Senate
29 August 1929

11th Parliament · 1st Session



The President (Senator the Hon. W. Kingsmill) took the chair at 3 p.m., and read prayers.

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PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE

Telephonic Communication between Perth and the Eastern States.

Senator REID presented the report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, together with minutes of evidence relating to the proposed establishment of telephone communication between Perth and the Eastern States.

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QUESTION

COCKATOO ISLAND

Purchase of Material by Stacey & Co.

Senator DUNN:
NEW SOUTH WALES

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

  1. How long has a firm called Stacey & Co. been buying arisings from Cockatoo Island?
  2. How were these arisings sold?
  3. What were the quantity and nature of material bought by Stacey & Co. and the price paid for same?
  4. What quantity of material bought by Stacey & Co. from the dockyard was resold to the authorities, and what were the prices paid ?
  5. Is Stacey & Co. a registered company ; if so, who are the shareholders?
  6. What is the present position of the dockyard, and what are prospects of future operations in relation to shipbuildings and other works?
Senator Sir GEORGE PEARCE:

– This question should have been addressed to the Minister representing the Prime Minister. The information is being obtained.

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QUESTION

SUGAR SUPPLIESFOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Senator JOHNSTON:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Trade and Customs, upon notice -

  1. What action has been taken by the Sugar Control Board to carry out a promise made, that adequate supplies of sugar should be available to consumers in Western Australia in the event of the dislocation or stoppage of the interstate shipping services?
  2. Aresuch supplies now heldin Western Australia, and, if so, to what extent?
Senator McLACHLAN:
Honorary Minister · SOUTH AUSTRALIA · NAT

– The answers to the honorable senator’s questions are as follow: -

  1. I am not aware of any such promise. It is understood, however, that the Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited is erecting a refinery at Fremantle, which, when completed, will, it is believed, very considerably improve matters.
  2. The Colonial Sugar defining Company Limited at present has a store at Fremantle. in which it usually holds a stock of from 1,000 to 1,200 tons of sugar.

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QUESTION

NORTH-WEST AIR SERVICE

Senator JOHNSTON:

asked the Minister for Defence, upon notice -

When will the North-west Air Service in Western Australia be extended to Wyndham and Hall’s Creek?

Senator Sir WILLIAM GLASGOW:

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

The Government is anxious to extend the Perth-Derby air service to Hall’s Creek and Wyndham at the earliest possible date, but pending the rates of subsidy payable for certain air services now operating, I am unable to say whether funds can be provided to enable the extension to operate during the current financial year.

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QUESTION

MIGRATION

Senator LYNCH:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA

asked the Leader of the Government in the Senate, upon notice -

In view of the unfavorable position shown by the immigration statistics, does not the Government think it inadvisable to bring any more people to Australia until more favorable conditions obtain?

Senator Sir GEORGE PEARCE:

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

The only migrants brought to Australia under the assisted passage scheme are those who have been requisitioned, or whose nomination has been approved, by a State government. The number of migrants at present coming to Australia is relatively small, and comprises young women for domestic employment, boys and adults for. farm work, and such nominated persons as the States are assured can be satisfactorily absorbed.

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ADJOURNMENT

Businessof the Senate.

Senator Sir GEORGE PEARCE:
Vice-President of the Executive Council · WESTERN AUSTRALIA · ALP; NAT from 1917; UAP from 1931

[3.4]. - I move -

That the Senate do now adjourn.

My reason for doing so is that the Life Insurance Bill at present before the Senate is of a technical character, and of such importance that the societies and. organizations affected by it have made representations that they desire further time to consider its provisions. The Government has consulted those institutions very freely, and has no desire to overlook any further representations that they may wish to make by pressing the measure through at this juncture. It is, therefore, proposedto adjourn the Senate now. I have given notice of motion today for leave to introduce a bill relating to arbitration in the Commonwealth Public Service, and I propose to ask the Senate to-morrow to agree to the suspension of the Standing and Sessional Orders to enable me to make my secondreading speech on that bill forthwith. The debate ‘can then be adjourned. The suggestion* is that the. Senate should deal with that measure next week, the Life Insurance Bill being allowed to stand over for a time. I make an appeal to those interested in the Life Insurance Bill to bring their considerations to a conclusion and. to make their representations so that the Senate may be able to proceed with that measure towards the end of next week, or during the following week.

Senator DALY:
South Australia

– I hope that the Leader of the Senate will reconsider the order of business for next week. The right honorable gentleman is rightly giving those interested in the Life Insurance Bill every opportunity to consider that important measure, but I am confident that honorable senators also realize that the proposed legislation inconnexion with Public Service Arbitration is of vital importance to Commonwealth public servants. The bill will be introduced tomorrow, and Commonwealth public servants throughout Australia are expected to make themselves familiar with its contents by the time that the debate opens next Wednesday. I respectfully suggest to the right honorable the Leader of the Senate that we might conveniently discuss the budget next week, thus allowing members of the Commonwealth Public Service another week inwhich to study this proposed legislation which so vitally affects them.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Senate adjourned at 3.8 p.m.

Cite as: Australia, Senate, Debates, 29 August 1929, viewed 22 October 2017, <http://historichansard.net/senate/1929/19290829_senate_11_121/>.