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Wednesday, 22 October 1919

Mr J H CATTS (Cook) (2:37 AM) . - Compare the position of a blind soldier with that of - a widow with six or seven young and dependent children. The Prime Minster (Mr. Hughes) is reported in yesterday's Age to have said at Brisbane -

In this morning's Argus he is reported to have said at Brisbane that -

Mr Burchell - That is different from the request made in Perth.

Mr J H CATTS - It may be an allowance for an attendant to take the blind soldier about, and on top of that this Bill may give him a free home.

Mr Burchell - The newspaper report says "house allowance," but in Perth they distinctly asked for an allowance to cover the pay of an attendant.

Mr J H CATTS - The blind soldier certainly deserves everything that can be given to him;- but he is able to earn more than a widow can. In the blind institutions, which honorable members will find worth visiting, both in Melbourne and Sydney, a blind soldier will be taken in and paid a substantial living allowance, probably of £2 or £3 a week, 'from the public subscriptions, while being taught an interesting occupation.

Mr Burchell - You are not advocating that they should not get what they ask for?

Mr J H CATTS - By no means. I am only showing how favorably situated thev are compared with the widow. Four pounds a week and a free house means nothing less than £6 a week as a minimum to a blind soldier.

Mr Fleming - It is worth' it.

Mr J H CATTS - I am not disputing it. If it comes to a question of necessity, the case of a widow with a number of young children is much harder than that of the blind soldier, for whom a house is being provided.

The honorable member for Illawarra (Mr. Lamond) and the. honorable member for Fremantle (Mr. Burchell) are prepared to help the widows by increasing their pensions. There is no opportunity of doing so. There is no Bill before the House for the purpose, nor can they obtain from the Government an opportunity in this Parliament to vote for such an increase. It is idle to say you believe in doing a thing which you have no opportunity of doing. That is an old parliamentary dodge.

Mr Burchell - I object to the honorable member alluding to my statement as a dodge.

Mr MASSY-GREENE (RICHMOND, NEW SOUTH WALES) (Minister for Trade and Customs) - The honorable member for Cook knows as much about parliamentary dodges as anybody I know.

Mr J H CATTS - I hope I do. One very astute parliamentarian in this House says on the public platform, " I have never in my life voted against or objected to the incorporation of a Labour principle in a Bill." But when he stands up here to deal with any such proposal, he always says, " This is not the right way to do it. If I could only put it into some other Bill, I would be prepared to do it, but this is the wrong way and the wrong time,." It is the old, old story in Parliament - if you do not want to vote for a thing, but are anxious to side-step it, point out how much better it could be done in some other way, which you. have no opportunity of following.

These promises have been made to widows and limbless men. The honorable member for Fremantle said he introduced a deputation of limbless men, who pointed out that they could not make a "do" of it under present arrangements.

Throughout New South Wales the inducement was held out that the widows of soldiers would be provided with free houses.

Mr Burchell - I said the Government were giving evidence of acceding to the requests made at that deputation.

Mr J H CATTS - What is the evidence ?

Mr Burchell - The fact that they have agreed to increase the blind pensions.

Mr J H CATTS - I am talking of the limbless men.

Mr Burchell - Both limbless and blind men were on the deputation.

Mr J H CATTS - Then the Government have picked out the men who are better provided for from an economic point of view to give them free houses, while leaving the widows and the limbless men, who are not so well provided for, out of the shelter concession.

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