Queensland

Parliamentary Debates [Hansard]

Legislative Council

WEDNESDAY, 23 AUGUST 1916

Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy

24 Address in Reply. [COUNCIL.] Days of Sitting.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

WEDNESDAY, 23 AUGUST, 1916.

The PRESIDENT (Hon. Sir Arthur Morgan) took the chair at half-past 3 o'clock.

PAPERS. The following paper,, laid on the table,

wer" order0d to be printed:-Regulations, dated lOth January, 1916,

under the Brands Act of 1915. Regulations. dated 25th February, 1916,

under the Dairy Produce Acts, 1904 to 1905.

Regulations, dated 23rcl :March, 1916, under the DisP-1-os in Stock Act of 1915.

Regulations, elated 28th January, 1916, under the Regulation of Sugar Cane Prices Act of 1915.

Regulations, dated lOth FBbruary, 1916, under the Reg·ulation of Sugar Cane Prices Act of 1915.

Regulations, dated 27th .July, 1916, under the Regulation of Sugar Cane Prices Act of 1915.

Regulations, dated 6th April, 1916, under the Slaughtering Act of 1898.

Regulations, dated 28th January, 1916, under the \V orkers' Accommodation Act of 1915.

Regulations. dated 27th July, 1916, under the ·workers' Accommodation Act of 1915.

Regulation, dated 11th May, 1916, under the vY orkers' Dwellings Acts, 1909 to 1914.

Twenty-first report of the Auditor-General under the Supreme Court Funds Act of 1895.

DAYS OF SITTIKG. The SECRETARY FOR MINES (Hon.

W. Hamilton), in moving-" That, unless otherwise ordered, the

Council will meet for the despatch of business at 3 o'clock p.m. on Tuesday, \V ednesday, Thursday, and Friday in each \Yeek, and that Government busi­m->s do take precedence of all other business on Tuesday, Thursday, and Fri­day,

said: It is not neee~sary that we should sit on all the days mentioned in the motion, but, as the other place is going to sit four days a week, we do not know how soon it

Days of Sitting. [23 AUGUST.] Joint Committees. 25

may be necessary for us to sit the same num­bet· of days herB, and it is just as well to take power to sit on all thBse days, if required.

Hox. A. G. C. HAWTHORN: I do not suppose any hon. member will oppose the motion, but it is rather significant, looking back to the end of last session, \V hen we wore threatcn(xl with a February session, or at the vcrv latest a May session, that we now find the opening of th0 session delayed until August. It is rather amusing ,vhen one re~ members the way in which the present Go­vernment, when the~- were on the Opposi­tion side, were always attacking the then Gm·crnment fDr not calling Parliament together early in the year. Yet here we find them going right back to the practice of former years, aud not beginning the ses­sion before ,July or August. I thought that when we got the present Government in po1Yer they \'!>ere going to revolutionise eYery­-thing. 1.nd that among other things they were going in for earlv sessions of Parliament. It is interesting nm\· to find that, after all they had to say last year and on the hustings, the session has commenced so late as it has this year.

l-Iox. E. W. H. FO\VLES: I would ask the Minister whether, if there were a num­ber of Bills of a priYatc character to bo brought before the Council. he would allow sufficient opportunity for those measures to be discm"cd. One day a week might not be Pn<JUgh for the Bills proposed to be intro­ducc·cl.

Hon. P. J. LEAHY: I might have a couple of Bills myself, not to speak of what you have.

Hox. E'. W. H. FOWLES, Usually at the commencement of the session we are not crowded with work from the Assembly and we might have a little too much ti~e to devote to the business coming from the other House. \Vould it not be as well to give hen. members the chance of discussing private business at other times than on Wed­nesday in each week? I am sure the Min­ister, with his usual courtesy will allow private business to be brought before the House if there is no Government business to be discussed.

Hon. P. J. LEAHY: Hadn't we better take \Vednesday and Thursdav for private busi­ness, and, if we do not \,-ant the time the Governme'nt can take it? '

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: The reason Parliament is so late in opening this year, as hon. members all know, is because -the Premier has been awa.v in England. ·when all that he accomplished thcr<e be­comes known, it will be admitted that he has done good work for Queensland. So far as private business is concerned, I have made allowance in the motion for one day in th€! week. If there is no other business before the Council, there will be no objection to private business being taken, but I do not think there will be any complaint about want of Government business here. Of course, a great deal depends upon the way we get through the Address in Reply. If, before the debat€! on the Address in Reply is through, Bills come from the other House, we shall have to tackle them.

Hon. P. J. LEAHY: Introduce some of them here.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES : The quantity and quality of those Bills will ba

appreciated by hon. members when they do come along here. (Laughter.} I have made as much provision for private mem­bers' business in the motion as has ever hoen made. I was a good many years in the other Chamber, and I do not remember more than one day a week being devoted to private business there.

HoN. P. J. LE'AHY: I have no grievance against the Government for calling Parlia­ment together so late· in the year. Indeed, I think it might have been a very good thing for the country if we had not been called together at all. It seems to me that this session holds promise· of a great deal of mischief, and the longer the session was put off the longer this mischief would be post­poned. ·what I rose particularly to speak about was this: Supposing we pass this motion, shall we have the right under the Standing Orders to alter it if we find later on that ono day a week is not enough for 11rivate business, or do we .commit ourselves by pa~sing the motion to-day for th0 whole seqsion?

Hon. A. G. C. HAWTHORN: The motion reads "unlc"-'s other,viso ordered."

IloN. P. J. LEAHY: If we can alter it. it will not matter very much. I suppose the majority "ill have to rule her€! as they do in other places.

Question put and passed.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING RULES AND ORDERS.

APPROPRIATION BILL No. 1.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES, m n1oving-

" 'I'hat so murh of the Standing Rules and Orders b0 suspended as would other­wise preclud€! the passing of Appropria­tion Bill No. 1 through all its stages in one day,"

said : It is a usual thing at the opening of every session to introduce a temporary Appropriation Bill; but there is a double necessity for doing so this year. A rcque·st has been made by the Patriotic Fund Com­mittee that the public servants shall be paid before Friday, as I believe thc're is a patriotic carnival on Saturday, and I sup­pose the committee want public s<>rvants to have a little cash on hand on that day.

Hon. T. M. HALL: Is this another war 1neasure?

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: Unless this motion is carried, we shall not bEJ able to pay the public servants.

Hon. A. G. C. HAWTHORN: Is this endorsed by the public servants?

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: I think so. There are a great many patriotic publie servants.

Question put and passed.

JOI-"TT COMMITTEES.

APPOIXTMENT OF J\fEJ.VIBERS.

On the motion of the SECRETARY FOR MINES, it was resolved-

" 1. That the President, Mr. Dunn, and Mr. Fowles be appointed members of the Joint Committee for the management of the Parliamentary Library.

Hon. W. Hamil~rm.]

26 Restriction of Hours [COUNCIL.] for Sale of Liquor.

"2. That the President, Mr. McDonnell, and Mr. Fahey be appointed members of the Joint Committee for the management of the Parliamentary Re­freshment-rooms.

" 3. That the Presid~nt, Mr. Murphy, and Mr. Hall be appomted members of the Joint Com;nittee for the manage­ment and supermtendence of the Parlia­mentary Buildings.

" 4. That the foregoing resolutions be transmitted to the Legislative Assembly by message, requesting that they will be pleased to nominate a like number of mem.bers from their body with a view to give effect to the 8th Joint Standing Order."

At a later hour,

The PRESIDE:\"T announced the receipt of a message from the Assembly intimating t~at they had appointed Mr. Speaker, Mr. Gnnn, and Mr. T. L. Jones to be members of the Joint Library Committee; Mr. Speaker, Mr. Booker. and Mr. May to be member' of the Joint Committee for the management of the Parliamcntarv Refresh­ment-room".: and Mr. Speaker, 1\fr. Petrie, and Mr. Payne to be members of the Joint Committee for the management and superin­tendence of the Parliamentary Buildings.

STA:\"DING ORDERS COMMITTEE.

APPOI!\Ti\IENT OF ME:\IBERS.

On the motion of the SECRETARY FOR MINES, it "a.s resolve.d--

" That the Standing Orders Committee for the present session consist of the following members, in addition to the P_rosi dPl~t, 1vho is a. n1ember ex officio, viz. :-1\H. Brentnall, Dr. 'l'aylor, Mr. W. H. Campboll. Mr. Hinchcliffe. and Mr. Pa_rne!l, with leave to sit during any adJournment of the Council and with authority to confer on subi~cts of mutual conccrnment with anv committee appointed for similar purp;ses bY the Lczislativc Assembly." "

RESTRICTIO:\" OF HOURS FOR SALE OF LIQUOR..

SPECIAL REFEREl\DUl\1.

HoN. F. T. BRE:\"TNALL, in moving-" That, in the opinion of this Council

it is desirable in the public interests that immediate action be taken to submit to the .people of Queensland, by way of special refNcndum. the question of closmg. >:ll bars on liccns<>d premises and prohibiting the sale of liquor on such premises between 6 o'clock in the even­ing. and 8 o'clock in the morning, durmg the present war and for six months thereafter,"

said: Hon. members will see that the resolu­tion .mak.es this specifically a war measure, and It will be very easy to state the reasons why it ought to take that particular character. I take it, in the first place, at e.ny rate. that we want to protect our soldiers from va.rious evil influences, and particularly from the one mentioned in the motion. in order to save them from any deterioration

[Hon. W. Hamilton.

of character, or incapacity for the speciaL work to which they have been appointed, by too much self-indulgence in the direction referred to.

I should like to say that at the present time public opinion is in a state of turmoil about this question. The matter has been well agitated and well advocated. I have not been able to take part, even if I were disposed to do so, in the agitation which has taken place. I have not the reserve of strength necessr.ry to enter upon that kind of work or any kind of work which takes me a way from home in the evening, so I stand before you to-day, not as an ardent advocate on the public platform, but as an ardent advocate of this motion in my placi! in this House.

From information received from different sources I know that, in conse·qucnce of the an1ount of propagandisrn that has been going on for the last six months at least, there has been a very considerable excite­rnent of fc!:ljng in rP~a.rd to this particular question. The propagandism which has taken place has been in harmony with the general custon1, -E-''~pccially in political !nat­ters. The platform is the great means of reaching the people, and the advocacy of the different causes in politics which one party or a.nother party n1ay wish to advance is generallc' carried out on the public plat­form. That is the method of reaching the public car, and that policy has been pursued in this particular c.<tse. There has been a widespread appeal to the public judgment. In discussing this matter I leaye out of question personal feeling or prejudice. The appeal to the public has been made on gene­ral utility principles. and the favour with which the advocacv has been received and the way in \Yhich ·the people have rallied round those 1vho han' advocated the earlv closing of hotels has been astonishing. If one were disposed to ask tbe question why this matter has been received with fayour, I would summarise the answer as briefly as possible in the following manner: -First, the prcyalencc of the feeling that the present GoYcrnme;lt has been in son1e V\'aV and is still under the influence of the 'Licensed Victuallers Association.

The SECRETARY FOR ::\l!XES; That is not a fact.

Hox. F. T. BRENT::\ALL: I am here to say ''hat l feel, and I say tbat this is a subject which has lain dormant Yery long. The early closing of hotels has been adYo­catod in public for some time past, and the time has now arrived 1vhcn it should be ach·ocate.d also in Parliament, and with not less distinctness or emphasis than it has been advocated outside Parliament. It is a mat­ter of common opinion that there is a good deal of truth in what I have just stated. Again, as I have intimated already, there is the all too manifest injury that late drink­ing is doing to our soldiers. I saw a para­graph in one of the Sydney papers a few weeks ago in which it was pointed out that the superintendent of police had statod that. generally speaking, ";hen hotels were opened in SydneY until 11 o'dock at night, they had to get away from 500 to 1.000 drunken men \\·ith great difficulty on almost every night of the week. or. at all events, on those nights on which men had leave. He further stated that aftpr the 6 ,'clock mm·emcnt came in there was a great decrease in the

Rest1-iction of Hours [23 AUGUST.] for Sale of Liquor. 27

number of men who had to be got away with difficulty late at night. The anomaly of throwing open hotel doors till late hours while rigorously preyenting men from obtain­ing solid food during the same hours is remarkablv inconsistent. \V e ha Ye heard about FriC~ay_ b?ing a very conYenient pay day, an.d ~f It IS a convenient pay day all round, IS 1t any wonder that people should c~nnplain that whilst young men, compara­tive youths, with money in their pockets, come home in an undesirable condition ~ocat!se of excessiye indulgence in intoxicat­mg liquors, the mother or father of a familv is unable to go to a grocer's shop and pro. cure the necessary food for the familv '! That is one argument which has been a'ppealing to the people gene rail" and to hea·ds of families in particular. "'

I should like to malw a reference to a remark which was made here vesterda v after­no.on. Of course, I find no fault \Vith any­thmg that men may say, which is an expres­sion of their own opinion, but the matter I am about to refer to is not a matter of opm1on. I think it was the Hon. Mr. Hinch­cliffe who spoke about the State hotels.

Hon. A. HrxcHCLIFFE: I did not; it was mentioned by way of interjection.

Ho:-.~. F. T. BRENTNALL: Then it was the Hon. Mr. McDonnell. It was either the mover or seconder of the motion for the adoption of the Addre'8 m Reply who referred to State hotels.

Hon. A. HI:>rCHCLIFFE: The mover did not refer to them.

Ho:-.~. F. T. BRENTNALL: I have a-d­mitted that, but whoever it was who referred to that particular subject said that, if the State hotels were " honestly managed and efficiently controlled," they might be a great public benefit.

Hon. A. HI);CHCLIFFE : I made that remark in reference to certain State enterprises, but I never mentioned State hotels in my speech.

HoN. F. T. BREC\TKALL: I quite admit that my difficulty in hearing sometimes may have misled me, but I noticed the remark at the time as referring to State hotels. At any rate, I do not think that opinion will be very far wrong about State hotels, and I do not think I make any mistake in sac-ing that it is the intention of the present Go­vernment to build and manage State hotels. If there is anything to be made out of those hotels and they are to be a public good, everything will depend upon the honest and efficient management of the hotels.

I am not going to detain hon. gentlemen very long on this question, but there is one other matter to which I should like to refer. When the Premier was on his way back from his visit to the old country, he was waylaid at two or three railway stations by deputa­tions after he had come to Queensland. I have nothing to say about the deputations. I know nothing whatevei; about them, except what I haYe read in the newspapers, and I have had nothing to do with them, so that I cannot express any opinion regarding their action. The train stopped at the station and the Premier was intercepted by deputations at \Varwick, Toowoomba, and I believe Ipswich also. ·what I wish to point out with regard to those interviews is that a deputation met the Premier at Warwick,

and immediately the question of the referen­dum crrme up it was associated with the Council. By whom, I cannot say, but accord­ing to the Press reports it became associated with the Upper House. The hon. gentle­man said-

" If the matter were as urgent as a deputation waiting o_n J:tim under those circumstances would mdJCate, the Upper House ought to pass a Referendum Bill. vVith that he was in entire accord."

We know what the passing of a Referendum Bill means. It means that we are to have the initiative as well as the referendum.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: Do you object to the initiative and referendum?

HoN. F. T. BRENT~ALL: I shall express my opinion on that subject, if . the hon. gentleman wants It, when the nght ttme comes but I am not going into that subject on th~ present occasion. I am just now talk­ing on this particular point, that both at Warwick and at other places the hon. gentleman speciallv referred to the Legis­lative Council. At Warwick the hon. gentle· man further sairl-

" It seemed to him the deputation had no eonfidence in the Legislative Council."

What has that got to do with a deputation on the question of the 6 o'clock closii;g ~f public-houses? Nevertheless, the Premter IS reported as having made that remark, and some voice C'allcd out "~one." meaning no doubt that he had no confidence in this House dealing with the Referendum Bill. I presume the Premier meant the Bill which is faYourod bv himself and his Cabinet, and which was ;eferred to yesterday in the GoYernor's Speech. That is what occurred at one intervie-w.

Hon. A. G. C. HAWTHORN: Would you expect anything else ?

Hox. F. T. BRE:"JT"NALL: I would not sav that I would expect anything e\.,e. Does m;Yone think that the LegislatiYe Council wo.uld have held up a Bill which would give to the people what was their absolute right -namelY. the right to say at what hour hotels should he closed 9 The Premier con­tinued-

" If the Council held up a Bill to give the people what was their absolute right -namely, the' right to govern themselves -it would be the duty of the people to deal with the Council. He hoped if that were so that the people would remove obstacles standing in the way of this and other reforms necessary and desirable."

The hon. gentleman ha-d not been twenty hours in Queensland on his return from a visit to the old countrv when he made that personal attack on the Legislative Council. I shall not express my own opinion on th.at sort of action. except to say that he m1ght have spared us until he got down here. The hon. gcntlcm an as oply deputationised on one f!articu]ar questi<;n:-the f!~esh?n as to whether he was willmg to brmg 111 a Refer­endum Bill on the question of the 6 o'clock closing of hotels. But it suited his con-

venience then, and it suited his [4 p.n1.] conYenience at another tjrnc. to

introduce that other grave and important snbjcd that .we shall have to deal with by and by accordmg to the programme now before us·, 'and that will require a very

Hon. F. T, Brentnall.]

28 Restriction of Hours [COUNCIL.] for Sale of Liquor.

great deal of deliberate thought and a very great deal of deliberate argu~ent. Going a bit further down, the report says-

." A member of the deputation con­tmued to prc's for a special referendum."

That is, for the referendum to which my 1nonon refers-

"¥~·. Ryan: You are not opposed to the mrhatJYO and referendum? , "The Deputationist: Well, I hardly KD01Y what that means." ·

I do not think he did. and I doubt if three persons out of every ten, if thev were asked :vould. have the siightost idea "·hat th~ ll1lf,lElhYe nncl r:ferenrlum meant until thev ~l<ln soon the B1ll. . T.hat Bill \>:ill probably oe one of the most prommont Items in the progranuno this session, and yet Yf~r'\: fe,v ])('~lj~J? kTIO\V \Vhat it lllf'allS. rro pllt tho fml~ning _touch on the 1vhole thing. accord­Jng to tlus rCJ)ort~-

. " :Yir. R:. J.n did not think it was do­SE-able_ to Jntroduce a liquor v, ar 1nca:-lll'C '.Yhen It ~~·as reqJJ-ired to get a broader measure through to enable the people to ~-uycrn them~:Jelves."

I IHtvc referred to the Premier's opinion on flus ··ubjoct for the particular purpose of . e_tt.Ing. h~m. 1_nmnbers sec, first of all, what hL, onrnTon _rs, and \vhat his intention is, l1ow full he .Is of the particular subject and how dete;·mmed that it shall be brmwht for­" ard. We have now to cons;der whether we 'ha!! he content to wait and see "·hat this ImtJatrve and Referendum Bill means, and ;dwthei· we. can trust the Government when it does conw rnto force to treat the opinions of the JJeopl() who are advocating this measure an~l rns1strng up~n its being considered 1vith faHncss and wrth proper courtesv. '-"'e would all. L; better .ootisfied to know what the Premiers vrew Is, and I think it mav be ad;mtted that what has occurred justifies oppos1twn to the methods bv which the Go­n·rn:ncnt propose to deal 'with it at this stagP .. V\'e recognise that this communitv -cornpnses more c] ass os and 1nore interes£s than one. Three time' over in one of the quotatwn~ that I have road to the Council the Premwr spoke of " The People " " Th Pco I " " Th ro I " ' o P e. e . cop e, and yesterday we had the f.ame thml\' repeated in one of the speeches-" The People " " The People " '·The People." ' '

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: The people should be supreme.

.Hon. E. W. H. FOWLES: Then why not gn·e thcrn the chance by givino' then1 a r'- ft rendum on the question? 0

lion. W. STEPHEXS: That is all we want. Gn·o th0m u chance.

Th_e· SF:CHETARY FOR MINES: \Ye arc gorng to gn·e thern a. chance.

Hon. \V. STEPHENS: ="fa, you are not.

Hox. F. T. BRENTXALL: I hope the ::Ylmister does not think that those who are advoc<~ting this moasure~and I place myself alongside of thel_ll-I hope the hon. gentle­m':m does not thmk that we are advocating this measure with uny other object than to ensure the w~lfare of the people. ·what memb_er of this _Council can expect to g·ain anythmg by, dosmg; public-houses and public bais at 6 o clock mstead of at 11 o'clock? \Vhy this refusal to a.dmit that it require~ more tha_n. ono class to make up the people of any crvihscd land? (Hear, hear !) This

[Hon. F. T. Brentnall.

expression " The People " has become a catch\vord; it has beco1ne an expression in conunon use to de.;;cribe a certain political party in this State. und to include nobody else.

Hon. T. M. HALL: The I.W.W., chiefly.

HoN. F. T. BRENTKALL: I intend to classify myself with " The people" as long as I live, an.d to consider myself one unit in " The People," and I take it that everyone of us has the same feeling, und we do not choose to be excluded from the g·pncral term " The People." Our interests are the interests of the communit.', and I take it the welfare of the community is our welfare, and it must not be supposed-as it appears to be bY even the Premier himself-that " The people" comprise only one class of the community. I would have taken no notice of this, coming us it did yesterday from a private member, but, when the Premier makes use of the expression in reply to a deputation, and implies that the opinions of the members of that deputation are not opinions held by the people of the State generally, then I feel bound to call attention to it. I believe that at the present time, there exi~ts in this citv a petition which is to be presented to the Council on this sub· jcct containing over 20,000 signatures .

Hon. E. W. H. FowLES: It has 35,000 signa­tures, and they are coming in by hundreds every day.

HoN. F. T. BRE:"JT::'-!ALL: Are those people going to be squeezed out?-----

The SECRETARY FOR .MIXES : They are not being squeezed out.

lioN. F. 1'. BREKTKALL: Are theY not to h<7 included in the category of ''The People"".' Surely the:~ ha ye a right to say something for themselves. Are only the supporters of the Labour 11arty to be re­garded as " The People"? To restrict the term to the supporters of the present Go­vernment and to exdude everybody else is a positive burlesque, especially 'vhen M'e rernen1-ber that it was only by a comparatively small majority that the present Govcrnnwnt were placed in power. Remembering that iact, it seems to be unwise-! will not use any stronger adjective-to treat those \vho -are in favour of this ruolution in that wav, and to say when they ask for this refonn, "You .do not belong to the people, and we will not hear you." That seems to sum up the reply of the Premier to the deputation to which I have rGferrocl. I have much pleasure in n1oving the n1otion.

HONOURABLE MEMBERS : Hour, hear !

After a pause,

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: As there does not seem to be. anyone else desirous of speaking, I would like to say a few words in contradiction of some re­marks made by the Hon. Mr. Brentnall. He says that the Government is in league with the licensed victuallers. I say that is absolutely untrue. I suppose there arc just as many Labour supporters who will vote in support of the object of the resolution, if it is submitted to the people, as there are on the other side.

Hon. T. M. HALL: You do not give them a chance to vote ..

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: We are going to give them a chance to vote. '!'o cast a slur on a large body of people or

Restriction of Hours [23 AUGUST.] for Sale of Liquor. 29'

on the Government is not fair. There are members of the Cabinet who are just as much opposed to the drink traffic as the mover of the resolution. The hon. member says that the object of the motion is to protect our soldiers from drunkenness. \V e must all admit that in the early days of the war there was a good deal of drunkenness amongst the soldiers, for the' reason that there was no other means provided for them to occupy their spare time or employ their leisure hours. Now, anyone going along Queen street at any hour of the day or night will see just as many civilians under the influence of liquor as he will "ee soldiers.

Hon. E. \V. H. FowLES : All the more reason for passing the motion.

'I'he SECRETARY FOR MINES: There has been a remarkable diminution in the amount of drunkenness and a marked im­provement in the conduct of the soldiers since they wore· )lrovided with place' like the "\Vhite City," and other places in which they may occupy their leisure hours. I am happy to say that there is very little drun­kenness among soldiers at the' present time. The passage of this resolution will have no effect whatever. We must all admit that the soldiers now in camp, and those who have been there for the last tweh·e months. are as sober a body of men as 'WU will find anywhere. (Hear, he'tr !) Such a motion is absolutely unnecessary for the protection of thP soldiers. The hon. member says that a motion of this sort is intended to reach the public ear. Thoro is only one way by v hi eh you can reach the public car. and that is to give the people the opportunity of ex­pressing their opinion upon the snbject. This Government desire that not only this ques­tion but many other questions <Jf public importance shall be submitted to the people for decision, and the only way to do that is to give the people the privilege of taking a vote on such questions by means of referenda.

Hon. E. W. I-I. FowLES: Eightc·en months from no-w.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: One of the first Bills that will be submitted to this House will be the Initiative and Referendum Eill, which will enable any question <Jf public importanee to be submitted to the people.

Hon. P. J. LEAHY: You know that that Bill must be reserved for the Royal assent.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: Everv Bill requires the Governor's assent. ·

Hon. P. J. LEAHY: But vou know that that Bill must be specially reserved for the Royal assent.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: The Govcrnrncnt are n1aking provision for taking a referendum on this and any other question of public importance. The hon. member referred to a deputation that waited on the Premier. l\1ore than one deputation waited on the Promi·or when he was so tired after his long journey that, if I had been in his place, I would have declined to receive depu­tations. Those deputations wanted to get at him before he had an opp<Jrtunity of ascer­taining what public opinion was on the que~­tion or oven of consulting his own colleagues. I think it showed bad taste on the part of the deputations to waylay the Premier at Pverj railway station. It appeared to be part <Jf a proconcertcd plot amongst those who are in favour of this motion to try to get the Premier to commit himself before

he had time to consult his colleagues or to find out \\hat public opinion was on the question. The hon. member says that the expression " The People" is a 1nere catch­word. \Vith some people it is a mere catch­word, hut not with the present Government. \Vhen we speak of "The People" we mean the majority of the people. \Ve have majority rule here. Every Bill that comes before Parliament is decided upon bv a majority vote. ·

Hon. E. W. H. FowLES: Three-fourths of the people of Queensland want 6 o'clock dosing.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: We believe in getting the majority <Jf the electors of the State to decide whether anv Bill shall become law or whether it shall not become la,1·. especially on questions of this sort. The Government recognise that the drink question is an important question, and they intend to gi 1·e the people of Queensland an opportunity of expressing their opinion 011 it through the ballot-box, if only hon. gentlemen will have a little patience and as.,ist in getting the Bill through. The sooner the Bill is passed the sooner will it become law, but if opposition is offerod to it and the passage of the moaoure is delayed, hon. gentlemen who oppose it will have to take the odium of not allowing the people <Jf Queensland to decide the question.

Hon. T. M. HALL: There is a trick in that.

The SECRETARY FOR MI='fES: There is no trick in it ; \Ve want the n1aj orit:v of the people to decide the question. I( the majority decide the question in a particular Wa.), there \\-ill be nothing for the Govern­ment to do but to carry out the will of the majority.

With regard to State hotels, it is true that State hotels have been mooted with the object of keeping down drunkcnneos. If hon. gentlemen would travel in outside place.o and sec the arnount of drinking which is taking place there, they would agree that it would be a good thing for the Govern­ment to take control of the liquor traffic The platform of the party provides for the nationalisation of the liquor traffic, with a view to ultimate prohibition. In \Vestcrn Australia a State hotel has been established, where good grog is sold, and men are not supplied with drink when they are drunk, and if those conditions prevailed here thev \Yould go a long way towards putting dowll drunkenness. I have always felt that insist­ence upon total prohibition is ono of the greatest stumbling blocks to reform in the liquor trade. I am not going to support the motion, because we have mado provision, as stated in the Governor's Speech, for dealing with this matter by legislation. 'l'he Initia­tive and Referendum Bill will be tabled this session, and I do not see any nece<sity for a motion of this sort.

HoN. E. W. H. FOvYLES : I do not pro­pose to debate for one minute the main motion, but merely to clear up one point which occurred in the Minister's remarks. Dnder a straight-out Bill providing for 6 o'clock Closing-as every hon. gentleman in this Chamber knows, but as probably a large number of the public do not know-under a straight-out Bill for 6 o'clock cl<Jsing, we could have 6 o'clock closing brought about within twentv-four hours as far as the two Houses arc concerned. A Bill providing for a special referendum on the question of 6·

Hon. E. W. H. Fowles.]

30 Restriction of Hours [COUNCIL] for Sale of Liquor.

o'clock closing would not be an amendment of the Constitution, and vvould not be re· quircd to be resen·ed for the Royal assent. The method which has been taken in New South \V ales, South Australia, and Tasmania, and that is being taken in Victoria and \Yestcrn Australia, would allow of 6 o'clock ~losing being brought into force within three months from to-day. But the method pro­posed by the Government in the Opening Spe'cch, stripped of all hypocrisy-I refer not to the remarks of the Minister but to the principle involved-is simply a plan to postpone the opportunity for the people to giv-e expression to their will upon this vital matter. and to postpone the opportunity indefinitely.

Hon. P. J. LEAHY: For how long?

Ho:-:. E. W. H. FOWLES: Roughly, for Bighteon months. It is something like an insurance policy-you have to die before you can get it, and I suppose all members of thi- House will be in a happier sphere before the people get 6 o'clock closing under the llWrhod proposed by the Gov-etnment.

The SErRETARY FOR MINES: \Vhat do you mean by '' happier sphere" ?

IIox. E. \V. H. FOWLES: Outside poli­tj~s altogether. The Initi::ttive and Referen­dum Biil will be a measure amending the Conc•itution, and it will haYe to be sent hon1c· for the Hoy2l a~ )ent. It may take a month to pass through the Lower House, and it n1av take a week or a month or a year to pass through this House, and then it "·ill ha1·e to get the Hoyal assent, and cer­tainly the Imperial authmities, who are deal­ing with larger things than a referendum in Queensland, will not be likely to pay much attention to a measure tinkering with our Constitution when the rest of the world appears to b~ at war. They will not deal with the Initiative and Referendum Bill until this vrar is oYer, and after the Bill has recciyrd t.he Royal asser..t a petition signed by a certain number of electors will hav-e to be prepared asking for a referen­dum. The Government hav-e not stated what numhor of signatures will be required, but it has been stated that thre<l months must be allmred tho Government in which to Yerif~, the signatures, so that it will be six months before thov can take the actual Yote. Then thc. votes will have to be counted, and wo could not got them counted in a fort­night. b, cause the numbers have to be sr;nt from distant places in Northern Queensland. The result will be that little short of two years will elapse from the time the' Bill is introduced in the Assembly until the people have an opportunity of expressing their opinion by their votes at the ballot-box.

Hon. P. J. LEAHY: There will be a general election before then.

Ho::-.1. E. \V. H. FOWLES : Possiblv there may be another war and another general election by that time.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: Are you afraid of a general election?

HoN. R'. \V. H. FOWLES: No, I am not afraid of a general election. Let it come next week, and I should welcome it. 'I'he people of Queensland would welcome a general election next week.

The motion before the Hous.e states the matter in a moderate and reasonable way,

[Hon. E. W. H. Fowles.

and I am sure that the who!" of Queensland would welcome a referendum on the 6 o\Jock clo3ing question.

The SECHETARY FOR i'viiNES: The remark that it would protect the soldicr6 was rather a slur on the soldiers.

HoN. E. \V. H. FOWLES: They do not take it as such. \Vo have ldt.:·rs frGm soldiers asking that the! Bill should be brought in, and the Government have a letter from Senator Pearco, the Ministe:· for Defence and Acting Prime Minist•Jr, which they re­ceived in February, urging the immediate bringing in of a Bill for the early closing of hotels. I have a copy of a• similar letter here. But, instead of ;,he Governmem tak­ing that course, they propose, in two Y•'at·s from now, to play up to the rest of A ustra! i a and to our allies. There is not a State in the whole of Australia winch has not cur­~ ",iled the hours for the sale of liquor, and there is not a bit of Plliccl territory, in ()anada or Russia or elsewh0re, that has not dealt vigorously with liquor raform long r.go.

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: You won't giv-e us a chance.

HoN E. \V H. FO\VLE,3: Th<' m·'1Ntre which the Government propose to introduce means an amendment of the Constitution, while the proposal of the Hon. Mr. Brent­nall does not involve any ame·1dment of the Constitution. It merely authori es the taking of a referendum, which can be done within three months from the present time. The people are waiting for this reform, and they will be profoundly disappointed that there is no reference to it in the Governor's Speech. If the Government brought in a ,;traight-out 6 o'clock closing measure', it would be welcomed by the majori'y of the people of Queensland. The propoPal of the Hon. Mr. Brentnall is an eminently mode­rate and reasonable· one, as it simply pro­poses to refer to the people the question as to what should be the hour for closing hotek By adopting his proposal, the people could give expression to their opinion altno~r. immediately, but under the proposal of the Government they will be denied the oppor­tunity of expressing their opinion on this question for at least two years.

Hox. A. HINCHCLIFFE: I understood from a report which I saw in the Press of a 6 o'clock closing meeting held in the early part of this week that the hon. gentleman '' ho has just rc,,urned his seat was to lay on the table of this House a Bill dealing with this subject. I do not know whether that is correct, but, I believe that statement was made and appears in the newspapers. Ap­parently there has been a ea ucus meeting held since then, and the result is the motion which is now submitted to this Home. I had not intendE'd to speak on this subject were it not for some remarks which fell from the Hon. Mr. Brentnall casting a reflection on members of the party now in power in Queensland. I am a member of that partv, and I have been as consistent and ardent in my advocacy of the temperance causG as the hon. gentleman has been, and there are a number of men in the party and in the Cabinet who occupy a similar position. Ever since I took an active part in the Labour movement, as my hon. friend the Minister for Mines can testify, it has been my endeavour, and the endeavour of others. to inculcate sobriety among the organised workers of the State, as we recognise

Restriction of Hours [23 AUGUST.] for Sale of Liquor. 31

that there is no greater difficulty • in the way of securing the reforms we desire than the evils of intempennce. Yet we are told by the Hon. Mr. Brentnall that the· party at present in power are under the influence of the License-d Victuallers Association.

Hon. E. W. H. FOWLES: No; that that is the prevalent opinion.

HoN. A HIKCHCLIFFE: The hon. gen­tleman made th>et statement, and I resent, it most emphatically.

Hon. E. W. H. FowLES: No; he said the pre,·alent opinion was to that effect.

HoN. A. HI:'-TCHCLIFFE: Whether the statement was that such was the prevalent opinion or not, it was most unfortunate that the hon. gentleman should have made it. The're are men in the party who believe in the principle advocated in this motion, and I am one of them. and I would vote for that principle to-morrow. In fact, personally. I am a prohibitionist, and would gladly sec prohibition adopted as one of the principles of the party.

Hon. IV. STEPHENS: You are makiug the Minister blush.

Hox. A. HI::'-JCHCLIFFE: The Minister is c1uite in accord with the principles of the party. and knows that one of the planks of the platform at the preRent tim., is the nationalisation of the liquor traffic with a view to ultimate prohibition.

Hon. \Y. STEPHEXS : Ho does not believe in prohibition, I am sure.

The SECHETARY fOR MIKES: Speak for yonr­self.

Hon. IV. STEPHE~S : I am sure of it.

HoN. A. HII'~CHCLIFFE : Suppose the House carries the motion which has been sub­mitted, what will be the result? It will onlY be a pious exprecsion of opinion bv meni-

bcrs in an extrcmolv thin" House. [4.30 p.m.] If the agitation which has been

carried on outside for some con­siderable time has resulted in the obtaining of 35.000 signatures to a petition, is that not <·.dculatccl to influence the Government more than the pious expression of opinion by mem­bers of this Council? In addition to that, I underotand that on Friday next a very influ­<>ntial deputation is to wait upon the Pre­mier with the same object in view as is proposed in this motion.

Hon. E. \V. H. FowLES: \Vc are waiting for that.

HoN. A. HINCHCLIFFE: Then wh,· not wait until the reply of the Premier is g'iven?

Hon. E. W. H. FowLES: This shows that the Upper House is prepared to second the Premier.

HoN. A. HIJ'\CHCLIFFE: In mv opinion this will not help the hon. memb~r in the least. I may be wrong, but I am sorry to think there arc other motives underlying the proposal than those which have been pub­licly stated.

Hon. 'I'. M. HALL: Are we not entitled to express our opinion on the question?

HoN. A. HINCHCLIFFE: Most decidedly hon. members are entitled to express their opinion, but I have a right to my own

thoughts regarding the attitude that hon. members have adopted on this question, and I repeat that I am sorry to think that thNe are other reasons for submitting this resolu­tion than those which ha vc been sta tee!. If the Hon. Mr. Fowles had made good the promise which he uttered at the meeting to which I have already referred and had brought down a Bill definitely dealing with the question, I could have understood it.

Hon. E. vV. H. FoWLES: Out of courtesy to the Premier that Bill is delayed until he gives his answer.

HoN. A. HI:'-TCHCLIFFE: Well, if it is nece"arv out of courtesy to the Premier to take th~t course with respect to the pro· posed Bill, then it is equally nec0,sa:'Y for the same reason to allow this resolution to stand over until the deputation has waited upon the Premier.

Hon. E. W. H. FowLES: It will only strengthen his hands.

Hon. T. M. HALL: It will show him that the Council is <J.t his back.

Ho:-~. A. HINCHCLIFFE': I reiterate that the Labour party as such have no interest in, and no connection \Vlth) the Licensed Victuallers Association, and have nothing whatever to thank them for. I regret that the statement has been made.

Hox. A. G. C. IIA WTHOR::'-J: I thought that thio motion would ha,·e been receivn•l without any opposition. because anybody reading it will see that all it does is to pro­propose a speedv means of submitting to the people what thr; :Ylinister has professed him­self \villin{: to put before thcrn~ as soon as no.ssiLlc. The n1otion says that ·'it is d ~sir­~ble in the public interest that irnmedia !0 action be taken to submit to the people of Queensland, by way of special referendum," this question, and I was surprised to hear the l\Iinister announce his intention of oppos­ing the n1otion, at the same tim~~ that ]Je expressed his desire to get the quc_,tion sub­mitted to the people at the earliest possible 1nornent.

The SECRETARY FOR :i\IlNES : I sa v I s<>c nu necessity for asking for a spcci3J rcfcrt~iJ­dum on this question.

Hox. A. G. C. HA WTHORX: The llorJ. o·cntleinan is SOlllE'\Yhat inconsistent. So far ~s I am concerned I have no ulterior n1otiYcs. I regard t.he n1otion as an intima­tion to the people of (~ueens!and that thi, Council is only too rea-dy to give the people an opportunity of expressing their ·wishc~ on tho matter. (Hear, hear!) We want tu show them that this Home, at any rate. is prep<J.red, in tho interests of the public generally, and in the interests of the soldiers especially. to supp_ort this reform. Without in >any \vay depreCiating the character of our soldiers or saving one \Yor.d ag.ainst the con­duct of the "general body of our soldiers, we say that while the war lasts <J.nd for six months afterwards it is desirable that the hotels in Queensland should be closed at 6 o'clock. In that we are only trying to 11l<1ce ourselves in line with every other portion ot the British Empire. As has been already pointed out by the Hon. Mr. Fowles. the Initiative and Referendum Bill will take ·at least twelve months, if not two years, before it can become law. The war will probably be

Hon. A. G. C. Hawthorn.]

32 Sale of Liquor. [COUNCIL,] Address in Reply.

over by that time and the ncce"itv for this 1notion or tlnytbi{lg like it ·will hUvc o-oue. \rhat we desire is to do at once somefhinrr for which, if the means proposccl by tho Go~ vemment arc .adopted, the opportunity will ha vo !"'"eel before anything can be done. I ·do not !mow that it is necessan to labour the question. but I certainly thir!k that the HDn. Nh. Hinchcliffe went too far "·hen he intputcd rnotiYcs to hon. members of this Chan1ber.

l-Ion. A. HIXCHCLIFFE: \Vhat about the allegation that ·we IVCl'O in lcao·ue \Yith the Licensed Victuallers Association"?

lJ ox. A. G. C. HA WTHORK: I did not tmderstand the Hon. Nlr. Br, ntnall to make r;nrh an allegation. I~Ic said it ;,-as "· 1natter oi ]mblic comment.

Hon. A. IliXCIICLIFFE: \Yhy introclucc the mnttcr iuto this Chamber? \Yhat object was there?

The PUESIDE::\'T : Order !

llo;.;. A. G._ C. HAIYTliORX: Both politi­cal tJartlcs In Queensland ha vc been very glacl to accept the assistance not only of the tcm]wrar.oc people but also of the licensed victuallers. TheY aJl have their votes they arc both po-wers~ in the voting connn'unit,Y~, and I have no doubt that their a,oistanee is aceeptablc to both sides. I do not know whv the question "as introduced but I do not !hink th{:l'C \vas any necl ;;;sit;, to take it up m. the way he has {]one, and I certainly <'h]rct to his imputino- motiYes to members of this Ch<tmbcr. W~ are here to do our best in the interests of the people of Quccns­lancl, ancl I urn sure that, when the people are asked to decide whether they will keep the Leg1slative Council in existence or not, th~.Y will r;.cognise !·hat an1ong o~h~r. good th111gs we {J.ld we tned to get subm1ttcd to thorn the most important quc·.-tiou of the day.

llo;.;. F. T. BREI\'T;\IALL, in reply, said: I claun the prrvilcge of sa:ving· a few words by way of reply. I am afraid that either l have been misunderstood or that I said son1ething that I did not 1nean to sav. On the particular point upon "hich I haY·e been bitterly. assuiled by the Hon. Mr. ftinchcliffe, I cortamly sa1d nothing in bi tternP'S or in malice. I simply stated what I heard ex­prc<.,ed fifty times over-that there appbtred to be son1o private underf::itanding between the two parties refened to. \Yhcn the Yl:inis­tcr said, "That i's not so," I at once accepted hi, clenial ancl said that it was believed by man~ people that such an under­standing <'ixistcd, or >Yords to that effect. I certainly said nothing that should ha.-e pro­Yoked all this ire and indignation, although I have yet to learn that an hon. member of th~s Chamber is not at liberty to say what he tlnnks on such a subject as tlns.

The SECRETARY FOR MIXES : The words you used .were tha~ this party was in league with the lrcensecl vJCtuallers.

HoN. F. T. BRE;\fT~ALL: If I said more than that it is belieyec] in some quarters that there has been some unclerstandin 0' between the two p<trties, I can only say that I am Rorry I made any refer·cnce to the matter at all. However, I am still utterlY unconscious that I said anything that was· wilfullv con-trary to facts. •

Question (Mr. BTentnall's motion) put and passed.

[Hon . .A. G. C. Hawthorn.

ADDRESS IN REPLY.

RESUMPTION OF DEBATE.

Hox. F. T. BRFlNTXALL: In resuming the clcbate on the Address in Reply, there are one or two matters of :1 preli1ninary character that I wish to refer to. One of these has already been refer red to bY the previous speakers. 'The latenes' of the l)eriod of the year at which we have been called together is to bo regretted, because it is sure to lcacl to ~mne mnbarrass-rnent) n1ore or less. It rnay lead to ou1 having lo ~it. late many nights when we should not otnCl'­wise have been under ,.hat nece .. sity; and ;t may load to our not being able to ·finish che business before the end of the year or before Christmas. vVe had to sit oH Mo.·du.- onc:e last session because' of the length ~£ tlE~ programme and the length of the deiY t• s. What the explanation or the prcte:s:t Play be for the long delay in calling Parlian1ent together has not been e:s:pLtincd. It is .assumed-and everybody takes it for gl"lllted -that it was the absence of the l'remie1· from the State. But I do not kuoV·' l11 ... t there "as any special ne'ceooity for clclaYin!" the business of Parliament for that pH­ticular reason. It would not have been iho first time that the Parliament of Quoenslancl had hid to me0t at the usual period of the year although the Premier might not be in the State. Ollicial business sometimes takes the head of th0 Ministry away, and tbo i•n­pDrtance of that business may prevent him returning, even if such was his pcr,oral intention, in time for the rncetmg of l' a r­!iarnent. It mav be known to members of the Cabinet why the me'eti:1g of Parliament was delayed so long, but ir; is mere a:=;:-.;unlp­tion on the part of oth0r people.

One thing we have to rejt ;oe over is that we have' not to meet this y,_ar as \-" Jnet last year, under the m,2lanchuly influence of the loss of several membe,·s of this House. We have been rnorcifullv sa,-ed from that calamity, for it is a oala1;1it.y , .. ben we hu><• rncn of ripe experience in parliamentary procedure, as well as in the affairs of 1 he State, taken away sucldeniy and tiW''<­pecteclly as some of our previ0us me1ni"•rs were.

I congratulate the Goycrnment upon the fa.-ourable conditions which now ]Jl'et·ail in the country. There' is a far bett"r prospect for administration in the futnre on easier financial terl11S than then::. WUS a J'l'<ll' ego, owing to th•; copious rains '¥hich haYe fallen 11• many parts of the i::lt.ate. :\lost pHto of the State haYe been more or less benefited by that visitation. It is very fot·tunate for thos<> who are dependent upon the ,oil for a livelihood-the pastor>tlists and the i a rPlers -that we have been fan·,n·•,,J wit!J wch good rains. Closely associated with this matter-though I am almost ofrDicl to touch it-is the fact that the present Govermu ut have not manifested any very gr<>nt interest in the welfare of either the pastornlist.' or the farmers. 'rhis is a matter of notoriety; it is not a matter of private personal opinion, but is admitted at meeting after m0eting, almost every week of the year, that t:1ere is great discontent among those classes becans8 of the neglect of their interests by the [lr')­

sent Government. 'I'hey say that they rccei ''8' very little sympathy and no encourus-c•ment from the Government.

I refer now with some hesitation and diffidence to the partiality of the Administra­tion, which also is a tender subject. I do not

Address in Rep7y, [23 AUGUST.] Address in Reply. 33

think anyone can come to a false conclusion as to the tendency in sentiment and svm­pathy and action on the part of the present Government towards those who give them their support. I may be told that this kind of thing has been done L>y other parties, but I have no recollection of having seen it done so conspicuously and so emphatically as it has been done during the last twelve months. 'fhis is a subject that sooner or later will have to be talked about very seriously. If we are going to lapse into the American habit of changing officials in the different departments every time there is a change of Government, then in my judg­ment we shall rnake a YerY serious InistakP. I cannot understand why "party or partisan patronage should come into public questions at all. The men who are best qualified to do the work of the country should be per­mitted to do it, and should not be intcr­fe'red with. I should like to put this matter in the form of a query rather than in any other way. Has there been any necec.sity for the dismissal of some of the public servants who have been dismissed during the last twelve months-much to their own sur­prise, their own grief, and their own loss ?

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: Did you vote for that Act or against it when it went through this Chamber?

HoN. F. T. BREKTNALL: I cannot recol­lect that Act at all, but I know it is there. If I were called upon now, or if I had been called upon at any time during the last twenty years to give a vote on the provision under whic-h those dismissals have boon made, I should have to think a good" deal about the matter before coming to a deci­sion. I think the passing of that provision ·was a very grievous n1istake, because nobody is going to persuade me that a man .()f sixty­five, if he has full possession of his health and mental faculties, is not just as well qualified to do his work in a public office a"' he was when he was twenty years you'nger. He ought to be all the more capable because of his richer and riper experience, because he should know more about the detail work, and because he ha' come more into contact with business men.

The Speech which we are now considering resemble;· very much a resuscitation of picked bones. I remember that when I was a young follow in the old country the lads and apprentices in public places of business got what they called meat or potato pie once or twice a week, and they called it "r·csurrection pie." This js very much a resurrection Speech. In it we arc con­fronted with matters that we have alreadv dealt with. Our opinions about those mat­tors arc known, and it can hardly be ex­pected that in t>'·elve months we have so changed our opinions that we shall reverse om· actions. We have only four months practically to deal with those measures. Last year wo had six months in which to deal ~vith them. How are we going to get through them in four months? I think the Government might have had a little more mercv upon Parliament than they have shown.

There is one thing in connection with the absences of Ministers from Queensland that ought to be emphasised. It would be very interesting to know what proportion of their time since the close of the last session of Parliament Ministers have been absent from

191&---D

their offices. Some of them, I know, have been absent several times. It may have been business that took them away, but you sec the difficulty of criticising matters of this sort, becauso partisanship and party feeling are likely to come into the discussion. However, these absences raise a very im­portant question. If the departments can do without Ministers and Under Secretaries time after time and for month after month, it may be asked if their services are really necessary. The Premier took away with him an Lnder Secretary and a privata scf'rotary, and everything seemed to go on all right in tho department. This kind of thing gives the public the impression that tho business of the country can go on very well if tlw J\ .. f1nisters or th-0 Governn1ent are absent, and I do not think it is a wise thing that the Government should act in such a way as to give ground for that impression. Some time the question will come up os to how much all the jaunting and travelling which has been done by Ministers costs the countr?. It must cost a considerable amount, for almost everv week some l\1inisters arc absent from

" their offices and professedly tra-[5 p.m.] veiling on public business. In-

deed, they are always travelling on public business, and the cost of this tra­yelJing must amount to a good round sum in sm-en or eight months. I do not intend to detain hon. members very long-not so long as I probably should have done if I had not had a previous address to make; but we have to deal now, not altogether with the Spe<·cr that is before us, but once a yem· \YC have to deal with the general policy of the Government, and this is the only opportunity we have of reviewing that policy.

I would ask hon. membero for a few minutes to look at some of the financial anomalies which prevail. The Government plank used to be " No borrowing for public objects. Take it out of the people some other way." Now, the party that were going to run the whole country without borrowing i" running the dual system of Government, in the State and in tho Commonwealth. by heavily increasing taxation and by borrowing money in addition. Then their policy has been " equal franchise." That is supposed to be the great strength of their party. But it is equal franchise without equal responsibility, and I do not think that is quite fair. By equal responsibility I mean equal financial responsibility. Then again the anti-monopolist party are now claiming the right to create monopolies. They have done it in regard to workers' accident insur­ance. They are proposing now t"o do it in connection with fire and life insurance. They would also like to do it in regard to the Public Curator. It would be a delight­ful thing if they could compel everyone who is making a will to make the Public Curator the executor under that will. But things have not come quite to that yet. Monopoly has not yet reached that stage. I take it that these State hotels we hear about are going to be in the nature of a monopoly.

The Government party have been m'lking laws and then breaking them. I will only refer to one particular action in this con­nection. Some amendments were proposed in this Chamber last session in the Workers' Compensation Bill which were rejected in another place; but somehow or other one o- two of those difficulties were got round,

Hon. F. T. Brentnall.J

34 Appropriation Bill No. l. [COUNCIL.] Special Adjournment.

and regulations were brought out immedi­ately and are now being cnforcBd. The position now is that one has not the option of saying that he will go to this company, or the other company, or to the Government insurance office. He has no choice. In case after case insurance companies that have beon engaged in workers' accident insurance for years have been refused a certificate. I suppose a score of them have been refused permission to continue this class of business. I have been in Queensland for over forty years, and I never w'ts asked before to insure certain people connected with my domestic affairs, hut I have to do it now. It is not a question of " \V ill vou do it?" but "You must do it." And you must do it with the State Commissioner of Insurance, and with nobody else. If you do not insure with l1irn, you rnu,,t take the consequences. That is the penalty of having a Labour Government in power, and that is the tendencv in almost everv direction. The regulati~ns I refer to were gazetted immediately the Act was passed, and are now in force, I just want hon. member,; to note that under the Act those regulations ean either be accepted silontly-tn,citly-or they can be rejected by either HotHl of Parliament. ThPv were laid on the table her<:' yesterda}, and they must lie on the tablP for forty dayn. At any time during thos<> forty days either House can reject those regulations, and then thcv cea5e to exist. - "

At eight minutes past 5 o'clock. The PHESlDEXT left tlte dwir, rcsumin~

it at intenals until half-past 9 o'clock. c

.\t five minutes to 10 o'clock, Hol!. P. J. LEAHY: I beg to moye the

adjourmnont of the debate. Question put and passed. The resumption of the debate! was made

an Order of the Day for Tuesday next.

APPROPRIATION BILL No. 1.

FIRST READIXG.

On the motion of the SECRET_\RY FOR MINES, this Bill, received by message from the Assembly, was read a first time.

SECOND READING.

The SECRETARY FOR :'diNES: I beg to mol-e-That tho Bill be now rf'ad a second time. No. 1 Appropriation Bill of last financial year (1915-16) was for two months' SLtpply, viz.: -Revenue, £650,000; trust, £100,000; loan, £300,000. To avoid the necessity of calling the! House together early in July this year, one month's Supply on acqount of the current financjal year was granted in No. 4 Appropriation Act of 1915-16, viz. :-Revenue, £325,000; trust, £50,000; loan, £150,000; and as the heavy payments aTe not made until the end of a rnonth, the above arnonnts havP- enabled us to carry on until now; no further payments can, however, be' made for this financial year without a further vote on account. The pre­sent Appropriation Bill is for two months' Supply, vi7 :-Revenue. £800.000; trust, £300.000; loan, £300,000. This Bill al­though ::\" o. 1 of the present year ,:eally corresponds with No. 2 of the pr<Yvio~s vear, owing to the fact that a vote on account for 1916-17 was made available bv the final Appropriation Act of last year. 'The No. 2 Bill of last year was for the following

[Hon. P. 1'. Brentnall.

sums: -Revenue, £800,000; trust, £250,000; loan, £300,000. It will be noted that there' is an increase of £50,000 required for trust funds, which is owing to additional require­ments for Babinda and South Johnstone central mills. If there is any additional information that hon. gentlemen desire, and I can supply it, I shall be only too pleased to give it.

Hox. E. W. H. FOWLES: I should like to know from the :Ylinister whether one penny of this appropriation is to be devoted towards the establishment of State hotels?

The SECRETARY FOR MINES: No; no part of this money will be devoted to State hotels.

HoN. P. ,J. LEAHY: Last session we granted Supply for two monthq, and wo all understood-iudee,d, the :Minister explained to us-that the amount then voted would carry us on till the end of July, and that therefore Parliament would be called together

not later than the middle of July [10 p.m.] in order to vote further Supply

to enable salaries to be paid. That was not done, and the :Minister's expla­nation now is that we voted an additional sun1 so that there "lVas sufficient money avail­able for ,July payments. I draw attentiou to the fact, so thut it may not happc'n .again. ::"-:o doubt the Minister believed last session that the information he gave us 1vas correct, but it nm1 turns out that it was not correct. I-Iowever, in this case the vote i, only for two months, so that Parliament will be sit­ting whPn it is exhausted: and now that \rP

ha I'C the hon. gentleman',,, assurance that none of this monev is to be used for State hotels, I do not see why there should be any opposition to it.

The SECRETARY FOR :YliNES: All the heavy payments were made at the end of July, and until this Bill is passed no further paynwnts can bo rnadc.

Hon. P. J. LE.\IIY: But they wero made for a month longer than we 'intended last year.

Question put and passed.

CO:IDIITTEE A:>-:D THIRD READING.

The Bill was put through thee,e stages without debate or amendment, passed, and ordered to be returned to the Assembly by rnessa~re in the usual form.

SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT. The SECRETARY FOR MINES: I move

-That the Council, at its rising, do adjourn until TuesdtLy next.

HoN. E. W. H. FOWLES: Before this motion is put I think a word of protest is due from this House. vVe have been called together five weeks later this year, and on the very first business night of the session we have had to rush through a Bill involv­ing the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of pounds. It has been pushed through Par­liament cavalierly and obscurely in six minutes without discussion, and with scarcely a word with regard to the destination of the moneys voted. Quite four hours of the time of every hon. member who has attended to­day has been frittered a way unnecessarily on the first night of the session. It speaks a good deal for the infinite patience of hon. members that they have been asked prac­ticallv to dance attendancn on another place the ,:ery first night of the session, and this is duo to the lah>ne;s of the meeting of

Special Adjournment. [23 AUGUST.]

Paelian1rnt. I can quite understand such a measure being hurried through at the end of 6 long session, but to ask rncm bcrs to waste four hours of their time at the beginning of a session wa,i ting for another place to send up an Appropriation Bill is almost reaching the limit of political courtesy.

Ho:-~. T. M. HALL: Before the House adjourns I desire in justice to members pre­sent to correct a statement which has been made to the effect that members had threatened to disband at any specified hour .before the Appropriation Bill reached them. It is bad enough to he blamed for deeds de­serving censure, but to be blamed for some­thing which has not even been contemplated is beyond the bounds of political decency.

The SE.CRETARY FOR JYII:'-iES: I was informed by several hon. members that they would not stay another hour, and some others would not make up their minds to see it out, bc<;:ausc it \V[IS not kno\vn \\"hat t1me the Bill would be passed in another place. I have already explained why Parliament met later thar; usual this year. So far as the Ap)WO])I'iation Bill is concerned, I gave a considerable arnount of informat;on, .and offered to supply any further information that might be asked for, and I did ro. As to keeping hon. lne·nlb('rs hero " dancing attendance" on the Assembly, as the Hon. Mr. FmYles put it, if hon. members had -come prepared to speak on the Address in Reply, they had the opportunity of filling in the time in doing 'O ; but after the Hon. Mr. Brentnall finished his speech I asked whether anv other hon. member wished to Bpeak, and" I was told members were not ready. \Ye could )Hl,·c put in the time we have been waiting in discnssing the Address in Replv. so that it is out of place fer the hon. me.mbcr to make the remarks he did.

HoK. P. J. LEAHY: It is true that there was no desire expressed by any hon. lnetn­ber to continue the _\.ddrcss in Reply this afternoon, but at that time it was thought the Appropriation Bill might roach us at any ruoment, and we 1-tave been kept here hour after hour expecting it, and for that reason \Ve did not continue the debate on the Adclress in Reply. I am quite certain that a nnmbcr of hon. members, although they had made no notes and did not expect to speak to-day, would have taken part in the debate if it h<Ld been really necoesary. I would hrt vc done so myself. although I pre­ferred to do so later. I do not attach any blame to hon. members in another place for debating the Appropriation Dill very fully, bef'rtuse there \Yero- son1e \rery iu1-portant guestion.s connected with it. For instance. possibly they thought there was about £70.000 being voted for State hotels -a matter on which many hon. members in another place feel as deeply as hon. members here·, and for that reason they were per­fectly justfted in debating the Bill. The whole trouble really arose from the fact that Parliament has· met ,o late. There is no blame attachable to the Minister, nor do I desire to blame members in another place for the fact that we have been kept up so late. 'l'he fact that we arc here is onlv another evidence of the vifl"our and vitality of this Houee, and of our ability to meet any demands that may be made upon us.

Question put and passed.

The Council adjourned at thirteen minutes past 10 o'clock.

Questions.