House of Representatives
10 April 1918

7^th Parliament · 2^nd Session

ISSUE OF WRIT
QUESTION
- CENSORSHIP : PROSECUTION OF MR. J. H. CATTS, M.P
QUESTION
- WHEAT PAYMENTS
FLINDERS NAVAL BASE
QUESTION
- HISTORIC PORTRAITS
QUESTION
- WAR WORKERS SENT TO GREAT BRITAIN
QUESTION
- HANSARD REPRINTS
QUESTION
- SHIPBUILDING
QUESTION
- ESTIMATES FOR 1917-18
QUESTION
- COMMONWEALTH BANK
QUESTION
- IMPERIAL CONFERENCE
QUESTION
- AMERICAN SHIPS
QUESTION
- PROMOTION BY MERIT
INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT BILL
QUESTION
- AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS :
QUESTION
- LOCATION AND MINISTERS
QUESTION
- WORKMEN’S HOUSES AT. LITHGOW
SUPPLY BILL MINISTERIAL INTENTION
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
EMBARGO ON MOTOR BODIES
PAPERS
QUESTIONS TO THE PRIME MINISTER
SMALL ARMS FACTORY UNEMPLOYMENT
DEFENCE DEPARTMENT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
- Staff and Employees
ENGINEERS’ TRAINING SCHOOL
UNATTACHED INFANTRY OFFICERS
STORAGE OF MEAT, QUEENSLAND
ILLEGALLY WEARING UNIFORM
- Case of Walter Farnham
BROADMEADOWS CAMP
- Death after Inoculation
CONTRACT FOR “ NEXT-OF-KIN “ MEDALS
AUSTRALIAN LABOURERS IN ENGLAND
DEFEAT AND THE FIDDLERS: EMBARGO
WOOL TOPS: MANUFACTURE
COMMONWEALTH RAILWAYS : FREE PASSES
GUNBOAT PIONEER
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
LANDS ACQUISITION BILL
INDUSTRIAL PEACE BILL
KALGOORLIE TO PORT AUGUSTA RAILWAY LANDS BILL
POST AND TELEGRAPH RATES BILL
COMMERCE (TRADE DESCRIPTIONS) BILL
PUBLIC SERVICE BILL
POST AND TELEGRAPH BILL
SUPPLY BILL (No. 6) 1917-18

Mr. Speaker (Hon. W. Elliot Johnson) took the chair at 3 p.m., and read prayers.

page 3716

ISSUE OF WRIT

Mr. SPEAKER informed the House that he would issue a writ for the election of a member to serve for the electoral division of Flinders in the place of the Honorable Sir William Hill Irvine, resigned, and that the dates in connexion with the election were as follows: - Date of issue of the writ, Friday, 12th April; date of nomination, Monday, 29th April; date of polling, Saturday, 11th May; date of return of writ on or before Saturday, 25th May. . .

page 3716

QUESTION

CENSORSHIP : PROSECUTION OF MR. J. H. CATTS, M.P

Mr TUDOR:
YARRA, VICTORIA

– Is the Government aware that its prosecution of the honorable member for Cook on two charges was yesterday dismissed by the magistrate, and that the honorable member is nevertheless compelled to pay nisi own costs? Do Ministers think it fair, the Government having lost its case, that an innocent man should pay the costs of the trial ?

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
Minister for the Navy · PARRAMATTA, NEW SOUTH WALES · NAT

– It is quite true that the honorable member for Cook was acquitted, but it is also true that the magistrate who tried the case declined to award costs.

Mr Tudor:

– The Government could ruin any man in this way. It would only have to got a complaisant magistrate.

Mr JOSEPH COOK:

– I suggest to my honorable friends, as an easy way to avoid being ruined, to refrain from making such statements as were made by the honorable member for Cook.

Mr Tudor:

– Whom the Court found innocent!

Mr JOSEPH COOK:

– My honorable friends seem never to be satisfied. As I read the account of the trial in this morning’s newspaper, I saved the honorable member.

Mr BRENNAN:
BATMAN, VICTORIA

– Since the proceedings were commenced in respect of which the honorable member for Cook has been so completely vindicated, has any order been given to the Government Printer regarding the censorship of Hansard?

Mr WATT:
Treasurer · BALACLAVA, VICTORIA · NAT

– No instruction has been issued regarding the censorship ofHansard, but an order of one of my predecessors respecting the use of headlines in reprints of speeches has been varied.

page 3716

QUESTION

WHEAT PAYMENTS

Mr RICHARD FOSTER:
WAKEFIELD, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

– Is the Treasurer yet prepared to make a statement as to the date of the final payment for the 1915-16 and 1916-17 wheat?

Mr WATT:
NAT

– I am working on the problem, which is not an easy one to settle. I hope to get daylight through it next week, and shall inform the honorable member of my decision as soon as I am able to do so.

page 3716

FLINDERS NAVAL BASE

Report of the Public Works Committee on the erection of workshops, &c., at the sub-Base at Flinders, presented by Mr. Gregory, and ordered to be printed.

page 3716

QUESTION

HISTORIC PORTRAITS

Mr BOYD:
HENTY, VICTORIA

– In view of the urgent need of money, will the Treasurer interview the Committee responsible for the expending of £1,250 on portraits of distinguished members of this Parliament, and ask that the matter be deferred until after the war?

Mr WATT:
NAT

– My old friend is hardly kind in setting such a task for a young Minister. I only know what I have read in the press concerning the Committee’s determinations. The matter referred to has not yet come before me. When it does, I shall have something to say about it..

page 3716

QUESTION

WAR WORKERS SENT TO GREAT BRITAIN

Mr CHARLTON:
HUNTER, NEW SOUTH WALES

– Is it a fact that the labourers who went to Englandas war workers were guaranteed a minimum wage of£20s. 6d. a week, and that since their arrival in the Old Country, they have been compelled to insure against accident, although that gives them no more than was guaranteed to them before they left. Under the circumstances, ought not the Government to pay their insurance premiums ?

Mr WISE:
Honorary Minister · GIPPSLAND, VICTORIA · NAT

– I shall submit the question to the Minister for Defence.

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
NAT

– May I add that last week I received from a man whom I know well - Mr. James Dickson - who, before he went away as a war worker was president of the Randwick Labour League - a letter, in which he asks me to contradict some rumours which he believed to be in circulation regarding the underpayment of these men.

Mr Charlton:

– I am not complaining of their underpayment.

Mr JOSEPH COOK:

– My correspondent told me, among other things, that the menwere able to earn £3 odd a week, and that no man wanting employment need be out of work at those rates. He asked me to make that information as public as possible.

Mr Charlton:

– I hold a letter to the same effect.

page 3716

QUESTION

HANSARD REPRINTS

Mr TUDOR:

– As the Treasurer is in control of the Government Printing Office, and presumably in charge of reprints of honorable members’ speeches, I would like to ask him if it is necessary for honorable members to submit their speeches to the censor before they can obtain reprints of them ?

Mr WATT:
NAT

– The Treasurer happens to be in charge of the Government Printing Office, but he does not deal with the censorship.

Mr TUDOR:

– Can the Minister representing the Minister for Defence answer the question?

Mr.WISE. - I ask the honorable member to give notice.

page 3716

QUESTION

SHIPBUILDING

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

-Is it possible for the Minister for the Navy, or the Honorary Minister in charge of shipbuilding, to make some statement to the House in regard to the shipbuilding programme, the class of vessel intended to’ be built, and the orders which have already been given for the construction of vessels?

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
NAT

– I hope to supply that information in a few minutes.

page 3716

QUESTION

ESTIMATES FOR 1917-18

Mr HIGGS:
CAPRICORNIA, QUEENSLAND

– When does the Treasurer propose to give’ the House an opportunity to consider the Estimates for 1917-18? Does he propose to prevent the discussion of the Estimates by means of the Supply Bill which he has put before us?

Mr WATT:
NAT

– There is no desire on the part of the Government to prevent the House dealing with the Estimates, andas soon as possible they will be brought before the Committee of Supply.

Mr MATHEWS:
MELBOURNE PORTS, VICTORIA

– It is very evident, according to inspired information, that we may close down in three weeks’ time until next October. I would like to know whether the Estimates will be considered during the financial year?

Mr WATT:

– I know nothing of the value of the inspired information to which the honorable member refers, but if it is agreeable to honorable members, it is the intention of the Government to deal with the Estimates during this financial year.

page 3716

QUESTION

INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT BILL

Bill presented by Mr. Watt, and read a first time.

page 3717

QUESTION

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE

Alterations of Pay

Mr WISE:
NAT

– On Thursday last, the honorable member for Hunter (Mr. Charlton) submitted the following question : -

Is the Minister representing the Minister for Defence aware that considerable delay occurs in forwarding from abroad official advice in regard to alterations made in the payments to our soldiers, and that consequently there is a good deal of dissatisfaction on the part of dependants? Will the honorable gentleman take action to expedite the receipt of such official information ?

The answer is as follows : -

Isolated cases of delay in the receipt of amended allotments have come under notice, and in such instances steps have been taken to ascertain the cause. A further direction to expedite the transmission of allotments has been issued to the Australian Imperial Force Headquarters abroad. It has been noted from communications received by the Department that some allottees are under the impression that an allotment is automatically increased on promotion of a member of the Australian Imperial Force. Such is not the case, though the Chief Paymaster takes steps to see that higher allotments to dependants are made by the soldiers. After an amended allotment has been completed, it is necessary that it should be forwarded to the Chief Paymaster, London, or the Staff Paymaster, Cairo, before it can be authorized for payment and forwarded to Australia. It therefore follows that dependants generally receive from a soldier information of the alteration of the rate before the allotment form arrives. The period of transmission will be reduced to the minimum.

page 3718

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS :

page 3718

QUESTION

LOCATION AND MINISTERS

Mr BOYD:

– Will the Minister for Works and Railways, when he issues the little publication by Mr. Knibbs, or the publication issued from the Department itself, see that there is contained therein the addresses of the different Government departmental buildings in the city, with the names of the controlling Ministers? There have been so many changes in these respects that it is now almost impossible to find a Department or a Minister.

Mr GROOM:
Minister for Works and Railways · DARLING DOWNS, QUEENSLAND · NAT

– The honorable member was good enough to intimate that he intended to ask this question, and I can now inform him that I shall take steps to have his wishes complied with.

page 3718

QUESTION

WORKMEN’S HOUSES AT. LITHGOW

Mr NICHOLLS:
MACQUARIE, NEW SOUTH WALES

– Is it the intention of the Government to commence the housing system which was suggested some time ago for Lithgow ?

Mr WATT:
NAT

– Yes. Steps to that end have already been taken, and the matter is in progress. Land has been acquired and designs are being prepared,’ and when. I vacated the office of Minister for Works and Railways the work had advanced to a satisfactory stage.

page 3718

SUPPLY BILL MINISTERIAL INTENTION

Mr HIGGS:

– If it is not the intention of the Government to close down Parliament at an early date, what is the object in introducing a three months’ Supply Bill to cover expenditure to the end of the financial year?

Mr WATT:
NAT

– I do not presume to teach the honorable member the business of finance, for he has been Treasurer longer than I, and knows the advantage in war time of having ample supply. The question raised can, I think, be discussed when the Bill is before us.

page 3718

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Mr Hector Lamond:

– I can give you one.

page 3718

EMBARGO ON MOTOR BODIES

page 3718

PAPERS

The following papers were presented : -

Corn Sacks and Australian Wheat Harvest, Season 1917-18 - Report by the Common wealth Prices Commissioner.

Ordered to be printed.

High Court Procedure Act and Judiciary Act - Rules of Court - Statutory Rules 1918, Nos. 51, 52.

Lands Acquisition Act - Land acquired under, at Caboolture, Queensland - For Postal purposes.

War Precautions Act - Regulations amended - Statutory Rules 1918, Nos. 28, 36, 39, 44, 56, 74, 76, 77, 81, 85.

page 3718

QUESTIONS TO THE PRIME MINISTER

Mr Brennan:

– We are very sorry to hear the cause of the Prime Minister’s absence, but it ought to be remembered that these questions have already been postponed.

page 3719

SMALL ARMS FACTORY UNEMPLOYMENT

page 3719

DEFENCE DEPARTMENT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Staff and Employees

Mr GREGORY:
DAMPIER, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Y asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

What was the number of the staff em ployed by the Defence Department in Western Australia on the 31st March last?
What was the number of other employees employed by the Department in Western Australia on the 31st March?
What was the number of soldiers in camp there on the same date?

Mr. WISE. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow : -

One hundred and fourteen, representing District Head-quarters’ permanent staff and other permanent units.
One thousand one hundred and fifty-three, including all Home-service Guard, Garrison Forces, temporary clerks, &c.
Nine hundred and eighty-eight.

Mr GREGORY:

Y asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

How many students, or trainees, entered the Engineers’Training School during the year ended 31st March, 1918?
How many have passed the examination and qualified for a commission?
How many of those who have passed have obtained commissions?
What is the total number of the staff of the school?
Whatwas the cost of the school for the year ended 31st March last - (a) of thestaff, (b) of the students, (c) all other expenditure?
Is it true that an officer of the Australian Reserve or Home Service force, if he entered the school as a student, would receive the full pay of his rank and also field allowance?
If so, what would this amount to - (a) in the case of a captain, (b) in the case of a lieutenant?
How many, if any, of such officers have entered the school as students?
Would an officer of the Australian Reserve or Home Service be permitted to enter the school without first enlisting in the A.I.F.?
If such an officer failed to pass the examination, would he be permitted to remain in the Reserve Force or Home Service, and stay in Australia ? 11.What are the pay and allowances to men who have enlisted in the A.I.F. and who have been accepted as students in the school?
How many of those who -have passed the examinations have been sent to the Front without commissions?

Mr. WISE.- The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow: -

One hundred and sixty -three students or trainees entered Engineers’ Officers’ Training School during year ending 31st March, 1918.
Forty-six passed final examinations, and were recommended from the school for consideration for commissions.
Four obtained commissions. No vacancies existed to which the remainder could be appointed, chiefly due to shortage of recruits.
Total staff at school was -

Mr GREGORY:

Y asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

How many commissioned infantry officers, unattached, recently left Australia by the transport Nestor?
How many commissioned infantry officers, unattached recently left Australia by the transport Ormonde?

Mr. WISE. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow: -

Twenty -three.
Forty-eight.

Mr CORSER:
WIDE BAY, QUEENSLAND

R asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Whether the Federal Government paid to the State of Queensland a sum of £19,627 for cold storage of meat?
What were the actual circumstances under which the payment was made and what representations, if any, were made by the Queensland Government, or any member thereof, in regard to it?

Mr. WISE. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow: -

The sum of £19,717 16s. 2d. was paid by the Commonwealth Government to the Queensland Government for storage of meat held on Commonwealth account.
In view of the very high prices ruling for fresh meat in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia during the early part of 1916, and in view of the satisfactory results which had attended the use in Melbourne of a trial shipment of Queensland frozen beef a few months previously, the Department began negotiations with the Queensland Government in April, 1916, for a continuous supply of first-quality frozen beef.

At first the Department estimated that it would require about 6,000 tons of beef for the season, its calculations being based on the number of men then in camp, and that figure was suggested to the Queensland Government as the probable requirement.

A communicationwas received from the Queensland Government in May to the effect that 6,000 tons of beef would be made available at 41/8d. per lb. f.o.b. Queensland, subject to certain conditions, of which the following was one: - “ In the event of any works closing down operations with meat in store On your account payment to be made by you in full at once, and if not taken delivery of, any storage incurred to be paid for by your Government.”

To this communication the Department replied that as far as could be seen about 4,000 tons would be sufficient to meet requirements, and that, while the conditions suggested would be acceptable, some reduction in the price named was requested. Further, particulars were also asked for as to the probable rate chargeable for any storage under the condition set out above.

On the 15th July, the Queensland Government telegraphed that they would supply 4,000 tons of frozen beef at 41/2d. per lb. all the conditions enumerated in their communication of May to stand, and on the 21st July a reply was sent accepting their offer, and asking them to load the s.s. Wyreema, then in Queensland waters, with beef for Melbourne. The s.s. Wyreema was loaded, and a continuous supply to Melbourne was maintained until November of that year.

Subsequently, the Premier advised that the rate of charge for storage would be l-16d. per lb. per week, but storage would only be charged in the event of his Government being called upon to pay it.

The diminished number of recruits coming forward, and the defeat of a conscription referendum on 28th October, 1916, materially affected anticipated and’ actual requirements, and it became apparent that the actual requirements would not nearly approach the 4,000 tons which had been reserved.

Accordingly, on the 13th November, 1916, the Premier of Queensland was asked to reduce the quantity of frozen beef from 4,000 tons to 1,800 tons, but in his reply, dated 27 th November, he merely pointed out that the meat had already been reserved in full fores and hinds, and that there was still 2,705 tons to be lifted.

Upon receipt of this reply, the whole matter was carefully considered, and, as freight difficulties and other circumstances made it impracticable to continue the use of frozen beef for troops in camp in Australia, the Premier of Queensland was, on 22nd December, 1916, asked to cancel the whole of the undelivered portion of the 4,000 tons.

The Premier replied by letter, dated 4th January, that he had considered the whole position, but regretted that, as the beef was all stored awaiting shipment, he could not cancel the undelivered portion of the order.

Subsequent representations to the Premier, asking for the cancellation of the undelivered portion of the order, proved futile, and in a letter dated 1st April, 1917, the Queensland Government submitted a claim for the value of the beef not taken delivery of, together with storage and interest charges. In a later communication the Premier again declined to recede from the position taken up by his Government, and demanded payment of the claim rendered.

On 19th June, 1917, an interview took place in Melbourne between the Hon. J. M. Hunter, Secretary for Public Lands for Queensland, and officers representing the Prime Minister’s Department and the Defence Department. At this interview the Chief Secretary stated that the storage charges claimed, amounting to £19,71716s. 2d., had alreadybeen paid by his Government, and that if such storage charges were paid without delay by the Commonwealth, his Government would be prepared to relieve the Commonwealth of the obligation of taking the undelivered portion of the order, and to waive the charges for interest.

The circumstances appeared to be such as to afford no alternative but to accept the proposal, and on 21st June, 1917, the Premier was advised that the Commonwealth Government agreed to pay the storage charges provided his Government took over all the meat in store on Commonwealth account and waived the claim for interest. The sum of . £19,717 16s. 2d. was accordingly paid over to the Queensland Government on 28th June, 1917.

Subsequently, the Premier was asked to forward certified copies of vouchers showing the payments made by his Government to the several meat works for storage charges incurred, but on 12th September, 1917, the Premier replied: - “ . . . . that the settlement of storage claims against this Government for meat he’d on State and Commonwealth account was adjusted when the new agreement for meat supplies was drawn up, without any actual cash transaction, and, therefore, no receipts were exchanged between the parties.”

page 3719

ENGINEERS’ TRAINING SCHOOL

Officers, 4.

Instructional N.C.O.’s,6.

Home Service details, 28 (average) (cooks, grooms, storemen, clerks, &c.).

If they were already holding noncommissioned officer rank they received the pay of that rank.

page 3720

UNATTACHED INFANTRY OFFICERS

page 3720

STORAGE OF MEAT, QUEENSLAND

page 3721

ILLEGALLY WEARING UNIFORM

Case of Walter Farnham

Mr GREGORY:

Y asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Will the Minister have inquiries made regarding the arrest of a returned soldier named Walter Farnham for illegally wearing his uniform, which resulted in his being imprisoned for nearly three days and then fined1s., with a view - (a) To amend the regulation so that proceedings in such cases should be taken by summons instead of arrest; (b) to find out who was responsible for the arrest and imprisonment of this man; (c) to prohibit “cold footers “ from wearing a uniform which a returned soldier is not permitted to wear?

Mr. WISE. - Inquiries arebeing made into the case, which occurred in Western Australia, and the Honorable member will be furnished with replies as early as possible.

page 3721

BROADMEADOWS CAMP

Death after Inoculation

Mr FENTON:
MARIBYRNONG, VICTORIA

N asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

What was the result of the investigation into the death of John Thomas Murray, soldier, in the Broadmeadows Camp, after inoculation, about the 11th January last?
Was the death owing to vaccination; if not, what was the cause of death?

Mr. WISE. - The answer to the honorable member’s questions is as follows: -

and 2. A post-mortem examination was made, and the finding was that death was due to acute dilatation of the heart, acute pulmonary congestion and oedema, consistent with heat exhaustion.

Mr WEST:
EAST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

T asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Is any information to be given re the “next of kin” medals for mothers of soldiers?
Is it a fact that the contract for the supply of these medals, numbering 250,000, was given to a firm totally outside the trade of die sinking or medal making, and that reputable firms were passed over?
Can the Minister explain why the successful tenderer for the contract, who had not carried out his contract, was not penalized according to the terms issued when he was unable to carry out his bargain within a prescribed time?
Is it a tact that the principal of the firm whose tender was accepted had, prior to the tendering for the contract, been fined £200 for trading with the enemy, and, if so, why were not proper inquiries instituted into the status of all firms competing before the final selection was made?

Mr. WISE. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow: -

A contract has been let for the supply of 150,000 next-of-kin medals and bars. A large number of both has been struck, but delay has occurred through difficulty in securing adequate supplies of enamel to complete them. The contractor has ordered a supply ofenamel from England, and the first parcel has just come to hand. Further, arrangements have been made to supplement the contractor’s output by having a number of medals ‘ enamelled by other manufacturers who have some enamel in stock.
The number of medals and bars for which the contract was let was 150,000, not 250,000, and the contractors are a firm of engineers, whose tender was accepted because it was the most satisfactory of those received. The firm’s factory and plant were inspected by a prominent engineer and an expert die-sinker, and pronounced capable of executing the work.
Any penalty imposed on the contractor for delay in delivery of the medals would have to take the form either of cancellation or part cancellation of contract or of a money fine. The question of cancellation of the contract was fully considered, but as it appeared that the medals could not be obtained more quickly from any other source no action was taken. The question of the imposition of a money fine is one which will be dealt with at the proper time.
It is understood that the firm was fined £200 in 1914, shortly after the outbreak of war, on a charge of trading with the enemy. The Minister was, however, not aware of this when the contract was let.

Mr CHARLTON:

N- asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Whether the steam-ship Medic carried a large number of labourers to England about June last?
If so, will the Minister state the number’ who were rejected on arrival as unfit and ordered to be returned to Australia?

Mr.WISE. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow : -

Four hundred and thirty-three labourers embarked for Great Britain by the steam-ship Medio in August, 1917.
Unable to state the number of men rejected from individual ships on arrival. The vessel named arrived in Great Britain in October, 1917, and of the labourers who left Australia by her eight returned early in December, seven at the end of that month, and twentynine have since returned on account of illhealth.

Mr CHARLTON:

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Whether the Minister stated in June last that the labourers who sailed from Australia for England as war workers would not have to pay more than 16s. per week for board and lodging?
If so, is he aware that the cost is considerably in excess of the amount stated, and will he consider the advisability of making an allowance to cover such excess?

Mr. WISE. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow : -

The Minister is not aware of having made such a statement. 2. (a) Yes.
1. In the case of a man with dependants, provison is made in the agreement for 10s. 6d. per week to be deducted from his wages for payment to his principal dependant as an allotment. Owing to increased cost of living in Great Britain it was decided early in the year to deduct only the sum of 5s. from the man’s wages, but the full amount of 10s. 6d. is still paid to dependants, the extra 5s. 6d. being charged against public funds.

Mr FINLAYSON:

N asked the Minister representing the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

Is it a fact that considerable public dissatisfaction exists owing to the embargo on the publication and circulation of the books entitled Defeat and The Fiddlers?
If so, is he aware that the continued prohibition on these books tends to hinder recruiting?
Will the Minister reconsider his previous decision on the matter and grant the request, supported by many thousands of Australians, for the unfettered circulation of the two books?

Mr. WISE. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are as follow: -

Dissatisfaction has been expressed by temperance and other organizations.
No.
The reason which caused the embargo to be placed on these books still exists, and the Minister cannot therefore agree to alter his previous decision.

Mr FENTON (for Mr Higgs:
CAPRICORNIA, QUEENSLAND

gs) asked the Treasurer, upon notice -

Having reference to his predecessor’s reply to the member for Capricornia, as to the agreement between the Government and certain companies manufacturing wool tops, namely, “ The net earnings of the companies shall be ascertained at the end of each accounting period of the respective companies, namely, Messrs. Whiddon, 31st July, 1917, the Colonial Combing, Spinning, and Weaving Company Limited, 31st August, 1917 “ - were the net earnings of the Colonial Combing, Spinning, and Weaving Company Limited ascertained on the 31st August, 1917?
If not, why not?

Mr. WATT. - I have been supplied with the following replies: -

The net earnings of the Colonial Combing, Spinning, and Weaving Company Limited for the period ended 31st August, 1917, have been ascertained.
See reply to No. 1.

Mr. FENTON (for Mr. Higgs) asked the Treasurer, upon notice -

What amount of money has been received from the Colonial Combing, Spinning, and Weaving Company Limited, of 62 Pitt-street, Sydney, as the Government’s share of the profits arising out of the said company’s wool tops contract with Japanese merchants?
What amount of money has been received from Messrs. S. W. Whiddon and Company Limited, of Botany, as the Government’s share of the profits arising out of the said company’s wool tops contracts with Japanese merchants?

Mr. WATT. - I have been supplied with the following replies: -

£48,3841s.11d.
£12,646 17s. 5d.

Both these amounts are subject to adjustment when the exact payment on account of war-time profits tax has been determined.

– ?-

Mr RICHARD FOSTER:

R asked the Minister of Works and Railways, upon notice -

Whether the reciprocal arrangement in existence between the various State Railways Commissioners, providing free passes annually for railway officials, extends to the Commonwealth railways ?

Mr. GROOM.- No.

Mr MAHONY:
DALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Y asked the Minister for the Navy, upon notice -

Is it a fact that the gunboat Pioneer is at present lying at the Naval Yards, Garden Island, Sydney, out of commission?
If so, in view of the present shortage of shipping, does not the Minister consider it advisable to use the Pioneer for commercial purposes ?

Mr. JOSEPH COOK. - The answers to the honorable member’s questions are. as follow : -

Yes.
It is considered that the design of the vessel as a ship of war precludes her being used for commercial purposes, there being no cargo space available. It is possible, also, that she will be used again for naval purposes.

Supplementary appropriation is still required for the expenditure made from the Treasurer’s Advance on account of the year 1915-16, namely, for the sum of £622,407 on account of ordinary expenditure, and £ 16,972 for expenditure on additions, new works, and buildings, making a total of £639,379.

Mr MCDONALD:

D.- The AuditorGeneral finds it necessary to include such a paragraph as that in his latest report. Would anybody have imagined for one moment that this Parliament would illegally spend £639,000? It seems to me a most extraordinary thing, and I cannot understand how .it has been allowed to take place.

I do not propose to go through the whole of the Auditor-General’s report in regard to the purchase of shipping, but urge that it is eminently desirable that there should be some inquiry, and more information given, in regard to that transaction. If the proper course had been followed, and the Prime Minister had introduced an Indemnity Bill to cover his action in London in the expenditure of some £2,000,000 without the sanction of either the Cabinet or Parliament, we should have had a full explanation, and should have known exactly where we stand. At present, however, there seems no disposition on the part of the Government to afford us any explanation. The amount was passed in the Estimates at the tail end of the session, when millions were voted in a few minutes-

Lord FORREST. - That was your own Government, you know !

Mr MCDONALD:

– I do not caro what Government it was, but the right honorable member must not forget that he himself supported the men who did it, and that his leader and chief of that day is his leader and chief now.

Mr McDONALD:

D. - I can assure the honorable member that he was told about it. In the same Auditor-General’s report, page 205, paragraph 50, which deals with this purchase of shipping, we are told-

The acting manager in Australia (Colonel Oldershaw) advised that the well-known firm of Turquand, Young, and Co. were appointed auditors in London by direction of the Prime Minister, and that all accounts were checked there. It is understood that the London transactions are to be brought into the public account through the medium of the Trust Fund, and the transactions outside the Commonwealth will thus be included in -the public account. In the meantime, the Treasurer has charged the War Loan Fund with the original cost of the steamers, namely, £2,052,476 16s. lid., the Commonwealth Bank’ being credited as shown by the Treasury balance-sheet (included in the amount £2,381,514 7s. 5d.).

The report of the firm of auditors referred to above has been called for, and it has been promised that it will be submitted to me when it is received. No vouchers accounting for the purchase of the ships, nor for the London transactions since, have been submitted to me, and endeavour has been made inorder to obtain these accounts through the Treasury.

This is most interesting reading, and, without taking up too much time, I should like to give this other sample -

It appears desirable that legislation should be effected in order to define the powers and functions of the general manager in connexion with this account, for the establishment of the shipping office, for the appointment of officers, and to insure properTreasury and audit control of these accounts generally.

Mr MCDONALD:

D. - I do not agree with the honorable member. If Ministers require the use of motor cars in the conduct of their departmental duties they should be supplied with them. If, however, these motor cars are used for other than departmental purposes it is a scandal.

Mr MCDONALD:

D.- That is quite a different matter. I ask the Treasurer to state whether the Government intend to introduce an indemnity Bill covering the purchase of steam-ships in the Old Country, and, if so, when it will be brought down.

Mr Archibald:
HINDMARSH, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

d. - Is it not under the control of the Government?

Mr MASSY-GREENE:
Honorary Minister · RICHMOND, NEW SOUTH WALES · LP; NAT from 1917

e. - But only in an advisory capacity.

Mr Archibald:

d. - Has not the British Government done the same thing ?

Mr Poynton:
NAT

n. - Would the honorable member have all the States represented on the Board ?

Mr West:

t. - Both sides of the House should be represented on it.

Mr Poynton:
NAT

n. - Every State is suffering.

Mr Heitmann:

n. - We might well ask them whether they will get justice in this country by not doing their duty.

Mr CHARLTON:

– I do not propose to answer that question. I am stating my own views, and I wish to avoid the introduction of any party element into this question. My purpose is to reveal to the House the existing conditions which, in my opinion, are largely responsible for recruiting having fallen from the high level it attained in the past.

Mr CHARLTON:

N. - I am not speaking about their position merely from the monetary point of view. The workers are not getting what they consider to bo their rights. Does the honorable member think that because a man is getting a certain wage he ought to submit to any conditions that are imposed on him? If so, he makes a grievous mistake. In regard to this matter we must not be misguided by what is published in the daily press. The fact must be remembered that those who control the daily press are not in a position to judge this matter as clearly as are the men who mix with the workers and know their feelings. After all, the newspaper article emanates from the brain of one man, the editor, whose environment keeps him in entire ignorance of the feeling existing in the big industrial centres away from the metropolitan areas. He writes of things as they appeal to him: in some matters he may be right, but in others he is undoubtedly wrong. Therefore we must not permit our opinions to be formed for us by what is published in the daily press. We must study the actual facts.

Honorable members will recollect that at the time of the industrial crisis I expressed the view that at a period when everything was in the melting pot, it was the duty of the Commonwealth Government to intervene; that that great industrial upheaval was not a State matter, but a national problem to be handled by. the National Parliament. No less an authority than Sir William Irvine, who was perhaps as high a constitutional authority as any man who has occupied a seat in this House, concurred in my view. He held that it was the duty of the Commonwealth Government to intervene in that struggle. However, the Commonwealth Government remained passive, and left all action to the State Government of New South Wales. I say deliberately that the action of the State Government, which was applauded by the press and by certain sections in the community, has done more to hinder Australia’s part in the prosecution of the war than anything ever done by the present Federal Government or any other Government that has held office in Australia. The New South Wales Government have never yet kept faith with the workers. We have heard Mr. Fuller talking about letting bygones be bygones, but instead of doing that his Government have “put the boot “ into the workers ever since the industrial trouble ended. The result has been the creation of a very bad feeling, not only amongst the workers in the coalmining districts, but in every industrial’ centre throughout Australia. The State Government promised that they would give preference of employment to the men who were out of their jobs when the mines resumed work. Putting aside entirely the merits of the question, one would expect that in a time of national crisis the Government would honour such a promise, but they did not do so. I have here a statement which shows that over 270 men in the Coal and Shale Workers’. Federation are still unemployed, and that ever since the resumption of work the miners in the Maitland and Newcastle districts have had to contribute 2 per cent, of their earnings to keep from starvation some of their brethren who were being victimized. Those facts are circulated throughout all industrial centres, and honorable members know what must” be the result. The people whom I represent have done their best in connexion with this war. They have sent their sons to fight for our liberty, but it was never’ expected that while their sons were absent their fathers would be denied employment, and mothers and children could starve but for the levy paid from the earnings of the other workers. It is time that these things were stated in Parliament.. ‘

Mr CHARLTON:

N.-r-I wish to avoid the introduction of any strong party feeling into this debate. In view of the fact that there is to be a conference for the promotion of recruiting, my remarks may be of some assistance. But, in any case, I feel that a duty devolves upon me, as a man knowing the actual condition of affairs, to give publicity to the facts. The Colliery Employees Federation has been endeavouring for some time to get this trouble settled, but so far without success. The State Government dodges the settlement in every way possible, and I desire to remark, in passing, that while some of the members of the Federation are not able to get employment, it is a strange fact that the New South Wales Government went out of their way to secure coal contracts for one colliery proprietor, Mr. John Brown, in order that employment might be found for men who were not members of the Miners Union, and in a mine where there are more former employees out of work than in any other colliery in the district. It is remarkable that the State Government should try to arrange a contract for this particular gentleman, who, apart from his business, seems more concerned in sport than in anything else. That gentleman receives the benefit of the biggest price that was ever paid by the Victorian Government for coal, andwas assisted to get that contract by the State Government of New South Wales.

While the dispute was in progress, the honorable member for Newcastle (Mr. Watkins), Mr. Kearsley, and I endeavoured to interview the Acting Premier, Mr. Fuller. On the first occasion he was unable to see us, and he fixed an appointment for the following day, and because of that appointment I refrained from coming to Melbourne. But while we were waiting in the receiving room outside the Premier’s office, Mr. Fuller came out and said that he was sorry he could not keep his appointment to see us that day, because he was engaged with the employers of labour. We were compelled to take a back seat, whilst the Government were in conference with the employers, and I think that incident indicated that something needs rectifying. The officials of the Miners Federation have been endeavouring to settle the existing trouble, and on the 23rd March, 1918, the following letter was sent to the Prime Minister : -

The CHAIRMAN:

– The honorable member’s time has expired.

Mr FENTON:
MARIBYRNONG, VICTORIA · ALP; UAP from 1931

n. - It is his own fault. Why does he not distribute the work?

Mr RILEY:

– I notice .that the headquarters of the Commonwealth constabulary are to be removed from Queensland to Sydney. How long is this farce going to last” Hitherto the force has been established in Queensland, and if a Commonwealth constable arrests a, man he must have him tried in the State Courts and confined in the State goals. It is quite a farce to keep up a constabulary which has no force behind it except a mere War Precautions Act. Ministers say that they are anxious to forget the past, yet they still maintain this very expensive police force. Its abolition presents an opportunity , to save money. I cannot find any reference to the force in the Supply Bill before us, but I protest against wasting money on such a useless thing. The men are doing nothing but walking about Brisbane. Is it proposed to extend the force to all the other States? If so, I should like to see Ministers look into the matter. Though it is something which is under the control of the AttorneyGeneral there is no reason why Ministers generally should not look into it.

I have heard some very nasty rumours in Sydney about commissions having been paid on account of the purchase of ships made by Mr. Hughes while he was in England. I do not say there is anything in them, but I would like to see the matter cleared up. As representatives of the people of this country we have a right to have a statement presented to Parliament showing where the ships were bought, what was paid for them, whether or not any commission was paid, and if any commission was paid, who received it. It is a fair request to make. I am not criticising the purchase. I believe it is the best thing possible to do.

Mr RILEY:

Y. - The ships have been paid for, and I understand that a big commission was paid to a certain gentleman in Sydney ; therefore I ask’ the Minister for the Navy to try to clear things up, so that we will not get into the habit of saying that there are “fishy” things being done. We ought to be able to get at the bottom of these rumours, which are not creditable to the Government or to this Parliament.

A gentleman, has been brought out from the Old Country to build a new style of ship. I wish to know whether these vessels are to be built on a percentage basis or on contract, and how they are to be built. I understand that this information will be supplied when we are discussing the Ministerial Statement, but there are several matters in that direction on which I would like to get information.

There have been several prosecutions of alleged members of the Industrial Workers of the World, and two men in my electorate have been imprisoned. One of them, a man named Vilson, who worked for Stewart Brothers, a big firm of builders in Sydney, who say they will take him back directly he comes to ask them for employment, and a decent man with a wife and family, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. He has now served his term, but he has not been released. I have sent telegrams to the Prime Minister and to Sir Robert Garran, the Solicitor-General, and Senator Gardiner has also sent three or four telegrams about the matter, but the man has not been released. Nothing worse than this could happen in Germany !

Mr RILEY:

Y. - There has been no reply to our telegrams. The whole thing is a scandal.

Mr RILEY:

Y. - There is another similar case in my electorate. How can we get recruits in the face of such things as this? I would not go on a public platform and advocate recruiting in face of these facts - women carrying babies ‘ in their arms and crying, coming to a member, and asking him to get justice for their husbands, and the member being unable to get any satisfaction or any reply to his wires.

Mr RILEY:

Y. - I live in Sydney. I sent wires to Melbourne, but could get no reply.

Mr RILEY:

Y.-He would not see us. He was too busy with theelite of the Stock Exchange.

There is a small item on the Estimates for an Arsenal. That work should have been commenced long ago. In the interests of the country we should not dillydally with it any longer. If Australia is to have any say in regard to the settlement of the war it should be in a position to protect itself. It cannot do so seeing that it has neither artillery nor explosives. All that we can do is to manufacture rifles, and neglect to go on with this urgent work is acriminal action on the part of any Government.

There is an item of £100 on the Supply Bill for oil paintings to hang in Queen’s Hall. I do not know whose portraits are to be painted, but surely it is expenditure that could be postponed until after the war. While we are advocating curtailment of expenditure in all the Departments’ we build it up in a direction over which we have full control.

n. - Is he breaking an award of the Court?

Mr.- BLAKELEY.- No; he was not cited to appear before the Court. _ As a matter of fact, his company was cited to appear, but a member of it died before « the Court sat. I think the firm is now known as “ T. M. Scott,” whereas it was formerly T. M. Scott and Company. Because of an alteration in the name of the company, the man was contemptible enough to evade the law by saying that the company cited to appear before the Court was different from the company as now existing. Patriotic employers of the Darling electorate, and other parts of western New South Wales, employ blackfellows; they employ coloured children. On one station near Coonamble there is a black boy of ten, and another black boy of thirteen ; and I am doubtful whether they receive any wages. Gins are also employed about the house. In only two instances, so far as I know, is the award being observed; the payment of the required wage is being evaded. As for the employment of returned soldiers, not one is to be found on this particular property, which is one of the largest in New South’ Wales.

During the recent adjournment, I have been investigating the position of Pay Departments in the different military , districts, and particularly in the Second Military District, New South’ Wales. In July of last year it was decided by the Defence

Department that a certain number of certificated accountants should be appointed. That was done, at an increased annual cost of £2,050; but, so far as can be learned, there has been no appreciable improvement in the management, coordination and business methods of the Second Military District. A Royal Commission was appointed recently, and took evidence in Sydney; but, strangely enough, the Finance member of the Board, who should have been called upon to give evidence in regard to this question, was not asked to do so. I think that he was called before the Commission on two occasions, and was questioned in relation to only minor matters. He was not allowed an opportunity to rebut much of the evidence compiled by the Commission. One of the chief recommendations of the Commissioners is evidently designed to create snug billets for out-of-work accountants. The Commission consisted of accountants, and it would appear as if the Defence Department is to be made a refuge for out-of-work and inefficient accountants. What is the use of introducing into this branch of the Department men who must go through practically the whole of its work in order to get into touch with the routine? I am not satisfied that it is the wisest course. Speaking with some knowledge of the Second Military District, New South “Wales, I believe that further inquiry would show that there are in Victoria Barracks, Sydney, an ample supply of non-commissioned officers who can deal with the work of the allotment and allowance branches quite as well as, if not better than, the inefficient, out-of-work accountants recommended for employment there. Having regard to the work of the accountants already appointed there, I am not prepared to accept the view that the change will result in an improvement. The new appointments have achieved no improvements. Even at this late hour, two non-commissioned officers > in the allotment branch have, on their own initiative, discovered overpayments amounting to more than £20,000. That is only one of many illustrations of the inefficiency of the accountants who were brought into the Department to, put it on a good business footing.

Mr BLAKELEY:

Y. - I do not know that it was influenced by ulterior motives, but I do say that the Department should not be made a refuge for out-of-work, incompetent, and inefficient accountants. .An accountant enters the Defence Department with the rank of lieutenant, and with a salary of £250 a year. How many accountants of reputation would be prepared to accept an appointment at such a salary? £250 is only a clerk’s wage. Can we expect to obtain experienced and efficient accountants at that rate of pay? Is the fact that a man holds a ticket issued by the Institute of Accountants, which, by the way, is a fairly strong union, to give him the right of entry into this Department? I repeat that competent accountants cannot be obtained for £250 a year, and that salary cannot be increased without an alteration of the regulations. If the recommendations of the Commission are adopted, and numbers of accountants are engaged, it will be found, twelve months hence, that the appointment of accountants has not resulted in any improvement. There are, in the different military districts, officers who are inefficient, and who are quite unable to give a ruling on many of the complicated questions that come before them. We know from, our own personal experience that we are fortunate if we receive within a fortnight a reply to our communications. -One case has been brought under my notice Where the Department took two months to reply to a letter. I am constantly mixing with men employed in the Victoria Barracks, Sydney, and they tell me that, notwithstanding thf* appointment of accountants at an in creased cost of £2,050 a year, the position is as bad as it was twelve months ago. A large part of the Howell-Price defalcations took place under the very noses, so to speak, of the accountants who were introduced into the Department. Is it reasonable that men of the calibre of those who. allowed Howell-Price to steal the moneys of the Commonwealth should be appointed to this branch of the Service? We cannot hope to get competent men at £250 a year, and I object to the Defence Department being used for the benefit of the Institute of Accountants. In the 2nd Military District, New South Wales, there are men employed in the allotment and allowance branches who have been there from the beginning, and inquiry will show that they are more competent than the best accountants to be obtained at £250 a year.

Mr BLAKELEY:

Y.- No; they are clerks, and receive considerably less. The men employed at Victoria Barracks have many grievances which they have endeavoured to ventilate from time to time, but so far they have been entirely unsuccessful. For some months clerks have been compelled to work overtime at night. They object to this, and complain that it is only rendered necessary by the incompetency of some of Ihe accountants who have been brought in. These clerks are sworn in as soldiers. Ordinary business men who compel their clerks to work overtime are required to pay them tea money ; but these military clerks at Victoria Barracks, being rated as soldiers, have no fixed hours of employment, and tea money is not allowed them. I contend that it should be. The Minister representing the Minister for Defence might very well consider whether these men should not be compensated. Many of them live some distance from the barracks, and when they have to work overtime are unable to go home to tea, so that their wages are reduced by at least ls. per day. Colonel Lee conducted an inquiry into this matter some few months ago, and definitely promised that overtime would be abolished. So far, nothing has been done.

Another complaint is in regard to the building in which the allowance section works. Its dimensions are 100 feet by 24 feet, and in it 116 men are employed. They are working elbow to elbow; their feet are touching, and they are constantly jostling each other. The building is badly ventilated, and in the summer months is practically unbearable. If we expect efficient work on the part of our employees we must at least provide them with decent accommodation. Where clerks are working elbow to elbow their papers must be Littered about, and there can be no order. Because the clerks working at Victoria Barracks were not being fed by the Defence Department they were allowed for some time ls. per day as ration allowance. For some reason that allowance was reduced to 6d. per day, notwithstanding that assurances, both verbal and written, had been given to the men that the conditions of their employment would not be tampered with. Not only had the men to work overtime, and by virtue of that fact were compelled to pay ls. or more for their tea, but their ration allowance was reduced. Generally speaking, the feeling of the Defence employees in the Second Military District is one of dissatisfaction. The men are working under bad conditions, in crowded and ill-ventilated buildings, and they do not receive the treatment which private employers would be compelled to give them. There is also dissatisfaction in regard to the uniforms. Because these men were sworn in as soldiers the Defence Department thought fit to compel ‘them to wear uniforms. The men do not desire to continue the wearing of “those uniforms. The clothes are illfitting and most of them are second-hand. One case came to my knowledge in which a man received a second-hand uniform which was covered with all sorts of blotches, and emitted a very unpleasant odour. Heaven only knows who had previously worn it. As a result of instances of that kind many men absolutely refused to wear the uniforms. In ordinary civil life these men are able to wear a decent suit ‘of clothes, but under existing conditions they are liable to be fined if they do . not appear in the King’s uniform. Many object to the uniform on hygienic grounds. They contend that if the Department intends to continue this silly and futile regulation they should at least be supplied with a clean and decently fitting uniform. Many men have had to pay money out of their earnings to have the uniforms altered to fit them, and the majority contend that it is a ridiculous farce to compel them to wear a soldier’s uniform when they are not soldiers and are not going to the war. This regulation is very costly, and achieves nothing. I suggest to the Minister representing the Minister for Defence that an inquiry should be held into the matters with which I have dealt, and c many others of which the Department is cognisant. I know of a case in which a non-commissioned officer was so disgusted with the incompetence of his superior officer that he deliberately insulted him. He went into the office of his superior, and said, “ You are inefficient ; you cannot determine a question; when anything is to be decided you come either to me or to somebody else. I demand that an inquiry be held into the whole of the workings of my section.” The officer took no action. The same state of affairs continued, and, because of the insufferable complacency of many officials who did not know their work, this non-commissioned officer again went to his officer and repeated his charge of inefficiency. What does the Department intend to do about these charges? Either the Royal Commission should be instructed to take further evidence, or another Commission should be appointed to make inquiries into the administration of Victoria Barracks, and if that is done it will be found that the first Commission overlooked, intentionally or otherwise, a good deal of maladministration. The Commission did not interrogate Brigadier-General Thomas, and, apparently, it was certain’ that he would not give evidence. In effect, the report of the Commissioners praises the paymaster of the Second Military District for his effective reforms in the Pay Department. Brigadier-General Thomas’s pronouncement is the reverse of that, for he says in effect, “ From information supplied by my Inspector of Military Accounts, the Pay Department in the New South Wales Military District is the least efficient of any in the six military districts . ‘ ‘ Brigadier-General Thomas is one of the highest officials in his Department, but his .word evidently went for naught with the Commissioners.

The CHAIRMAN:

– Order ! The honorable member’s time has expired.

Mr Tudor:

r- One man who saw me today is getting only 7s. 6d. per week.

Mr HECTOR LAMOND:

– I know of another man who is receiving only 10s. per week, but his injuries are not so serious as those of the particular soldier I have mentioned. It is quite apparent to me, from the cases that have come to my notice, that the pensions are not allotted with any great certainty, but my point is that without an amendment of the Act to raise the maximum very considerably, the case of the average wounded soldier cannot be fairly dealt with. The Repatriation Act deals with the return to employment of -men capable of resuming their old occupations, or engaging in other work, but there are many returned men who, for a long time, will not be able to earn nearly as much as they could before they went to the war. Those cases make a very strenuous appeal to me. There are seriously injured men who, in order to enlist, left employment returning them three or four times the amount of the maximum pension allowed under the present Act, but they cannot hope to receive even the maximum pension, because manifestly that amount must be for the men who are utterly unable to follow any civil occupation. I appeal to the Treasurer to consider, whether there should not be immediately such an amendment to the’ War Pensions Act as will give the Commissioners greater freedom in the fixing of pensions, and will make more liberal provision for the man who finds his employment gone, and who for months, and, perhaps, years, ahead will be compelled to struggle along on the amount he receives from the ^Commonwealth.

Mr TUDOR:

– The Act was altered last year so that after six months the amount of - pension is finally fixed.

Mr HECTOR LAMOND:

D . - However that may be, my point is that the Commissioner cannot go beyond the maximum of £2 per week, and he cannot regard that maximum as payable to the average returned soldier who is not totally incapacitated, but whose circumstances are not met by a payment of 10s., 15s., or even £1 per. week. The result is that, though these men were promised the best of treatment, they are a burden upon their families, and I am certain that Parliament never intended that a returned soldier should be treated in that way.

Mr WEST:

T.- The military police seem to treat their prisoners with most unmerciful cruelty. Many citizens of Sydney are very indignant at their conduct, and they have appealed to me time after time to bring the matter before Parliament. I felt so strongly on the matter that I have requested them to make declarations as to what had occurred, and if I could only persuade the Honorary Minister (Mr. Wise) to pay attention to them, I am sure an order would be issued pointing out to the military police that the soldiers who commit breaches of the military regulations should not receive treatment at their hands which the worst criminals in the country would not receive. I have some affidavits from persons whose respectability is undoubted, and whose sympathies, do not lie with crime. I can read one as a sample of the others. It says -

I, William James Furphy, of 494 Oxfordstreet, Woollahra, Sydney, in the State of New South Wales, do solemnly and sincerely declare that I saw four military police arresting a soldier who was resisting to a certain extent. He apparently was very drunk. A small crowd was following, but was growing larger all the time, and when near the corner of Hay and Pitt streets was fairly large. Amongst them I observed Mr. Chalmers. Several of those present were commenting on the rough handling the soldier was subjected to. I noticed Mr. Chalmers in an altercation with one G.M.P., who seemed to be flurried. I heard Mr. Chalmers use words to the effect to take the prisoner more gently, whereupon the G.M.P. rose his baton and threatened to strike Mr. Chalmers. One G.M.P. asked him not to do so. Several women at this stage were trying to raise the prisoner on to his feet. I saw Mr. Chalmers beckon a cab; one G.M.P. doing likewise. As prisoner was put into cab I noticed he was handcuffed.

Wm. J. Furphy. 494 Oxford-street, 19th February, 1918.

Other affidavits point out the unmerciful treatment which was meted out to this soldier. One declaration states that the man was turned face downwards and drawn through the mud in the gutter until one gentleman hailed a cab for which he was willing to pay, though the only result of his action was that he was arrested and fined£3 at the Police Court. 1 would not bring the matter forward if this was an isolated case, but my attention has been called repeatedly to the actions of this body of men. Perhaps the Honorary Minister will intimate to the military police that there shall be less of this sort of thing. Inasmuch as the police magistrate fined the gentleman to whom I have referred, and he made no appeal, I had no course open to me other than to bring the matter under the notice of the Defence Department.

There are two men in this House who can revive recruiting. I refer to the Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) and the Minister for the Navy (Mr. Joseph Cook), and they can do it if they will only render assistance to the waterside workers, storemen, and others, who were connected with the recent unfortunate strike. The honorable member for Hunter (Mr. Charlton) has already referred to the case of the miners, but his remarks also apply to those who follow waterside occupations. There are hundreds of men in West Sydney and East Sydney who have led commendable lives as citizens, and who are respected by their fellows who have not had any work for nineteen or twenty weeks. If they apply for work they have, first of all, to get a letter of introduction, and be passed by a policeman. Then they are given a metal disc to enable them to go on to the wharf. Even then they may go for two or three weeks and have but very few days’ work, and very often after they have worked for a few hours theyare put off because loyalists come along and are given the work. That sort of thing does not help recruiting. No one knows better than the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Navy how impossible it is to bring about peace between unionists and nonunionists wherever trade organizations exist. In Victoria to-day there are medical men on strike. They will not submit to arbitration, and not one of them will “blackleg” on their union. If we could have had that sort of spirit among the men they would not have been in their present position. But, unfortunately, their stomachs “ kicked,” and they could not hold out any longer. They are driven to distraction, and it is marvellous to me that they do not do something serious. When the Minister for the Navy was speaking on oath before a strike committee in New South Wales he said there was no possibility of unionists and non-unionists working together.T he Prime Minister knows it just as well as the Minister for the Navy does. These two gentlemen, if they felt disposed, could bring about a better feeling in the industrial sections of New South Wales, and until some attempt is made to bring it about we cannot expect men to come forward, or urge their sons to take part, in a new recruiting campaign.

S. - That is so. The man gave his name. , Returned soldiers are being treated in this way simply because of the trouble that occurred in the coal-mining industry. We were told by the Prime Minister some time ago that employers of labour who had promised that ‘those who went to the Front would, upon their return, be given their former positions would be kept up to the mark. Nothing has been done, however, to compel these men to redeem such promises. This complaint does not apply to all employers. Some are doing tie fair thing in regard to returned soldiers, but it is a disgrace that those engaged in a big industry, where the employment of an additional ten or twenty men on piecework rates does not make the proposition less payable, are not compelled to redeem the promise made to the boys when they went to the Front.

I have also a statement to make in regard to the State Government of New South Wales which may be of interest to the Treasurer. A letter has been handed to me in reference to a man who left his employment in the State Service in order to enlist with his son. On his return from the Front he wrote to the Government Department concerned asking to be re-employed. The reply, in effect, was, “ We have no room for you at present, but, as you are in receipt of a pension of 15s. per week, you must understand that when we do re-employ you it will be at a wage 158. per week less than the regular rate.” That letter came from a New South Wales State Government Department, which would seem to be endeavouring to “ take down “ the Commonwealth to the extent of the pension paid this returned soldier.

Mr WATKINS:

S . - None. I handed the letter to the Minister for Repatriation, and it contains the bald statement that this returned soldier, when reemployed by the Department, must take 15s. per week less than the regular wage” since he is in receipt of a Commonwealth’ war pension to that amount.

Mr WATKINS:

S.- It is not. The secretary of the Ironworkers’ Union told me recently that he knew of three or four similar cases in his industry. I am sure honorable members desire to do every thing possible to encourage recruiting, but it will never be the success we should like it to be while the present injustices are allowed to continue. There are, for instance, some remarkable disparities in the pensions allowed dependants of those who have fallen. Great hardship results from the method of calculating the pension payable, say, to the mother of a young man who has died at the Front. The pension is based upon the amount that the young man was able to give his mother during the twelve months prior to the war. We all recognise- that in the early days of the war the ‘ great majority of those who enlisted were between the ages of eighteen and twenty-one years. Many of those boys were at the time serving their apprenticeship. I know of a number of boys who were earning prior to the war from £1 to £1 10s. per week, but who at the time of their death at the Front would have completed their apprenticeship and have been earning £3 or, £4 per week had they remained at home. The pensions paid to their mothers, however, are based on the £1 or £1 10s. per week that they were earning during the twelve months before the war. This is the fault not of the officials, but of the law, which ought to be amended. The statement was made from every recruiting platform in the early days of the war that the mother of every boy who enlisted and was killed at the Front would receive a pension of £1 per week. The pensions, however, are being cut down to the lowest possible rate’. I am not blaming the officials. They are simply administering the law as they find it. We should so amend our legislation that justice .may be done to these people.

Mr WATKINS:

S.- I know of a case . where the mother of a soldier killed at the Front is receiving only 10s. per week, although she has seven children to maintain. One of her boys earns XI’ per week.

Mr WATKINS:

S . - We all know of cases of the kind. I bring this matter forward in order that justice may be done.

I wish now to refer to a question put to-day by the honorable member for Henty (Mr. Boyd) in regard to the loading of one of’ the new wooden ships which is about to leave our shores. Those who know anything of the construction of these wooden vessels from the United States of America and Canada must be aware that they are built of soft wood, and that as the planking shrinks a good deal, from eighteen months to two years elapse before they become “tight.” I heard recently of a Canadian vessel which has been in one of our ports for nearly six months. The captain was prepared to pay all the port charges rather than take the risk of putting out with a cargo of wheat. The ship is not “ tight,” and he feared that if he put to sea with such a cargo the wheat would swell and the vessel would probably burst. It was suggested that the agents for this vessel really wanted to send her away with at cargo of coal to the East so as to secure a higher . freight. That is an absurd idea, however, since if she had been a “tight” ship she could have earned far more by carrying wheat during the six months she was in port. He prefers to remain in port rather than to incur the risk which I have indicated. When I was in Canada in 1916, I remember being shown the place where these vessels were being built. We were assured that they were being constructed as lumber boats, with a view to developing trade between Canada and Australia. They were intended to carry lumber on the voyage to Australia, and to carry coal on the return voyage. If these vessels were suitable for the carriage of wheat, I would not have a word to say in opposition to their employment in that connexion. But it would be sheer lunacy to utilize vessels for a purpose for which they are obviously unfitted, and to the danger of the crews who are called upon to man them. It would be madness to refuse .to permit these vessels to take coal on the return voyage to Canada, especially when we consider that the entire coal trade of the Commonwealth has been practically suspended by reason of the war. When shipping is so short, it is a very serious thing for a vessel to lie idle in one of our ports for upwards of seventy days. The excuse urged for this state of things is that if a vessel were allowed’ to load coal for the homeward voyage, when once she got outside the Heads we would be unable to exercise any control over the destination of her cargo. But surely an arrangement could be made with the Dominion Government under which we could exercise such control. If it cannot, what sort of people are we to conduct a war upon the colossal scale on which the present war is being waged? Then there is the case which was mentioned by the honorable member for Henty to-day - a case in which one of these vessels came into port with 6 feet of water in her hold.

Mr WATKINS:

S . - Well, that is possible, but it would be quite another thing to fill up the hold of such a vessel with wheat. If a leaky ship is loaded with wheat, I venture to say that the grain will not be of much value by the time it reaches San Francisco. In regard to the coal-mining industry, I wish the Government to understand that if the question of victimization be not settled, trouble will inevitably result in the near future.

Mr Falkiner:

r. - And there is no question of disloyalty involved in holding that opinion.

Mr SAMPSON:

– The greatest need in this Parliament and in Australia today is that all political differences should be subordinated to the question of the Empire and the cause for which we are fighting. But I am not prepared to say that that position ought to relieve the Government from a proper measure of criticism, especially in regard to its management of the economic forces of the nation.

With the exception of the 300,000 men who are fighting so valiantly at the Front and the organization of our women at home,we cannot, even by the most extravagant stretch of the imagination, affirm that Australia is at war. Certainly she is not at war in an economic sense. The great tendency on the part of the Government has been to concentrate large trading organizations under the direction of the Department of the Prime Minister. Without any necessity for that concentration, the Ministry have built up a huge systemof Socialism within Australia which will form the groundwork for giving effect to that State ownership which has been the aim of the Socialist party for the last ten or twenty years. I believe that in time of war the Government must control, not only armies, but, to some extent, certain utilities in the form of production and manufacture.

Mr SAMPSON:

N.- They do not. They say that they are obliged to sell at those prices because of the surplus production. The question is purely one of supply and demand.

In conclusion, I hope that the Treasurer, who, as the Minister in control of the finances, will naturally have some say in regard to the advances to be made to the farmers on account of their wheat, will see that the farmers are paid the outstanding balances on account of the 1915-16 and 1916-17 Pools at the earliest opportunity, especially as we know that 3,000,000 tons of the 4,500,000 tons remaining in Australia is already paid for by the Imperial Government. What is to prevent a suspense account being created, the money being paid pending the taking over of the wheat by the Imperial Government? Another suggestion I desire to make to the Treasurer is that farmers should be given a guarantee of a paying price extending beyond the present year, say, for two or three years ahead. The growing of wheat is a national industry because of its importance to the economic future of Australia, and also in order that we may help to feed our Allies overseas. It is an industry that must be protected. Owing to the present condition of shipping because of the German submarine menace, and the consequent necessity for keeping the greater portion of our production in Australia, it is the duty of the Government to give a guarantee that will encourage an increase in the wheat area, in order not only to enable them to give a loaf at a reasonable price to the Australian consumer, but also to foster this great national industry. This ia more than a question affecting the wheat-grower. It is a question upon which rests very largely the future financial stability of the Commonwealth. I hope the Treasurer, therefore will give very close attention to the matter of further advances being made in connexion with these pools,- and a readjustment of the whole system of management under the pools, in order that the growers through them may receive more direct representation, and be in a position to obtain, respecting the operations of the pools, information which will be just as accessible to them as the wheat market was on ordinary occasions, when they were dealing through private and co-operative enterprise.

Mr Tudor:

r.- No; he said he would ask him to call it.

Mr J H CATTS:

– It is quite apparent, therefore, that the proposal for this Conference is the Government’s answer to the debate that took place in this chamber a couple of months ago, after the scrutiny of the debate which we were told by the present Treasurer would be made by the Government.

Mr J H CATTS:

TTS.- No. When the absence of the Prime Minister was commented on the Treasurer stated distinctly that everything said in the debate on this side of the House as to the measures that might be taken for co-operation would be carefully scrutinized and analyzed.

Mr J H CATTS:

TTS.- It may be; but it is certainly the impression which the honorable gentleman conveyed to this side.

It is well to know that, concurrently with the calling of this recruiting Conference a great Press Conference is being called by the Government. This is the notice sent out to the newspapers -

Mr Poynton:
NAT

n. - This is the way to bring about peace!

Mr. J. H. CATTS. - The answer of the Government to the discussion which took place two months ago, namely, to convene a conference behind the back of Parliament, is not a step towards reconciliation.

It must be patent to any person on either side of the House, or of this controversy, that certain outstanding matters must be dealt with before there can be anything in the nature of co-operation. These things are evident; but so far from the Government, in the period of the recess, showing a disposition to do anything that would soften the disagreements, not only as between representatives, but as between great sections of the people outside, there has been a continuation of that kind of maladministration which has placed us in the unfortunate and unenviable position in which we find ourselves to-day.

If a Conference of this kind is to do any good, it must be understood, at the outset, that it is a free Conference, and that the press have absolute freedom to report its proceedings, with the exception only of military news of value to the enemy.
It must be absolutely decided and agreed that conscription for service overseas has been finally and definitely abandoned.
There must be an abolition of all coercive means of obtaining men to serve across the sea.

TTS. - My time being limited by the standing order, I cannot go fully into the matter now. His internment seems to be associated with the Ryan versus Hughes episode in Queensland, and in the absence of information or justification for his internment there is a strong presumption that there is a political reason connected with it.

Mr Poynton:
NAT

n. - The honorable memmer is aware that at the meeting to which he refers it was unanimously decided that the information was not to be divulged, but he made it public during the referendum campaign .

Mr J H CATTS:

– The honorable member is not quite accurate. It was intended that the decision of the Committee should not go out to the press, or be canvassed, before the Government had considered it; but another conscription campaign was started, during which it was said that voluntary enlisting had been a failure, and that the Government had received no help and no suggestions from the Labour side in support of recruiting. That falsehood was promulgated throughout the length and breadth of the country, and the honorable gentleman has the audacity to say that we, on this side, should, notwithstanding, have maintained silence; that we should have held our tongues, and not let the country know what had transpired.

Repatriation of our soldiers and their rehabilitation in civil life.
There should be a clear and unambiguous statement of war aims, generally acceptable, and based upon equity and justice.

Mr J H CATTS:

TTS.- No. What Labour men haveto fear by going into a secret Conference is that men from the other side will deliberately attempt to misrepresent everything that Labour says or does in connexion with the war.

Mr J H CATTS:

TTS. - I know that there are War Precautions regulations which limit the freedom of speech everywhere outside this chamber. If statements are made at the Conference concerning matters which ought to be mentioned at such a meeting, the man who makes them will be accountable in the courts for what he has said. This Government have in operation a political censorship which prevents anything in the nature of strong criticism of the Administration going out to the people.

Mr J H CATTS:

Mr FINLAYSON:

N.- I listened with interest to the speech made by the honorable member for Wimmera - (Mr. Sampson), who at all times is a frank and rather fearless speaker, and is not afraid to speak, even if sometimes he does offend his political friends. I notice that he was one of the signatories to the communication addressed to the Prime Minister recently, and which appeared in the Melbourne Age on the 5th March, as follows : -

The Right Honorable the Prime Minister.

Sir, - The following members of the House of Representatives now in Melbourne strongly urge that, in view of the projected early departure of Ministers to London, Parliament should be called together forthwith to consider the recruiting scheme, defence administration, and the present financial situation.

The Ministerial Caucus meeting was held on the 2nd April, in advance of the meeting of the House, and since then the courage of the honorable member for Wimmera seems to have oozed very considerably. In the presence of the dictator he and others who signed that communication seemed to have lost their punch.

Mr FINLAYSON:

N. - No. I can only judge of what took place upstairs by what honorable members have done in this chamber. Judging by the fact that now he is one of the most docile members of his party in the House we can imagine that the whip was cracked to some purpose upstairs, and that the Prime Minister was able to throw his camouflage over those protesting members to such an extent that they are now quite dumb. Let me read what the honorable member for Indi (Mr. Leckie) had to say, and I think he said it most effectively. At Benalla the honorable member said, aa reported in the Age of the 25th March -

He . . . was not satisfied with Federal politics, and he wa’s not going to be bound down by the press or overruled by a parliamentary majority to prevent him saying what should be said in the interests of Australia. No matter how able a man were, if his abilities were noi joined to judgment and good feeling, that man might possibly make mistakes. It was the duty of those who supported the Ministry to tell it so if they thought it was going wrong. The present Government was still in office, although a few months ago it said if it did not get certain power it would not continue to govern. Australia was not being governed in a democratic way, but under the War Precautions Act. That measure should be used only for those things that are urgent. Parliament was there to pass laws, but the Government, without consulting Parliament, or even its own supporters, brought in regulations which afterwards had to be withdrawn. The Government had absolute power, and during the last few months things had occurred of which the people know nothing. The Government suffered from a bitter hatred of a large section of the public. It could not get away from it. While the present Government was there and the present head was there it would find it very hard- to bring Australia together, and to draw all sections in the community together to work as one nation to one end. No man was indispensable. In his opinion a better Government could have been formed from other members of the Nationalist party.

So said the honorable member for Indi, and I admired his courage; but what shall we say about his attitude here ? Have has expressions of condemnation of his Leader and his Government still to come?

Mr FINLAYSON:

N.- (The honorable member had his chance upstairs; or is it that he was restricted there also ?

N.- I hope the honorable member will not ask me to go into details now. At any rate, the Government are going to appoint a council to assist them. The only satisfactory reflection that I have is that most of these boards - boards are generally wooden - provide a sufficient buffer between the Parliament and the Ministry. I can now conceive that, whatever point our financial criticisms may have, it will be easily deflected by the Minister putting upon the council his justification for any action that may be taken. That there is need for drastic attention to finance is now well known to the public. It has been within the knowledge of honorable members for some considerable time.

Honorable members are aware of the severe criticism that has been directed against, not only this Government, but previous Governments, with respect to the waste in the Defence Department. It is unfortunate that these charges of extravagance and waste were not investigated sooner than they have been. We would not then have had this lamentable public exposure of maladministration almost amounting to corruption which has been shown as the result of the recent inquiry. The Minister for Defence (Senator Pearce), in referring to the final conclusions of the Commission - its fourth progress report - takes this peculiar satisfaction to himself -

We have achieved a very fair measure of success. In almost every belligerent country similar complaints have been, or are being, made; while in some charges of corruption have been laid at the door of the Army administration. Happily, nothing of the kind in regard to Australia is mooted in these reports.

That is not the impression left in the minds of the people of Australia in regard to them. While no direct charges of cor- ruption have been laid, there is ground for very strong suspicion that the conduct of financial affairs in the Defence Department has not been what it should have been; and that, in regard to the buying of stores, if there has not been corruption, there has been a very strong savour of unfair and dishonest dealing.The Minister for Defence says that we have had a fair measure of success, that in other countries charges have been made, but we are free from them in Australia. Whatever may have happened in other countries it is no credit to us that we are no worse than they. It is a miserable argument to advance that, because something has gone wrong elsewhere, we are no worse than are those people. As a matter of fact, we’ nave less reason for anything of the kind going wrong than is the case in any other of the belligerent countries. We ore so far removed from the seat of war that there is less excuse for us in Australia. YetI understand that if we could probe to the bottom the condition of affairs in regard to the Defence Department we might not have so much satisfaction in that we are much better than other countries. Years ago I heard the present Minister for the Navy (Mr. Cook) criticise very strongly - and not too strongly - the exaggerated expenditure of theDefence Department, which he said positively must be cut down. Yet here, in this Government, we find him Acting Prime Minister, the Deputy Leader of the party ; and at the same time we see the defence expenditure and administration going on in such a way as to bring down upon itself such damning reports from a Royal Commission. I do not want to belabour the Defence Department. We know the troubles and difficulties it has had to face, but it would be much better if the Government would pay some attention to the criticism of honorable members, not only of the Opposition, but of the Government party also. For years I have heard complaint after complaint. Illustrations and concrete facts have been citedin regard to what was going on, but no notice has been taken, and the consequence is that matters have proceeded until there came this unfortunate exposure.

Among the other proposals submitted by the Deputy Leader of the Government to-day in his policy speech there is mention of a Council of Trade and Commerce proposed to be established. I have not time now to complete my arguments upon that, so I shall delay it until another opportunity presents itself. I. refer now to the new Departments that are being established, to the expensive positions that are being created, and, what is worse still, from my point of view, to the number of men who are being imported to start these new Departments.

Mr FINLAYSON:

N. - Parliament is none the worse for the imported men in it. If the honorable member insists upon referring to the conduct of Australians in this Parliament I may remind him of two or three little episodes in which Australians figured last year, and which might well be forgotten. Ex-SenatorReady, for instance, is an Australian. The honorable member himself is an imported man; if not, he has no reason to be ashamed, since to be an Australian is the next best thing to being a Scotchman. The interjection reminds me of the question of the introduction of titles in this country. I would be one of the last to say a word that might savour of disrespect to our respected friend, Lord Forrest. If there is in this House one man for whom honorable members on all sides, and in every Parliament, have a sincere respect, it is theRight Honorable Lord Forrest, and what I am about to say is not -intended to savour of the slightest disrespect to him. I wish, however, to outer my protest against the importing of titles into this country. Lord Forrest is the first Australian peer; I sincerely hope we shall have no more. The whole national sentiment of Australia is strongly, if not unanimously, against the creation of titles in the Commonwealth. I recently cut out of a London newspaper the following lines, which I think sum up the feeling of the world to-day in regard to these honours: -

TILTING FOR TITLES.

(Lines suggested by a note in the Daily News.)

In burnished mailbedecked with gold They battled for the Crown.

But nowadays, in other ways,

The knightly spurs are won; The mailis black, or at the crack

Of Whips the trick is done. A ring in meat, a squeeze in wheat,

In sugar, pulp, or beer, A coal combine, a trust in wine,

Behold a knight or peer!

I agree with the sentiment expressed by Burns, that ‘’ Lords are but the breath o’ Kings.”

Hero is another _ newspaper extract, which shows the feeling in Canada–

The Times correspondent at Toronto states thai the announcement of the Canadian honours in the order of the British Empire has been indefinitely postponed.

There is a feeling in the Cabinet that titles and honours arc becoming too common. Hostility to hereditary titles is very pronounced. The subject will be considered in Parliament.

The CHAIRMAN (Hon. J. M. Chanter) - Order! The honorable member’s time has expired.

Progress reported.

page 3723

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
ParramattaMinister for the Navy · NAT

.- (By leave.) - I very much regret that, owing to the continued illness of the Prime Minister, I have to make the following statement in his stead. I propose to confine myself to the statement which he prepared, and would have read to the House had he been well enough to do so. It is as follows : -

Since Parliament rose, as honorable members are doubtless aware, the Treasurer has been obliged, by serious indisposition, to resign his position in the Government.

Honorable members will, I am sure, join with me in wishing the right honorable gentleman a speedy restoration to health, and in congratulating him upon the signal honour bestowed upon him by His Majesty the King in recognition of a long and distinguished public career.

The vacancy thus created has been filled by the appointment of the Hon. W. A. Watt as Treasurer.

The Hon. L. E. Groom has assumed the office of Minister of Works and Railways.

Senator Russell has been appointed Vice President of the Executive Council.

The following gentlemen have been added to the Ministry: - Hon. A. Poynton, Hon. G. H. Wise, Hon. W. Massy Greene, and Hon. R. B. Orchard.

The reasons for these appointments, and the duties assigned to the new Ministers, will be referred to later.

The House and the country are aware of the gravity of the present military situation in Europe. Without attempting to arouse undue anxiety, it is plain that the British and Allied Forces are being subjected to a strain hitherto unparalleled in this fearful war. The Empire is now’ facing a crisis which calls for the utmost effort and sacrifice.

In the face of the common danger, it is not too much to hope that the people of all ‘ parts of the Empire - including this Commonwealth - will present a united and unwavering front. Only in such unity can safety be found. The Government invites, and will do everything within its power to promote, this vital national solidarity.

It will be within the knowledge of honorable members that the British Government have asked representatives of the Dominions to meet in London at an early date. The Government feels that at this critical juncture Australia must’ be represented thereat.

The Prime Minister and the ‘ Minister for the Navy will represent the Commonwealth.

In a Ministerial statement addressed to Parliament shortly before the adjournment, it was announced that it was proposed to take steps in the near future with a view to strengthening the Government and making it more efficient to meetthe increasing pressure of war duties and those economic and other conditions arising out of the war.

It has been obvious for some considerable time that the pressure upon several departments caused by the war necessitated such a policy. The difficulty thus felt will be intensified by the absence of two senior Ministers who will visit London.

The additions to tile strength of the Government to which I before alluded have been made to meet the situation thus created.

In connexion with these , new appointments, which I may add will involve no additional burden on the finances,, it has been deemed advisable to arrange such a re-allotment of Ministerial duties as to secure the most efficient discharge of the public business.

Mr. Poynton will act for the Minister for the Navy and will also have charge of Shipping and Shipbuilding. . Mr. Wise will discharge the duties previously undertaken by Mr. Groom as Assistant Minister for Defence, and will be given certain defined lines of administration, among which will be allotments and separation allowances and Citizen Force administration, rifle club matters, works, and certain details of the Australian Imperial Force.

It has been arranged that Mr. Orchard shall have complete control of the recruiting movement, and be free, as far as possible, from administrative work. The recruiting staffs will pass under his control.

The Government has reason to believe that its proposals relating to voluntary recruiting will thus be stimulated, and that by the co-operation of all classes in the community the desired reinforcements will be forthcoming.

A large number of commercial undertakings of considerable magnitude, the direct result of the waT, have hitherto centred in the Prime Minister’s Department. These matters include metals, wool, wheat, butter, and others of a similar character. The control of these will be transferred to the Trade and Customs Department. Senator Russell and Mr. Massy Greene will be associated with the Minister for Trade and Customs, and two representatives of the business world will be invited to act in consultation with them. Although Ministerial responsibility will be fully maintained, the assistance of competent business men will insure the handling of the gigantic undertaking above referred to with national advantage.

Recruiting. - Honorable members are familiar with the proposals of the Government with reference to recruiting. The

Minister representing the Minister for Defence and the Minister for Recruiting will deal in detail with this matter later in the debate.

Shipbuilding. - The Commonwealth shipbuilding scheme is now definitely established. The Commonwealth Government have taken over from the Victorian Government the State Shipbuilding . Yards at Williamstown, and two standardized steel ships of 5,500 tons are now under construction. Six others of similar design will be also constructed there.-

In addition to this, a .contract has been let with the New South Wales Government for the construction of six similar vessels at Walsh Island, and for two at Devonport, in Tasmania.

Negotiations are in progress with the State Governments for the construction of steel ships in South Australia by private firms. The Government hopes that private enterprise will now step forward and assist in this great national work.

All the material and engines for these vessels are being manufactured in Austraia, with the exception of the large plates for the first six ships, which were not procurable here and were ordered from America. This material is now on its way.

Orders for material for seven additional steel ships to be’ built in Australia of same type and design as those now under construction at Williamstown and Walsh Island are now the subject of negotiation.

Two contracts for construction by private firms in Australia of wooden ships to be fitted With auxiliary, engines have been completed. One is for six ships of 2,600 tons. The second is for six ships of 2,300 tons.

After protracted negotiations with representatives of the Labour organizations interested in the shipbuilding industry, practically the whole of the unions concerned, with the exception of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, have signed the Agreement, which the Government laid down as an essential to the commencement of the construction of. ships, providing for continuity of operations, dilation of labour, and piece-work.

Piece-work rates have been mutually agreed upon iin a number of cases, and the Federal ship-building ttribunal appointed to settle disputes is now engaged in determining further piece-work rates.

In June, 1917, an order was placed in. America for fourteen first-class wooden ships of 3,200 tons, four to be equipped with two full Diesel engines, and ten firstclass wooden cargo steamers.

Owing to various reasons, mainly to troubles with shipways, delivery of material, labour troubles, &c, the delivery of these boats has been delayed.

Two vessels have been launched and others will shortly follow. All axe expected to arrive in Australia during the year.

Shipping. - With a view to utilizing vessels engaged in the Australian coasting trade to the best advantage, and in orde] to free as many ships as possible for service of the British Government over-seas, regulations have been made providing for the appointment of a Controller of ‘Shipping, a Deputy Controller of Over-seas Shipping, and a Deputy Controller of Coastal Shipping, who, with six representatives of the Inter-State companies, constitute an Inter-State Central Committee.

The Controller of Shipping has power to requisition any vessel registered in Australia or engaged in the coasting trade, and to vary the rates of f ares and freights to be charged on vessels requisitioned. He may also determine which vessels may be made available for the over-sea shipping service.

Twenty-two over-sea ships have been diverted from the Australian trade, and to further meet the urgent and pressing requirements of the British Government,, five others under Commonwealth control have been diverted. In addition to this, twenty-six vessels hitherto engaged in tha coastal and Eastern trade, and eight engaged in New Zealand trade, have been released for use of the British Government, making a total of sixty-one in all.

Council of Defence. - In order to coordinate the work of the Defence Department more completely with the other Commonwealth Departments and with the general policy of the Government, it is proposed to establish a Council of Defence, consisting of the Prime Minister, the Minister for the Navy, the Minister for Defence, and representatives of the Navy and Army Departments, and two members of the recently-appointed Business Board.

Provision will be made to strengthen the existing provisions for home defence by enlisting in the Citizen Forces persons ineligible for the A.I.F. between the ages of twenty-one and fifty.

Finance Council. - In order that the Government may have at its disposal for the purpose of its finance administration the services of the highest financial experts, it is proposed to create a Council of Finance, composed of the Treasurer, the Secretary to the Treasury, representatives of the banks, and representatives of the financial institutions.

Repatriation - The Repatriation Act has been proclaimed, and came into operation on the 8th inst. ; the regulations have been passed and gazetted. The Repatriation Commission has been appointed, and the work of organization is rapidly proceeding. A full statement in connexion with this matter will be made in a few days.

Council of Trade and Commerce. - In connexion with the vast administrative duties cast upon the Government, owing to the war, in connexion with commercial matters - such as the wheat, wool, and butter pools, metals, the sugar crop, price fixing, &c. - it has been decided to transfer these to the Department of Trade and Customs.

In connexion with this Department, the Government proposes to avail itself of the patriotic offer of the Chambers of Commerce to place at its disposal some first class business men, to be representatives on a council which will assist the Minister and Assistant Ministers. It is recognised that the operations of the Department vitally affect the interests of producers, traders, and others throughout the Commonwealth; and the existence of this council will be an assurance that political interference with business will be reduced to the minimum, consistent with the public interest.

Recognising the urgent necessity for organizing Australian industries, and finding profitable markets for our products overseas, it is proposed to establish immediately a Bureau of Commerce and Industry, and place in charge a first class business man, who will act with the representatives of the various industries.

The economic and industrial problems which face the Commonwealth during and after the war have been the subject of careful consideration, and the Government has formulated a comprehensive scheme of organization which it has submitted for discussion and criticism to the Chambers of Commerce and Manufactures. The Government have been met in a broadminded and patriotic spirit by these bodies, and after full discussion the main principles of the scheme have been approved. They involve the complete organization of all industries, primary and secondary, into associations, which will send representatives to a General Council of Commerce and Industry, and the Science and Industry Bureau will be thoroughly equipped and re-staffed to be at the disposal of this organization. The scheme is directed to enable Australian industries to adapt themselves to the new conditions, and to regulate on a new basis post-war changes of trade and commerce.

Labour. - To establish and maintain better interests between capital and labour, it is proposed that the AttorneyGeneral shall also be Minister for Labour ; and an advisory council, representing employers and employees, will be appointed to keep touch between the Department and the industrial interests affected.

Legislation will also be brought forward to remove certain defects of the existing industrial machinery, and provide more effective methods of dealing with industrial problems.

The matter is, in this time of national crisis, of the highest importance for defence, and it is proposed to deal with it by a Bill framed in reliance upon the Defence power, and, therefore, free from the complicated constitutional limitations of the Commonwealth arbitration power.

The scope of the measure will be limited to certain industries of national importance, e.g., transport, base metal mining and metallurgy, coal mining, the manufacture of iron and steel, the handling of wheat, &c, for export, manufacture of munitions, &c.

I move -

That the paper he printed.

Debate (on motion by Mr. Tudor) adjourned.

page 3726

LANDS ACQUISITION BILL

Motion (by Mr. Glynn) agreed to -

That leave be given to bring in a Bill for an Act to consolidate and amend the Lands Acquisition Act 1906-16.

page 3726

INDUSTRIAL PEACE BILL

Motion (by Mr. Joseph Cook, for Mr. Hughes) agreed to -

That leave be given to bring in a Bill for an Act to provide for the Maintenance of Industrial Peace, and the Prevention and Settlement of Industrial Disputes, during the present war, and for six months thereafter, and for other purposes.

page 3726

KALGOORLIE TO PORT AUGUSTA RAILWAY LANDS BILL

Motion (by Mr. Glynn) agreed to -

That leave be given to bring in a Bill for an Act relating to lands required for the purposes of the Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway.

Bill presented and read a first time.

page 3726

POST AND TELEGRAPH RATES BILL

Motion (by Mr. Webster) agreed to -

That leave be given to bring in a Bill for an Act to amend the Post and Telegraph Bates

Act 1902-1913.

page 3726

COMMERCE (TRADE DESCRIPTIONS) BILL

Motion (by Mr. Jensen) agreed to -

That leave be given to bring in a Bill for an Act to amend the Commerce (Trade. Descriptions) Act 1905.

page 3726

PUBLIC SERVICE BILL

Motion (by Mr. Joseph Cook, for Mr. Hughes) agreed to -

That leave be given to bring in a Bill for an Act to amend section 72 of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1917.

page 3726

POST AND TELEGRAPH BILL

Motion (by Mr. Webster) agreed to -

That leave be given to bring in a Bill for an Act to amend the Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1916.

page 3727

SUPPLY BILL (No. 6) 1917-18

Arsenal Site - Naval Bases - Discussion of Estimates - Purchase of Ships : Unauthorized Expenditure - Auditor-General’s Report - Motor Car Hire by Minister for . Trade and Customs - Shipping Board - Recruiting on Coal Mining Fields : Alleged Victimization of Lodge Officers : Breach of Agreements - Appointment of Additional Ministers - Re-distribution of Ministerial Duties - Commonwealth Police - Prosecutions under War Precautions Act : Detention in Gaol op Offenders- Historic Portraits - Regulation of Food Prices : Primary Products - Recruiting Conference : Action of GovernorGeneral - Australian Representation at Imperial Conference - Evasions of Australian Workers Union Award - Non-fulfilment of Promises to Returned Soldiers - Defence Department : Pay Officers : Accountancy of Allotment and Allowance Sections - War Pensions - False Declarations by Recruits - Conductof Military Police in Sydney - Waterside Workers - Deregistration of Unions - Land Settlement of Returned Soldiers - Wheat Payments to Farmers - Shipbuilding - Military Clerks in Sydney: Overtime and Working Accommodation: Uniforms - Second Military District Administration - Country Telegraphic and Telephonic Communication - Sale of Wheat and Wool - Loading of New Wooden Ships - Recruiting : Policy of the Government : Settlement of Party Differences - Conduct of the War - Prime Minister’s Department : Control of Trading Organizations - Wheat Pool: Advances to Farmers - Public Departments : Expenditure - Taxation - Creation of Boards : Council of Finance - Defence Administration - Titles : Lord Forrest.

In Committee of Supply:

Mr WATT:
Treasurer · Balaclava · NAT

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

– The Board has full control of the whole of our InterState shipping.

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

– The Government have practically handed over to the Board the whole of their powers in regard to the allocation of our shipping and the distribution of freights. We are now told that it is also to be given power, where necessary, to increase freights.

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

– I am talking of what is being done in Australia. If the Board is to be continued, it should be so reconstituted as to give equal representa tion to the customers of the shipping companies - the general public. It has been found necessary, I think, in respect of most other Boards created by the Government, to have some dilution of the direct interests involved; but in this case we have practically a Board consisting solely of the managers of the shipping companies. I shall bring this matter personally under the notice of the responsible Minister, and offer him suggestions, the adoption of which would, I believe, prove advantageous. In the interests of the traders and consumers of Australia, there should be some representatives of the people, as well as of the shipping companies, on the Board. This question affects Tasmania more vitally than any other State.

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

– A representative of each State should be placed on the Board.

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

– I agree with the honorable member. If the various Boards created by the Government are to work satisfactorily, they must be free from any tinge of political or party control. The representation must be fairly divided. Just as in the case of the recruiting committees, honorable members have been invited to assist, so I think their assistance should be sought on these Boards. The regulations framed by the Shipping Board are detrimental to the interests of my own State. Tasmania is suffering.

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

– Quite so; but I am not prepared to see the whole of the Inter-State shipping trade of Australia placed under the control of a Board consisting entirely of shipping company managers.

There are matters relating to shipbuilding which we shall have an opportunity to discuss in connexion with the Ministerial statement. I have heard for the first time to-day that the Honorary Minister (Mr. Poynton) is to be in charge of shipping, and I urge him to take this question into his immediate consideration. I feel sure he will recognise the advisableness of strengthening the Board and protecting the public in the way I have suggested.

Mr CHARLTON:
Hunter

.- Once again I desire to enter my protest against the delay in dealing with the Estimates. I” was pleased to hear the present Treasurer state that it is the intention of the Government to give the House an opportunity of considering the Estimates before the end of the financial year, late though that opportunity will be, and I hope that effect will be given to that intention. My criticism is not directed against any particular Government. Every ‘Government that has been in office since the war commenced has been equally guilty. This Parliament seems to have fallen into a bad habit. Works have been completed, and expenditure has been incurred, before we, who are supposed to be the custodians of the public purse, are given an opportunity of considering the Estimates. I trust that if the present Treasurer continues in office, he will see his way clear to bring future Estimates before Parliament at a much earlier period than has been the practice of Governments during the last four or five years.

I wish to take this opportunity of dealing with what I consider a much more important question than even the consideration of the Estimates by Parliament. I am moved to take this step because of the present state of the war. Never since the commencement of hostilities was the crisis more acute than it is today. We all are desirous of doing our best to prosecute this war to a successful conclusion, and in that regard very much depends upon the attitude of this Parliament. We have a duty to perform, and that duty is to endeavour to create in the community an atmosphere which will assist us to get recruits under the voluntary system ., Are we doing that ? ‘ Honorable members very rightly say that what we need are unity and harmony in the community. But we must do something to bring about those conditions. Talking alone will not produce harmony. In the meanwhile, time is passing, and the position is daily becoming worse. During the last two years recruiting has been falling off at a very rapid rate. Whilst I have never thought that we could continue to get recruits at the same rate as they came forward in the early days of the war, I do think that wo should be able to get more than have been forthcoming during the last two years. What steps should we take to create that atmosphere which is so necessary in order that Australia may put forth its best efforts in connexion with the war ? I answer at once that we must not lose sight of the fact that the great industrial masses of this country must be made to feel that they count” for something in the community. When they are asked to take the risk of doing their part in the war, ‘they must be shown clearly that they have some stake in the country ; that they are not fighting merely for the Interests of the men who have wealth and property, but to protect their own liberties as Australians. Anything we can do to bring about that feeling will assist in a very great measure in producing the number of recruits we require. At the present time, there is a very pronounced feeling on the part of the worker, and it is growing day by day, that he is not getting a fair deal. It is to the working man that we must look to successfully prosecute any war. Without his assistance, money counts for nothing. Money is only a factor which is essential for paying him for his services. When the workers begin to feel that they are not getting their due, the first question that suggests itself to them is, “ What are we fighting for; what benefits do we get from the war?” Looking at the position in which they find themselves to-day, they conclude that in very many cases they are not getting justice, and I indorse that view.

Mr Archibald:

– The workers are a thousand times better off than are the workers in England.-

Mr Riley:
SOUTH SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

– Something will be heard about them at the conference convened by the Governor-General.

Trades Hall,

Newcastle. 23rd March, 1918.

W. M. Hughes, Esq.,

Prime Minister,

Melbourne.

Dear Sir,

Adverting to the conversation we had with you recently in Sydney in reference to the position of the Coal and Shale Miners Federation and you asking me to furnish you with the number of members victimized and other matters that are causing unrest in the industry, I herewith set out for your perusal briefly the position.

In respect to the victimization, I enclose you the number in each district that are still idle, and in the North I am dealing separately, in order that you may direct inquiries with a view of ascertaining as to whether any of those members are members of the I.W.W. We are convinced that these members have been victimized because of the prominent part they have taken inour organization as lodge officers, and can give facts that these men have in many instances obviated stoppages at the collieries. I think it is needless, however, for me to point out the feeling that exists, and what may be apprehended if this is permitted to continue much longer. I may here state that compulsory conferences have been convened by Mr. Beeby, the Minister for Labour and Industry in this State, and so far have not been successful in adjusting the matters referred to.

I may be permitted to refer to the effect it will have on recruiting, and, in fact, any proposals that may be put forward soliciting the co-operation of the miners during the war period.

I think it is generally recognised that the miners of this Commonwealth have played a prominent part during the war, inasmuch as a little over 30 per cent. of our members have already enlisted, and the feeling that prevails in instances that have occurred where returned soldiers have found their brothers and fathers victimized, and in some cases been refused work themselves. We have members victimized who have one, two, three, and up to four sons at the Front, and in cases their sons have made the extreme sacrifice, and in view of this the feeling is becoming so prevalent that the executive fear something serious may happen.

The chief cause of the trouble is in connexion with Brown’s collieries, namely, Pelaw Main and Richmond Main, as you will see by the number of men that are out of work and the fact that more loyalists have been imported here from Victoria.

I desire also to bring under your notice the position in relation to Stanford Merthyr Colliery, where there are close on 600 men out of work in connexion with the abolition of the afternoon shift. As you are aware, this question was the cause of a ten months’ strike by a number of the collieries in the Maitland field, which commenced on 28th May, 1914, and ceased in April, 1915. At the termination of the struggle a conference was held in Newcastle, which was presided over by Mr. John Brown, and representatives of both the employers and employees were present. The outcome of the conference was that an understanding was arrived at whereby the afternoon shift should cease at the Stanford Merthyr and other collieries. I enclose you herewith copy of proposals referred to. We have been informed now by Mr. C. A. Earp, managing director of the Stanford Merthyr Colliery, that they do not intend to honour the agreement arrived at, and will not conform with what has already been carried out at all the other collieries on the Maitland field.

We hope, therefore, that you will give favorable consideration to these questions immediately, and oblige,

Yours faithfully,

J. Baddeley,

President,

Colliery Employees Federation.

This is the agreementreferred to -

That if the afternoon shift is persisted in as a temporary arrangement, an extra payment of not less than 3d. per ton shall be paid on pick coal gotten on the afternoon shift, and21/2d. per ton shall be paid for the machine coal gotten on the afternoon shift, also3/4d. per ton shall be paid to machine men on the afternoon shift, and 10 per cent. increase to all other classes of labour engaged on the afternoon shift, with a distinct understanding that the payment will come in force on the date of the resumption of work at the collieries affected by the afternoon shift dispute.

That if this proposal be accepted by the Colliery Employees’ Federation, the proprietors agree not to refer the case to arbitration, and the time limits at the collieries shall be - Hepburn and Pelaw Main, 2 years; Whitburn, 2$ years; Stanford Merthyr, 3 years; East Greta and Richmond Main, 4 years.

The above proposals were placed before the members of the Colliery Employees’ Federation, and were accepted as per delegate board minute of meeting held 11th. March, 1915.

The three years mentioned in that agreement have expired, but the proprietors, notwithstanding the war, would not comply with its terms, and in the belief that, because of the action of the State Government, they could break down the opposition to the afternoon shift, and compel the men to work two shifts. The men would not do this, and for a fortnight 600 of them were out of work. Not one newspaper in the Commonwealth did the men the justice to show that the proprietors had broken faith with them; and probably Mr. Knibbs’ statistics will record as. a strike what was actually a lockout by the owners. Honorable members can imagine the feelings of the men and their wives and families at the treatment accorded to them. At the end of a fortnight further consideration was given to the matter, and the men were permitted to resume work. Why were they kept from working for a fortnight? To ascertain, I dare say, whether, under the influence of the State Government, the men could not be got to agree to the second shift. It is things like these that are killing recruiting in the coal-fields. As has been pointed out, 30 .per cent, of the members of the association have enlisted - that is over 3,000 of them. Therefore, no one can say that, in proportion to their numbers, the coaminers have not done their duty. As a matter of fact, the Newcastle electorate, a mining constituency, has furnished the largest number of recruits, in proportion to population, that has been obtained in the Commonwealth. Those facts show that the hearts of these people are in the war, but the treatment that they have been receiving for the last year or two has made them very despondent. I could mention many similar cases, but I shall refer to only one case in which the treatment of an individual was most unjust. A man named Arbuckle was refused employment. He is not an Industrial Workers of the World man, and had two sons at the Front, one of whom, I think, has been killed. .That man could not get employment at any colliery in the Newcastle district. He went to Queensland, and, poor fellow, lost his sight through’ an accident in a mine there; so that now a district collection is being made to provide for him and his family. Incidents like that create opposition to recruiting and to the war. This Parliament, which is the supreme legislative authority of the Commonwealth, should have control of all matters affecting the welfare of the Commonwealth - especially in this time of national crisis. We should not quietly permit the Government of a State to do things which injure the interests of the whole Commonwealth. It is time that the Commonwealth Government saw that justice was done to the miners. If it will take steps to reinstate the men, and restore the unions to their former status, much good will be achieved. Nothing is gained by de-registering unions; on the contrary, it is having a bad effect. All should recognise that the assistance of trade unionists is essential in the successful prosecution of the war. Money will not do all that is required. We must have recruits from the working men of this country if we are to keep back the German hordes. The working men, however, see that the cost of living, notwithstanding the Hoards that are appointed, increases day by ,day. Many of them find themselves denied work. With regard to the agreement between the State Government and Mr. John Brown for the bringing of men from Victoria to the Hunter Valley coal-fields, it may be said that the men employed by Mr. John Brown were on the spot before the agreement was entered into. That may have been the case with many of them, but when, after the agreement had been made, men living in the vicinity applied for work, they were unable to get it, and, although they were supposed to receive preference in the filling of vacancies, others were brought from Victoria to fill vacancies. Surely this Parliament should be able to interfere under such conditions ! The State Government should not be allowed to make an arrangement under which men are brought to a coal field, and given employment there, although others living in the district are out of work. We should not permit a private individual to deal with labour in that way, to the detriment of the Commonwealth and the prosecution of the war.

Yet this Parliament has not lifted a hand to protect the coal-miners. I have said that I was sorry that the recent industrial trouble took place; but I say now that I was told, on the Friday before there was a stoppage of work, by a man well known in the public life of this country, that if the stoppage took place the Government of New South Wales, in conjunction with the employers of the State, would give the men the worst licking that they had had in their lives. I regret that the railway men fell into the trap laid for them, and stopped work. When the trouble was over, the State Government should have honoured its pledges, and the Commonwealth Government should see that those pledges are honoured, and that the men get employment. At Pelaw Main there were seventy-three men still out, some of whom had taken no part in the stoppage, having been away at the Front, who, on being returned as unfit, applied for. and were refused, employment, while eligible men, who should have volunteered for the Front, were brought from Victoria and given employment. The miners have played their part well during the war, and will continue to do so if they are properly treated, but they feel that no interest is taken in them. They see the wealthy people of the country becoming more wealthy, and the cost of living rising, and yet they are denied work, which is given to men from other States. One man in particular - I am sorry to have to refer to an individual, but I cannot help it - who is known as the “ Baron “ in the sporting world, can obtain contracts whereby he gains heaps of money. I understand that he has no one but himself to keep, and that, outside his business, nothing but horse-racing on which to spend his money. These facts discourage recruiting, and the Federal Government would act wisely if it decided in this crisis, when we should try our utmost to obtain reinforcements for the boys at the Front, that bygones should be bygones, that the men should be restored to their employment, and that the de-registered unions should be reregistered. When these things have been done, we shall have gone a long way towards getting recruits. So long as the present temper of the men obtains, we cannot hope to get al] that we want. I am informed that many of the waterside workers have not had any employment worth speaking of since the recent indus trial’ trouble. It must be remembered, too, that an injury to one set of workers is an injury to all. The injustice done’ to the men in certain districts creates discontent in the breast of every worker throughout Australia. I think that the proposed conference is a step in the right direction, but unless and until you remove the grievances of which I have spoken, you cannot expect success in your recruiting. We should not live in a fool’s paradise merely because the press of the capital in which we live, which knows t nothing of the conditions elsewhere, lays down certain lines to be followed. We have to place ourselves- in the position of the working man. If he finds that he is losing employment, and that others, including men who are eligible to go to the war, are being put on, he says that he will not take any part in any recruiting effort. The same thing applies to the wives of some of the gallant men who have gone to the Front, and also to the fathers of many who have gone to fight for us. T have in mind the case of a young man who has returned. I have sent it on to the Minister for Repatriation. This returned soldier has written as follows: -

I have been here some time. I have returned unlit. I have a pension which will expire shortly, I am afraid. In consequence, I am a good deal worried. I feel that I am now able to follow my former employment. I have gone and asked- for employment where I was previously engaged. I left .with the understanding that when I returned I should be put back there. I have walked backwards and forwards to that mine for a month, and they have told me at last that they cannot employ me because of the State Workers’ Compensation Act.

Mr RILEY:
South Sydney

Mr BLAKELEY:
Darling

.- Some little time ago I called attention to the evasion by certain pastoralists of an award obtained by the Australian Workers Union. Since that time I have obtained even , more evidence in support of what I then stated. On stations - owned by “ patriots,” of course - the award is being evaded, the employers absolutely refusing to recognise their obligations to the workers of the country, and many and weird and various are the subterfuges and excuses. I am pleased to say that we have “ pulled “ one of them, at least, to the “bull ring,” there to pay a fairly heavy fine, and many will follow in the near future. Apart from the effects such an attitude has on the ordinary workers of the country, it must be remembered that many of those concerned are -the fathers or brothers of men at the Front; and those employers, who are wealthy men, doing well out of the war, inasmuch as they fix the price of their own commodity, and generally look after themselves pretty well, are so mean and contemptible as to refuse to pay the award wages to returned men who enlisted from their stations. When these- men, who have been fighting for the preservation of the flocks and herds and lauds of their employers, come back, it may be wounded and ill-fitted for the hard work around the .station, they are told by those “patriotic” squatters that they are not bound by the award. So concerned am 1 in regard to this matter that I have placed a case before the Repatriation Commission. It is the case of ex-Private John Guy, who was in the employ of T. M. Scott, on Burroway Station, near Narromine. He enlisted from that station, and was, as it were, , played off with hands, wished God-speed, and promised that he would be looked after when he returned. In the meantime an award of the Court was given, which brought the wages up to a white man’s standard - a living wage. But T. M. Scott, because of some working in his mind, refused to j»ay the rate. 1 placed the whole matter before the Commission, and Mr. Lockyer sent the following letter to Mr. E. Grayndler, general secretary of the Australian Workers Union : -

I beg to enclose herewith copy of letter to hand from Mr. ‘.C. M. Scott, “of Burroway Station, in explanation of the circumstances under which ex-Private John Guy, a returned soldier, left his employment. ‘ This matter formed the subject of your letter of the 15th February last. I regret being unable to express any useful opinion on the merits of the case.

The letter, from the “ patriotic “ squatter, who is very keon to get men to enlist from his station, hut not so keen to pay them proper wages, was as follows: -

Your letter of 1st instant, A.18/539, to hand. John Guy was working digging out rabbits when he enlisted. He returned the beginning of 1917, and wrote me’ for work, and although I was full-handed at the time, I made room for him and he has had constant work till middle of January last, when he left of his own accord The trouble was under the station hands’ award; only certain men named in that award are liable to pay the extreme rates, and I am not one, so I am not liable. With other employers in the district, I decided “voluntarily “ to give our employees a rise of 5s. per week. Under instructions from their union the men left my employ, and I was very surprised to receive your letter charging me with discharging the man in question, when the source from where- the charge came knew perfectly the facts of the case. I am always willing to give returned men a preference. P.S. - John Guy was receiving 30s. per week and keep when he left me. - T.M.S.

I submit that the Commission should be given effective power to compel disloyal squatters to recognise their obligations to the men who have fought for their liberty and property - to compel employers to register and keep their promises, or cause them to be severely punished.

Mr Heitmann:

– Does the honorable member suggest that the Royal Commis- sion was influenced by ulterior motives in making such a recommendation?

Mr Leckie:
INDI, VICTORIA

– Do these men receive more than £250 a year ?

Mr HECTOR LAMOND:
Illawarra

– I rise to direct attention to the matter of the pensions of soldiers. There seems to be a misapprehension, on the part of the Minister for Repatriation, and possibly on the part of the Cabinet also, as to what will be the effect of some of the new decisions in regard to the pensions of returned soldiers. To me it is abundantly clear that the new arrangements do not touch one matter that is causing more trouble amongst the soldiers than perhaps any other, namely, the unequal allotment of pensions. The Department is governed by an Act which fixes the maximum pension payable to any soldier at £2 per week, and, naturally, pensions have been graded from that maximum, which is paid to the man utterly unable to do any work when he returns, down to a few shillings for the man who is almost capable of earning his own livelihood. As a result, the average pension must be not more than about £1 per week: A case came under my notice in which a returned soldier, who was so injured that he is unable to follow his ordinary occupation, and is unable to obtain employment in any other, is allowed 15s. per week, on which he is supposed to live in decency. 1

Mr Poynton:
NAT

– The finality after six months is only in regard to decreases; it is still possible for the pension to be further increased.

Mr WEST:
East Sydney

.- The honorable member for South Sydney (Mr. Riley) made reference to the forthcoming conference convened by the GovernorGeneral to consider the matter of recruiting. I deplore the fact that the GovernorGeneral of Australia, who, .being an Englishman, has, I presume, an understanding of Constitutional Government, should be compelled to admit that the Government in power are doing virtually nothing to assist in recruiting. I feel that it is my imperative duty to render all the assistance I can to the recruiting movement. But although this Government should control the destinies of Australia, Ministers have not assumed that control, nor have they done what the people elected them to do. If in addressing the House honorable members were compelled to base their remarks on texts, that which I should feel bound to use at the present moment is, “Do ye unto others as ye would that they should do unto you.” Parliament has but just met, after a recess of some months, during which period the administration of the Government was without restraint, but Ministers in that time did nothing to help recruiting ; on the contrary, what they did has discouraged it. .

I do not know who. frames the regulations which are issued under the Defence Act, but whoever is responsible for them does not understand Australians, and does not know the meaning of humanity. I wish to draw attention to a regulation issued on the 13th September last, which says that a member of the Australian Imperial Force who makes a false answer on attestation as to age, and is discharged in consequence of it, shall forfeit all pay not drawn by him for any period prior to the date of his discharge. Had Parliament been sitting when the regulation was laid on the table, it would not have met with the approbation of honorable members. Let me bring before them a very hard case due to the application of this regulation. Two boys, both under - age, enlisted in Sydney, and joined the same company. One was killed, and the other so seriously wounded at the Front as to be sent to a hospital in England, when their father came to me and said, “ My two boys were under age when they enlisted, and now that only one of them is. left, I ask that he may not be sent to the Front.” The lad was accordingly discharged, but the regulation which I have mentioned applied to his case, and he was compelled to forfeit all pay and moneys due to him at the date of his discharge. This was ‘cruel action for the Department to take. The lad has served his country, and been wounded in its service, and his brother has died for it, and yet, because his father asks for his return as an only son, the Department deprives him of pay that is due to him. Similar cases have been brought before me. The knowledge of these injustices has spread, and in consequence there is strong feeling against those responsible for the regulation. The Australian boy is eager to go to the Front to fight for his country, and when such a boy, although under age, has fought and been injured, and is compelled by reason of his father’s appeal to return, he should not be sent back without a penny. I have brought several of these cases under the notice of the Department, and have received always the same reply. The matter is one of which the Honorary Minister should take notice, and he should give the country an assurance that the action of which’ I complain will not be repeated. No doubt it is wrong to make a false declaration as to age, but the patriotism which impels young lads to do this is to be respected, and their action should not be punished in circumstances such as I have related. It is because regulations like these are promulgated when Parliament is in recess that members object to long adjournments.

Another matter which has caused annoyance and complaint is the action of the military police. In Sydney several persons have been brought before the Police Courts for interfering with the military police. I do not . justify their interference, but the action of the police has been such as to fire the blood of onlookers - men and . women - to such an extent that they could not resist the temptation to interfere to prevent cruelty.

Sitting suspended from 6.30 to 7.45 p.m.

Mr NICHOLLS:
Macquarie

.- I desire to refer briefly to the treatment meted out to our returned soldiers. Scores of our men who, prior to enlisting, were led to believe that they would be given improved conditions upon their return to Australia have been very much disappointed to find that the amount of pension promised to them is not now forthcoming. This applies not only to single, but to married men also. I have received scores of applications from returned soldiers asking me to see what I could do to have their pensions increased, because they are not able to maintain themselves upon the amount received; and although repeated representations have been made to the Defence Department no further assistance has been given, the reply invariably being that the men could claim only the amount of pension, due to them. In this connexion I desire to point out that a large number of men working in the mines, men who have not enlisted, are at present enjoying greater privileges and are receiving more money than the men who have been .fighting for us for two or three years. This is not the proper way to stimulate recruiting, because these complaints have been spread broadcast throughout Australia, and men who have not enlisted find no encouragement to. do so. Then, in regard to the settlement of returned soldiers upon land, the treatment in some cases has ‘been most vile, the men being placed upon areas which in many instances are quite useless.

Mr Heitmann:

– It is absolutely criminal io put men on some of the land allotted.

Mr Sampson:

– Is that a lean-to, or is it one of the principal rooms ?

Mr Falkiner:

– How could the land revert to the original owners ? It would go back to the State.

Mr Falkiner:

– In New South Wales the State is not selling land now.

Mr Falkiner:

– In New South Wales the sale of land by the State has. been stopped for years.

Mr Richard Foster:

– They have been paid 4s. 6d., less charges, for the 1915-16 crop.

Mr Falkiner:

– That is an absolute misrepresentation !

Mr Riley:

– It is rather a big order to hold the Government responsible for that!

Mr Mahony:

– Why did the Government not exterminate the vermin ?

Mr Poynton:
NAT

– Do you not realize the difference in the freight between Canada and the Old Country, and Australia and the Old Country?

Mr Poynton:
NAT

– Every wool store in Australia is filled with wool.

Mr Tudor:

– There is none of the 1915-16 wool crop here now.

Mr Tudor:

– And none of the 1916-17 crop, either.

Mr Webster:
Postmaster-General · MACQUARIE, NEW SOUTH WALES · NAT

– The honorable member does not know what he is talking about.

Mr Webster:
NAT

– I know them better than does the honorable member.

Mr Webster:
NAT

– How many cases have” you sent on to me? Not one.

Mr Webster:
NAT

– Cite one.

Mr FALKINER:
Hume

– I am in accord with the honorable member who has just resumed his seat that something must be ‘ done for the wheatgrowers of Australia. If the Ministry cannot arrange with the banks to pay for the wheat it is quite as essential to raise a loan to pay the farmer his wages as it is to raise a war loan. It is a matter for infinite regret that such a sincere and earnest man as the member who has just resumed his seat should be where the Prime Minister will be very soon, namely, at sea. The honorable member was quite at sea as to his facts. He said the Government bought the wool from the wool-grower; that the wool-grower so bossed the Government that it gave him his money. This point is being misrepresented both inside and outside the House with a view of getting the unsuspecting farmers’ vote.

Mr Nicholls:

– They bought the wheat, too.

Mr Nicholls:

– It does not run into years, anyhow, as in the case of the farmers.

Mr Nicholls:

– Under the old system of private sales, the wool-growers never got payment until after their wool was appraised, and months and months passed before their wool was sold.

Mr Corser:

– Things are bad in Queensland, if not worse, under the Labour Government.

Mr J H Catts:

– Those were a few clerks. That is a ridiculous excuse.

Mr Tudor:

– They were not put on by the Labour Government if they are permanent officials.

Mr Mahony:

– Then, why do the Government keep them there?

Mr Charlton:

– The honorable member knows that the Defence Department has nothing to do with the payment of pensions. There is a special Pensions Department.

Mr WATKINS:
Newcastle

.- I wish to indorse the remarks which the honorable member for Hunter (Mr. Charlton) has made with regard to the situation in his electorate. Without entering upon a discussion of the merits or demerits of the industrial trouble that took place there, let me say that I well remember that the members of the Coal Miners Federation were induced to return to work by the promise of the Premier of New South Wales and hia colleagues that there would be no victimization, and that they would “ let by-gones be bygones.” Notwithstanding that the Federation yielded to these representations, and that some months have elapsed since the trouble was settled, a great deal of victimization is going on. There has never been more victimization in connexion with any coal-mining dispute.

Mr Charlton:

– That was at the Pelaw Main mine.

Mr Joseph Cook:
NAT

– There were surely some other circumstances?

Mr Charlton:

– That is not the only case of the kind.

Mr Poynton:
NAT

– Do they not all receive at least £1 per week?

Mr Corser:

– I know of cases where pensions of 30s. a week are being paid.

Mr Watt:
NAT

– He said that the water was gaining 6 feet a day.

Mr SAMPSON:
Wimmera

.Prior to the adjournment of the House in January last, several honorable members, including myself, prepared, and proposed to submit, an amendment to the wantofconfidence motion embodying certain proposals. Those proposals were that, in the absence of conscription, the only method of securing the recruits necessary to adequately reinforce our troops at the Front was by the co-operation of all parties, both inside and outside of this Parliament, and the best way of obtaining that cooperation was by the resignation - in view of its Bendigo pledge - of the Government, and the formation of a new Government from within the National party. Eventually we agreed that that amendment should not be tabled, on the understanding that certain policy measures should be submitted to the House, and because we thought we might be springing the position upon the Government before it had had an opportunity of formulating its policy. Since then we have had a parliamentary recess, and in the interim the position at the Front has become more serious, and the need for united effort, both inside and outside of this Parliament, has become more urgent than ever. I wish to say that I occupy the same position now as I did when it was proposed to launch the amendment of which I have spoken. Since the adjournment of the House in January, a policy has been formulated by the Prime Minister in respect of recruiting. But that policy does not contain any drastic alterations in the system which has hitherto been in vogue. . As a matter of fact, the recruiting position is a little worse now than it was when Parliament adjourned. His Excellency the GovernorGeneral has just issued an invitation to all parties to attend a conference for the purpose of discussing the question of recruiting, and I hope that there will be a unanimous response to it. I trust that the result will be efficient co-operation for the purpose of securing adequate reinforcements for our brave boys at the Front. We have all been thrilled by the reports of the splendid stand made by our troops there, and by the eloquent call to Australia for more reinforcements in order that we may play our part in- this great struggle. One of the reasons which prompted the framing of the amendment of which I have spoken was that I, in common with a number of other honorable members, declined to accept any share in the responsibility undertaken by the Government in continuing to administer the affairs of this Commonwealth in the face of the solemn promise given by the Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) to the electors at Bendigo.

Mr Heitmann:

– I wish they would control the beef barons of this country.

Mr.SAMPSON. - I will deal with that matterin a little while. It was very necessary that the Government should form agreat metal exchange, because of the tremendous inroads which the Germans have made upon the metal industry. It was equally requisite that we should have a Wheat Pool, in order that we might control itin such a way that the financial resources of the Commonwealth would be utilized for the benefit of our primary producers. The same remark is applicable to our wool production. But all these great organizations have been concentrated in the Prime Minister’s Department in such a way that that Department has become absolutely congested, and the proper development of these organizations has thus been retarded. In connexion with the Wheat Pool, it should have been possible for the Government ere this to have developed it in such a way as to afford greater representation to the growers on the various Boards throughout the Commonwealth. Yet we know that these Boards are largely controlled by the city interests and by officials of the Commonwealth. In my judgment, we should have provided for the expansion of the Wheat Board in a way which would have given, not only greater representation to the growers themselves, but which would have made more information available to those most vitally interested, and who were the owners of the product. When the Government took control of the wheat grown in the Common wealth, the obligation was cast upon them of seeing that the farmers were successfully financed. But whilst the woolgrowers have been paid in full for their product from year to year, the bulk of the necessary financing has had to be undertaken by the wheat-growers themselves, notwithstanding that the Pool agreed to manage it for them.

I am very pleased indeed that the Prime Minister has seen fit to distribute these great trading organizations, which have hitherto congested his own Department, and which, as a result, have been sadly neglected. Under the new system of a distribution of responsibility we are justified in expecting that effect will be given to a much more efficient system of control.

The Prime Minister has also seen fit to make certain additions to the Ministry in connexion with the handling of these organizations. I was not at all sure that it was necessary to make those additions to the Ministry. While the Prime Minister crowded into his own Department the attempted control of all these various activities, several of his Ministers have certainly not been overworked, and it would have been easily possible long since to have distributed some of the work amongst his colleagues without making further appointments to the Government. Nobody will claim that the Minister for Trade and Customs has been overworked, and the Treasurer could scarcely say that, as Minister for Works and Railways, he had more work than he could cope with, because the carrying out of public works by the Commonwealth has necessarily been substantially curtailed during the war. Neither is the Minister for Home and Territories overburdened, and it was possible by the amalgamation of some of the offices to have carried on efficiently the affairs of the Commonwealth, and brought about a system of distribution and delegation of responsibility, of which I thoroughly approve, without the appointment of additional Ministers. I know that it was necessary to appoint another Minister to take the place of the former Treasurer (the right honorable member for Swan), whose enforced resignation on account of ill-health we very much regret. At this stage I should like to congratulate the honorable member for Balaclava (Mr. Watt) on his elevation to the very high and honorable post of Treasurer of the Commonwealth. There is no< man in Australia who should be more capable of undertaking that colossal responsibility at the present time. We wore all very pleased to hear that it is. the intention of the Treasurer to make a searching inquiry into the expenditure by all the public Departments of the Commonwealth, and we hope that when the Treasurer puts before the House his financial statement it will show that drastic economies have been made, and that the Federal Government, who are urging the people to save their money and invest it in the war loan, are setting an example of economy to the whole community. In regard to the new appointments to the Ministry, I do not propose to ‘ further criticise at this stage the redistribution of Ministerial duties. The latest appointees include the honorable member for Grey (Mr. Poynton), and the honorable member for Richmond (Mr. Greene), who have proved their ability in the House, and both, I am sure, will make good in the important work they have undertaken.

We all recognise that shipbuilding is one of the most important industries that could be established in the Common- wealth, ranking next in importance only to the reinforcement of our troops at the Front. On the successful initiation of this industry will rest largely the future of our agricultural industries and the production of foodstuffs and other primary commodities, which have helped us so much to finance this war by bringing into Australia millions of pounds, and upon which we must depend very considerably later on to help us through the difficulties that must confront us in the aftermath of the war. There is reason for criticism of the Government for their delay in this important matter. I ‘ believe that that delay is due to the fact that the Prime Minister took the shipbuilding problem into bis own Department ‘instead of handing it over to a responsible Minister like the Minister’ for Works and Railways. It is mainly because of the shipbuilding question having been taken into an already congested Department that there has been a delay of ten months in making a start with the industry, and to-day we are only in the position that we ought to have been in nearly a year ago. The

Government are now inviting the captains of industry, the owners of large industrial establishments, to undertake shipbuilding , work. That invitation should have been extended in the first place. Instead of constant conferences being held between the labour organizations and the Prime Minister in order to arrive at an understanding in regard to a system of piece-work and dilution of labour for ship construction under Commonwealth control, the owners of large industrial establishments should have been invited to help the Government in this matter by undertaking large contracts for the building of vessels. Had that been done ten months ago we should by now have had Australianbuilt ships afloat, and probably they would be helping to-day to carry our grain overseas. Australia, above all other countries, requires shipping to take its primary products abroad for the feeding and clothing of our soldiers and also to help our Allies “in the war. Yet there is not afloat one Australian-built vessel, although every other one of the Allies has made great strides in ship construction. It has been said that the United States has not made the progress that should have been made in connexion with its shipbuilding programme, but a statement by Mr. Edward Hurley, the Chairman of the United States Shipping Board, shows that, whereas America had thirtyseven shipyards when it entered the war, it has now eighty-one additional, or a total of 118 in all, whilst 5,160,000 tons of shipping Was under construction by contract, of which 2,121,000 tons had been completed. Had Australia entered this work as whole-heartedly as the United States has done - and in this matter Australia has more at stake than the United States - we should by now have had 250,000 tons of shipping constructed in Australia. In the latter half of last year Tasmania was prepared to undertake the construction of ships, but was not given any encouragement. Now, after all this delay has occurred, we find that most of the work will be carried out, not by the Government who were proposing to make shipbuilding a great Commonwealth monopoly, but by private firms and , State organizations throughout Australia. We know what has been done in the Mother Country in the building of all sorts of vessels, both war and mercantile, and it is not necessary to refer to the great work which has been carried out in. Canada. We ought to have some explanation from the Government as to why in Australia no attempt was made to build wooden ships, although we sent to America a large order for such vessels to be delivered month by month. We have read, also, a statement that in America concrete ships are in course of construction, and that already one has been launched.

The Treasurer (Mr. Watt) has promised to look into the matter of the advance to be made to the farmers for their wheat. I am sure the honorable gentleman recognises that if we are to continue to unduly restrict the price of primary products and bring the returns below a profitable figure, wheat and other primary products will go out of cultivation. There was a material decrease in the area of wheat last year because of the uncertainty as to the future, and delay in paying existing dividends. Moreover, if the Government are going to arbitrarily fix the price of stock they will discourage stock-breeding and reduce the flocks and herds in Australia. That lesson has been learnt by many of the countries that are at war. Germany has had to discontinue price-fixing in respect of many primary products, because even in that highly-organized and militarily ruled country land went out of cultivation when the farmer could no longer depend on an adequate return, and certain classes of production decreased to an extent that became serious to the nation. Some honorable members seem to forget that the fixing of prices of primary products is quite a different proposition in Australia to the fixing of such prices in Great Britain. The latter country imports such a large proportion of its requirements of primary products that the market price is regulated by the importations, and in such circumstances the fixing of prices is quite admissible. Transversely, the difficulty in getting shipping space, and the possibility of profiteers making big profits out of the trading, Tender it necessary for the Commonwealth Government to fix the prices of commodities that are shipped to Australia from overseas. But the position in regard to primary products in this country isquite different. The price of those products is regulated by the markets of the world, and by the exportations, and the only way to insure to the Australian consumer cheap bread is to encourage, as far as possible, primary production, and so being about a reduction of prices. I was in Western Australia a few months ago, and saw beef, mutton, and lamb ticketed at prices 60 per cent. below those obtaining in the Eastern States. The reason for the cheapness of meat in Western Australia is that there is an over production in that State. The policy for the Commonwealth Government to adopt is to encourage in every possible way the production of all kinds of stock in order that the production shall so increase that prices will fall automatically. The arbitrary fixation of the price of meat will discourage stock breeding, and interfere with the increase of stock, which alone can legitimately reduce the price to the consumer.

Mr.Fenton. - The producers in Western Australia say that the prices ruling there pay them.

Mr J H CATTS:
Cook

.- When the House met last we heard something of the question of national unity in connexion wilh the war. There was a long debate in January, after which we adjourned for some months. As we were invited to express our opinion upon the principles to which effect should be given in order to permit of some kind of cooperation, a full and complete statement wasmade on this side of the House.

There was no reply from the Government. Indeed, after making an offer on the floor of the House, which was shown by reference to the alteration in its terms when published in Hansard to be spurious, the Prime Minister- (Mr. Hughes) disappeared from the chamber, and took no further part or interest in the debate. It was then said by the present Treasurer (Mr. Watt) that the Prime Minister would have access to the debates; that they would be carefully gone through, and that in this way he would become acquainted with the whole of the discussion. His absence from the House and transparent contempt for its proceedings were explained away in that manner.

If we are to accept the Treasurer’s statement, the Government have apparently made, since that time, an examination of the statements and assertions of principle from this side, and ap parently, also, they are unsatisfactory to the Government, for we learn now that they are again seeking by devious methods to go behind the back of Parliament, and obtain acquiescence in another manner to some proposals of their own. In other words, they insist that this, what they call national work in Australia, shall be carried on only at the full price which they demand, which is shown by their general administration to be one of intolerable tyranny.

A gentleman named Captain Carmichael was making a canvass of a number of us who took some part in the noconscription campaign, in order to bring about what he styled a “ non-party conference.” When he waited upon myself and others, he distinctly said he was acting on his own’ initiative and responsibility, and without any arrangement whatever with the Government.

There was a good deal of sleightofhand about his work. He went to Mr. Storey, the Leader of the Labour party in New South Wales, and asked him to attend the Conference. Mr. Storey answered that he would be prepared ito attend provided that the Federal Labour party decided upon being present, and accredited its delegates. Captain Carmichael saw me, and told me that Mr. Storey was going to attend. He mentioned no condition whatever. He travelled to Adelaide, and saw the Leader of this party (Mr. Tudor), and observed to him that, as Mr. Storey was going to attend, no doubt he would attend also. He used Mr. Storey as the lever on Mr. Tudor, without stating the qualification. That is, at the least, a degree of deception.

Although this gentleman stated that he was acting entirely on his own responsibility, we next had a statement from the Prime Minister that he was acting on behalf of the Government.

After he has made a preliminary canvass of a number ‘of representative men, the matter, is being taken out of his hands, and the Conference is being convened by the Governor-General,

Captain Carmichael told the Leader of this party a fortnight ago that the Conference would be called by the GovernorGeneral

Mr Watt:
NAT

– I did not say it would be made. Did I not say that the record of the debates could be made available?

Mr Watt:
NAT

– Speaking from memory, I think that is a very free translation.

Victoria Barracks,

Melbourne, 4th April, 1918.

A conference of press representatives will be held to discuss the censorship generally, with the object of -

The Government will meet delegates at a luncheon in Melbourne on Monday, 15th April. The Prime Minister will open the Conference, with the Minister for the Navy and the Minister for Defence, and adjourn till the next day, the 16th.

The expenses of representatives will be paid by the Government. (Signed) Secretary for Defence.

It is an extraordinary coincidence that while the Recruiting Conference is to meet on Friday afternoon and adjourn over the week-end after the Prime Minister’s speech, and probably one from another representative, the Press Conference is to meet and have their soiree and an address by the Prime Minister, and adjourn till next day, and that then, apparently, the two Conferences will go on concurrently.

The National Parliament is not to be taken into the confidence of the Government. The reasons for restrictions of the press will be explained to an outside parliament, consisting of press representatives; but this National Parliament will be ignored and treated with contempt.

The Recruiting Conference is, apparently, to meet under all the restrictions as to freedom of speech and manipulation of the press which exist to-day. If Labour representatives go into a conference of that kind, under those conditions, where they will be limited in the subjects upon which they may speak for fear of the law as represented by the War Precautions Act, with the press reports manipulated by the Government, as they are being manipulated by the Government today oven in regard to the administration of the Wheat Pool, I cannot imagine a greater act of folly on their part. It would be the height of unwisdom for them to go into a trammelled Conference of that description.

Education Department,

Melbourne, 14th March, 1918.

– About German gold.

– That is a grave reflection on me.

Mr McWilliams:

– We have a lot of imported men in Parliament, too.

Cite as: Australia, House of Representatives, Debates, 10 April 1918, viewed 22 October 2017, <http://historichansard.net/hofreps/1918/19180410_reps_7_84/>.

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House of Representatives10 April 1918

ISSUE OF WRIT

QUESTION

CENSORSHIP : PROSECUTION OF MR. J. H. CATTS, M.P

Mr TUDOR:YARRA, VICTORIA

Mr JOSEPH COOK:Minister for the Navy · PARRAMATTA, NEW SOUTH WALES · NAT

Mr Tudor:

Mr JOSEPH COOK:

Mr Tudor:

Mr JOSEPH COOK:

Mr BRENNAN:BATMAN, VICTORIA

Mr WATT:Treasurer · BALACLAVA, VICTORIA · NAT

QUESTION

WHEAT PAYMENTS

Mr RICHARD FOSTER:WAKEFIELD, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Mr WATT:NAT

FLINDERS NAVAL BASE

QUESTION

HISTORIC PORTRAITS

Mr BOYD:HENTY, VICTORIA

Mr WATT:NAT

QUESTION

WAR WORKERS SENT TO GREAT BRITAIN

Mr CHARLTON:HUNTER, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr WISE:Honorary Minister · GIPPSLAND, VICTORIA · NAT

Mr JOSEPH COOK:NAT

Mr Charlton:

Mr JOSEPH COOK:

Mr Charlton:

QUESTION

HANSARD REPRINTS

Mr TUDOR:

Mr WATT:NAT

Mr TUDOR:

QUESTION

SHIPBUILDING

Mr McWILLIAMS:FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

Mr JOSEPH COOK:NAT

QUESTION

ESTIMATES FOR 1917-18

Mr HIGGS:CAPRICORNIA, QUEENSLAND

Mr WATT:NAT

Mr MATHEWS:MELBOURNE PORTS, VICTORIA

Mr WATT:

QUESTION

COMMONWEALTH BANK

Mr FALKINER:HUME, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr WATT:NAT

QUESTION

IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

Mr HIGGS:

Mr JOSEPH COOK:NAT

QUESTION

AMERICAN SHIPS

Mr BOYD:

Mr POYNTON:Honorary Minister · GREY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA · NAT

QUESTION

PROMOTION BY MERIT

Mr CHARLTON:

Mr WISE:NAT

INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT BILL

QUESTION

AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE

Mr WISE:NAT

GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS :

QUESTION

LOCATION AND MINISTERS

Mr BOYD:

Mr GROOM:Minister for Works and Railways · DARLING DOWNS, QUEENSLAND · NAT

QUESTION

WORKMEN’S HOUSES AT. LITHGOW

Mr NICHOLLS:MACQUARIE, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr WATT:NAT

SUPPLY BILL MINISTERIAL INTENTION

Mr HIGGS:

Mr WATT:NAT

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Mr Hector Lamond:

EMBARGO ON MOTOR BODIES

PAPERS

House of Representatives
10 April 1918

Mr TUDOR:
YARRA, VICTORIA

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
Minister for the Navy · PARRAMATTA, NEW SOUTH WALES · NAT

Mr BRENNAN:
BATMAN, VICTORIA

Mr WATT:
Treasurer · BALACLAVA, VICTORIA · NAT

Mr RICHARD FOSTER:
WAKEFIELD, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr BOYD:
HENTY, VICTORIA

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr CHARLTON:
HUNTER, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr WISE:
Honorary Minister · GIPPSLAND, VICTORIA · NAT

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
NAT

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr McWILLIAMS:
FRANKLIN, TASMANIA · REV TAR; ANTI-SOC from 1906; LP from 1910; NAT from 1917; CP from 1920; IND from 1928

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
NAT

Mr HIGGS:
CAPRICORNIA, QUEENSLAND

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr MATHEWS:
MELBOURNE PORTS, VICTORIA

Mr FALKINER:
HUME, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr JOSEPH COOK:
NAT

Mr POYNTON:
Honorary Minister · GREY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA · NAT

Mr WISE:
NAT

Mr WISE:
NAT

Mr GROOM:
Minister for Works and Railways · DARLING DOWNS, QUEENSLAND · NAT

Mr NICHOLLS:
MACQUARIE, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr GREGORY:
DAMPIER, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Mr CORSER:
WIDE BAY, QUEENSLAND

Mr FENTON:
MARIBYRNONG, VICTORIA

Mr WEST:
EAST SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr FENTON (for Mr Higgs:
CAPRICORNIA, QUEENSLAND

Mr MAHONY:
DALLEY, NEW SOUTH WALES

Mr McDonald:
KENNEDY, QUEENSLAND

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr WATT:
NAT

Mr Watt:
NAT

Mr Archibald:
HINDMARSH, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Mr MASSY-GREENE:
Honorary Minister · RICHMOND, NEW SOUTH WALES · LP; NAT from 1917

Mr Poynton:
NAT

Mr Poynton:
NAT