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41

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA,

No. 15.

JOURNALS OF THE SENATE.

WEDNESDAY, 21st APRIL, 1920.

1. M i'.ktinu of S en a te .—The Senate mec at three p.m., pursuant to adjournment.

2. PRAYERS.

3. Suspension of Standing Order N o. 76.—Senator Gardiner moved—That Standing Order No. 76 be suspended, to enable the presentation of a Petition to the Senate without compliance with the conditions of such Standing Order. Question—put and passed, there being an absolute majority of the whole number of Senators present,

and no dissentient voice.

4. P etition.—Senator Gardiner presented a Petition (No. 1), signed by 1,900 persons, being ex-service men of the Australian Imperial Force, members of the Fathers’ Association, and mothers and wives of soldiers and sailors, praying that certain alterations be made in the War Gratuity Bill now before the Senate. Petition received and read.

5. P apers.—The Minister for Repatriation (Senator Milieu) laid on the Table the following Papers, viz. :— Pursuant to Statute— Public Service Act.— Promotion of T. L. Legg, Attorney-General’s Department. War Service Homes Act.—Land acquired for War Service Homes purposes at Goulburn,

New South Wales.

The Minister for Defence (Senator Pearce) laid on the Table the following Paper, viz.:— Pursuant "to Statute— Defence Act. — Regulations amended. Statutory Rules 1920, No. 56.

6. Question.—Question on notice answered.

7. N aturalization Bill.—The Vice-President of the Executive Council (Senator Russell), pursuant to notice, moved—That he have leave to bring in a Bill for an Act relating to Naturalization. Question—put and passed.

8. Aliens R egistration Bill.—The Vice-President of the Executive Council (Senator Russell), pursuant to notice, moved—That he have leave to bring in a Bill for an Act relating to the Registration of Aliens. Debate ensued. Question—put and passed.

9. P assports Bill.—The Vice-President of the Executive Council (Senator Russell), pursuant to notice, moved—That he have leave to bring in a Bill for an Act relating to Passports. Question—put and passed.

F.251.

42 No. 15.—2\st April. 1920.

10. W ar Gratuity B ill.—The Senate, according to Order, resolved itself into a Committee for the further consideration of the Bill.

In the Committee.

Clause 5 further considered.

Senator Gardiner moved an amendment, viz., page 4, line 10, after “ made ” insert “ in cash ”, Debate ensued. Question—put. •Committee divided—

Ayes, 3.

Senator Barnes. Gardiner.

Teller.

.Senator O’Laghlin,

Noes, 16.

Senator Buzacott. Crawford. Earle. Fairbairn.

Guthrie. Henderson. Milieu.

Newland. Pearce. F la tte n . Rowell,

Russell. Senior. Shannon. Thomas.

Teller.

Senator de Largie.

Amendment negatived accordingly. Senator O’Loghlin moved an amendment, viz., page 4, line 10, after “ made” insert “ one-half in cash ”. Debate ensued.

Question—put. Committee divided—

Noes, 15.

Senator Buzacott. Earle. Fairbairn. Guthrie.

Henderson. Newland. Pearce.

P ra tte n . Reid. Rowell. Russell.

Senior. Shannon. Thomas.

Teller.

Senator de Largie.

Amendment negatived accordingly. · Clause 5 further debated and agreed to. Clause 6 agreed to. Clause 7 read— On motion of the Minister for Defence (Senator Pearce) the following amendment was made, after

debate, viz. :— Lines 15-18, leave out all words after “ deducted ” to end of clause, and insert— “ (a) any amount due to the Commonwealth by the person to whom, or in respect of whose service, the gratuity is payable, where the indebtedness of that person

to the Commonwealth was caused by fraud, deception or misappropriation on his part ; or (b) any amount due to the Minister for Repatriation or the Repatriation Commission by the person to whom, or in respect of whose service, the gratuity is payable,

where that person has improperly disposed of property belonging to the Minister for Repatriation or the Repatriation Commission, or property over which the . Minister for Repatriation or the Repatriation Commission holds security.” Clause 7, as amended, agreed to. Clauses 8-12 agreed to.

Ayes, 3.

Senator Barnes. Gardiner.

Teller.

Senator O’Loghlin.

No. 15.—21 st April, 1920. 43

Clause 13 read-Senator Gardiner moved an amendment, viz., after paragraph (/) insert the following new paragraph, viz. :—

“ (g) all men unemployed or undergoing vocational training,”.

Debate ensued. .

Amendment negatived. Clause 13 further debated and agreed to. On motion of Senator Pearce, the following new clause was inserted in the Bill:— “ 13a. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no gratuity shall be Minimum amount

payable where the total amount is less than One pound.” plyab!e.‘ty

Clause 14 read— On motion of Senator Pearce the following amendments were made, viz. :— Line 1, leave out “ the last preceding ”. Line 2, after “ section ” insert “ thirteen of this Act ’.

Clause 14, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 15 read— Senator O’Loghlin moved an amendment, viz., line 9, after “ sale” insert “ except at face value,”. Debate ensued.

A t half-past six p.m. the sitting of the Committee was suspended till eight p.m.

Debate, interrupted by the suspension of the sitting, resumed. Question—put.

^Committee divided—

Noes, 15.

Senator Buzacott. Crawford. Earle. Henderson.

Keating. Milieu. Newland. Pearce.

Plain. Reid. Rowell. Russell.

Senior. Shannon.

Teller.

Senator de Largie.

Amendment negatived accordingly. Clause 15 agreed to. Clause 16 negatived— On motion of Senator Pearce, the following new clause was inserted in the B ill:—

“ 16.—(1.) Any person to whom a war gratuity is payable under this Act Investment in m a y — . ' approved

,Μ<ν companies.

(a) authorize the Treasurer to issue to, and in the name of, any approved company the whole or part of the Treasury Bonds issuable to him in pursuance of this A c t; (5) transfer to any approved company any Treasury Bonds issued to him in pursuance of this A c t; and (c) authorize the Treasurer on his behalf to pay to any approved company any money

payable in cash to him in pursuance of this Act. “ (2.) Subject to the regulations, any approved company may lodge with or transfer to any bank or financial institution approved by the Treasurer any Treasury Bonds issued or transferred to that company pursuant to sub-section (1.) of this section as security for any advance made by

the bank or financial institution to the company. “ (3.) In this section 1 approved company ’ means a company — («) formed for the purpose of the development of primary or secondary production in the Commonwealth, or for the purpose of trading ;

(5) incorporated in the Commonwealth ; and (c) approved by the Minister.”. Clauses 17-19 agreed to. Title agreed to.

Bill to be reported with amendments.

Ayes, 2.

Senator Gardiner.

Teller.

Senator O’Loghlin.

The President resumed the Chair ; and Senator Shannon, from the Committee, reported accordingly. Ordered—That the Bill, as reported, be considered on the next day of sitting.

44 No. 15.—21st April, 1920.

11. Australian I mperial F orce Canteens F unds Bill.—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.

Clause 1 agreed to. Clause 2 postponed. Clause 3 agreed to. Clause 4 read— Senator Newland moved an amendment, viz., line δ, leave out “ trustees appointed by or under this

Act ”. Debate ensued. 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 considered the Bill and had made progress, and asked leave to sit again. Ordered—That the Committee have leave to sit again on the next day of sitting.

12. P aper.—The Minister for Repatriation (Senator Milieu) laid on the Table the following Paper, viz. :— By Command—· Adriatic Question—Correspondence. (Paper presented to British Parliament.)

13. 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 fourteen minutes past ten p.m. till to-morrow at three p.m.

14. Attendance.—Present, all the Members except Senators Bakhap, Barker, Bolton, Ferricks, Grant, Guy (on leave), Lynch, Maughan, McDougall (on leave), Mulcahy (on leave), and Needham.

C. GAVAN DUFFY, Clerk of the Senate.

Printed and Published tor the G overnment of the Commonwealth of Australia by Albert J . Mullett, G overnm ent P rin te r fo r the S ta te of V ictoria.