasty conclusions.

In the Balkans during the past month the situation steadily became increasingly serious for Britain and its Allies, as a result of the success of a German diplomatic offensive. First Rumania and then Bulgaria fell under German domination. Substantial bodies of German troops entered both countries, and a far stronger force than was necessary for any peaceful penetration was concentrated in Southern Bulgaria. Consequently, in the middle of March, we appeared to be faced with the possibility of a grave military threat primarily directed against Greece, though Germany is still on a peace footing with that country. From our point of view, there appear two possible lines of German action in this region. One is a military threat; the other is the threat that, by the unscrupulous diplomatic methods which Germany has made peculiarly its own, the whole of the Balkan countries may be brought within the so-called “ new order “ and may pass under German domination, to be forced to serve German needs even against their own interests. For the time being, after overrunning Bulgaria, Germany apparently preferred to continue a diplomatic offensive, using the familiar formula of threat and intrigue in an attempt, first to silence Yugoslavia and possibly use it in the furthering of the campaign. Either with a similar hope or as a blind for other moves, Germany even had the effrontery to approach Greece, the intended victim of its Axis partner, Italy, for a trade agreement. Further, Turkey was subjected to pressure, its own uncertainty regarding Russia being employed as a weapon to confuse the Turkish people. For a moment it seemed that, in Yugoslavia, there would be another surrender when a pact was signed in Vienna by the Tsvetkovitch Government; but the overthrow of that Government gave a new direction to affairs.

The most immediately striking feature of what happened in Belgrade last week was the revelation that, in spite of totalitarian methods, a truly democratic and free spirit could be expressed by a people and that the resolve of a nation to be true to its tradition of independence could still assert itself. But while we admire the spirit of the people and encourage them in resistance to any form of foreign domination, we must not become confused over the real nature of what has occurred. In the first place this change of government is an internal matter. In the second place, it is a Yugoslav move and neither a British nor a German move. In the third place, it is not wholly true to represent it as having been due solely to the signature of the Vienna pact, for that was only one element, and the coup was also inspired by a long-standing discontent with the last regime and all its works. When we realize these three conditions we appreciate that there has not been any clear alignment of Yugoslavia with either one side or the other. There has, however, been a change to a government, which has -shown a spirit of independence and determination to preserve Yugoslav integrity.

The chief task that must follow this internal change is the internal task of securing the stability of the government and the good order and unity of the country. The first necessity is to reconcile those longstanding differences within the country, which had been sharpened rather than lessened by the conflict of opinion over the pact. Our information indicates that, through the broad composition of the new government and the creation of a rallying point for patriotism in the person of King Peter, this unity lias been achieved. It will be recalled, of course, that disunity within a State has always been a favourite point in the Nazi attack on national independence. One of the’ earliest proclamations of the new Government expressed the wish to remain neutral. There has been no automatic denunciation of the Vienna Pact, and no certainty that it will be denounced. The Commonwealth Government has not as yet received any confirmation of the report that Germany has now presented demands for the ratification of the pact, for the demobilization of the Yugoslav army, and for an apology for attacks on German nationals.

I have spoken thus frankly in order to counter the assumption that has been made in some quarters that the coup d’etat in Belgrade automatically ranged Yugoslavia on the side of the democracies and to help to give a clearer picture of the actual situation. It is still for Yugoslavia to decide. We shall welcome it as an ally. The British Empire has already shown its readiness to aid to the fullest extent the nation which resists the aggressor. We believe that it will be in Yugoslavia’s best interests to oppose Germany. But the decision has not yet been made and we cannot make it. Yet we have faith that a country with so high a tradition of courage and independence will continue to be master of its own fate and refuse to bow before the threats nf a bully. Nor should we underestimate the psychological effect of the change on world opinion and the check it has given to German plans. It is possible that the attitude of Yugoslavia may bring about the creation of a Balkan front.

The decision of Yugoslavia is, of course, bound up with the attitude of the remaining free countries of southeastern Europe. It is plain that, in the checking of German penetration to the south-eastward, an understanding between Yugoslavia, Greece and Turkey would be of the highest importance. Greece has already shown its mettle. Its defiance of Italy and the achievements of the Greek Army in meeting the invader and forcing him back through Albania stirred the democratic world, and may well prove to have been a turning point in the history of Europe. Up to the present, however, the Albanian campaign has been a separate undertaking in which Germany has not actively participated and the Greeks have had only one challenge to meet. If the frontiers of Greece were broken at another point, or if another one of its neighbours was to become a tool of the Axis, its position would be much more serious. Moreover, the presence of Italian forces in Albania, on the Yugoslavian frontier, apart from other features of the common cause against aggression, means that continued and successful resistance by Greece is vital to Yugoslav independence. Both Yugoslavia and Greece would in turn be strengthened by Turkish support and Turkey would benefit from co-operating with them.

A key factor in Balkan resistance is the attitude of Russia. So far as Turkey is concerned, an assurance has been given in Moscow to the effect that, if Turkey were attacked by any foreign power and were obliged to defend its territory, it could count on the full understanding and neutrality of the Soviet Government. Previously there had been nervousness in Turkey, particularly concerning its Caucasian frontier. In a characteristic manner the Axis mouthpieces attempted to minimize the value of this Russian assurance. The Rome radio asserted that the declaration meant that Russian neutrality was assured only if Turkey were actually attacked, and even then, only if Turkey’s entrance into the war was necessitated by the defence of its territory, whilst if Turkey entered the war without being directly attacked, the

Soviet reserved the right to act. In other words, Turkey could only be sure of Russian neutrality so long as it stayed out of the European conflict.

German attempts to win over Turkey and cajole it from the Anglo-Turkish alliance have by no means ceased. We still pin our faith on Turkey’s honorable adherence to that alliance and believe that it will also be ready at the appropriate moment to co-operate with its Balkan neighbours. Although much of the policy of Russia remains enigmatic, there are indications that its Government is much less complaisant towards Germany than formerly, and that the recent coup d’etat in Yugoslavia is by no means displeasing to Russia.

While the offensive remains a diplomatic one, Britain will also have to employ diplomatic weapons. But we also have force behind us. The triumph of our armies in the African campaigns has strengthened our position in this region. The success which rewarded British aggression in Libya, where our own Australian troops took such a magnificent share in winning a great “victory, has been followed by further success on other African fronts. The defeat of the Italian armies, with the seizure of large quantities of arms and stores, the taking of thousands of prisoners, and the inflicting of heavy air and naval losses on Italy, have meant the discrediting of Axis boasts, the raising of British prestige in Egypt and neighbouring lands, and substantial material and strategic gains to the Allies. The conclusion of the African campaigns will mean the release of troops for operations elsewhere. Despite boasts about German concentration of mechanized and other forces in northern Africa, we have every reason to be confident that they will not be able to stage an effective counter-offensive against the territory we have conquered.

Besides the Libyan gains, we have had victory after victory in Somaliland, Eritrea and Abyssinia. The bubble of Italian Imperialism has been burst. The latest information indicates that the Abyssinian campaign, culminating in the fall of Keren, Asmara and Harar, will probably be completed - unless there are some major developments from outside - before the rains come about the middle of “May, though there will be, of course, a certain amount of mopping up to be done in the highlands afterwards.

If I do not dwell longer on these notable events in which Australian troops have shared, it is not through underestimation of their importance, but because they are well known, and because, though we take pride in our victories, we cannot rest on them, but must apply ourselves to the new situations which are taking shape. We can, however, find confidence for the future from the fact that, in the North African campaign, the Allied forces gained valuable experience in the co-operation of Navy, Army and Air Force in attack, and that we now have assembled in the Middle East forces representative of many parts of the Empire and its Allies, who have proved their strength in the field and whose spirit is high. Here we have a formidable weapon, ready to be used. Command of the Mediterranean is of major importance in maintaining our interests in the Middle East. Striking demonstrations of the completeness of naval supremacy there have been given in the safe conduct of large convoys, the transferring of a large body of troops from England to new stations in this region, and more recently by the victory in the sea fight in the eastern Mediterranean. In this engagement, a British force, smaller than the opposing Italian fleet, destroyed four cruisers and three destroyers and crippled a battleship without itself losing a single man or suffering damage to a single ship. This triumph means that British naval supremacy in the Mediterranean has been placed beyond doubt, and, moreover, it has come at an opportune .time to remind our enemies and those countries which Germany is trying to coax or scare into subordination to it that British sea-power will be a predominant factor in final victory.

In other parts of Europe, points to be watched in the diplomatic war are the continued German attempts at infiltration into Spain, Portugal and French and Spanish North Africa. (Rumours have circulated about the internal situation in Italy, but easy optimism in expectation of an early collapse there is not justified. It is reported that morale has been affected by British air raids. that the condition of the masses is slowly getting worse, and that the army has been badly supplied; but that does not mean an overthrow of the Government, particularly when we remember that it is to the interest of Hitler to maintain that Government.

Britain) itself has been subjected to further air raids. At one time, these air operations in north-western Europe were called the “ Battle for Britain “, but that term is rather too narrow now, for it does not give full value to the fact that the Royal Air Force is hitting back and hitting back hard. The “Battle for Britain “, if such it be called, now includes in its scope the incessant pounding of German industrial areas, particularly the Ruhr basin, and the inflicting of blows that must have an effect, not only in checking any invasion of the British Isles, but also of impeding the whole of Germany’s war effort. From the west of occupied France to eastern Germany and as far south as northern Italy, our bombers have attacked selected objectives, including docks, oil depots, munition works, aircraft factories, industrial plants of various kinds, railway yards and aerodromes, and, particularly in the last six weeks, have inflicted considerable damage. Attacks on shipping and the laying of mines have also been carried out.

There is no point in attempting to disguise the fact that Britain itself has suffered severely from raiders. There has been loss of life, hardship and damage to property, but the industries and the people of the United Kingdom still carry on. Information received by this Government direct from the Prime Minister and from other sources shows that the productive capacity of the British Isles is still being maintained at a high level. In fact, the level of production shows a continuous increase. The morale of the people is unimpaired, and the ruthless attacks on their homes have only stiffened the dogged British spirit.

The shipping war also has been intensified. Operating from the ports of Occupied France, as well as from other bases, the German submarines, surface raiders and aircraft are in a more advantageous position than they were earlier in the war and have been able to extend their operations further into the Atlantic.

But the British convoy system and the aerial patrols are still ensuring the steady delivery of supplies to Britain. At the same time, heavy losses are still being inflicted on enemy shipping. There is a frankly avowed need for more ships for Britain. The alleviation of the shipping problem is one of the advantages which it is hoped will follow from the recent measures taken by the United States Administration for assistance to the democracies. The “ Lease-Lend “ Act and the appropriation that has already been made to translate its intention into fact mean that the industrial strength of the Allies has been increased enormously. We now have behind us the resources of the United States of America and the weight of those resources will be felt more and more with every passing month. The Commonwealth Government is taking steps to see that Australia receives due advantage under the “ Lease-Lend “ Act.

There remains one sphere of international relations in which Australia is particularly concerned; that is the Pacific. As’ the various issues in this region have been canvassed at some length recently, I do not propose to go over them again. I should like to repeat, however, that I believe that there are no problems in the whole of the Pacific region which could not, and should not, be adjusted by peaceful negotiation. The duty of preventing the spread of war to the Pacific devolves equally upon all Pacific nations. If, however, interests and policies in the Pacific are to be made subordinate to the interests and policies of non-Pacific nations; if any Pacific power is not moved by frank and open desire to adjust Pacific- region questions, but allows itself to be used as a tool to serve the illintentions of a third party, then hope of reasonable discussion between neighbours is endangered. In this connexion, in forming our opinion we cannot disregard the reports of statements made during the past few days by the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr. Matsuoka, in Berlin and Rome. If it is true, as reported, that Mr. Matsuoka declared that Japan was on the side of the Axis in all circumstances, and wished it complete success in the war, and if that statement represents the considered view of the Japanese Government, then a disservice has been done to the hopes of understanding in the Pacific. We stand by our belief in negotiation, but when signs appear that other influences are entering into Pacific affairs and threatening our security, we are resolved to take, and are capable of taking, action to defend ourselves. Among the measures we have taken, as members know, is the despatch of Australian troops to share in the defence of Singapore.

There is another point with a direct bearing on Pacific affairs which should be made quite clear - that is, Australia’s position in the British Commonwealth. Apparently, in some quarters, it is thought that, because Australia has seen fit to establish diplomatic representation abroad on its own account, Australian policy in the Pacific can be regarded as distinct from British policy. I wish to remove that misapprehension, by stating clearly and emphatically that there is no such differentiation in policy, and that Australia’s desire is to share in the responsibilities of the British Commonwealth and to preserve its unity. As the Prime Minister previously expressed it in this House, the establishment of Australian Legations abroad is an addition to, and not a subtraction from, British diplomatic strength.

In conclusion, I stress the difficulty of making hard and fast declarations about the present situation, or the outlook for the future, for, in the political, as distinct from the military, side of the war, there are many uncertain factors working in a constantly changing set of circumstance. We can say with confidence, however, that in Navy, Army, Air Force, material resources, and organization for war, and, above all, in the resolution of our people, our strength has grown, and will go on growing, week by week. I lay on the table the following papers : -

War Developmentsand International Affairs - Ministerial Statement by the Minister for External Affairs, 3rd April, 1941. and move -

That the paper be printed.

Debate (on motion of Mr. Brennan) adjourned.

page 687

LOAN BILL 1941

Message recommending appropriation reported.

In committee (Consideration of Governor-General’s message) :

Motion (by Mr. Fadden) agreed to -

That it is expedient that an appropriation of moneys be made for the purposes of a bill for an act to authorize the raising and expending of a certain sum of money.

Resolution reported.

Standing Orders suspended ; resolution adopted. Ordered -

That Mr. Fadden and Mr. Collins do prepare and bring in a bill to carry out the foregoing resolution.

Bill brought up by Mr. Fadden, and read a first time.

Mr FADDEN:
Darling DownsTreasurer · CP

– I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

In this bill the authority of the Parliament is sought for the appropriation of £50,000,000 for war expenditure and for the raising of a corresponding amount of loan moneys to finance that expenditure. When I submitted my supplementary financial statement to the House on the 13th December last, I indicated that the estimated war expenditure for 1940-41 would be £186,500,000. At the same time, I stated that, after allowing for £62,000,000 being financed from the revenue of the current financial year, and £3,500,000 from balances in Defence Trust Accounts at the 30th June, 1940, it would be necessary for £121,000,000 to be raised by means of loans. Loan appropriations which have already been passed by the Parliament for war expenditure are sufficient to meet this expenditure, but further appropriations will be necessary in order to enable war services to be carried on during the early months of the next financial year.

War expenditure for the present financial year, financed from all sources, including revenue, trust funds, and loan fund, totalled £92,500,000 to the end of February, 1941. Provisional figures for March indicate an expenditure of about £20,000,000, making a total of £112,500,000, as compared with £186,500,000 originally estimated for the year. The monthly rate of war expenditure during the early months of this financial year was not in proportion to the budget estimate, but the rate is rapidly growing. Moreover, our overseas war expenditure has not yet reached the pro rata proportion of the budget estimate, mainly because of the fact that financial adjustments with the British Government for the maintenance of our troops in the N ear East are somewhat in arrears. It is anticipated, however, that expenditure under this head will be substantial during the closing months of the financial year. It is possible, however, that the actual expenditure for the year will be somewhat less than was originally estimated, but at this juncture it is impossible to forecast the amount of the decrease. Liabilities carried forward at the 30th June will, of course, have to be financed in the accounts for next year.

As in June, 1940, when my predecessor introduced a loan bill for £20,000,000 for war purposes, the present bill makes no provision ‘for details of the appropriation now sought. As was then explained, it is not practicable specially to indicate the manner in which war appropriations will be expended. Considerable elasticity of appropriation is required in order to enable the Government to meet any emergency, and for that reason a wide authority is again sought on this occasion.

If honorable members are desirous of more detailed facts in regard to various phases of our war expenditure, I have no doubt that the Ministers of the service departments will be pleased to furnish such information as can readily be supplied. I submit the bill for the favorable consideration of honorable members.

Mr. FORDE (Capricornia) [3.557.- As this bill is part of the budget proposals and is necessary in order to carry out Australia’s war effort, it is not the intention of the Opposition to delay its passage in any way. Our views on the budget were expressed some time ago. The responsibility for raising money for the prosecution of the war rests on the Government, and as it has decided on the method proposed in this bill it must take the responsibility for its action. If honorable gentlemen on this side were on the treasury bench we would adopt different methods to finance the war. I believe that there should be a much greater utilization of the credit resources of the nation, through the Commonwealth Bank, and that the Government should not allow any increase of the interest rate on loans. We are anxious that the Government should do everything possible to expedite the organization of Australia into a top-geared defence effort. I am not satisfied with what has been done up to the present in the expenditure of the moneys already authorized. The Acting Prime Minister has admitted that there is a lag, in that the estimates greatly exceed the expenditure to date. I ask him to have a careful investigation of the reasons why the money authorized has not been expended.

Mr Fadden:

– It is due mainly to strikes and similar dislocations of industry.

Mr FORDE:

– I am not convinced that the lag is mainly due to those causes. I imagine that lack of organization and proper direction from the top, resulting in equipment not being purchased sufficiently far ahead, may be a reason. The ‘Government should investigate the causes, so that there shall be no delaying of the nation’s war effort.

Mr JOLLY:
Lilley

.- Is it proposed to borrow the whole of this money, or any part of it, before the end of the present financial year ? I take it that the matter of interest will be arranged later.

Mr CALWELL:
Melbourne

.- During the closing hours of the last sessional period, the Government agreed that the Advisory War Council, in consultation with the Commonwealth Bank, would investigate the utilization of bank credit in order to finance Australia’s war effort. This Parliament has sat for some weeks, but the Treasurer (Mr. Fadden) has been eloquently silent on that subject. Parliament is entitled to know what consultations have taken place with the Commonwealth Bank Board, how many conferences have been held, and the result of those conferences. I am told that £40,000,000 is being made available this year by the utilization of the national credit. There are many persons who believe, rightly or wrongly, that we are endangering the future stability of the country by borrowing large sums of money at the market rate of interest for the financing of the war, thus placing a tremendous burden on posterity. Others believe that war expenditure should be met wholly out of taxation, and that even the present high income tax rate of 14s. in the £1 might be considerably increased to that end. I understand that we are at present paying about £10,000,000 a year interest on debts incurred in the last war. We still owe the principal, but we are paying at the rate of 30s. a head, counting even the now-born babies, in order to meet the interest bill alone. The Government, we have been told, has been negotiating with the Commonwealth Bank Board regarding the utilization of national credit, and before we pass this bill we ought to be told the result of those negotiations. For my part, I have no faith whatever in the Commonwealth Bank Board. It is a mere appendage of the private banks, and was created by the present Minis*ter for Commerce (Sir Earle Page) and his quondam friends in order to buttress the private banking institutions. The Acting Prime Minister told us that the whole of the amount of £1816,000,000 budgeted for last year has not yet. been expended. I should like to know whether the Government expects that it will be expended before the end of the present financial year; whether there will be any saving, or whether, on the other hand, the total expenditure is likely to be greater than what was expected. “Wo were told that, up to the end of March, a total of £112,000,000 had been expended, and the Acting Prime Minister said that if honorable members) wanted any information regarding this expenditure, it would bc furnished to them by the Service Ministers. Why, then, are not the Service Ministers present in the chamber to supply this information? Honorable members should not have to wait until after Parliament rises, and then address the Ministers by letter. One of the terms of the budget compromise last year was that the Government should explore methods for utilizing the national credit, and I should like to know what has been done in that direction?

Mr DEDMAN:
Corio

– I do not support this measure. As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Forde) has said, it is the Government’s business to find the money for our war effort. The Opposition cannot prevent the Government from raising the money in whatever way it thinks fit, ‘but I take this opportunity to express my disapproval of the methods which the Government has adopted. When .the compromise was reached between the political parties in December last, the Government promised that the question of the utilization of national credit would be referred to the Advisory War Council. I do not know whether that was done, but if it, was, then a report should have been made to this House on the subject. The Government has not kept faith with the Opposition regarding that promise of December last. I feel very strongly on the matter, because, had members of the Opposition realized that the Government did not intend to honour its promise, they would not have agreed to the compromise. The Acting Prime Minister stated that the rate of expenditure this financial year has not been so high as had been expected. That has had a detrimental effect upon employment. It has been pointed out time and time again that when money is raised by a governin en t, either by loan or taxation, the effect is merely a transfer of purchasing power from the community to the Government. If the Government collects money faster than it is expended, it automatically produces a deflationary effect. I am convinced that the present large percentage of unemployed in Australia is largely due to this reason. Therefore, this measure is premature because, if the Government has money in the Treasury, it should not raise another loan now. I hope that the Government will take that into consideration when fixing the time for raising this loan.

When I first entered this House about twelve month ago, the then Treasurer (Mr. Spender) made a speech which contained the following passage: -

Since we are nearing the stage of full utilization of resources, the Government must switch over from the utilization of bank credit to taxation or loans.

I remarked on that in the first speech which I delivered in this House, and now, after twelve months, I want to say that the statement of the Treasurer on that occasion was wholly false. It has been stated in evidence before the Man-power and Resources Survey Committee that there are thousands of men unemployed in Australia at the present time. We are not utilizing anything like the full resources of the country, and to the extent that we are not, the proper method of financing our war effort is by the utilization of national credit through the Common wealth Bank. We should not be raising loans to which the private banks will largely contribute, and upon which they will draw needlessly large amounts of money in interest. I regret that this measure has been brought down so late in the session, because it is a very important one. Any measure which proposed to raise £50,000,000 by taxation would be debated for weeks in this Parliament, yet the effect of raising a loan of £50,000,000 is to deprive the people of purchasing power in exactly the same way as if the money were raised by taxation. Unfortunately, the bill is not receiving from the Government nearly so much consideration as it deserves. Honorable members should be afforded ample opportunity to examine and criticize the proposals in order to ascertain whether more satisfactory ways of raising the money are available.

Mr HOLLOWAY:
Melbourne Ports

– The Opposition is placed in a false position. No matter how we differ from honorable members opposite upon financial policy, we must vote for the bill. A large proportion of the money could be provided by the Commonwealth Bank; but unfortunately the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) gave to the House no information as to the extent to which that institution will participate in the loan. As some of the money which will be borrowed under this legislation may be required before Parliament re-assembles, honorable members are obliged to accord to the bill their grudging support. The Acting Prime Minister disclosed that during the current financial year expenditure by the Commonwealth has not been so great as he had estimated. The expenditure which he anticipated when he budgeted for the colossal sum of £270,000,000, has not been realized. Despite the unexpended balance, some of the £50,000,000 may be required to meet commitments in the near future, so the Opposition cannot vote against the bill.

Members of the Opposition would be much happier if they knew that the Commonwealth Bank would be a serious competitor with the private banks in the purchase of treasury-bills. If the security of the Commonwealth Treasury be good enough to back treasury-bills, it is just as good to back a straight-out bill. Why that policy is not adopted, I cannot understand. In my opinion 90 per cent, of this money, upon which interest will have to be paid, will be taken up by the private banks. A large proportion of the treasury-bills should be taken up by the Commonwealth Bank whose backing is just as powerful as that of the Commonwealth Treasury. That would allow Consolidated Revenue to benefit from the receipt of some of the interest which will be paid upon the loan of £50,000,000. In my opinion, the Government should adopt a more elastic method for financing its proposals, in order to obviate the necessity for paying interest to the private banks.

Mr WILSON:
Wimmera

.- Some protest should be uttered against the methods which the Government has employed to finance its extraordinary expenditure on prosecuting the war. Long ago, a halt should have been called to the borrowing of privately created credit. A large and growing body of public opinion in every civilized country is revolting against this system of debt finance, and I protest against its continuance in this democracy. As the Government is neglecting to use the resources of that great national institution, the Commonwealth Bank, posterity is being loaded with an unnecessary burden of debt which, if continued on the present colossal scale, must ultimately result either in repudiation or in imposition of a crushing burden of taxation. I do not subscribe to every madcap policy which is enunciated by monetary reformers, but I believe that we must frankly recognize that adherence to the present system of finance will lead to disaster. Like other honorable members, I recognize that the Government must have this money in order to carry on the administration of the country, to pay for social services, and to prosecute the war, and, because victory must be achieved, I shall place no obstacle in its way. But I could not let this opportunity pass without protesting against the method of raising the money, and I look to the Acting Prime Minister to take a progressive step that will inspire confidence and arrest the drift of debt finance.

Mr BLACKBURN:
Bourke

.- Last year, without a division, the House approved the Government’s financial policy, which included the proposal to borrow money, but the Opposition cooperated with the Government subject to a certain agreement. One of its conditions was that the Advisory War Council should inquire into the possibility of utilizing the national credit for financing the war. The honorable member for Melbourne Ports (Mr. Holloway) is entitled to know whether that inquiry has commenced and, if so, the stage which it has reached. For my part, I should like to elicit from the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) whether interest upon the loan of £50,000,000 will be subject to State and Commonwealth income tax.

Mr BAKER:
Maranoa

.- To leave such an important bill until Parliament is about to rise for some weeks, is a disgraceful method of conducting the business of the House. Australia must break away from the old, so-called “ orthodox “ method of finance by borrowing money from the private banks, and break the domination of these institutions. In all activities of government, even in the prosecution of the war, the Commonwealth is side-tracked, hamstrung and hog-tied. The Government cannot move, except with the acquiescence of private bankers. Who are they? Irresponsible individuals who have set themselves up as the money kings of the community. The private individual becomes their servant. When he requires financial accommodation, he must go to them cap in hand. Whilst that is bad enough, it becomes worse when the Government is similarly placed. They even fix the rate of interest for the money they decide to lend to the country. Australia had a Commonwealth Bank in name and in fact when the institution was founded by Mr. King O’Malley; as such, it no longer exists. At all costs we must return to the old basis. The credit of the community belongs to the people. By their industry, diligence and work, they create it. Credit must be “ monetarized “ through the Commonwealth Bank. Before we can achieve that objective, we must render harmless the private banks. Their teeth must be drawn and their claws must be clipped. They possess far too much power. Long ago, Kings of England had absolute power. With the evolution of constitutional government, the monarch lost that supreme authority, which became vested in, not the people, but the small corporations describing themselves as the private banks. I strongly protest against the Government’s proposal to borrow from them. Such a policy is not adopted in the totalitarian countries.

Mr Fadden:

– The honorable member would not like Australia to be governed under the totalitarian system.

Mr BAKER:

– If a dictator requires money, he simply takes it. The Government has power, under the National Security Act, to utilize all the manpower and monetary resources of Australia. On one occasion the Prime Minister (Mr. Menzies) declared that the Government possessed power to take all the money that it needed. Is it not needed urgently to-day? It should be taken without let or hindrance.

Mr POLLARD:
Ballarat

.- I protest against the reprehensible conduct of the Government in introducing at this late hour of the sitting such an important measure. A hackneyed expression “finance is government and government is finance “, is used frequently by the school of political thought which is represented by the Acting Prime Minister. It is almost the exclusive monopoly of honorable members opposite to insist that the aphorism is true not only in fact but also in practice. Therefore, I must protest when the Government, believing in the so-called truism, introduces at this juncture a bill to provide for the raising of £50,000,000.

Honorable members were under the impression that with impunity they could pack their bags and leave for their homes. I add my protest to those so admirably voiced by the honorable members for Corio (Mr. Dedman) and Bourke (Mr. Blackburn) and other honorable members who have criticized the Government in this regard. The Treasurer’s action in bringing down this bill at this late hour savours of sharp practice. I trust that this will be the last occasion on which the Government will bring clown a measure such as this without giving to honorable members a proper opportunity to debate it. In the circumstances, and taking into consideration the general belief of the Government that “ finance is government and government is finance “, it is wrong to put this sort of thing over honorable members. The Treasurer knows very well that honorable members generally did not anticipate the introduction of a measure such as this at this stage of the proceedings. The honorable gentleman is apparently a master of tactics. He knows that if this measure had been brought down in the early days of this period of the session every honorable member on this side of the House would have vigorously opposed it. I view with disgust the tactics adopted by the Treasurer in foisting a measure such as this on the House without consideration of the rights of honorable members.

Mr BARNARD:
BASS, TASMANIA · ALP

.- It is not my usual practice to protest against the introduction of a bill of this kind. We have come to a time when we ought to take stock of the situation that confronts us. After all, the Empire is at war, and we are in the war up to the hilt. We are pledged to do all we can to assist in the common cause of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Having Accepted our responsibilities in that regard the question arises as to what is the best way to finance our war effort. During the last fifteen months we have been doing things in Australia that would never have been contemplated in earlier times, and with much that has been done I entirely agree. It is pleasing to know that we have been able so to marshal our resources and to plan our internal economy as to enable us to make a very considerable contribution towards the Empire’s war effort.From what I have heard in secret meetings of senators and members, and from what I have seen in the workshops of Australia, I am satisfied that we are playing a very important part in the war. Whilst I agree with the honorable member for Ballarat (Mr. Pollard) that we have not reached the peak of our output of war materials, we are making a very splendid contribution to the cause of the Empire. The necessary finance must be made available to enable us to continue to marshal our resources and speed up the production of war materials.

Mr Prowse:

– Will the honorable member state Labour’s financial policy?

Mr BARNARD:

– It should be well known to the honorable member. It is widely published and is subscribed to by every member of the party. In that respect we are in a different position from that of honorable members opposite. We have always believed that the Government parties had two separate and distinct policies, but after listening to the honorable member for Barker (Mr. Archie Cameron)last night we are now of the opinion that he has a policy of his own. Honorable members on this side of the chamber are totally opposed to the continuation of the policy of borrowing money to finance governmental undertakings. At this time when every nerve should be strained to further our war effort, recourse should be had to the credit resources of the country to a greater extent than was ever thought possible in the past. Although there is a greater appreciation on the part of the Government of the need for the utilization of the credit structure of the country to finance government undertakings, the Government does not. go either far enough or fast enough. After all we should be prepared to tackle the problem that now confronts us and not leave it for future generations. The present generation should be prepared to shoulder a greater burden of the cost of the war than it is doing to-day. We should not be content to allow coming generations to bear such a huge burden of debt as was handed down to us. We should make every effort to leave the world better than when we came intoit.

I agree that, to finance our war effort it is inevitable that we should have to borrow some money, but I am not prepared to admit that we should resort to that method until we have exhausted the credit resources of the country available to us through the people’s bank.

Mr CONELAN:
‘Griffith

.- I enter my protest against the Government’s action in bringing down a bill of this kind at this late hour. Six months ago, when the budget was under consideration in this chamber, the Government agreed to set up a committee to inquire into the utilization of the credit resources of the country to finance the war effort. That promise has not been fulfilled. We realize that some difficulty has been caused by the unfortunate illness and’ untimely death of the governor of the Commonwealth Bank, but that does not absolve the Government of its obligation to honour its promise to the Opposition that such an inquiry would be held. Now, without inquiry into the possibility of an expansion of national credit, the Government asks us, in the dying hours of this period of the session, to authorize it to raise a loan of £50,000,000. Instead of adding to the already overburdened interest, bill of the Commonwealth by raising this proposed loan, that money could easily have been provided by the Commonwealth Bank. If we continue to borrow huge sums of money while the war is in progress, what will our position be if the war lasts for a number of years ? We all trust that the war may be brought to a successful and speedy termination, but can any of us say that we shall not be fighting three or five years hence? If our war effort is to be almost wholly financed by borrowed money, what will be the position of the people of Australia when, finally, victory has been achieved? 1 make a final appeal to the Government to fulfil the promise that it made to the Leader of the Opposition six months ago that it would inquire into the possibility of creating more credit for the nation lb rough the people’s bank.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.

In committee:

Clauses 1 and 2 agreed to.

Clause 3 (Authority to borrow £50,000,000).’

Mr BLACKBURN:
Bourke

.- I ask the Minister, in the temporary absence of the Treasurer, what has been done in the way of investigating, through the Advisory War Council, the possibilities of using national credit, what rate of interest will be applied to the loans, and whether the interest will be exempt from State income tax and Commonwealth income tax ?

Mr HARRISON:
Minister for Trade and Customs · Wentworth · UAP

– The honorable member will appreciate that it is impossible to determine the interest rate now; that will be done at the date of raising of the loan. Up to the present time the policy of this Government has been to ensure that interest rates shall be maintained at a low level, and in this it has been remarkably successful. This is evident from a comparison with the interest’, rates which operated during the last war. The loans will be subject to Commonwealth tax; the imposition of State taxes is a matter for determination by the State Governments.

Mr FADDEN:
Darling DownsTreasurer · CP

– During the secondreading debate the honorable member for Melbourne (Mr. Calwell) and the honorable member for Corio (Mr. Dedman) sought, information about what the Government had done in order to fulfil its obligations under the compromise that it made with the Opposition on the budget last year. One of the terms of compromise wa3 that the Advisory War Council should investigate the extent to which national credit ‘ should be used. Members of the council had interviews with members of the Commonwealth Bank Board in order to make a thorough examination of the subject. But while we were in the throes of these investigations, the Governor of the Bank became seriously ill, and later died. Consequently, we have not been able to complete our inquiries; but I assure honorable members that the matter has not been overlooked. The purpose of this bill is to implement the Government’s policy, which has been accepted by this committee, and which comprises taxing, borrowing, and making sensible use of bank credit in order to finance the war effort. The extent to which bank credit may be properly used could be debated until Doomsday without agreement being reached. Nevertheless, the Government is using bank credit, and the degree to which it is doing so is already a cause of great worry to me; it is probable that we shall have to resort further to this means of finance. We propose to employ credit to the farthest limit of safety, beyond which lies the danger of inflation - and this is a very great danger at the present time. I want honorable members to appreciate the fact that, since the budget was brought down last year, when we visualized an expenditure of £186,000,000 for war purposes within the ensuing twelve months, it has been necessary to supplement our proposals. Plans have had to be revised almost from meeting to meeting of the Advisory War Council on account of continually altering international conditions, and the increasing gravity of our situation in Australia demanding additional measures of national security. The war position to-day is entirely different from what it was when the budget was brought down. I cite as an instance - and this is not a small matter financially - the decision of the Government to form an armoured division at a cost of £30,000,000. Provision for that expenditure was not included in the budget, but the money must be found. Also, on account of the scarcity of shipping space and the necessity for safeguarding our infernal economy, as well as our external economy, the Government has had to take charge of the system of cold storage of our exportable surplus of primary, products. The storage and transport of these commodities is a costly proposition, and the Government has also to provide for the financial security of the primary producers and their dependants, in order that our internal economy shall not collapseWartime requirements increase from day to day, and, therefore, the limit to which we shall have to use national credit can not be foreseen by anybody in this chamber. We must be prepared to meet whatever emergency is forced upon us, and the financing of emergency measures can only be achieved by the three methods which I have mentioned - taxing, borrowing, and using bank credit. When we have reached the limits of taxing and borrowing, we shall have to extend bank credit. I say, therefore, that this problem has not been overlooked. Whilst the Government is endeavouring to prevent as far as possible the unnecessary use of bank credit, nobody can say how much we shall have to depend upon that resource. I said earlier that the amount of money provided in the budget had not been fully expended. That does not mean that we have available for expenditure the balance between the amount already used and the amount which was set aside for war purposes. The budget was framed on the basis of estimated expenditure, not. estimated liability, and although all of the money provided has not been actually disbursed, the liability for the expenditure of the full amount has been incurred. Therefore, honorable members should not be deceived. The difference between the amount already expended and the £186,000,000 appropriated for war purposes, can not be regarded as surplus. We should not lose sight of the fact that Australia has been dependent upon the United Kingdom Government for a proportion of its war-time finance, particularly in relation to our forces in the Middle East. Adjustments in connexion with our financial responsibility for those forces are in arrears. All of these factors must be taken into consideration. The £50,000,000 provided for in the bill is the proportion of the Government’s financial policy represented by borrowing. It is to be obtained from the public by loans floated under conditions and at rates of interest no different from those which applied to earlier loans. The money will be obtained as and when the Government considers that it will be needed. All of it will not be raised, before the 30th June, 1941. I emphasize that ever-changing international conditions force the Government to readjust the economy of this country.

Mr DEDMAN:
Corio

.- I have listened with very great interest to the remarks of the Treasurer (Mr. Fadden). The compromise which was made between the Government and the Opposition last year over the provisions of the budget stipulated that a certain amount of the money required for war finance should be raised by taxes, and that when that source had been exhausted, the Government should investigate, through the Advisory War Council, the question of how much additional finance could be raised by means of bank credit. Not until this method of obtaining funds had been fully tried was the Government to resort to the raising of public loans. The Treasurer has deliberately departed from the terms of that compromise. That was made obvious in the speech which he has just delivered. He stated that the Government’s policy was to raise a certain amount of money by taxation, a certain amount by loan, and the balance, whatever it might be, through the use of national credit. That was not the basis of the compromise, and the policy is bad. On the one hand, it may cause dangerous inflation; on the other hand, it may cause equally dangerous deflation. It is a preposterous policy for any government to adopt, and it is entirely different from the policy which the Government promised to adopt last year. I object to a measure of such great importance being introduced at this late hour. Never again shall I agree to compromise with this Government, which does not keep its word.

Mr BLACKBURN:
Bourke

.- I ask the Treasurer whether the interest from these loans will be subject to Commonwealth income tax and State income tax.I am not yet clear on this question.

Mr.Fadden. - The existing situation will not be altered at present.

Mr BLACKBURN:

– The Commonwealth Government has the option to say whether loans shall be subject to State taxation or not, and the prospectus does not make such provision.

Mr BRENNAN:
Batman

.- I agree with the statement that has been made that apparently the Treasurer (Mr. Fadden) has paid very little attention to the undertaking given to the Opposition that, in providing money for public expenditure, consideration would be given to an expansion of the national credit. There was to have been some consultation with the Advisory War Council to determine the degree to which national credit could be drawn upon safely, but no such consultation has, apparently, occurred. I do not complain very strongly on that account, for I have consistently insisted that the responsibility for financing the nation’s activities rests with the Government. I have preferred all along that the Opposition should not become infected - to use a strong word - with responsibility, inasmuch as it has no power. My purpose in rising at this moment is, frankly, to anticipate criticism by the electors that honorable members permitted this bill to pass unchallenged and without criticism as though it were a part of a new financial policy. Of course, it is nothing of the kind, and I wish to make that fact quite clear. The provisions of the bill are quite consistent with the budgetary policy agreed to by a majority of honorable members. I can onlysay that certain honorable gentlemen on this side of the committee are now faced with the consequence of the confidence that they placed in the Government. The provisions of this bill are not at variance with the budgetary outlook of the Government, for, in actual fact, the maximum amount which it is now proposed to raise, £50,000,000, is precisely the amount which the Government stated in the budget would be available for war purposes after providing for public works and certain other expenditure. I protest against this extravagant loan policy, and this is not my first protest. The Government has not explored the possibilities of expanding national credit, and it has made no pretence that it has done so.

Mr Paterson:

– Does the honorable member appreciate that perhaps a substantial part of this money may be obtained through the expansion of credit?

Mr Dedman:

– Through the private banks !

Mr Abbott:

– What if it should be obtained through the Commonwealth Bank?

Mr BRENNAN:

– If the Government proposes to pursue such a policy, it has undoubtedly carefully cloaked its intentions, and, in any case, all we could say would be, “ Thank you for nothing “. Clause 3 of the bill reads -

The Treasurer may, from time to time, borrow under the provisions of the Commonwealth Inscribed Stock Act 1911-1940, or under the provisions of any act authorizing the issue of treasury-bills, moneys not exceeding in the whole the amount of Fifty million pounds.

This provision, as the Treasurer has said, is entirely in accordance with the Government’s budgetary plan. I agree with the honorable member for Corio (Mr. Dedman) that the Ministry has shown an almost cynical disregard of the pledge it gave that it would consult the Advisory War Council on the subject of national credit. I am less incensed at this than some of my colleagues. I prefer that the Opposition shall not rush in to take responsibility for a policy for which, in law, it can have no responsibility. That does not alter the fact that a pledge that was given ha? been disregarded. I protest against such excessive borrowing and also against, the failure of the Government to explore the possibilities of national credit.

Mr BARNARD:
Bass

– I regret that the Treasurer has left the chamber, for I wished to ask him what the Government proposes to do in regard to filling the position of Governor of the Commonwealth Bank left vacant through the death of Sir Harry Sheehan. We have been informed that one of the reasons why certain consultations did not take place was that Sir Harry Sheehan, for some little time prior to his death, was not able to attend to his important duties. That must be regarded as a substantial reason. However, we are entitled to know now what the Government intends to do to fill the vacant office. Steps should be taken without delay to make an appointment to the governorship of the bank, so that such questions as drawing upon the national credit may be considered. I should not, perhaps, have referred to this matter as I have done, had not the Treasurer mentioned it. He linked bank credit with taxation and loans, and we are surely entitled to know where the Government stands in relation to each of these important sources of finance. The national credit should be drawn upon for the advantage of the people at large. I hope that a statement will be made without delay in regard to the vacant governorship of the Commonwealth Bank.

Mr DEDMAN:
Corio

.- I protest against the payment of high rates of interest by the Government in respect of the money which it is now proposed to obtain.

The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Prowse).The honorable member will not be in order at this stage in discussing interest rates.

Mr DEDMAN:

– If I cannot refer to the subject on this clause I should like to know what opportunity will be afforded me to discuss it. This seems to me to be the appropriate time for a discussion on the subject.

Mr Blackburn:

– Interest rates are dealt with in the Commonwealth Inscribed Stock Act 1911-1940, which is mentioned in the clause.

The CHAIRMAN:

– Interest rates are not mentioned in the clause now before the committee.

Mr DEDMAN:

– Surely as the Commonwealth Inscribed Stock Act deals with interest rates, and that act is mentioned in the clause, I may be permitted to discuss the subject.

The CHAIRMAN:

– The opportunity to discuss interest rates in a broad way occurred during the debate on the motion for the second reading of the bill, but it has now passed.

Mr Harrison:

– In any case, the rate of interest will not be determined until the time of the flotation of the loans.

Mr DEDMAN:

– But the Government will undoubtedly fix an exorbitant rate of interest, for it has done so consistently. I enter my emphatic protest against such a procedure, and will let the matter rest there for the time being.

Mr CALWELL:
Melbourne

.- The agreement under which this Government was permitted to continue its occupancy of the Treasury bench provided that there should be consultations between the Advisory War Council and the Commonwealth Bank Board. I understand that a conference was held at which the members of the Advisory War Council, the chairman of the Commonwealth Bank Board and the late governor of the bank were present; but no attempt has been made, apparently, to arrange a conference with the full board of the bank. In that way the agreement has been disregarded.

Mr Harrison:

– Have the Labour party’s representatives on the Advisory War Council objected?

Mr CALWELL:

– They are quite capable of answering that question for themselves. Why was not the full Commonwealth Bank Board brought into consultation? Is the influence of its members negligible, and, if so, will the Government consider the introduction of legislation for the abolition of the board ? I urge that, when this matter is again raised before the Advisory War Council, the full board should be summoned to give an account of its stewardship.

Clause agreed to.

Clauses 4 and 5 agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Bill reported without amendment; report adopted.

Bill read a third time.

page 697

BERRY FRUIT-GROWERS’ RELIEF BILL 1941

Message recommending appropriation reported.

In committee: (Consideration of Governor-General’s message.)

Motion (by Mr. Anthony) agreed to-

That it is expedient that an appropriation of revenue be made for the purposes of a bill for an act to authorize the making of loans to the State of Tasmania for the purpose of relief to berry fruit-growers, and for other purposes.

Resolution reported.

Standing Orders suspended; resolution adopted.

Ordered -

That Mr. Anthony and Mr. Holt do prepare and bring in a bill to carry out the foregoing resolution.

Bill brought up by Mr. Anthony, and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr ANTHONY:
Assistant Minister · Richmond · CP

– I move -

That the bill be now read a second time.

This bill is introduced for the purpose of enabling the Commonwealth Government to make loans not exceeding £20,000 to the State of Tasmania for the purpose of alleviation by that State of hardships suffered by berry fruit-growers in consequence of damage to their crops by frost and hail. During October andNovember of last year, berry fruit crops in Tasmania suffered severe damage through frost and hail, with heavy losses to the growers. Requests were made to the Commonwealth Government by all Tasmanian members and senators for a Commonwealth grant to alleviate the position of the affected growers. Similar representations were also made by the Tasmanian Government. The Commonwealth Government considers that misfortunes of this character of a State or local nature are the particular responsibility of the State government concerned, and is unwilling to make a direct grant for the purposes mentioned.

The bill now before the House has been framed along the lines of the Loan (Drought Relief) Act passed during the last session of this Parliament for the purpose of the alleviation of hardship suffered by primary producers in consequence of drought. The loan to be raised for that purpose was to be apportioned to all States except Tasmania, which was not at the time an applicant.

The rate of interest payable by the State of Tasmania to the Commonwealth is specifically stated at 3¼ per cent. Honorable members will observe, however, that this bill provides for the arrangement included in the previous legislation mentioned, under which the Commonwealth will meet a portion of the interest which would be normally payable by the State on the principal of the moneys loaned to it. The Treasurer is empowered to make a concession of the full amount of the interest for the first year of the loan, and a concession of half of the amount in subsequent years.

The conditions for the repayment of the loan are the same as those in the Loan (Drought Relief) Act, namely, by four equal annual payments, the first to be made not later than four years after the making of the loan, and the last not later than seven years after the making of the loan. I commend the bill to the favorable consideration of honorable members.

Mr FROST:
Franklin

.- I support the bill, but I am disappointed with it. The berry fruit-growers have received very little assistance from the Commonwealth Government. This year a cyclone of unprecedented severity, which was almost a blizzard, destroyed practically the whole of the black-currant crop in Tasmania. Residents of the districts in that State in which black currants are largely grown said that they had never previously experienced such a visitation. I personally inspected some of the plantations, and in those where, in the previous season, 20 tons of black currants had been picked, this year the growers even had to purchase the currants required by them for the manufacture of jam for themselves. The Tasmanian members made application to the Commonwealth Government for a grant to these growers and this bill is the result, but I notice that the Assistant Minister (Mr. Anthony) has said that the money must be repaid. Certainly the rate of interest is low. The Tasmanian Government has gone into this matter, and I am sure that it will assist the growers. I point out to the Assistant Minister, however, that the Commonwealth Government is this year distributing £1,000,000 among the wheat-growers of Australia as a gift, and over £2,000,000 is to be paid to them under certain conditions. Since Tasmania will not participate in the £2,000,000 grant for the relief of the wheat-growers, the least the Government could have done was to make a free gift to the berry fruit-growers of that State. The Assistant Minister said that the money could not be made available as a grant, but I am sure that, if the request had come from any other State than Tasmania, the Government would have acceded to it. The gift of this money to the berry fruit-growers would have been greatly appreciated by them, because they have large families and they employ much labour during the fruit-picking season.

Mr GUY:
Wilmot

.- I support the bill, and also endorse the remarks of the honorable member for Franklin (Mr. Frost) that this money should be granted to the growers as has been done in similar circumstances in other parts of the Commonwealth. I regret that no provision has been made for the orchardists generally. Orchardists in Tasmania have suffered grave hardships owing to drought, frost and other adverse climatic conditions. The Premier of Tasmania, and honorable members “who represent that State in this chamber, recently waited on the Assistant Minister (Mr. Anthony) and asked for relief for the Tasmanian fruit-growers who had suffered severely owing to unfavorable climatic conditions. Many orchardists, especially those in the northern districts of Tasmania, have sustained a loss of 100 per cent, of their orchards, yet not one penny is to be given to them. If the wheat-growers of Australia had lost 100 per cent, of their wheat, would the present Government take no action, or would it rush to their assistance as it has done in the past? Because the sufferers happen to be Tasmanian orchardists, no grant is to be made to them. The primary producers of Tasmania are apparently receiving less favorable consideration than those in other States. Recently a measure was introduced into this Parliament under which provision was made for a loan of £2,750,000 for the amelioration of the conditions of primary nroducers who had suffered hardship because of drought. Will the Assistant Minister say that orchardists are not primary producers? Why are they debarred from receiving assistance under this scheme? The sum of £2,750,000 was allocated to the States on the following basis: - New South Wales, £750,000; Victoria, £600,000; Queensland, £250,000; South Australia, £600,000; and Western Australia, £550,000. Now, Tasmanian berrygrowers are to receive a miserable £20,000. Surely that is differentiation between the primary producers of Tasmania and those on the mainland. The Assistant Minister will probably say that Tasmania did not ask to participate in that loan. As I have stated in this House previously, there was a misunderstanding in the matter : the Premier of Tasmania has stated publicly that he understood that the loan was to be confined to wheatgrowers who had suffered hardship because of drought, and consequently his Government did not apply for a share of the money. Subsequently, however, an application was submitted on behalf of Tasmania, and the result is that a paltry sum of £20,000, which is to be limited to certain fruit-growers, is to be made available to that State. No provision whatever is made for other orchardists who have suffered considerable losses.

If wheat-growers were concerned, money would be made available f or their assistance. I am at a loss to know why Tasmania should be treated so unfairly.

Some time ago, in company with other Tasmanian members, I attended a deputation which waited on the Minister for Commerce. At that deputation, the Premier of Tasmania asked for assistance to the orchardists of his State. He did not confine his request to the growers of berry fruits. However, the request was ignored, and Tasmanian orchardists have been left lamenting. Unfortunately I find myself in a cleft stick. I should certainly move that progress be reported in order to test the House on this subject were it not that if I did so even the £20,000 proposed in this bill might not be made available to Tasmania. In the circumstances, all that I can do is to register my emphatic protest against the unfair treatment of the orchardists of Tasmania.

Mr BARNARD:
Bass

.-^ Although I am not a supporter of the Government, I do not propose to use such violent language as has been used by the honorable member for “Wilmot (Mr. Guy). I agree that Tasmania has not been treated fairly under these proposals which provide for a loan of £20,000 to that State. Undoubtedly, discrimination is shown against Tasmania. I do not know why grants are made to certain States whereas to others money is advanced on loan. As the short title of this measure is the “Berry Fruitgrowers Belief Act”, I wish to know whether the representations made on behalf of fruit-growers in Tasmania generally at a recent deputation have been ignored, and only the berry fruitgrowers singled out for relief.

Mr Frost:

– The bill follows a previous request made on behalf of berry fruit-growers.

Mr BARNARD:

– This money is being made available as the result of a deputation of Tasmanian members to the Minister for Commerce a few weeks ago. I was present at the meeting, and remember that the case put forward was on behalf of fruit-growers who had suffered damage as the result of frosts and hail. Soon after the deputation was over, the Minister for Commerce informed me that £20,000 would be made available to Tasmania. In saying that, I do not think I am committing any breach .of confidence. His statement had relation to the deputation which had waited on him earlier in the day. I should like the Assistant Minister when replying to say whether this measure covers those growers who lost apples and pears as well as the berry fruit-growers referred to by the honorable member for Franklin. If not, an amendment should be moved to cover them.

Mr Jolly:

– There is no mention in this bill of apples and pears.

Mr Anthony:

– As the appropriation cannot be increased, any money given to other orchardists would have to come out of the amount proposed to be distributed among berry fruit-growers.

Mr BARNARD:

– I take it that this money is for the growers of berry fruit only.

Mr Anthony:

– That is stated in the bill.

Mr BARNARD:

– This bill is the outcome of a deputation to the Minister for Commerce, and therefore I cannot understand what prompted him to depart from the promise made to the deputation. There appears to be a breach of faith. The Minister seemed to be impressed by the representations of the deputation, but he has ignored the losses sustained by the growers of apples and pears, and by making money available to the growers of berry-fruits he is discriminating between one fruit-grower and another. Before leaving Tasmania for Canberra I visited a number of orchards where I saw the results of frost and hail. Some orchardists lost the whole of their crop; they did not harvest one apple. As their cultivation expenses were heavy some of them will become bankrupt unless they obtain relief. The bill before us is a remarkable document, in view of the representations made by the deputation to the Minister for Commerce, and his reply to me. However, as £20,000 will assist in granting relief to a section of Tasmanian fruit-growers, the bill is to that degree acceptable.

Mr BECK:
Denison

.- In common with other Tasmanian members, I protest against the provisions of this bill. I shall not delay the House but I want to make it clear that I support the remarks of the honorable members for Franklin (Mr. Frost) and Wilmot (Mr. Guy). Until the representatives of Tasmania take matters into their own hands, and force the Government to realize that there is such a place as Tasmania, and that it is an integral part of the Commonwealth, nothing will be done. We must insist on Tasmania being treated properly. I shall support the bill, but in doing so I wish to make it clear that I am sick and tired of this sort of thing. I regard this measure as a breach of faith on the part of the Government.

Mr ABBOTT:
New England

– This seems to be an extraordinary measure for the Assistant Minister to introduce. On the 18th January last a serious disaster befell some of the 80 soldier settlers in the Kentucky fruitgrowing area of New England. They suffered from a severe drought and also were the victims of the apple and pear acquisition scheme. On numerous occasions when I have asked the Minister for Commerce (Sir Earle Page) to introduce a scheme of insurance against damage by hail, I have been told that it is impossible to do so because Tasmania will not participate. Now we are advised by the Solicitor-General that there is power under the Constitution to introduce legislation to provide for such a scheme to include certain States and exclude others. No relief is to be given to those apple-growers in 1 the New England district and elsewhere in New South Wales as well as in Victoria although they lost their crops through damage by hail; yet, suddenly, legislation designed to give preferential treatment to one State and to a part of a particular industry in that State is placed before us. I protest against the bill.

Mr PATERSON:
Gippsland

.- With some trepidation I venture to touch upon a point which, apparently, has escaped the notice of other honorable members who have spoken to this bill. It seems to me that ultimately it will not matter whether Tasmania is required to pay interest, and finally the principal also, in respect of moneys advanced by loan, or the money be provided as a free grant. The bill provides that this money shall be made available to Tasmania free of interest for the first year, and that in subsequent years the Commonwealth and Tasmania will share the interest cost, Tasmania, is finally, to repay the principal in four equal instalments. I remind honorable members that the annual assistance given by the Commonwealth, on the recommendation of the Commonwealth Grants Commission, to Tasmania, Western Australia, and South Australia is based on the needs of those States from year to year. In assessing those grants that commission apparently determines what assistance the less populous States require in order to be able to carry on. Consequently, any sum which Tasmania pays by way of interest on this loan will be taken into calculations by the commission when adjusting that State’s account with the Commonwealth at the end of the year, and will increase the grant to Tasmania accordingly. Tasmania’s final repayment of the principal will affect its budget balance and must also be taken into consideration in that way in respect of the grant for the particular year ‘in which it is made. Thus, payments of this kind are made in what is generally termed a vicious circle. In those years in which Tasmania pays interest in respect of this assistance, it will automatically be recouped to that amount by the Commonwealth Grants Commission, whereas if it receives this money in the first place as a grant, it will have to accept so much less from the Commonwealth Grants Commission. Therefore, much that has been said in this debate appears to me to be no more than a storm in a tea-cup.

Mr ANTHONY:
Assistant Minister · Richmond · CP

– in reply - I thought that this little bill would be received by honorable members from Tasmania in somewhat the same spirit as the Opposition accepted the child endowment measure, and that, probably, I would be congratulated by each of those honorable members on the assistance which will be given under it to a particular section of fruit-growers in,’ that State. But, the longer one is in politics the more one learns. In my second-reading speech I said that the Commonwealth considers that the various State governments have an obligation to assist growers who suffer loss as the result of purely local misfortunes such as flood, fire, hail-storms and frost. The practice in the past has been for the States to shoulder that responsibility, but, unfortunately, there is developing to a very marked degree a tendency, so soon as problems of this kind confront a State, to endeavour to shift the burden on to the Commonwealth. If the Commonwealth accepted such responsibility in one instance, it would be bound to accept it in other similar cases. I made it quite plain that this assistance is not a grant to Tasmania; it is merely financial accommodation which, in turn, the Tasmanian Government will make available to growers in that State on terms similar to those provided under the Drought Belief Loan Act. Although the honorable member for Franklin (Mr. Frost) made a very temperate speech, I point out to him that fruit-growers in other parts of Australia do not receive preferential treatment from the Commonwealth. He said that if assistance were being asked for by banana-growers in the Richmond district it would be another story. The banana industry in that district was completely wiped out as the result of a disease which swept through the area like a bush fire, but not one of the growers asked for, or received, a penny by way of compensation from any government. They themselves paid into the revenue of the State Government sufficient money by way of a levy upon their fruit to maintain a system of inspection, and by that means succeeded in re-establishing their industry. I take some pride in that fact, because I was the leader of those growers at the time. I mention that incident merely in order to indicate the general ideas which I hold concerning the responsibility of growers, and primary producers generally, to endeavour to push their own fortunes without looking to governments for assistance, except in extreme cases. In reply to the honorable member for Wilmot (Mr. Guy) I feel it incumbent upon me to indicate the financial assistance which the Commonwealth gives to Tasmania, because in the absence of such information his remarks might leave a wrong impression. By way of special grant, upon the recommendation of the Commonwealth Grants Commission, Tasmania receives £400,000 annually. In addition it is exempted from flour tax, an advantage which is equivalent to a remission of £52,000 a year.

Mr Beck:

– But Tasmania pays twice as much for wheat as any other State.

Mr ANTHONY:

– The Tasmanian shipping service is subsidized to the amount of £25,000 a year, and the State also receives, by way of Federal Aid Roads payments, the sum of £68,000 a year in excess of the proportion which any other State receives under that heading. The total value of these special payments to Tasmania is £545,000 a year.

Mr Frost:

– Will the Assistant Minister state what proportion of Commonwealth defence expenditure has been allocated to Tasmania ?

Mr ANTHONY:

– At the moment I am replying to the honorable member for Wilmot. In reply to that honorable member, and also to the honorable member for Bass (Mr. Barnard), regarding the exclusion from this assistance of applegrowers who have suffered loss from hailstorms and frost, I point out, as the honorable member for New England (Mr. Abbott) remarked, that I have been endeavouring to bring in an Australiawide hail insurance schemetocover apple and pear growers. The scheme would be in operation to-dayhad the Minister for Agriculture in Tasmania consented that Tasmania should come into it. However, he refused to agree that Tasmania should be included in any scheme designed to compensate growers in that way.

Mr Frost:

– Because Tasmania would be obliged to pay two-thirds of the cost of the scheme.

Mr ANTHONY:

– The reason given to me was that Tasmania was so little affected by hail that it could afford to take the risk of disregarding such a scheme. However, when loss is incurred, Tasmania immediately approaches the Commonwealth for assistance. In this case it refused to agree to a scheme under which growers would have contributed, say,1d. a case towards the cost. I point out in fairness that months before the deputation referred to by the honorable member for Bass brought up this matter, the honorable member for Franklin (Mr. Frost) bad consistently pressed for assistance to the berry growers. This measure represents the fruit of his efforts in that respect.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a second time.

In committee:

Clause1 -

This act maybe citedastheBerryFruit- G rowers’Relief Act 1941.

Mr BARNARD:
BASS, TASMANIA · ALP

.- I move -

That the word “ Berry” be omitted.

This bill represents a breach of faith on the part of the Government towards the deputation which I introduced to the Minister for Commerce (Sir Earle Page). The argument presented by the deputation was such that the Minister finally agreed to do something for the fruit-growers. The claims of the berrygrowers, who are covered by this measure, were raised later. I move my amendment in order to secure a fair deal for the fruit-growers generally.

The CHAIRMAN (Mr. Prowse).The amendment would vary the terms of the Governor-General’s message and, therefore, is out of order.

Clause agreed to.

Clauses 2 to 6 agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Sitting suspended from 6 to 8 p.m.

Bill reported without amendment; report adopted.

Third Reading

Motion (by Mr. Anthony) proposed -

That the bill be now read a third time.

Mr BARNARD:
Bass

.- I objected to this bill because it excluded from its benefits the general fruitgrowers of Tasmania. Apparently, however, the Premier of Tasmania has accepted the position as it is. During the dinner recess, I learned that the Government of Tasmania is making available a sum of £10,000 to supplement the amount provided under this measure, the money to be used for the assistance of the fruit-growers in Tasmania. Therefore, I am now prepared to accept the bill.

Mr FROST:
Franklin

– I cannot understand the attitude of the honorable member for Bass. This bill provides £20,000 for the assistance of berry-growers who lost their crops.

Since last November I have been asking the Assistant Minister (Mr. Anthony) to do something for them, and he is now convinced that they deserve assistance. The orchards of many of the growers are on the mountains at altitudes of between 2,000 and 3,000 feet. Owing to climatic conditions they lost practically the whole of their crop this season, and are facing ruin; yet the honorable member for Bass is doing his best to prevent them from getting this money. He wants it to be distributed amongst the apple-growers. There are apple-growers in my electorate who suffered loss from frosts, and I understand that it is proposed to assist them through the apple and pear acquisition scheme. If the berry-growers do not get. the help provided in this bill, they will be destitute.

Mr ANTHONY:
Assistant Minister for Commerce · Richmond · CP

– in reply - The primary object of this measure is to relieve distress among the berry-growers, us was stated by the honorable member for Franklin (Mr. Frost), but if there is any money left after thatis done there will be no objection to the Government of Tasmania using it to relieve distress among other fruit-growers.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill read a third time.

page 702

QUESTION

PRICE OF HANSARD

Mr SPEAKER (Hon W M Nairn:

– Yesterday, the honorable member for East Sydney (Mr. Ward) asked a question ofme regarding the rates at which copies of Hansard may be purchased from the Government Printer. The subscription rate is 4s. per annum; separate copies may be purchased for 4d. each. The honorable member complained that a correspondent had remitted 2s. for six consecutive numbers, and the order had been refused. I am now advised by the Government Printer that a single copy can be obtained for 4d., but when any one wishes to become a subscriber, and to have the parts sent to him as they are issued periodically, that involves recording and checking, in addition to wrapping, addressing and posting. The annual subscription barely covers postage, and is so moderate that it is not deemed practicable to accept subscribers for less than a year.

Sitting suspended from 8.8 to 10.40 p.m.

page 703

BILLS RETURNED FROM THE SENATE

TI ie following bills were returned from the Senate without amendment or requests : -

Child Endowment Bill 1041.

Raw Cotton Bounty Bill 1941.

Trade Agreement (Southern Rhodesia) Bill 1941.

Empire Air Service (England to Australia)

Kill 1941.

Air Force Bill 11)41.

Customs Tariff (Southern Rhodesian Preference) Bill 1941.

War Pensions Appropriation Bill .1941.

Invalid and Old-age Pensions Appropriation Bill 1941.

Wine Grapes Charges Bill 1941.

Customs Tariff Validation Bill 1941.

Customs Tariff (Exchange Adjustment) Validation Bill 1941.

Customs Tariff (Special War Duty) Validation Bill 1941.

Customs Tariff (Canadian Preference) Validation Bill 1941.

Customs Tariff (New Zealand Preference) Validation Bill 1941.

Commonwealth Public Service Bill 1941.

Loan Bill 1941.

Berry Fruit-growers’ Relief Bill 1941.

page 703

ADJOURNMENT

Franchise of Aborigines - Commonwealth Railways: Inquiry into Administration - Balmain Hospital - -Power Alcohol - Free Gift or Trading Coupons - Flax-growing - Military CaMPS : Visits by ParliaMentarians - Pus Meats - department of Information : advertising Activities.

Motion (by Mr. Fadden) proposed -

That the House tlo now adjourn.

Mr BLACKBURN:
Bourke

– 1 desire to bring under the notice of 1 lie Government a matter in which i am very interested, but which i was not afforded the opportunity to raise during ibc present sittings. i refer to the position of aborigines who are entitled to vote at State elections, but are denied that privilege at Federal elections. Section 39 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act disfranchises aborigines unless they are entitled to vote under section 41 <>f the Constitution. Section 41 of the Constitution is interpreted by the Electoral Office - i believe acting upon a view expressed by Quick and Garran in I heir A nnotated Constitutional Summary - surely to protect the rights of only those persons who at, the proclamation of the Constitution or before the enactment of the first Federal Electoral Act were enfranchised in a State. Section 4.1 states -

  1. No adult person who has or acquires a right to vote at elections for the more numerous Houses of the Parliament of a State shall while the right continues he prevented by any law of the Commonwealth from voting at. elections for either House of Parliament of the Commonwealth.

I understand that the view taken at thu Commonwealth Electoral Office is that the protection of that section is confined to persons who were in existence in 1900, and at that date had the franchise, or who before the passing of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1902 acquired it. That view is not .supported by some other authorities, for instance Sir Harrison Moore, or , 01 r John Peden, who was chairman of the Royal Commission on the Constitution. I should like the Government to consider the matter, and if the Minister still holds that that view is right, I think that in those States where aborigines have the State franchise, they should ako have the Commonwealth franchise. For instance, in Victoria, aborigines who have the necessary qualifications have the franchise, but they are struck off the federal rolls because the Commonwealth Electoral Office acts on the opinion expressed by Quick and Garran. It is unfair that they should bc disfranchised, and I hope that the Government will give the matter favorable consideration, and that those fellow citizens of ours will be placed on a basis of equality with us. I am glad to say that in the Childhood Endowment Act recently passed bv this chamber the Government has accepted that principle.

Mr MAKIN:
Hindmarsh

.- Whilst I hesitate to take up the time of honorable members at this late hour, I feel bound to call attention to a matter which is .most unsatisfactory, and is becoming more so as time goes on. For some time I have been greatly concerned with certain conditions in the management of the Commonwealth Railways. There is a growing fear that there is grave incompetence on the part of those in charge of the administration of the Commonwealth Railways, and a suspicion of something even more serious. Some time ago some of the principal officers of that department felt compelled to make known to the Government their grave feelings concerning certain aspects of administration which they considered warranted an immediate inquiry. An inquiry was granted and the former Commonwealth Crown Solicitor, Mr. “Wl EL Sharwood, was entrusted with the duty. In view of the fact that the inquiry concerned the administration of a public utility in which is invested something like £15,000,000 of the Australian taxpayers’ money, I consider that we were entitled to have Mr. Sharwood’s findings in full, but we were supplied with only a brief résumé. In my opinion, the disclosures were serious enough to warrant a fuller statement of the findings. I understand that the matter is even more serious than would appear from what has been revealed to us. The other day 1 asked a question concerning this matter and received the following reply: -

As tlie result of the inquiry was on thewhole in favour of the Commissioner, it was considered equitable that some payment should lie made by the Commonwealth in respect “1 legal expenses incurred by the Commissioner in defending his official position. . . .

To me it is doubtful whether the findings were in favour of the Commissioner.

Mr Spender:

– The Solicitor-General went through the findings of the inquiry and he allocated the costs.

Mr MAKIN:

– The costs claimed by the Commissioner’s legal, adviser amounted to £2,477. This figure was reduced on .being taxed. . Surely the Commissioner’s counsel must have been a first-class man to have justified that fee. Apparently the Commissioner considered that he had something to answer when he thought it necessary to retain the services of such an eminent counsel. Quite a different attitude was adopted towards those who sought to protect the interests of the Commonwealth by making known to the Government serious anomalies in th? administration of our railway system. These men received no consideration in regard to expenses necessarily incurred in bringing before that inquiry their grievances concerning the administration by the Railway, Commissioner.

Briefly, my complaint is that £816 7s. 6d. of the taxpayers’ money was expended in order to defray the cost of legal assistance which the Commissioner engaged to defend his administration. “When the Common-wealth bears the cost of defending the reputation of one of its servants, honorable members have a right to be supplied with the transcript of the evidence, and the findings of the inquiry. I cannot see why they should not be revealed if there be nothing to hide. When I asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior to place the findings upon the table of the Library, my request was refused. The summary of Mr. Sharwood’s findings is unsatisfactory, because it does not enable me to obtain a complete knowledge of the facts.

Mr Fadden:

– The honorable member’s request should not have been refused.

Mr MAKIN:

– I have deliberately refrained, until I had an opportunity to examine the findings, from making a public statement about certain serious features of the administration. I ask the Acting Prime Minister not to compel me to criticize the department without a full knowledge of the facts.

Mr. BEASLEY (West Sydney) [10.55 1. - As the shipping activity of the Commonwealth Government includes the building of a number of naval vessels in balmain, the accommodation at the local hospital is totally inadequate to meet the heavy demands’ that are now being made upon it. So serious has the position become that last; week the Hospital Board decided that it could not continue” to administer the institution, and in order to draw the attention of the public to the sorry position, has practically decided to resign. T recognize that the State is responsible for the financing and control of hospitals, but my efforts to impress upon the Government of New South Wales the necessity for remedying the position produced the explanation that the allocation of funds for new works is determined by the Loan Council. The CoordinatorGeneral of Works, Sir Harry Brown, submits to the Loan Council a list of the most urgent works, and finance is allocated accordingly. Each State is advised to regulate its building programme by the amount of finance which is made available to it. The Minister for Health in New South Wales declared that the Loan Council, at its last meeting, granted to the State the inadequate sum of £250,000, and, in consequence, the State claims that it is unable to provide proper hospital facilities in various districts. Balmain is not an isolated instance ; a similar position has arisen at Lithgow and Port Kembla. The Commonwealth cannot expect to get the maximum effort from workers unless proper hospital facilities are provided for the injured. Accidents constantly occur in the shipyards, rendering imperative the provision near at hand of an up-to-date hospital. The growth of population in industrial areas where extensive defence works are now being undertaken further complicates the problem. Before long, the workers may be forced to decide to take action in order to direct the attention of the public to this urgent need. If that should occur, it will attract widespread sympathy and support. The Balmain Hospital provides an excellent illustration of the sorry position. As one illustration, men, women and children who attend the out-patients’ department are exposed to the weather while they wait their turn to be examined. Such conditions should not be tolerated. I ask the Treasurer (Mr. Fadden) and the Minister for Labour and National Service (Mr. Holt) to inquire into the position. When discussing the problem with the Actuary of the Commonwealth Bank in Sydney, Mr. Latham, I explained that the Hospital Board is prepared to pay a reasonable rate of interest for an advance of £40,000, which is required to defray the cost of fully equipping and providing additional accommodation at the hospital. Unfortunately, our conversations invariably concluded with a declaration that the bank was unable to assist. The State Government, according to its methods under the Hospital Commission will guarantee one-half of the loan and the board claims that, beyond doubt, it has the necessary security. It has been able to prove with statistics that with its annual subscriptions and revenue from various sources, it will be able to meet its commitments and pay the usual rates of interest; but in spite of that I have been unable to get the Commonwealth Bank to budge. If the Treasurer can help me in that direction I shall be very grateful. I shall be only too happy to confer with him or with representatives of the bank on this matter. After all, it is a sound proposition. I trust that both the Treasurer and the Minister for Labour and National Service will consider the matter during the coming week in order to see if some means can be devised for overcoming the deadlock that has been reached in connexion with this important matter.

Mr FORDE:
Capricornia

.- About seven months ago the Government appointed a committee to inquire into the extraction of power alcohol from wheat and sugar. That committee has carried out investigations in several States and it is high time that its report was presented to the Parliament. If a report has already been submitted to the Government I should like to know when it will be made available to honorable members. An adequate supply of petrol substitutes has become of prime importance to-day, because of the shortage of imported petrol due to the exigencies of the war. The urgent necessity for the provision of local supplies of substitute fuels is interwoven with the defence policy of Australia. I understand that distilleries engaged in the production of power alcohol are located at Sarina, Queensland; Pyrmont, Sydney; and Yarraville, Melbourne. These distilleries could produce much greater quantities of power alcohol if they were ensured of ample supplies of the necessary raw material which is a by-product of the sugar industry. The distilleries at Pyrmont and Yarraville are already producing power alcohol on a small scale, whilst the plant at Sarina is being enlarged and, in the near future, ite output will be substantially increased; but this subject must be tackled in a much bigger way. The need for finding some use for the excess sugar production must be apparent to any one who has made a study of the Queensland sugar industry. The production of sugar in Queensland is in excess of 800,000 tons per annum, whilst the Australian consumption is approximately 400.000 tons per annum. The surplus production has to be exported. Because of the difficulty of getting shipping space there is grave danger that this year the crushing season, which usually commences in June, and runs on to the end of the year, will be very restricted. If the sugar held in store in Australia cannot be shipped, and if storage accommodation cannot be found for next season’s crop in addition to last season’s crop, thousands of people in Queensland will .’be thrown out of employment. The wheat-growers of Australia are in a very serious economic position because of the low prices for wheat and the difficulty experienced in shifting it to the overseas markets. I believe that the Power Alcohol Committee will be able to make very helpful suggestions to the Government as to the extraction of power alcohol from wheat and sugar. 1 know that the Acting Prime Minister is keenly interested in this project. I am aware that he has many duties to carry out and that it is very difficult for him to concentrate on one subject. I want early and definite action taken. I raise the matter to-night because of its great importance, not only to Queensland, where there is a large surplus production of sugar, but also to the wheat-growing States and, indeed, to the whole of Australia. If the power alcohol industry be established in this country we shall be independent of outside sources for a substantial proportion of our requirements of oil fuel. I ask the Acting Prime Minister to give some indication of when we may expect to receive the committee’s report. It should prove a very illuminating document, and I trust that it will herald the development of the power alcohol industry in Australia.

Mr MARWICK:
Swan

– A board of inquiry was recently appointed by the Government to investigate cash order systems and hire purchase agreements. I ask the Acting Prime Minister if it is possible to extend the terms of reference to cover free gift . or trading coupons. It has been stated by several branches of the Chamber of Commerce that free gift coupons which are supplied with tea. and many other commodities increase the price of tea by approximately 3d. per lb.

Mr SPENDER:
Minister for the Army · Warringah · UAP

.- The Minister for Supply and Development (Senator McBride) has furnished me with a statement on certain aspects of his department’s activities in relation. to flax, which were the subject of complaints by honor able members in this House on the 25th March. I understand that copies of an explanatory pamphlet prepared by the Flax Production Committee for the information of flax farmers have been made available to honorable members. The statement is as follows : -

Before the war the private contract price for flax straw was £5 a ton, and this basis was adopted for the first year’s contract under the Commonwealth scheme, with the addition that a return of £4 10s. an acre was guaranteed, provided normal cultivation for a full crop was carried out. All cartage expenses over 20 miles were borne by the Government and seed was provided at half its cost. The average costs of production and of harvesting for the first crop were estimated at £4 10s. an acre. Unfortunately, in many districts the season, was bad, and the yield was much lower than may reasonably be expected in an average season. The basing of the guaranteed return on acreage, therefore, has been an important factor in the scheme, and the Commonwealth will lose substantially on the first year’s operations.

Sowings for the second year are now being planned, and the Flax Production Committee has the co-operation not only of the State agricultural departments, but also of a committee of growers. If it is possible to achieve representation of the growers on the Flax Production Committee without overloading its membership, one representative of growers will be added. Arrangements are also in hand for any review that may be required of flax prices fixed by assessors, having regard to the standards set and the bonuses and dockages provided. The standard price for the second season has been increased, and the general conditions have been liberalized and made clearer to the growers. The results in a normal season should be profitable to the growers, much more than they can be to the Government.

The Government’s objective is to pioneer the establishment of a permanent flax industry in Australia, but the war-time prices now available for export are not likely to continue after the war, and it is important that the disastrous boom and slump experience of the last war should not be repeated. Profiteering increases of land values are undesirable in the general interest, and, while no farmer is expected to grow flax without adequate recompense, it would be inequitable to establish flax producers as a privileged farmer class. The Commonwealth itself will make no profit on this war-time scheme, and it merely asks the farmers, who can assist the war effort by producing flax straw, to co-operate on the same lines as the manufacturers of munitions and other war supplies.

I have made arrangements that during the recess any honorable member or group of members will be at liberty to visit any of the military camps or internment camps in the Commonwealth. Members who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity to visit any such camps should communicate with me. I propose to extend the same facilities to members of State parliaments.

Mr CURTIN:
Leader of the Opposition · Fremantle

– As the member for Fremantle,a capacity in which I do not get much opportunity to appear in this House, I wish to say a word or two to the Assistant Minister for Commerce (Mr. Anthony) about a very important matter which has arisen, particularlyat Fremantle. As the honorable gentleman knows, Western Australia is not doing so very well in the distribution of war expenditure among secondary industries. The State is mainly dependent on the maintenance of its primary industries. Unfortunately lack of shipping presents an almost insuperable impediment to the maintenance of even the primary industries of that State. To-day I received a communication from the son of the late William Watson, a member of this House for some years. The son is a director of Watson’s Supply Stores, Fremantle. In that capacity he purchases a great number of pigs. The communication directs attention to the new national security regulations in regard to the prohibition of export, and then goes on tosay that those regulations have created a desperate condition in the pig industry. It appears to be causing panic among the farmers who are endeavouring to quit pigs at any price. In some cases heavy baconers are being given away. Mr. Watson informs me that hundreds of pigs throughout the State this week were left in sale-yards unsold, and flint also several hundred pigs were left at Midland Junction. His firm feels that it is unsafe to continue piling huge quantities of pig meats into store without guarantee of compensation within a reasonable time from the Commonwealth Government. Furthermore, his firm, which constitutes one of the outlets’ for the pig-raisers of the State, says that it will be unable to attend the sales next week unless some guarantee is forthcoming. He says that, as the position is rapidly becoming worse, the Government might be persuaded to do something about it. He intimates that besides holding huge frozen stocks, his firm has 7,000 pigs awaiting treatment at the works, and that the matter is extremely urgent. The development of this industry in Western Australia has been of considerable importance to the State. One of its beneficial effects is the considerable consumption of wheat. In addition, pig-raising is a side-line for wheat-growers, and is engaged in mainly in the south-west between Fremantle andBunbury. The works established by Watson’s are’ of considerable economic importance in the employment sense, but the industry is of such dimensions in Western Australia that if itbe allowed to collapse there will be further economic regression in the State as a whole. That, added to the already difficult problem of the State, would create an economic situation calling for some large-scale action by the Government. It appears to me that the obligation of the Commonwealth is to deal with little things as they arise rather than haveto face a major remedy in order to avert totalcollapse.

Mr ANTHONY:
Assistant Minister for Commerce · Richmond · CP

– The position of the pig-raising industry has been under very close consideration by the Minister for Commerce (Sir Earle Page) and the Department of Commerce. The position has arisen owing to a change of policy by the British Government in respect of pig products.

Mr Forde:

– The position complained of by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Curtin) applies also in Queensland.

Mr ANTHONY:

– It is the same all over Australia. Until a week or two ago the British Government was advising the Commonwealth Government, which in turn was advising the Australian farmer, that bacon could be lifted for Great Britain without any great danger of restrictions, and that pork was not wanted owing to certain reasons of the Food Commission in Great Britain. A week or so ago, however, the British Ministry of Food changed its policy and advised us that it could no longer take bacon, but that it was prepared to take pork, the reason being that bacon is a commodity sold more in grocers’ shops than in butchers’ shops. There is a serious shortage of meats in butchers’ shops throughout Great Britain. The meat ration there was recently reduced from ls. lOd. to ls. or ls. 2d. per capita a week. Therefore, the British Government was anxious to get more pork products into the butchers’ shops rather than, bacon into grocers’ shops. That change of policy, coming so suddenly as it did upon the Commonwealth Government, has created a mo3t critical situation amongst those engaged in the production of bacon, and in the pig-raising industry generally, but the Minister .for Commerce is giving very close attention to the matter. The solution of the problem is not at present easy to indicate, but I shall bring under the Minister’s notice the particular representations of the honorable member. The policy will be more or less clearly defined within the next week or two.

Mr FADDEN:
Acting Prime Minister · Darling Downs · CP

– by leave - On Tuesday last, the honorable member for Melbourne (Mr. Calwell) criticized the Department of Information in connexion with the advertising work which it is performing for the Government. His criticism may be summarized as follows : -

  1. Objection was taken to an advertisement for recruiting which appeared in a Melbourne newspaper.
  2. The honorable member complained that under the arrangements made to consolidate Government advertising activities, newspapers were being forced to accept lower rates without any consequent benefit to the Commonwealth.
  3. That the new advertising arrangement would enable the Government to exercise pressure on the editorial policies of newspapers.
  4. That it was the intention of the Department of Information to issue advertisements relating to the war effort in a disguised form. 1 shall reply to each of these points as follows: -
  5. The advertisement to which the honorable member referred was not prepared by the Department of Information, nor was the department consulted about it. The department is now taking up the matter of recruiting publicity with the Department of the Army.
  6. The arrangement made by the Department of Information will result in certain newspapers receiving lower rates for advertising than in the past, but they are not asked to give the Government any lower rate than they would extend to commercial firms with a similar volume of advertising. The honorable member should understand that newspaper advertising rates vary according to the amount of space taken by any advertiser - the rates decreasing as the volume of space increases. In the past, several Government departments and instrumentalities have used newspaper advertising space without any co-ordination of their efforts. The result has been that each of these departments has paid the advertising rate applicable to the individual amount of space it used. By grouping all the advertising space required under one contract, the Government will be following the standard practice of commercial advertisers, and will save a. substantial amount of money. The Government is being assisted in the conduct of its advertising campaigns by the co-operation of a number of agencies, the number varying from time to time. At present there’ are more than 20 of them. The routine placing of business is being entrusted to three firms, as the honorable member mentioned, but the commissions collected by these firms will be spread over the whole group of agencies participating, according to the amount of work done by each of them. In arranging for the agencies to collect commissions from the newspapers, the Government is again merely following standard commercial practice. These commission payments are not in any sense a bonus to the advertising agencies. They represent the ordinary remuneration which these agencies receive for the preparation and placing of advertising business. If the Government allowed its business to bc placed on a non-commission basis, and had in addition to pay agencies or the advertising sections of Government departments to prepare and place its advertisements, it would clearly be out of pocket. Both in respect of the “ master contract “ and agency commissions, the Government is simply doing what every experienced advertiser in this country has done for many years. Its only objective is to obtain the best commercial terms available, and to protect the Government revenues.
  7. The suggestion made by the honorable member that the Government would use its advertising appropriation for political purposes cannot be taken seriously. No newspaper worthy of the name would be likely to be influenced by such considerations. In this respect the adoption of the “ master contract “ does not alter the position in any way. The honorable member will realize that, if any Government were so unprincipled as to attempt to influence newspaper policies by the allocation of its advertising votes, it could attempt to attain the same result by instructing each of the Government instrumentalities to follow a common line of policy, irrespective of whether there was a “ master contract “ in existence or not.
  8. The honorable member need have no fear that the Government will attempt to pass off its advertising in a surreptitious way. All the advertisements to be issued by the Department of Information will be clearly labelled as to their origin. 1 also point out to the honorable member that this work is being done by Mr. Hutcheson as Controller of Government Advertising in an honorary capacity, and, furthermore, the material which is being used has in most cases been shown to the members of the Advisory War Council, some of whom are also members of the honorable member’s party, and approved by them. The whole set-up of the Department of Information has been discussed at considerable length between the present Minister for Information, who, in my opinion, is doing an exceptionally good job, and members of the Advisory War Council, who also expressed their appreciation of the Minister’s efforts. I think that the honorable member, before indulging in criticism of this kind, should make sure of his facts.
Mr CALWELL:
Melbourne

– I listened with interest to the statement by the Acting Prime Minister (Mr. Fadden) concerning my remarks about the Department of Information, and I thank him. for the information which he ha3 supplied. His criticism was, on the whole, quite mild, but he said that certain of my statements were not made seriously. In view of the honorable gentleman’s political opinions, no doubt he meant what he said, but I do not share his faith in the capitalist system, because it operates to the detriment of the working classes whom I represent in this House. I have no faith in the capitalist press. Whilst I give to members of the present Ministry credit for probity, I consider that a combination of honorable members opposite would be quite capable of misusing Commonwealth funds, if, by so doing, political advantages could be secured. The Labour party has had too much experience of antiLabour governments and the capitalist press to be so foolish as to think that nothing untoward happens when an appeal is made to the electors. I am somewhat disappointed with the Acting Prime Minister’s statement, because I thought that it would have contained more substance. I had expected him to refer to other matters, but I was evidently misinformed. I had been given to understand that the honorable gentleman intended to read an apologia for a member of this community whose vanity was injured, and who is so powerful that the publication of certain remarks of mine in newspapers in the capital cities during the last fortnight was suppressed. However, I am now a little wiser than before as to what the Government is doing, because the honorable gentleman has given to me information which I did not previously possess. Had he supplied that information to me earlier, it would not have been necessary for us to remain until a late hour to hear him, on the motion for the adjournment of the House, read a statement which has probably been prepared by another Minister who considers that such :i statement should be made. If further information is to be obtained by means of an interview with Mr. Hutcheson, in Melbourne, I shall be pleased to see him for that purpose.

Mr Makin:

– The honorable member’s colleagues on the Advisory War Council have been consulted.

Mr CALWELL:

– That is one of the secrets of the council of which I had no knowledge. .Had I been aware of that fact, I should certainly have consulted thom. J. did not have that knowledge. However, I again express my disappointment that the bomb which I thought was going to explode turned out to be only a squib.

Mr FADDEN:
Acting Prime Minister · Darling Downs · CP

– in reply - The honorable member for Hindmarsh (Mr. Makin) asked that the Sharwood report on the administration of the Commonwealth railways be made available to honorable members. As that inquiry was conducted at the expense of the Commonwealth, I can see no reason why it should not be made available to Parliament. I shall give immediate attention, to the honorable member’s request.

I promise the honorable member for West Sydney (Mr. Beasley) to confer with either himself, or the committee he mentioned, with regard to the establish ment of hospitals in connexion with war activities. Provided that the rate of interest offered bc approved by the Capital Issues Advisory Board, and that the proposal itself inconsistent .with government policy, I can see no reason why the Government should not give favorable consideration to the honorable member’s request. Hospitals are essential to not only the economic but also the social life of the community.

The honorable member for Capricornia (Mr. Forde) asked for information regarding the activities of the Power Alcohol Committee. That committee has carried out a most exhaustive inquiry, which will prove invaluable as a guido to the Government in framing its policy with regard to the local production of petrol. A week ago to-night I presided over the final meeting of the committee at which certain conclusions were arrived at. Subsequently, the committee presented an interim report which has not yet been considered by the Government. That committee wa* appointed as the result of the long-sighted policy of the Government with respect to this problem. I appreciate the difficulties confronting the sugar industry, particularly as the result of the present shortage of shipping for the handling of its exportable surplus, I realize the necessity for converting that surplus sugar into power alcohol as a. very desirable local product. That was one of the main reasons for the appointment of the committee, and the recommendations contained in its interim report outlines the desirability of converting a certain tonnage of our sugar into power alcohol. I am confident that the Government will give effect to those recommendations in order to minimize the difficulties now confronting the industry. The committee also gave consideration to the advisability, and possibility, of utilizing surplus wheat in the production of power alcohol. Owing to the shortage of shipping that; great industry also is confronted with many difficulties. I hope that as the result of the committee’s investigation with respect to wheat, and in view of a question asked by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Curtin) a few days ago concerning that industry, we shall be able to establish the production of power alcohol as a national industry, using not only our surplus sugar and molasses, but also other farm products, including wheat. I believe that in the forefront of such considerations we must place the desirability of establishing a poweralcohol distillery in. Western Australia, which will use wheat as a raw material.

In that way we shall be enabled to overcome some of the difficulties now agitating the minds of wheatgrowers generally, and, at the same time, produce a muchneeded fuel.

Mr Wilson:

-Has the Power Alcohol Committee concluded its investigation?

Mr FADDEN:

– In view of the value of power alcohol at present, particularly for defence purposes, it has made an interim report, and is now engaged in completing its final report for the establishment of the power-alcohol industry on a long-range basis. That report, which will contain much valuable information, will be available probably within a month. In the meantime, however, I see nothing to prevent the Government from implementing the recommendations contained in the committee’s interim report. 11 inform the honorable member for Bourke (Mr. Blackburn) that the matter of granting the franchise to aborigines is included in the items on the next agenda to be considered by the full Cabinet. I assure him that the Government will give full consideration to his observations on that subject.

Question resolved in. the affirmative.

page 711

PAPERS

The following papers were presented : -

Commonwealth Bank Act - Balance-sheets of

Commonwealth Bank and Commonwealth Savings Bank and Statement of the Liabilities and Assets of the Note Issue Department, as at31st December, 1940; together with Auditor-General’sReports thereon.

Papua - Report for year1939-40.

Arbitration (Public Service) Act - Determination by the Arbitrator, &c. - 1941 - No. 5 - Amalgamated Engineering Union; Australasian Society of Engineers; Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen ; Australian Workers’ Union; Boilermakers’ Society of Australia;and Electrical Trades Union of Australia.

Lands Acquisition Act - Land acquired -

For Defence purposes -

Darwin, Northern Territory.

Seymour, Victoria.

For Postal purposes- Corbie Hill, New

South Wales.

National Security Act - National Security (General ) Regulations - Orders -

Prohibited places (3).

Prohibiting work on land.

Taking possession of land, &c. (49).

Use of land (7 ) .

House adjourned at 11.38 p.m. until a date and hour to be fixed byMr. Speaker, such date and hour tobe not later than Wednesday, the 28th May next, at 3 p.m.

page 711

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

The following answers to questions werecirculated : -

Department of Information : Salaries of Officers

Mr Calwell:

l asked the Minister representing the Minister for Information, upon notice -

  1. What are the names, official designations, salaries and dates of appointment of those officers of the Department of Information in receipt of £500 and more per annum?
  2. What is the scale of travelling allowances paid to such officers?
Mr Collins:
CP

– The Minister for Information has supplied the following answers : -

1.-

  1. – continued -
  1. Travelling allowances paid to officers of this department are on the basis of Public Service Regulation 75a.

Petrol from Sago

Mr Langtry:

y asked the Minister in charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, upon notice -

  1. Has the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research made any investigation into the proposal to obtain petrol fromsago?
  2. Have any steps been taken to examine the statement made by the president of Associated Transport (Mr. D. Swalding) on the subject?
  3. If no action has been taken in connexion with the foregoing will he have a complete investigation made and inform this House of the result?
Mr Holt:
UAP

– The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follows : - 1.The former Institute of Science and Industry (which in 1926 was re-organized as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) looked into the possibilities of producing power alcohol from the sago palm. Since that time, the Council has done nothing further.

  1. Not by the Council.
  2. The report of the Committee of Inquiry into Power Alcohol will soon be available. It is understood that the committee gave some attention to the sago palm. Under the circumstances, it is proposed to await the receipt of the committee’s report before any further action is taken.

Munition Factories: New South Wales Employment Officer

Mr Rosevear:

r asked the Minister for Labour and National Service, upon notice -

  1. Will he inquire as to the amount of money being paid to the New South Wales State Government for the services of an officer, Mr. Hamilton, to recruit labour in munition factories ?
  2. Will he call for a report as to the number of men who have been placed by this officer, the places at which they have received employment, and the number of men in each case in each factory?
Mr Holt:
UAP

– As it is not desirable to publish the names of a great number of munition factories, the information wantedby the honorable member has been given to him in my office.

Wool Appraisement

Mr Scully:
GWYDIR, NEW SOUTH WALES

y asked the Minister for Commerce, upon notice -

What is the approximate percentage of individual wool-growers who have had their wool clips for the current season appraised at or below Hid. per lb. average price as applied to each wool-grower?

Sir Earle Page:
Minister for Commerce · COWPER, NEW SOUTH WALES · CP

– All wool submitted by owners is appraised in the warehouses of the various wool-selling brokers throughout the Commonwealth. The Central Wool Committee has no records of wool appraised at or below11½d. per lb. average price. The official records of the Central Wool Committee relative to appraisements consist of the catalogue prepared by the wool-selling brokers for each appraisement. These catalogues show lot, brand, description, number of bales, appraisement price net lb., and the amount. The Central Wool Committee has no list of individual owners or woolgrowers in the Commonwealth.

Drought Relief

Mr Langtry:

y asked the Acting Prime Minister, upon notice -

Will he make a further£ 1,000,000 available to the wheat-growers of Australia, in view of the fact that, as the estimated area which has totally failed is in the vicinity of 1,400,000 acres, the present amount is quite inadequate to meet requirements?

Sir Earle Page:
CP

– It is not proposed to increase the Commonwealth grant of £1,000,000 for the relief of distressed wheat-growers, which is additional to loan moneys totalling £2,770,000 raised for the States for the purposes of drought relief.

Housing

Mr Morgan:

n asked the Minister for Social Services, upon notice -

  1. When does the Government propose to bring forward the comprehensivehousing scheme foreshadowed by him in December last?
  2. Will the scheme cover town planning and slum clearance, as well as individual home building?
  3. Will ample provision be made to meet the requirements of co-operative building societies operating under existing housing schemes?
Sir Frederick Stewart:
UAP

– These questions refer to a matter of government policy which it is neither desirable nor practicable to outline until it has received consideration by the Government. In the meantime a survey of the generalhousing position is being made.

Postal Department : Opening of Letters

Mr Blackburn:

n asked the Minister representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice -

  1. Is it a fact that letters in transit within Australia are opened by persons acting or purporting to act under legal authority?
  2. In what circumstances are such letters opened?
  3. By what persons are such letters opened?
  4. Under what authority are such letters opened?
Mr Collins:
CP

– The Postmaster-General has furnished the following reply: -

The only officers in the Postmaster-General’s Department authorized to open letters are officers employed in the Dead Letter Office. The only letters that are opened by officers of the Postmaster-General’s Department are “ dead letters “, i.e., letters which it has not been found practicable for any reason to deliver to the addressee. The only purpose in opening a dead letter is to ascertain the name and address of the sender so that the missive may be returned to him. The necessary authority to open such letters is given in section 49 of the Posts and Telegraph Act.

Greenslopes Military Hospital

Mr Conelan:

n asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior, upon notice -

  1. What is the estimated cost of the proposed military hospital to he constructedat Greenslopes?
  2. When is it anticipated that the work will be commenced ?
  3. When is it anticipated that the building will be completed?
  4. Will the hospital be built under the contract or day labour system ?
Mr Collins:
CP

– The Minister for the Interior has furnished the following answers : -

1.£ 234,000.

Tenders have now been called for excavations, and it is proposed that tenders for the erection of the first section of buildings will be invited on 21st April, 1941.

It is anticipated the first section of buildings (pavilion, wards and boiler house) will be completed by the end of this year, staff quarters about February, 1942, and the administration building by June, 1942.

Contract.

Post Offices at En more and Newtown.

Mr Collins:
CP

s. - Yesterday the honorable member for Cook (Mr. Sheehan) asked, without notice, whether I. would bring under the notice of the Postmaster-General the question of the reconstruction of post offices in the metropolitan area, with particular reference to Enmore and Newtown. The

Postmaster-Generalhas furnished the following reply: -

To transact satisfactorily the everincreasing business of the Postal Department, the need for modernizing many post offices in the metropolitan area and in certain country centres is fully appreciated. Action accordingly is being taken to effect the necessary alterations and additions as speedily as possible within the limits of the funds which can be made available to the department.Enmore and Newtown post offices will receive consideration in due course.

Canberra : Housing Programme; Advances for Erection of Private Dwellings ; Eviction of Soldiers’ Dependants

Mr Barnard:

d asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Interior; upon notice -

  1. Is it a fact that there has been a diminution of government building in Canberra?
  2. Was a contract for35 cottages offered and then withdrawn?
  3. Has the Government; suspended the home building loan scheme; if so, why?
  4. Will the Minister give an assurance that an adequate building programme for Canberra will be maintained, without any interruptions (a) to prevent unemployment in the building and kindred trades, and (b) to provide homes for the many persons desiring them?
Mr Collins:
CP

– The information is being obtained, and will be communicated to the honorable member.

Earlier to-day Sir Charles Marr asked the following question, without notice:-

I have been informed that wives and dependants of soldiers on active service who have fallen into arrears with the rent payments have been evicted from their premises. Would the Minister for the Interior institute inquiries to ascertain whether these statements are true, and let me know before the House adjourns to-day?

I now furnish the following reply : -

With reference to the allegation that the wives of soldiers were being evicted from their homes in Canberra, I wish to inform honorable members that no such action is being taken. The position is that the Minister for the Interior agreed to a reduction in rentof houses occupied by the wives of men who have enlisted for active service. This reduction is made in accordance with the amount of revenue received by the. wife. It would average about one-third of the rent ordinarily payable. The majority of the soldiers’ wives in Canberra are paying their reduced rents, some of them under very difficult circumstances, but a few of them have refused to pay any rent whatever. Honorable members will appreciate the fact that the Government cannot allow these few women to occupy government houses without paying any rent.It is not fair to the Government or to the majority of the soldiers’ wives who are honouring their obligations. Some of these women not only refuse to pay any rent, but will not confer with officers of the Department of theInterior with a view to stating their cases. The department has informed these women that they must pay their rent, and if there arc any circumstances which might justify some special consideration they should advise the department of thosefacts.

On the 2nd April, the honorable member for Bass (Mr. Barnard) asked the following question, upon notice: -

  1. How many advances under the Housing Ordinance 1928-1940 have been made to residents of the Australian Capital Territory for the purpose of erecting or enlarging dwellings?
  2. What is the maximum amount to any applicant provided under this ordinance?
  3. Has any satisfactory arrangement been entered into with the Commissioner for Housing to accept loans from the Commonwealth Bank for home-building?
  4. If so, how much money has been so advanced ?
  5. What is the period provided for repayment to the bank, and what is the rate of interest?
  6. How much money was advanced by the Commonwealth Savings Bank to prescribed authorities for the purchase and erection of dwelling houses in Australia (other than the Australian Capital Territory ) during 1939-40?
  7. What is the interest rate charged by the bank for such advances?

I am now in a. position to supply the following answers: -

  1. Three hundred and seventy.
  2. Ninety per cent. of the commissioner’s valuation up to a maximum of £1,800.
  3. An amendment was made to the Housing Ordinance in 1940 to enable the commissioner to accept advances from the Commonwealth Hank for the purposes of the ordinance.
  4. The total amount covered by agreements with the bank is £170,000, of which £140,000 has actually been advanced.
  5. Thirty-five years and 4¼ per cent. respectively.
  6. During1939-40. no new advances were made to prescribed authorities under the Commonwealth Housing Act other than to the Commissioner for Housing, Canberra, but the Commonwealth Bank made substantial sums available for housing through other channels.
  7. These advances were made at the Commonwealth Bank’s overdraft rate, at present 4¼ per cent. per annum. “ A.B.C. Weekly.”
Mr Jolly:

y asked the Minister repre senting the Postmaster-General, upon notice -

  1. Is the marked increase in the item “‘Other Expenses” shown in the Profit and Loss Account of the Australian Broadcasting Commission for the year ended the 30th June, 1940, due to the loss on the A.B.C. Weekly: if so, what was the amount of the loss, and does it cover a full year’s operations?
  2. What was the amount paid for advertising in newspapers for the years ended (a) the 30th June,1939; (b) the 30th June, 1940?
Mr Collins:
CP

– The Postmaster-General has furnished the following answers: - 1.The sum of Sixty thousand, four hundred and twenty-five pounds (£60,425) shown as “Ot herExpenses “ includes £52,518 expenditure on account of the A.B.C. Weekly; offset against this is a sum of £15,182 from sales and advertising in theWeekly included in “OtherRevenue”; making the net cost of the publication to the 30th June, 1940, £37,703.

  1. The commission has not inserted paid advertisements for its broadcasting programmes other than for public concerts.

Profiteering

Mr Lazzarini:

i asked the Acting Prime Minister, upon notice -

  1. Has the Government yet declared any firms to be profiteers under the National Security Regulations ?
  2. Has the Government any knowledge of groups of firms attempting to corner essential war material, such as machine tools and material for uniforms?
  3. If so, what has the Government done, or what does it intend to do to punish such actions?
Mr Fadden:
CP

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

  1. No.
  2. No.
  3. See answer to 2. Should it become necessary at any time, appropriate action will he taken by the Government under the powers conferred on it by the relevant National Security Regulations.

Aerodromes : Essendon - Fisherman’s Bend

Mr Calwell:

l asked the Minister for Civil Aviation, upon notice -

  1. What amount (including the cost of the land) has been spent by the Commonwealth Government on theEssendonaerodrome?
  2. Who recommended this expenditure?
  3. Will he state the reasons for the abandonment of theEssendon aerodrome?
  4. What are the reasons which justified the selection of the Tullamarine site?
  5. Is it intended to establish an airport on

Port Phillip Bay, close to Melbourne?

Mr McEwen:
Minister for Air · INDI, VICTORIA · CP

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

  1. £92,993 (including cost of land).
  2. Department of Civil Aviation.
  3. Essendon aerodrome has not been abandoned.
  4. A site at Tullamarine has not been selected.
  5. It is not intended to establish a civil airport on Port PhillipBay.
Mr Calwell:

l asked the Minister for Air, upon notice -

Will he lay on the. table of the House any reports made by officials of the Defence Department as to the suitability of an airport near Fisherman’s Bend ?

Mr McEwen:
CP

– A select committee of the Legislative Council of Victoria inquired into and reported on a site for an airport atFisherman’s Bend and this report was printed on the 20th August, 1935.No recent report has been made by officials of the Defence Department regarding an aerodrome at Fisherman’s Bend.

Explosives Manufacture

Mr Morgan:

n asked the Minister repre senting the Minister for Munitions, upon notice. -

  1. On what basis is the plant for the “ Creswick modified Swindon “ process for the manufacture of explosives being installed?
  2. If the plant is to be a. Government concern, what is the estimated cost per ton of explosives. If it is to be a private concern, what is the price, per ton, to be paid to the contracting company?
Mr Spender:
UAP

– The Minister for Munitions has supplied the following answers : - 1.It is a Government factory. 2.It would be contrary to the public interest to disclose the estimated costs at the present time.

Army Contracts: Refrigerators

Mr Lawson:
BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND

n asked the Minister for the Army, upon notice -

  1. What was the name of the contractor responsible for the supply of refrigerators to the Department of the Army in Queensland?
  2. Is it a fact that second-hand refrigerators were supplied when the specification stipulated that new machines were required?
  3. What was the total amount of the contract?
  4. What action has been taken by the Minister?
  5. Will he place the file of papers on the Table of the Library for perusal by honorable members?
Mr Spender:
UAP

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

  1. Buzacott’s (Queensland) Limited.
  2. Refrigerators supplied were of new construction, but in three units second-hand engines were installed. The. specifications did not specifically provide for new engines.

  3. £894.

  4. (a) Arrangements made for Buzacott’s (Queensland) Limited to instal three new engines without extra charge to the Commonwealth.
  1. Buzacott’s (Queensland) Limited to maintain and service the equipment for a period of twelve months from date of installation.

  2. Security deposit of £15 forfeited to the Commonwealth.

    1. Consideration will be given to this matter.

Munition Factories : Queensland Employment Figures ; Daroobalgie

Mr Francis:

s asked the Minister representing the Minister for Supply and Development, upon notice -

  1. What is the number of registrations or applications for employment received by his department in Queensland for employment in munition manufacture in that State?
  2. What is the number of registrations with State departments . in Queensland acting on behalf of the Department of Supply and Development for employment in munition manufacture in that State?
Mr Spender:
UAP

– The Minister for Supply and Development has supplied the following answers : -

  1. Applications for registrations made with the Munition Department, Brisbane, are referred to the Department of Labour. The Department of Labour is the only State or Federal Department in Queensland acting for the Commonwealth Government in the matter of registered persons desirous of obtaining employment on munition work in that State.
  2. To date registration has been confined principally to skilled or partly skilled workers for the reason that as yet there is little prospect of placing unskilled men or women. There is not, therefore, any advantage in registering them at this juncture. Large numbers of applications for registration submitted by unskilled workers have been temporarily rejected. The total number of applications to date is estimated to be in the vicinity of 5,000 but only 733 of these have been registered.It is estimated that there arc at least 10,000 fit workers in Queensland available for, and seeking munition employment.

On the 2nd April the honorable member for Calare (Mr. Breen) asked, without notice, whether the Minister for Supply would suggest to the Minister for Commerce that his department make available two large reinforced concrete buildings at Daroobalgie for use as munitions factories.

I am now in a position to inform the honorable member that the Minister for Supply and Development has furnished the following reply : -

The possibility of utilizing these reinforced concrete buildings will receive consideration in connexion with the general munitions programme.

Champagne for India.

Mr Spender:
UAP

r. - On the 1st April the honorable member for Corio (Mr. Dedman) asked, without notice, whether certain quantities of champagne ordered from S. Smith & Sons were for Sir Bertram Stevens.

I am now in a position to inform the honorable member that the Minister for Supply and Development has furnished the following reply: -

The champagne referred to is a portion of an order received from the War Board, India covering also supplies of brandy, port, and sherry. It has for some time been the custom for the War Board, India, to place orders with Australia for wine and spirits. The original orders were placed long before any consideration was given to the establishment of the Eastern Group Council. We have no knowledge as to how the wines and spirits are utilized in India. That is a matter entirely for the Indian authorities, but the orders, however, are extremely welcome, this particularly in view of the difficulties being experienced in marketing our wines overseas.

Internment

Mr Calwell:

l asked the Minister for the Army, upon notice -

  1. How many interned persons have been released and are still at liberty?
  2. How many released internees have been subsequently re-interned?
Mr Spender:
UAP

– It is regretted that on security grounds I am unable to give the desired particulars.

Army Appointments - Major Rigney’s Credentials.

Mr Spender:
UAP

r. - On the 25th March the honorable member for Dalley (Mr. Rosevear) asked me a question, without notice, concerning Major Rigney.

I am now in a position to advise him that on the 10th March I gave instructions that a full report was required on Major Rigney’s record, and as to whether he was a fit and proper person to hold the position he then held. This instruction was apparently interpreted as necessitating inquiries being made of Rigney’s former employers, and Mr. J. Carroll, general manager of New Systems Telephones Proprietary, of Sydney, was interviewed by officers of Eastern Command but would give no information beyond stating that Rigney had been employed by hie firm from November, 1934, to the 1st December, 1939.

Cite as: Australia, House of Representatives, Debates, 3 April 1941, viewed 22 October 2017, <http://historichansard.net/hofreps/1941/19410403_reps_16_166/>.

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