1916-09-06 6 1 0 SENATE 8436 0 1916-09-06 The President took the chair at3 p.m., and read prayers. 8436 Questions 8436 8436 K2D 0 0 READY, Rudolph Senator READY - Will the Assistant Minister, Senator Russell, say what action the Government propose to take under the War Precautions Act for the regulation of freights on Inter-State steam-ships throughout Australia? 8436 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - Some action has already been taken in this regard. I think it was on the 8th July last that it was made illegal to increase freights on coastal services beyond what they were at that date. The matter is under the consideration of the Prices Adjustment Board and the Customs and Navy Departments. At a later stage I hope to be able to give the honorable senator the conclusions of the conference of these bodies. 8437 8437 K7D 0 0 STEWART, James Senator STEWART - Is the Minister representing the Postmaster-General in a position to reply to the question I put to him on the subject of motor cars used by the Post and Telegraph Department at Brisbane ? 8437 KKZ ALP 1 0 GARDINER, Albert Senator GARDINER - I have now the information for which the honorable senator asked. The honorable senator's questions were - The original cost of the motor cars used in clearing the postal pillar-boxes in and around the city of Brisbane. The cost of repairs for the past two years. The cost of relief cars, during repairs, for the past two years. The total cost of the service during the past two years. The following information, in reply to these questions, has been furnished by the Deputy Postmaster-General, Brisbane : - Original cost of two (2) motor cars, £650. Repairs, new parts, £574. Hire of relief cars, £390. The above information is for two years ended 30th June, 1916, since when a third car, costing £240, was put into commission. No. 2 car is now undergoing repairs, at a cost of £156. 8437 8437 K7D 0 0 STEWART, James Senator STEWART - Will the Minister representing the Treasurer say whether anything has been done to end the present crisis in the sugar industry in Queensland? 8437 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - Yes. The Prime Minister and Mr. Theodore, the Treasurer of Queensland, have been conferring upon the matter in Sydney. No reports are yet to hand, but perhaps at a later stage I shall be able to give the result of their conferences. 8437 8437 KNB 0 0 GUTHRIE, Robert Senator GUTHRIE - I ask the Assistant Minister if he will lay on the table of the Senate a copy of the terms and conditions under which certain firms - Gibbs, Bright and Company, Elder, Smith and Company, &c. - have been appointed agents for the Commonwealth line of steam-ships ? 8437 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - I shall lay the papers on the table of the Senate when there are any. The appointments have not been definitely made yet, and certain firms are acting merely as ordinary shipping agents, for a small fee. 8437 KNB 0 0 GUTHRIE, Robert Senator GUTHRIE - If SenatorRussell is acting as manager for these Commonwealth ships, will he lay upon the table of the Senate a copy of the conditions under which these people have been appointed as agents? 8437 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - No appointments have yet been made. No contracts have been entered into. The moment they are, I shall lay copies of them on the table of the Senate. 8437 8437 KRZ 0 0 LYNCH, Patrick Senator LYNCH - Is Senator Russell, as the Minister dealing with the wheat pool, in a position to make the statement which he promised to make concerning the payment of the extra 6d. per bushel to farmers concerned in the wheat pool? 8437 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - I am glad to be in a position to make Senator Lynch happy at last. The extra 6d. per bushel has been secured, and it is only now a matter of fixing up details of the agreement between the Wheat Board and the States. The money will be paid almost immediately. 8437 KRZ 0 0 LYNCH, Patrick Senator Lynch - What about Western Australia ? 8437 K3E 0 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - I did not wish to refer to Western Australia. By some means Western Australia got 3d. per bushel more than she was entitled to, and we are going to adjust that. 8438 KRZ 0 0 LYNCH, Patrick Senator Lynch - The "Western Australian Government did not cash the certificates. 8438 special adjournment 8438 K0F Western Australia ALP Minister of Defence 1 0 PEARCE, George Senator PEARCE .- I move - That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn until 3 p.m. on Wednesday next. Circumstances have delayed the return of the Prime Minister from Sydney, and he is, therefore, unable to meet Parliament to-day. He proposes to return to Melbourne to-morrow, and to leave the same afternoon for Adelaide. The Prime Minister is anxious to be present in another place when the debate on the Ministerial statement of policy in connexion with the war takes place, and the Government, therefore, asks the Senate to adjourn from to-day until Wednesday next, at 3 o'clock. Question resolved in the affirmative. 8438 miscellaneous 8438 10000 0 0 PRESIDENT, The The PRESIDENT - I desire to announce that, in accordance with the promise I made in answer to a question by the Loader of the Opposition, Senator Millen, on the last day of sitting, I have conferred with Mr. Speaker with regard to the seat that is reserved for the use of senators in another place. Upon my representations Mr. Speaker has decided that the seat referred to shall be reserved exclusively for the use of senators, and that honorable senators shall not be allowed to introduce their friends into that seat. I hope honorable senators will loyally abide by this agreement, and that we "shall hear no more complaints about the seat being occupied when they wish to listen to debates in another place. 8438 KRX ALP 0 0 LONG, James Senator LONG - In connexion with the matter to which you have just referred, I would like to know, Mr. President, if, in your interview with Mr. Speaker, you considered or discussed the question of keeping open the passage from the outer door to the seat reserved for senators, because at times it is difficult, if not impossible, to reach it. 8438 10000 0 0 PRESIDENT, The The PRESIDENT - I did not discuss that particular aspect of the question with Mr. Speaker, because I took it for granted that if a certain seat is reserved for senators there would be means of access thereto; otherwise it would be a gift of no value. However, I will take an early opportunity of making representations ta Mr. Speaker with regard to that matter. 8438 papers The following papers were laid on the table : - Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta Railway - Report of Royal Commission on Charges made by Mr. D. L. Gilchrist. Lands Acquisition Act 1906. - Land acquired under, at Ashford, New South Wales - For Postal purposes. Northern Territory - Report of Royal Commission on Charges against Administrator and other Officers. Public Service Act 1902-1916- Regulations amended- Statutory Rules 1916, No. 190. The War Papers presented to British Parliament - Report of Royal Commission on the Rebellion in Ireland. Regulations made by the Military Service (Civil Liabilities) Committee with the concurrence of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury. Correspondence with the United States Ambassador respecting the safety of Alien Enemies repatriated from India on the s.s. Golconda. Further Correspondence with the United States Ambassador respecting the safety of Alien Enemies repatriated from India on the s.s. Golconda. Correspondence with the United StatesAmbassador respecting the Trading with the Enemy (Extension of Powers) Act 1915. War Precautions Act 1914-1916. - Regulations Statutory Rules 1916, No. 136. 8438 Questions 8438 8438 K2D 0 0 READY, Rudolph Senator READY asked the Minister representing the Minister of Trade and Customs, upon notice - Is the Minister aware that negotiations may result in the State Government of Tasmania acquiring the shale deposits at Latrobe, Tasmania, and turning out large quantities of oil and oil products? In view of the importance of this industry to Australia, and the ever increasing use of oil in the commercial world, will the Ministry consider the question of granting a bounty on crude oil produced in Australia as recommended by the Inter-State Commission? 8438 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - The reply is as follows : - I believe that some consideration has been given to the matter by the Tasmanian Government. This question is under consideration. 8439 8439 K2D 0 0 READY, Rudolph Senator READY asked the Minister representing the Minister of Home Affairs, upon notice - When will the information disclosed on the wealth census cards be made available for the information of the Senate? If the whole of the information has not been compiled, will the Minister supply, without delay, the returns that are available? 8439 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - The Commonwealth Statistician reports - Progress returns of net incomes have been supplied to the Acting Prime Minister from time to time, and one such was included in the Budget-papers presented to Parliament by the Treasurer in May last. A later progress return has been prepared including £20,000,000 more of income, but without very greatly affecting the proportionate distribution. Returns covering probably upwards of £10,000,000 of income have still to be tabulated. A progress return of net assets is now in course of preparation, and will bo available in a few days. 8439 8439 KTP 0 0 MCKISSOCK, Andrew Senator McKISSOCK asked the Minister of Defence, upon notice - If, seeing soldiers on final leave often have to travel long distances, thereby curtailing the actual time of such leave, he will consider the desirability of making the time lost in arriving home additional to the ordinary final leave? 8439 K0F ALP 1 0 PEARCE, George Senator PEARCE - The answer is- As far as possible men who enlist in the A.I.F. are placed in the camp nearest to their place of enlistment. The necessity for interfering as little as possible with the training of the men, and the big expenditure involved, make it impracticable to give every soldier an opportunity to return to his place of enlistment for final leave. In some cases, e.g., north-west parts of Western Australia, at least six weeks' leave would have to be given to men. Origin- ally a maximum of four days (including the time taken in travelling) was allowed as final leave. This has since been extended to ten days, six days with pay, and four without pay, for men living in districts remote from camps. It is not proposed to extend the time beyond that already approved. 8439 8439 KRZ 0 0 LYNCH, Patrick Senator LYNCH asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Navy, upon notice - Whether the Government has made any provision in its docking scheme at Cockburn Sound to meet the needs of merchant shipping on the Western Coast? If not, will the Government amend its plan so as to meet that pressing need, in view of the long coast line of Western Australia and the long distance to docking accommodation in Eastern Australia? 8439 K3E ALP 1 0 RUSSELL, Edward Senator RUSSELL - The Minister for the Navy supplies the following answers : - It is the intention of the Minister for the Navy to have the question of docking facilities gone into by the new Director of Naval Works, who has just arrived in Australia. Any docking facilities provided at Cockburn Sound will be available for merchant shipping, subject to the Navy always having first call. See 1. 8439 15:20:00 Senate adjourned at 3.20 p.m.