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Ill

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

No. 33.

JOURNALS OF THE SENATE.

WEDNESDAY, 17t h SEPTEMBER, 1941.

1. Meeting of Senate.—The Senate met at three p.m., in accordance with the terms of the Resolution of the Senate passed on 28th August, 1941.

2. PRAYERS.

3. Supply Bill (No. 2) 1941-42.—Governor-General's Message.—The following Message from His Excellency the Governor-General was presented, and the same was read by the President:— . GOWRIE,

Governor-General. Message No. 15.

A Proposed Law intituled “ Supply Act (No. 2) 1941-42 ”, as finally passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth, having been presented to the Governor- General for the Royal Assent, His Excellency has, in the name and on behalf of His Majesty, assented to the said Law.

Government House, Canberra, 29th August, 1941.

4. T he Late Charles H ardy.—The President informed the Senate that he had received from Mrs. Charles Hardy and family a letter of thanks for the resolution of sympathy and condolence passed by the Senate on the occasion of the death of former Senator Charles Hardy.

5. The L ate H onourable J. G. Drake.—The President informed the Senate that he had received from Mr. J. G. Drake a letter of thanks for the resolution of sympathy and condolence passed by the Senate on the occasion of the death of the Honourable James George Drake.

•6. Death of Dr. Millice Culpin.—The Minister for Supply and Development (Senator McLeay), by leave, moved—That the Senate expresses its deep regret at the death of Dr. Millice Culpin, former Member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Brisbane, places on record its appreciation of his meritorious public service, and extends its sincere sympathy to the members of his family in their bereavement. And the motion having been seconded by the Leader of the Opposition (Senator Collings), and supported

by Senator Cooper— And all Senators present having risen, in silence— Question—passed.

7. Death of F ormer Senator W. K. Bolton.—The Minister for Supply and Development (Senator McLeay), by leave, moved—That the Senate expresses its deep regret at the death of former Senator Brigadier-General William Kinsey Bolton, C.B.E., V.D., places on record its appreciation of his meritorious public service, and extends its sincere sympathy to his widow and family in . their bereavement. And the motion having been seconded by the Leader of the Opposition (Senator Collings), and supported

by Senators Cooper, Brand, and the Minister for the Interior (Senator Foil)— And all Senators present having risen, in silence— Question—passed. '

'8. Broadcasting—J oint Committee.—The Minister for Supply and Development (Senator McLeay), by leave, moved—That the time for bringing up the Report from the Joint Committee on Wireless Broadcasting, appointed on 3rd July, 1941, be extended for a further three months from 3rd October, 1941. Question—put and passed.

9. Leave of Absence.—Senator Uppill, by leave, moved— (1) That leave of absence for one month be granted to Senator Allan MacDonald on account of ill-health; and (2) That leave of absence for three months be granted to Senator Wilson on account of Active

Service abroad.

Question—put and passed.

F.6318.

112 No. 33— 17th September, 1941.

10. Papers.—The following Papers were presented, by command of His Excellency the Governor-General— Munitions Production in Australia—Extracts from confidential report made during visit to Australia by members of the British Ministry of Supply in January, 1941 ; together with Summary of Conclusions of Sir Alexander Roger, K.C.I.E., made during his visit to

Australia in April-May, 1941. Tariff Board—Reports and Recommendations, &c.— Bounty on Electric Cable and Wire, rubber-covered. Bounty on Wooden and Composite Ships.

Carpets, Carpeting and Carpet Rugs. Elastic 1 inch to 2 inches in width. Enamelled Wire, covered or not covered, and other Magnet Winding Wires. Knitted Elastic Piece Goods. ' Oregon Logs and Oregon Junk Timber.

The following Papers were presented, pursuant to Statute— Commonwealth Grants Commission Act—Report of the Commonwealth Grants Commission, dated 25th August, 1941, on the applications made by the States of South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania, for Financial Assistance in 1941— 42 from the

Commonwealth under section 96 of the Constitution. Customs Act—Proclamation, dated 12th September, 1941, prohibiting the exportation (except under certain conditions) of— Drugs and Chemicals, viz.—Ether, sulphuric ; Sulphanilamide ; Sulphapyridine ; and

Sulphatliiazole. Miscellaneous.—Aluminium p ain t; Charcoal; Cotton thread and yarn ; Films, used motion picture and other used photographic; Horsehair; Hose, rubber and woven canvas; Paints, lacquers, enamels, varnishes, thinners, containing any of the

following:—Acetone, Butyl acetate, Ethyl acetate, Nitrocellulose ; Rubber tyres and tubes ; and Sisalkraft board. Defence Act—Regulations—Statutory Rules 1941, Nos. 216, 218. Land Tax Assessment Act—List of Applications for Relief dealt with during the year 1940-41. Lands Acquisition Act—Land acquired at— • Ballarat East, Victoria—For Defence purposes.

Bankstown, New South Wales—For Defence purposes. , Goff’s Harbour, New South Wales—For Defence purposes. Darwin, Northern Territory—For Department of Health purposes. Gympie, Queensland—For Postal purposes.

National Security Act— National Security (Housing of War Workers) Regulations—Orders—Prescribed areas (2.) • National Security (General) Regulations—

By-laws—Controlled areas. Orders—

. Control of fights and traffic.

. Prohibited places (2).

Prohibiting work on land. Protected areas. Taking possession of land, &c. (93). Use of land (17). National Security (Statistics) Regulations—Order—Collection of Statistics. Regulations—Statutory Rules 1941, Nos. 207, 208, 209, 210, 212, 213, 214. Naval Defence Act—Regulations—Statutory Rules 1941, Nos. 215, 217. • Peace Officers Act—Regulations—Statutory Rules 1941, No. 204.

Seat of Government Acceptance Act and Seat of Government (Administration) Act—Ordinances of 1941— No. 3—Juries. . No. 9—Police Superannuation.

. Tariff Board Act—Tariff Board—Annual Report for the year 1940-41, together with summary of recommendations.

11. J oint Committee on R ural I ndustries—First Progress R eport;—Senator Herbert Hays brought up the First Progress Report from the Joint Committee on Rural Industries dealing with Scarcity ■ of Labour ; Petrol Rationing ; Shortage of Supplies ; and Flax Production. Ordered to be printed.

12. Questions.—Questions on notice were answered.

13. Notice of Motion Withdrawn.—Senator Arthur withdrew Notice of Motion No. 1, Business of the Senate, standing in his name.

14. Ministerial Statements— Repatriation.—The Minister for Repatriation (Senator Collett), by leave, made a statement outlining the action already taken, and future proposals, in connexion with the Repatriation of the Forces. · .

Formation of New Ministry.—The Minister for Supply and Development (Senator McLeay), by leave, informed the Senate that, on 29th August last, consequent on the resignation of the Right Honourable R. G. Menzies as Prime Minister, the Honourable A. W. Fadden was · commissioned by His Excellency the Governor-General to form a Ministry.

The only changes made in the Ministry since the last meeting of the Senate were— The Honourable A. W. Fadden to be Prime Minister and Treasurer. . , The Right Honourable R. G. Menzies to be Minister for Defence Co-ordination.

No. 33— nth September, 1941. 113

Visit to London of the Right Honourable Sir Earle Page.—Senator McLeay, by leave, also informed the Senate that the Government had decided that the Minister for Commerce, the Right Honourable Sir Earle Page, G.C.M.G., should proceed to London at an early date to discuss · with the United Kingdom Government all matters of vital common interest. International Affairs and the War—Recent Developments.—The Minister for Munitions (Senator

McBride), by leave, made a statement briefly describing some of the more important developments in the International sphere and the War, laid on the Table the following Paper, viz.:— By Command—

International Affairs and the War—Recent Developments—Ministerial Statement— and moved—That the Paper be printed. On the motion of Senator Codings the debate was adjourned. Ordered—That the resumption of the debate be an Order of the Day for the next day of sitting.

15. Adjournment.—The Minister for Supply and Development (Senator McLeay) moved—That the· Senate do now adjourn. Debate ensued. Question—put and passed. The Senate adjourned at three minutes to six p.m. till to-morrow at three p.m.

16. Attendance.—Present, all the Members except Senators E. B. Johnston, Lamp, Allan MacDonald (on leave), A. J. McLachlan, and Wilson (on leave). ·

R. A. BROINOWSKI, Clerk of the Senate.

By Authority: L. F. J ohnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.