1908-05-22 3 2 0 SENATE 11381 0 Senate. 1908-05-22 The President took the chair at 12 noon, and read prayers. 11381 Questions 11381 11381 K6M 0 0 CLEMONS, John Senator CLEMONS - I desire to ask the Vice-President of the Executive Council, without notice, whether, in addition to the opportunity that will be presented to honorable senators on the first, reading of the Appropriation (Additional Estimates) Bill, he will indicate whether an opportunity will be afforded during the present session for the Senate to discuss and express an opinion upon the present financial relations between the Commonwealth and States? 11381 JPC Protectionist 1 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - In addition to the opportunity which will be given on the motion for the first reading of the Appropriation (Additional Estimates) Bill - which we hope to have before us by Wednesday next - it is the intention of the Government to introduce one or two other formal Appropriation Bills. I am speaking from recollection, but I think that, for instance, we shall have to introduce a Bill to validate the Treasurer's advances for 1905-6 and, 1906-7, both as regards ordinary expenditure and public works. On either of these Bills the same privilege will be open to honorable senators in regard to speaking on subjects not necessarily relevant to the contents of the measures. So that it appears to me - although I do not like at this juncture to give a formal promise - that I need have little hesitation in saying that, in my judgment, those opportunities will be given in addition to the one to which my honorable friend has referred. 11381 KUL 0 0 MILLEN, Edward Senator MILLEN - Following up the answer of the Vice-President of the Executive Council, I should like to ask him if, in addition to the Bills that he has mentioned, and which will be brought before us, it is intended by the Government to proceed with the Surplus Revenue Bill? 11381 JPC 0 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - Certainly. 11381 11381 K5F 0 0 SAYERS, Robert Senator SAYERS - I wish to ask. the Vice-President of the Executive Council, without notice, first, whether he can give the Senate any indication as to when the High Court will give its judgment in the harvester case ; and, secondly, as the new protection - was said to be part of the Government policy, and as workmen are supposed to share in the benefits of high duties, does the Government intend to take early steps to bring that policy into operation ? 11382 JPC Protectionist 1 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - Of course, it is not within my province or power to say when the High Court judgment will be delivered. I have no knowledge on the subject. It will be ' quite time enough when the judgment is delivered to express an Opinion with regard to it. 11382 K5F 0 0 SAYERS, Robert Senator SAYERS - I asked another question which the Minister has not answered. As the new protection was said to be part of the Government's policy, and workmen are supposed to share in the benefits of high duties, is it the intention of the Government to take early steps to bring that policy into operation? 11382 JPC 0 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - I have already indicated that when we have the judgment of the High Court in this matter before us,, it will be time enough to state what our intentions are. 11382 JYX 0 0 FINDLEY, Edward Senator FINDLEY - Arising out of the last question, as we know the anxiety of . Senator Sayers in regard to the principles involved in the new protection policy, I desire to ask the- Vice-President of the Executive Council whether, when the Bill embodying the principles of the new protection is introduced, he will see that those engaged in the sugar industry iri Queensland are paid more than 3 Jd. per hour ; and also whether the Minister will, on that occasion, bear in mind the anxiety of the honorable senator who asked two questions a few moments ago, and claim his support for a policy which would insure higher wages for sugar workers in" Queensland? 11382 JPC 0 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - In dealing with any question such as that mentioned by. the honorable senator, the Government are, of course, always anxious to bear in mind the representations of .all senators. 11382 K78 0 0 ST LEDGER, Anthony Senator ST LEDGER - I should like to ask the Vice-President of the Executive Council if, before the Government seek to enforce the principles of new protection, they will submit the question to a referendum of the electors; and if not, why not? 11382 JPC 0 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - The interest of the honorable senator in this question is so startling, that his question, is worthy of the request on my part that he should give notice of it. 11382 KLS 0 0 GIVENS, Thomas Senator GIVENS - I desire to ask Senator St. Ledger a question without notice, through you, Mr. President. Arising out of the question which he has just asked, and the answer of the Minister, I wish to ask Senator' St. Ledger whether he will consider the advisableness of battling for a higher and decent rate of wage for the workers in the protected sugar industry pf Queensland ? 11382 11382 K6M 0 0 CLEMONS, John Senator CLEMONS - I desire to ask the Minister of Home Affairs, without notice, a question with regard to a statement which appeared in this morning's newspapers, concerning efforts that he is about to make to institute tests of the value of properly seasoned Australian timber. I wish to ask him .whether, when the Estimates are being framed, he will place upon "them a substantial sum for' that purpose? ' I tender my congratulations to the Minister on the steps he proposes to take.. In asking this question',' my desire is as far as possible to strengthen his hands. . . _ 11382 KPE Protectionist 1 0 KEATING, John Senator KEATING - The matter to. which the honorable senator has referred,. Was mentioned by me some time last year. I then found that I was not able to give effect to .my own desires in the matter - desires which I believe are shared by members of Parliament generally - as I had not the authority nor the funds at my disposal. What I propose to do, as I have indicated to the press quite recently, is this : I intend to place a sum of money on the Estimates which are now in draft, for. the purpose of - asking Parliament! 'by ' voting the amount, to authorize the principle of conserving on some of our own properties properly felled timbers . from the various States, in order that they may be seasoned, and hereafter used on Commonwealth works. I cannot exactly indicate at present the sum that I propose to ask for; but I intend to test. the feeling of Parliament by putting the amount on the Estimates, indicating at the same time details of- a scheme for carrying out the tests proposed. I have every hope that Parliament will confirm what I do. I shall ' also indicate that the sum granted this year will be for expenditure during the year, and that Parliament hereafter, for a number of years, will be asked to give a similar or larger sum for- the same purpose, so that we may always have on hand a - sufficient ' quantity of suitable timbers for our use. When the Estimates come before the Senate, honorable senators will be able to discuss the subject. I shall then be glad to have, not only their sympathy and support, but also the advantage of any hints which they may offer. 11383 JU7 0 0 DE LARGIE, Hugh Senator de Largie - Does the honorable senator mean the Additional Estimates? 11383 KPE 0 0 KEATING, John Senator KEATING - No; the ordinary annual Estimates. 11383 11383 K0F 0 0 PEARCE, George Senator PEARCE - Some time ago the Minister of Home Affairs promised the Senate that he would have an inquiry made as to the possibility of adopting voting machines for use at parliamentary elections. In answer to later inquiries, the Minister said that the tests had reached a certain stage. Since then, we have heard nothing further about the matter. I should like to ask him whether the subject has been allowed to drop altogether, or whether he intends to push his inquiries to some definite conclusion? 11383 KPE Protectionist 1 0 KEATING, John Senator KEATING - The- matter has not been allowed to drop ; but, so far as I am personally concerned, I cannot say off-hand, exactly what has been done recently. If, however, the honorable senator will ask me a question on the subject another day, I shall, in the meantime, find out what stage has been reached. 11383 11383 K6M 0 0 CLEMONS, John Senator CLEMONS - I wish to ask the Minister of Home Affairs, without notice, whether he can tell us what steps have been taken with regard to the expenditure of a vote of, I think, ,£10,000, which was placed on the Estimates twelve months ago in relation to wireless telegraphy? I ask the question because I wish the Minister to indicate, in reply, whether that expenditure is intended in any way to conflict with expenditure that is possible now in connexion with the new cable service to Tasmania ; and whether, also, he can tell me whether the Cabinet has considered the desirableness of spending any portion of the money set apart for wireless telegraphy purposes. in connexion with King Island, midway between Tasmania and Victoria? 11383 KPE Protectionist 1 0 KEATING, John Senator KEATING - I could not off- " hand give the honorable senator the information he desires, but if he will ask the question on the next sitting day, I shall be glad to supply him with an answer. 11383 KNB 0 0 GUTHRIE, Robert Senator GUTHRIE - I wish to ask the Minister whether, when the question of the installation of wireless telegraphy is under consideration, the claims for the establishment of wireless telegraph stations at Nepean, the Althorpes, or ' Kangaroo Island will be considered? 11383 KPE 0 0 KEATING, John Senator KEATING - I shall have the representations implied in the honorable' senator's question brought under the notice of my honorable colleague. 11383 11383 JXT 0 0 NEILD, John Senator Colonel NEILD - I wish to ask' who was responsible for the taking of a flashlight photograph of the Senate some little time back, and for the publication, not of a reproduction of the photograph, but of a nondescript little smudge in a publication circulated this morning, which is supposed to represent a sitting of the Senate-, whilst in the same publication a photograph of a sitting of another place is reasonably well reproduced, double the size of the alleged representation of this Chamber ? 11383 10000 0 0 PRESIDENT, The The PRESIDENT - I may be permitted to say, in reply to the honorable senator's question, that an application was made .to me through Ministers for permission to take a photograph of a sitting of the Senate, in order that it might be reproduced in the Victorian' School Paper, the publication to which Senator Neild has just alluded. The photograph was taken with, as I understood, the concurrence of honorable senators, and, that being so, I presume that we are not in any way responsible for the way in which it has been reproduced. 11383 papers Senator BEST laid upon the table the following papers : - Sugar Bounty Act 1905- - Regulations - Statu tory Rules 1908, No. 53. Customs Act 1901. - Amendment of Regulation 130 - Statutory Rules 1908, No. 54. 11383 Questions 11383 11383 K1U 0 0 PULSFORD, Edward Senator PULSFORD asked the Vice-President of the Executive Council, upon notice - With reference to the International Exhibition to be held in Tokio in 1912, and towards . which the United States Congress has just appropriated jSjoo.ooo, does the Government propose to ask for an appropriation to secure the due representation of Australia at such Exhibition ? 11384 JPC Protectionist 1 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - The answer to the honorable senator's question is as follows : - Ample time exists for its consideration, which will be given in due course. 11384 11384 K7D 0 0 STEWART, James Senator STEWART asked the Vice-President of the Executive Council, upon notice - Whether the Government is aware that the Standard is one of the most conservative journals published in Great Britain, and is read only by the aristocracy and squirearchy ? Whether it is the object of the Government in advertising in that newspaper to promote the immigration of persons of those classes to Australia ? What other newspaper 01 newspapers does the Government propose to advertise in when it ds desirous of inducing persons of the working class to come to Australia? 11384 JPC Protectionist 1 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - The answers to the honorable senator's questions are as follow : - No. The principal object is the general advertisement of Australia, which, of course, affects immigration to a considerable extent. Any other paper that appears to offer similar special advantages to those presented by the supplement to the Standard. There are many methods of advertising, apart from newspapers', especially for the encouragement of immigration. 11384 11384 K7D 0 0 STEWART, James Senator STEWART asked the Minister representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice - Is it customary to insist that officers on long service furlough spend their leave (a) either outside of their own States, or (i) beyond the Commonwealth ? Are officers, before being granted long service furlough, asked where- and how they intend to spend their leave? 11384 KPE Protectionist 1 0 KEATING, John Senator KEATING - The answers to the honorable senator's questions, as furnished by the Public Service Commissioner, are as follow : - ! 1. No. It is understood that in some few" cases' this has been done, but it is not now the practice to do so. Furlough is granted subject to departmental convenience; and funds being available 11384 Employment of Letter-carriers as Sorters. 11384 K7D 0 0 STEWART, James Senator STEWART asked the Minister representing the Postmaster-General, upon notice - Is it the case that a number of letter-carriers have been acting as sorters in the Brisbane Post-office at letter-carriers' pay? If so, for what period have these officers, been so employed? Is it true that several of them have recently been sent back to letter-carrying duty? If so, is it true that their places as sorters have been taken by young men at from £60 to ^110 a year? What experience as sorters have these young men had? 11384 KPE Protectionist 1 0 KEATING, John Senator KEATING - The answers to the honorable senator's questions are as follow : - The Acting Deputy Postmaster-General, Brisbane, has furnished the following information, namely : - Yes. For periods ranging from if years to 3f years. Yes, in accordance with instructions issued some time- since, owing to the appointment' of additional hands to the Mail Branch for indoor work. Their places have been taken by assistants with salaries of ^110 per annum. In some instances experience has been gained in country offices., and in most cases they have had three weeks' training in the General Post Office. The Public Service Commissioner has appointed Assistants to afford relief in connexion with the work under notice. In accordance with instructions previously received, provision will be made on next year's draft Estimates of Expenditure for an additional number of sorters. 11384 special adjournment 11384 JPC Victoria Protectionist Vice-President of the Executive Council 1 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST . - I regret very much to have to say that we have not yet received from another place a message in connexion with the Additional Estimates which we hoped we might receive in time to deal with it to-dav. The result of my inquiries is that there does not seem to be much prospect of the Additional Estimates being disposed of in another place before Tuesday night next. 11384 K9T 0 0 VARDON, Joseph Senator Vardon - Is there any guarantee that they will be disposed of then? 11384 JPC 0 0 BEST, Robert Senator BEST - There can, be no such guarantee, of course, but I think I am justified, in anticipating that the Additional Estimates will be ready for our consideration on Wednesday next. I therefore move - That the Senate, at . its rising, adjourn until Wednesday next, at half-past 2 p.m. Question resolved in- the affirmative. 11384 12:23:00 Senate adjourned at 12.23 p.m