1911-12-21 4 2 0 SENATE 4884 0 Senate. 1911-12-21 The President took the chair at 11.30 a;m., and read prayers. 4980 bill Message, received from the House of Representatives stating that it had agreed to the Senate's amendment on the amendment of that House. =. 4980 order of business 4980 KLS 0 0 GIVENS, Thomas Senator GIVENS - I rise to a. point of order. Is it not usual, at the opening of the day's sitting, sir, for you, in your official capacity as President, to ask if any member of the Senate has a petition . to present and to follow up that inquiry By asking for notices of motions and questions ? 4980 10000 0 0 PRESIDENT, The The PRESIDENT -A message can be taken at any time. A message has been read, and I will now proceed with the business in the ordinary course. 4980 KLS ALP; NAT 0 0 GIVENS, Thomas Senator GIVENS - -I asked for information, as I did..'not, wish . to . forfeit my right!; 4980 Questions 4980 4980 KLS 0 0 GIVENS, Thomas Senator GIVENS - I desire to ask the Vice-President of the Executive Council, without notice, the following questions : - Did the then President of the Senate (Senator Gould) and the Public Service Commissioner, acting in concert, reduce the standard at the examination for parliamentary typists for the express purpose of enabling certain men to enter the Public Service who might not have passed an examination at the ordinary standard ? Was the examination not competitive and open to all within the Commonwealth? If the standard was. so reduced, what action do the Ministry propose to take? 4980 KUL 0 0 MILLEN, Edward Senator Millen - Why this '. war-like note on a day of peace ? 4980 KTF ALP 1 0 MCGREGOR, Gregor Senator McGREGOR - I ask the honorable senator to give notice of the questions. 4980 KLS 0 0 GIVENS, Thomas Senator GIVENS - As the Minister is unable to reply to the questions now I shall ask other questions, which he may be able to answer. I beg to ask - On how many occasions during the last five sessions has any office in Melbourne supplied temporary typists for the Hansard staff? The respective dates, . the names of the temporary typists, and the duration of their services? i ' 4980 KTF 0 0 MCGREGOR, Gregor Senator McGREGOR - I ask the honorable senator to give notice of these 'questions also.' 4980 KLS 0 0 GIVENS, Thomas Senator Givens - I give notice o'f' both questions for. the. next day of sitting. 4980 papers Senator PEARCE laid upon the table the following papers : - Naval Defence Act 1910- Regulations ('Provisional) for the Naval Forces . of the Commonwealth. - Amendment of Regulations101 and" 102 - Statutory Rules 1911, No. 207. Defence Act 1903-1910 - Regulations (Provisional) for the Military Forces of the Commonwealth - Amendment of Regulation 34. - Statutory Rules 191 1, No, 206. Amendment of Regulation 418. - Statutory Rules 1911, No. 208. Financial and Allowance Regulations (Provisional) for the Military Forces of the Commonwealth - Cancellation of Regulations 258 to 272, and substitution of new Regulations in lieu thereof. - Statutory Rules 1911, No. 205. . Amendment of Regulation '84,. - Statutory Rules 1911, No. 209. ' : 4981 Questions 4981 4981 KUL 0 0 MILLEN, Edward Senator MILLEN asked the Vice-President of the Executive Council, upon notice - If it is correct, as stated, that Mr. McAnderson, a member of the Sugar Commission, is -absenting himself from the meetings of that body in North Queensland? 4981 KTF ALP 1 0 MCGREGOR, Gregor Senator McGREGOR - The Government have no official knowledge that Mr. McAnderson is not attending the sittings of the Commission. 4981 KUL 0 0 MILLEN, Edward Senator Millen - Do you not think that you should have some knowledge of what "he is doing? 4981 special adjournment Motion (by Senator McGregor), agreed to- That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn until Wednesday next. 4981 adjournment 4981 4981 KTF South Australia ALP Vice-President of the Executive Council 1 0 MCGREGOR, Gregor Senator McGREGOR fi 1.35].- In moving- That the Senate do now adjourn, I desire to thank honorable senators who have enabled the business of the country to be carried on by maintaining a quorum at all times. I also thank the members of the Opposition for the vigorous manner in which they have presented their case in connexion with all contentious business. They have carried out that duty manfully against great odds, and deserve to be congratulated. I hope that they go away without any ill feeling, although the battle has been waged to the very. castle gates. The supporters of the Government deserve the sincere thanks of every Minister, for they have stuck to us in all emergencies, and kept a quorum, at great self-sacrifice sometimes. I sincerely thank', on behalf of the Government, the President and the Chairman of Committees, whose arduous duties have kept them here for very long hours and at great inconvenience. I also sincerely thank, on behalf of the Government, the officers and the attendants. No doubt they have felt the strain which has been put upon all concerned with this Chamber during the last two or three week?. At all times and in all circumstances both the officers and the attendants have done their duty faithfully and well. I also desire to thank the members of the Hansard staff. Honorable Senators. - Hear, hear! 4981 KTF 0 0 MCGREGOR, Gregor Senator McGREGOR - I am sure that every honorable senator will agree with me that although for the last week or two both Houses of this Parliament have been sitting for long hours, those gentlemen have stuck well to their work. Honorable senators will find that the reports of their speeches are as good now as when those gentlemen had more time at their disposal. With a parliamentary experience covering nearly eighteen years, I can say that in no Parliament of which I am aware have the utterances of its members been so faithfully recorded, and sometimes when the staff were labouring under very serious difficulties, as they have been in this Parliament. Therefore, the members of the Hansard staff deserve the thanks of the Government, and I am sure that honorable senators will join with me in thanking them for the able manner in which they have carried out their duties. Honorable Senators. - Hear, hear! 4981 KTF 0 0 MCGREGOR, Gregor Senator McGREGOR - I hope that we will all part now for the holidays and come back when Parliament meets again in the very best of health, and that the friendships that exist amongst us now will even be strengthened by the separation which is about to take place. 4981 KUL New South Wales 0 0 MILLEN, Edward Senator MILLEN . - I indorse the remarks addressed through you, sir, to honorable senators present by the Vice-President of the Executive Council. I desire to acknowledge, on behalf of honorable senators sitting 011 this side of the Chamber, the unfailing courtesy and impartiality with which you have invariably exercised your authority under circumstances which, I may be permitted to say, perhaps occasionally, with a less happy temperament in the chair, might have created irritation I specially desire to acknowledge the unfailing response which the members of the Hansard staff have given to the very trying demands we have made on their resources and their strength, and also to bear testimony to the assistance . which we upon this side of the Chamber have received from the officers of the Senate. Passing from that, and striking a note more personal to honorable senators, I very cordially reciprocate the kindly remarks which have been made by the Vice-President of the Executive Council. We do, I trust, strive as much as we can to give expression to the views we are here to represent, and it is one of the happy features of this Chamber that though occasionally an impulsive word may be uttered, I have never known a session to close without feeling that when the battle is over we may part as good friends. I am inclined to think that we are the better friends because of our conflicts. After passing over the little incidents which will ruffle the sweetest temperament we seem to come together with a better appreciation of each other's qualities and of each other's duties. I am inclined to think that there was a period prior to the termination of last session when there were signs of a little heat and friction, the re-echo of the previous general election. It is a very gratifying feature that this session has marked their disappearance. I cannot recall any session in which the work has been so strenuous, the demands upon the time and patience of honorable senators so severe, and the proceedings marked by so little personal conflict, as has this session. I desire to conclude by wishing the Vice-President 'of the Executive Council and honorable senators the very best wishes for the coming new year. 4982 K1Z New South Wales 0 0 RAE, Arthur Senator RAE . - It is not my purpose to introduce a discordant note into these proceedings, but to me it is a matter of deep disappointment that when my worthy friend Senator Millen and I have come back, as Senator Givens remarked, " like giants refreshed "- 4982 JXJ 0 0 NEEDHAM, Edward Senator Needham - Fancy the honorable senator a giant. 4982 K1Z 0 0 RAE, Arthur Senator RAE - And Senator Needham, too. I cannot leave my honorable friend out of the category of giants. When we have returned to the legislative arena like giants refreshed, it is a disappointment to learn that the Government have declined to allow us a little time to discuss private business of an urgent character. I fear that I shall not be here next Wednesday, and that there will not be a quorum present on that day. We are all here, the day is young, and yet our desire to work is frustrated at this early period of a short session. Whilst re-echoing the kindly feelings which have been expressed, I repeat that I am deeply disappointed. 4982 KAH New South Wales 0 0 WALKER, James Senator WALKER . - I can speak with some feeling of the disadvantage which attaches to the introduction of private Bills in this Parliament. I was hopeful that before the session closed I would be afforded an opportunity to deal with a certain measure which I had placed upon the business-paper. But" I am sorry that I shall have to again place it upon the business-paper next session. 4982 KTD New South Wales 0 0 MCDOUGALL, Allan Senator MCDOUGALL . - I desire to refer to a little incident which occurred last evening when I lost my temper with my old friend the Vice-President of the Executive Council in connexion with the battle which raged over the pocket-handkerchief industry. . I have made inquiries this morning, and I find' that my statement was perfectly correct, but unfortunately I have discovered that the statement of the Vice-President of the Executive Council is also correct. Senator Millen, in his desire to expl'ain the difference between the two of us, was the only person who was wrong. 4982 JZ9 Tasmania 0 0 O'KEEFE, David Senator O'KEEFE . - Like Senator Rae, I have no desire reintroduce a discordant note, but I may be permitted to say - and in doing so I am expressing the views of honorable senators upon both sides of the Chamber - that I hope it will be a long time before the closing; hours of a session are again crowded with so much business as have been the closing hours of this session. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank honorable senators for the good-tempered way ins which they have at all times - and occasionally there have been stormy periods - assisted the occupant of the chair to maintain that order and decorum which have been a feature of the Senate from the very inception of this Parliament. 4982 K78 Queensland 0 0 ST LEDGER, Anthony Senator ST LEDGER . - I only desire to say that I think we may all congratulate ourselves that the Senate is still the Senate. 4982 10000 0 0 PRESIDENT, The The PRESIDENT - I wish to thank honorable senators for the consideration and ' courtesy which they have uniformly extended to the Chair. As Senator Millen hasobserved, it is sometimes difficult for honorable senators to realize that decisions- arrived at by the Chair are altogether impartial. But I am glad that the Leader of the Opposition and the Vice-President of the Executive Council have stated that they are able to bear testimony to the fact that whilst a little friction may occasionally arise, anything which is done by the Chair is done in an absolutely impartial way, and without taking cognizance of that friction. I also desire to thank the officers of the Senate, who have had to undergo a very strenuous ordeal. So far as the Clerk is concerned, the work has been particularly hard upon him, because he is not enjoying' the best of health. But I am glad to say that he has been able to stick to his post throughout the whole of the long and arduous sittings which we have undergone. I desire to thank both him and the Clerk Assistant for the help which they have rendered to the Chair, and to say that without that help the record of the session might have been somewhat different from what it is. I' wish, further, to thank the attendants of the Chamber, who, notwithstanding that they have had to work long hours, have never exhibited the slightest unwillingness to do anything which they were called upon to do. Question resolved in the affirmative. 4983 11:49:00 Senate adjourned at 11.49 a.m. 4983 miscellaneous Parliamentwas on the 22nd December, 1911, prorogued until the 7th February, 1912,. by the following Proclamation : - Commonwealth of Australia to wit. Denman, Governor-General PROCLAMATION By His Excellency the Right Honorable Thomas, Baron Denman, a Member of His Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth of Australia. Whereas by the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act it. was amongst other things enacted that the Governor-General might appoint such times for holding the Sessions of the Parliament as he thinks fit, and also 'from time to time by Proclamation, or otherwise, prorogue the Parliament; Now therefore I, the said Thomas, Baron Denman, in exercise of the power conferred by the paid Constitution, do by this ray Proclamation prorogue the said Parliament until the seventh day of February, One thousand nine hundred and twelve. Given under my Hand and the Seal of the Commonwealth, at Melbourne, this twenty-second day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred and eleven, and in the second year of His Majesty's reign. By His Excellency's Command, (l.s.) ANDREW FISHER