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25

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

jOURNALS

No. 10.

OF THE SENATE.

THURSDAY, 25th MARCH, 1920.

1. M eeting of S enate.—The Senate met at three p.m., pursuant to adjournment.

2. PRAYERS.

3. P aper.— The Minister for Repatriation (Senator Millen) laid on the Table the following Paper,. viz.:— Pursuant to Statute— Public Service Act.—Promotion of H. McHugh, Department of Home and Territories.

4. Questions.—Questions on notice were answered.

5. Australian I mperial F orce Canteens’ F unds Bill.—The Minister for Defence (Senator Pearce), pursuant to notice, moved—That leave be given to introduce a Bill for an Act to make provision for the administration and disposal of the funds of Australian Imperial Force Canteens, and for other purposes. Question—put and passed.

6. I mmigration Bill.—The Vice-President of the Executive Council (Senator Russell), according to Order, moved—That the Bill be now read a second time. On motion of Senator Grant, the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.

7. A ustralian Soldiers’ R epatriation B ill.—Order of the Day read for the adjourned debate on the Question—That the Bill be now read a second time. Debate resumed. Question—put and passed. Bill read a second time. The Senate, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee for the consideration of the Bill.

In the Committee.

Clauses 1-6 agreed to. Clause 7 debated and agreed to. Clause 8 read— Senator Grant moved an amendment, viz., after the word “ members”, in line 20, insert “ who were

returned A.I.F. men Amendment debated and negatived. Clause 8 agreed to. Clause 9 debated and agreed to. Clause 10 read— On motion of the Minister for Repatriation (Senator Millen), the following amendment was.

made, viz., line 5, after “ years” insert “, and shall be eligible for re-appointment.” Clause 10, as amended, agreed to. Clause 11 read. To report progress and ask leave to sit again.

The President resumed the Chair ; and Senator Shannon, from the Committee, reported that the Committee had considered the Bill and had made progress, and asked leave to sit again. Ordered—That the Committee have leave to sit again at a later hour this day.

At half-past six p.m. the sitting of the Senate was suspended till eight p.m.

Sitting, interrupted by the suspension, resumed.

8. R oyal Commissions—P ersonnel and Cost : R eturn.—Senator Foil, pursuant to notice, moved— That a return be laid on the Table of the Senate showing the Royal Commissions appointed since 5th May, 1917 ; the personnel of each, and the total cost of each to date. Debate ensued. Question—put and passed.

F.251.

26 No. 7.—25th March, 1920.

9. P ostponement.— Ordered—That Notice of Motion No. 2, Private Business, be postponed and made an Order of the Day for this day four weeks.

10. Australian Soldiers’ R epatriation B ill.— The Senate, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee for the further consideration of the Bill.

In the Committee.

Clause 11 further considered and agreed to. Clauses 12 and 13 agreed to. Clause 14 read—· Senator Grant moved an amendment, viz., page 3, after the word “ persons ”, in line 42, insert “ two

of whom were members of the A.LB ”, Debate ensued. Committee divided—-Ayes, 2.

Senator O’Loghlin,

Teller.

Senator Grant.

Amendment negatived accordingly. Clause 14 agreed to. Clauses 15 and 16 agreed to. Clause 17 debated and postponed.

Clauses 18-20 agreed to. Clause 21 debated and postponed. Clause 22 read—

Noes, 18.

Senator Bolton, Buzacott. Crawford. Earle. Foil.

Guthrie. Henderson. Keating.

Milieu. Newland. Pearce. Plain.

Rowell. Russell. Senior. Shannon. Thomas.

Teller.

Senator de Largie.

On motion of the Minister for Repatriation (Senator Millen), the following amendment was made, after debate, viz., page 7, leave out the definition of “ Member of the Forces” (lines 35 to 43) and insert in lieu thereof :— '

“ 1 Member of the Forces ’ means a person who, during the present war, was— (a) a member of the Commonwealth Naval or Military Forces enlisted or appointed for or employed on active service outside Australia or employed on a ship of w ar; (b) a member of the Army Medical Corps Nursing Service who was accepted or

appointed by the Director-General of Medical Services for service outside A ustralia; or (c) enlisted or appointed for service in connexion with naval or military preparations or operations Senator Grant moved the following further amendment, viz., after new paragraph (c) insert the

following new paragraph, viz. :— “ Id) or who had been engaged abroad in the manufacture of munitions Debate ensued. Committee divided.

Ayes 7.

Senator Foil. Keating. Newland. O’Loghlin. Rowell,

Senior.

Teller.

Senator Grant.

Noes 11.

Senator Bolton, Buzacott. Earle. Givens. Henderson. Millen.

Pearce. Plain. Russell. Shannon.

Amendment negatived accordingly. Clause 22, as amended, agreed”to.

Teller.

Senator de Largie.

No. 10.—25th March, 1920. 27

Clause 23 read— Senator Millen moved the following amendment, viz. :— Page 8, lines 16-23, leave out— “ Upon the death or incapacity of any member of the Forces whose death or incapacity—

(а) results or has resulted from any occurrence happening during the period he was a member of the Forces ; (б) does not arise from self-inflicted injuries; and (c) does not arise from, or from any occurrence happening during the commission of, any

breach of discipline by the member,” insert— “ Upon the death or incapacity— (a) of any person, to whom paragraph (a) or (b) of the definition of ‘ Member of the

Forces ’ applies, whose death or incapacity— (i) results or has resulted from any occurrence happening during the period he was a member of the Forces ; (ii) does not arise from intentionally self-inflicted injuries ; and (iii) does not arise from, or from any occurrence happening during the com­

mission of, anyT breach of discipline by the member, and (b) of any person to vdiom paragraph (c) of the definition of ‘ Member of the Forces ’ applies, whose death or incapacity results or has resulted from his employment in connexion with naval or military preparations or operations,”.

To report progress and ask leave to sit again.

The President resumed the C hair; and Senator Shannon, from the Committee, reported that the Committee had further considered the Bill and had made progress, and asked leave to sit again. Ordered—That the Committee have leave to sit again to-morrow.

11. A djournment.—The Minister for Repatriation (Senator Millen) moved—That the Senate do now adjourn. Debate ensued. Question—put and passed.

The Senate adjourned at six minutes to ten p.m. till to-morrow at eleven a.m.

12. Attendance.—Present, all the Members except Senators Bakhap, Barnes, Ferricks, Gardiner, Guy (on leave), Lynch, McDougall, Mulcahy, and Needham.

C. GAVAN DUFFY, Clerk of the Senate.

Printe.. and Published for the G overnment of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J . Mullett, Government P rin ter for the State of Victoria.