1941-07-04 16 1 3 SENATE 923 0 Senate. 1941-07-04 The President (Senator the Hon. J. Cunningham) took the chair at 12.5 a.m., and read prayers. 923 Questions 923 923 K0Z 0 0 AYLETT, William Senator AYLETT - Will the Leader of the Senate state whether questions which appear on the notice-paper and which are not answered before the Senate rises will, with their answers, be incorporated in Hansard and copies of Hansard be posted to the honorable senators concerned? 923 KUA UAP 1 0 MCLEAY, George Senator McLEAY - I do not think that such questions and answers can be incorporated in Hansard. I shall make arrangements for copies to be posted to the honorable senators concerned. 924 K0Z 0 0 AYLETT, William Senator AYLETT - Would it not be possible to incorporate the questions and answers in the first issue of Hansard that is published after the Parliament re-assembles? 924 KUA 0 0 MCLEAY, George Senator McLEAY - I am informed that that cannot be done. 924 924 K6P 0 0 BROWN, Gordon Senator BROWN - I ask the Minister representing the Minister for the Army whether female typists attached to the different sections of the Departments of the Army and Air are supplied with special dress, or whether special grants have been made to them for the purchase of a distinctive kind of dress? 924 JZD UAP 1 0 FOLL, Hattil Senator FOLL - I know of no special uniform being issued to typists. Some of the girls in the Royal Australian Air Force girls' organizations may be doing certain work associated with the activities of the Departments of the Army and Air. I know of no special uniform which has been provided for typists employed by these departments in the ordinary way. I shall inquire into the matter. 924 K6P 0 0 BROWN, Gordon Senator Brown - I have been informed that in certain departments in Brisbane typists are wearing uniform dress, and that money has been supplied to them for the purchase of such clothing. 924 JZD 0 0 FOLL, Hattil Senator FOLL - I shall obtain the information and advise the honorable senator. 924 924 JZH 0 0 AMOUR, Stanley Senator AMOUR - In view of the happenings in the House of Representatives last night when the Government was defeated on at least three motions, has Cabinet decided when the Prime Minister will offer his resignation to the Governor-General? 924 KUA UAP 1 0 MCLEAY, George Senator McLEAY - It is not the practice to state matters of policy in answer to questions. 924 924 K6P 0 0 BROWN, Gordon Senator BROWN - Did the Minister for Information notice in the press two days ago the statement attributed to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh that Herr Hess went to England for the purpose of negotiating peace in the course of which the Lord Provost made certain charges? Will the Government make special representations to the British Government that it should ascertain the truth or otherwise of those statements? Will the Minister endeavour to obtain the fullest information in regard to this matter? 924 JZD UAP 1 0 FOLL, Hattil Senator FOLL - No information has come to hand regarding the statements attributed to the Lord Provost of Edinburgh other than that which has already been published in the press. The honorable senator must realize that it would be quite impossible for this Government to send cablegrams to the British Government to ascertain the accuracy or otherwise of statements made by persons in Scotland or elsewhere. The Government has endeavoured to ascertain from the British Government whether there were any special reasons for the visit of Herr Hess to England, but no additional information has yet been received. 924 924 K6P 0 0 BROWN, Gordon Senator BROWN - In view of the statements made by Senator A. J. McLachlan and myself with regard to propaganda, will the Government consider the advisability of affording facilities for capable members of this Parliament to speak to the people over the national broadcasting stations and to give to them reliable information in regard to the way in which Germany is treating people in concentration camps, so that they may bring forcibly to the notice of the people the inhumanity of the German authorities, and the danger to us if Germany ever got control of this country? 924 JZD UAP 1 0 FOLL, Hattil Senator FOLL - I assure the honorable senator that the Department of Information will gladly avail itself of the services of any member of either House of Parliament in its propaganda campaign. If the honorable senator and others would care at any time to avail themselves of the various channels through which we are able to make information available to the public, the Government would welcome their cooperation. A copy of the speeches to be broadcast would of course have to be submitted for the approval of the broadcasting authorities in exactly the same way as are all other speeches broadcast. 925 Enlistment of Married Men 925 JZD UAP 1 0 FOLL, Hattil Senator FOLL - Yesterday Senator Aylett asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Army, upon notice - What are the restrictions against married men joining the Australian Imperial Force? Is it a fact that a married man with three children under sixteen years is not acceptable in the Australian Imperial Force? The Minister for the Army has furnished the following replies: - The instructions are that married men with large families are not to be enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. The question of determining the number of children which constitutes a "large family" is left to the discretion of the General Officer Commanding of the Command concerned. This is a matter for the General Officer Commanding of each Command to determine, having regard to all factors affecting the recruiting situation in his Command from time to time. 925 925 K6P 0 0 BROWN, Gordon Senator BROWN asked the Minister for Supply and Development, upon notice - Has the purchase of bauxite been financed by the Commonwealth Government? If so, what company or organization sold the bauxite to the Government or its agents? Has any contract or undertaking been entered into for the importation of bauxite in excess of 25.000 tons? What use will this bauxite be put to? Is it reserved for the use of any particular company or organization in Australia? On whose advice did the Government enter into this contract? Is the Minister now aware of the existence of suitable bauxite in Australia? If so, will he take steps to see that no more bauxite is imported? 925 KUA UAP 1 0 MCLEAY, George Senator McLEAY - The answers to the honorable senator's questions are as follows: - The bauxite was purchased by the Commonwealth. This material was obtained from the Netherlands East Indies through the Australian Aluminium Company. No. It will be held as security stocks to be drawn upon when necessary for the production of aluminium, until such time as local deposits have been fully investigated and developed. No. The 25,000 tons are Commonwealth property. On the advice of our technical officers, which was accepted by the Advisory War Council on the 20th February, 1941. Detailed investigations are at present being made into the local resources of bauxite and the practicability of producing the requisite annual supplies of aluminium from local deposits. 925 925 JZD UAP 1 0 FOLL, Hattil Senator FOLL - Yesterday, Senator Collings asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Army, upon notice - Has the Minister any information to give to Parliament as a result of his promised investigation into charges that; big assurance companies are cancelling policies as soon as the policy-holders enlist in the fighting forces? The Minister for the Army has furnished the following reply: - Inquiries in relation to various forms of assurance policies held by men serving in the Australian Imperial Force and Australian Military Force are proceeding with a view to ascertaining whether any action is necessary to protect their interests. The inquiries made so far disclose that there is no ground for complaint in relation to life policies held by members of the forces taken out before the outbreak of war. The honorable senator may be assured that all aspects of this question will be covered by the investigations now being made, and that the interests of members of the forces will be protected. 925 925 JZD UAP 1 0 FOLL, Hattil Senator FOLL - Yesterday, Senator Lamp asked the Minister representing the Minister for the Army, upon notice - What are the rates of pay and allowances provided for the fighting services of New Zealand, South Africa and Canada? The information is being obtained, and a reply will be furnished to the honorable senator as early as possible. Sitting suspended from 12.18 to 1 a.m. 925 Motion Motion (by Senator McLeay) - by leave - agreed to - That leave of absence be granted to every member of the Senate from the determination of the sitting this day to the day on which the Senate next meets. 925 Adjournment Motion (by Senator McLeay) agreed to - That the Senate, at its rising, adjourn till a date and hour to be fixed by the President, which time of meeting shall be notified to each senator by telegram or letter, 926 Adjournment Government Business: Next Meeting of Senate Motion (by Senator McLeay) proposed - That the Senate do now adjourn. 926 JZH New South Wales 0 0 AMOUR, Stanley Senator AMOUR . - The Opposition has been prepared to assist to pass legislation which the Government believed was important and somewhat urgent, but after waiting some hours for the Supplementary Estimates we have met now only to adjourn. The Government appears to have become somewhat panicky. Does not the Government know its own business? A panic-stricken government should not remain in office, but should resign. 926 KP8 0 0 JOHNSTON, Edward Senator E B Johnston - The Government has experienced some difficulty in the other chamber. 926 JZH 0 0 AMOUR, Stanley Senator AMOUR - That may be, but I am confident that there would have been no holding up of its legislation. It would appear now that, because of the Government's uncertainty regarding its majority in the other chamber, the passing of the Supplementary Estimates is not so important as it was said to be a few hours ago. The Government should make way for another government which will conduct the business of the country fearlessly. The Labour party has cooperated with the Government in passing legislation associated with the nation's war effort. Although the Treasurer (Mr. Fadden) did not introduce the Supplementary Estimates, he made a long controversial statement which could have led to a debate extending over two days, but he was not prepared to allow the House to discuss his propaganda statement. I trust that the business of the Government will be carried out in a more orderly way in the future. 926 KP8 Western Australia 0 0 JOHNSTON, Edward Senator E B JOHNSTON - I suggest, Mr. President, that when you call the Senate together, arrangements be made for it to meet on a Wednesday, if possible. Under the present railway time-table, honorable senators from Western Australia can be in their places here four days after leaving Perth if the Senate meets on a Wednesday; but should it meet on a Tuesday, as has happened on occasions in the past, six days must elapse from the time of leaving Perth until the Senate meets. Western Australian senators living in country districts may have to spend as long as eight .days between the time of leaving home and the meeting of the Senate. When the Senate adjourns on a Friday, senators wishing to travel to Western Australia have to spend one and a half days in Melbourne, or at some other point on the journey, making the total travelling time five days to Perth, or seven days in your own case, Mr. President. When the Parliament met for only one or two periods a year, Western Australian members did not mind spending a little extra time in the capital cities, but now that it meets at four or five different periods during the year, the time occupied in travelling is more than can be spared. I hope, therefore, that arrangements will be made for the Senate to be called together on a Wednesday. 926 KUA South Australia UAP Minister for Supply and Development 1 0 MCLEAY, George Senator McLEAY . - in reply - The matters raised by honorable senators will be taken into consideration. I appreciate the difficulties experienced by honorable senators from Western Australia, and shall bear in mind the representations of Senator Johnston. I take this opportunity to inform Senator Johnston that I did not have an opportunity earlier to reply to the point raised by him last night in connexion with an extra telephone wire between Perth and Port Augusta. I read the report in Hansard proofs this morning. I shall bring his representations to the notice of the Postmaster-General. Question resolved in the affirmative. 926 Papers The following paper was presented: - Lands Acquisition Act - Land acquired at Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales - For Defence purposes. Senate adjourned at 1.9 a.m. till a date and hour to be fixed by the President., and to bc notified by him to each senator by telegram or letter. 927 committee 927 miscellaneous 927 Library. - Mr. Speaker (Chairman), the President, Senator Cameron, Senator Collett, Senator Collings, Senator Fraser, Senator James McLachlan, Mr. Brennan, Mr. Coles, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Paterson, Mr. Riordan, and Mr.Rosevear. Printing. - Mr. Conelau (Chairman), Senator Aylett, Senator Courtice, Senator Cunningham, Senator Gibson, Senator Johnston, Senator Allan MacDonald, Mr. Beck, Mr. Falstein, Mr. McCall, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Rankin, and Mr. Ryan. 927 927 miscellaneous 927 927 Rural Industries. - Mr. Francis (Chairman), Senator Aylett, Senator Herbert Hays, Senator Johnston, Senator Uppill, Mr. Frost, Mr. McLeod, Mr. Pollard, Mr. Scully, and Mr. Wilson. 927 War Expenditure. - Senator A. J. McLachlan (Chairman), Senator Ashley, Senator Clothier, Mr. Badman, Mr. Beck, Mr. Conelan, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Jolly, Mr. Lawson, Mr. McCall, Mr. Mulcahy, and Mr. Paterson. 927 miscellaneous 927 Regulations and Ordinances. - Senator Spicer (Chairman), Senator Cameron, Senator Clothier, Senator Cooper, Senator Courtice, Senator Herbert Hays, and Senator Allan MacDonald. Standing Orders. - The President (Chairman), the Chairman of Committees, Senator Crawford, Senator Darcey, Senator Herbert Hays, Senator Johnston. Senator Keane, Senator Lamp, and Senator A. J. McLachlan. 927 miscellaneous Standing Orders. - Mr. Speaker (Chairman), the Prime Minister, the Chairman of Committees, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Beasley, Sir George Bell, Mr. Blackburn, Mr. Makin, and Sir Earle Page.