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357

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

JOURNALS OF THE SENATE. No. 86.

TUESDAY, 8 t h SEPTEMBER, 1953.

1. Meeting of Senate.—The Senate met at three p.m., in accordance with the terms of the Resolution of the Senate passed on the 27th March, 1953. ..

2. Approach of the Deputy of the Governor-General.—The approach of the Deputy of His Excellency the Governor-General was announced by the Usher of the Black Rod. The Honourable Sir William Flood Webb, Knight Bachelor, a Justice of the High Court of Australia, the Deputy of His Excellency the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, entered

the Chamber and took his seat on the dais. -

3. Commission to Administer Oath or Affirmation.—The Deputy addressed the Senate as follows :— Members of the Se n a t e: · '

His Excellency the Governor-General, not thinking fit to be present in person at this time, has been pleased to cause Letters Patent to issue under the Great Seal of the Commonwealth constituting me his Deputy to administer the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to Honourable Senators, as will more fully appear from the Letters Patent which will now be read.

The Clerk then read the Commission, as follows :— ■ . . ■

Whereas by section forty-two of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia it is amongst other things enacted that every Senator shall, before taking his seat, make and subscribe before the Governor-General, or some person authorized by him, an Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance in the form set forth in the Schedule to the aforesaid Constitution:

Now Therefore I, Sir William J oseph Slim, the Governor-General aforesaid, do by these Presents command and authorize you to attend in the Senate Chamber at Parliament House, Canberra, on Tuesday, the eighth day of September, One thousand nine hundred and fifty-three, at three o’clock in the afternoon of that day, and there and then to administer the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to such Senators as are present and who have not already made and subscribed the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance since their election to the Senate. ,

4. New Senators—Certificates of Election.—The Clerk produced and laid on the Table the Certificates of Election for the following Members elected, on 9th May, 1953, to serve in the Senate as Senators for their respective States :— ■ '.

His Excellency the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia. To the Honourable Sir William Flood Webb, Knight Bachelor, a Justice of the High Court of Australia.

Greeting :

Given under my Hand and the Seal of the Commonwealth of Australia, this, seventh day of September, One thousand nine hundred and fifty-three.

New South Wales— -

Stanley Kerin Amour. Alister Maxwell McMullin. James Jarvist Arnold.

Kenneth McColl Anderson. Donald MacLennan Grant.

Tasmania— George Ronald Cole. Robert Hurley Wordsworth. ., John Edward Marriott.

Justin O’Byrne. William Edward Aylett. Robert Wardlaw.*. Queensland— Edmund Bede Maher. ■

Condon Bryan Byrne. Ian Alexander Christie Wood. Gordon Brown. " Roy Kendall.

Victoria— .

Albion Hendrickson. . John Grey Gorton. John Joseph Devlin.

Ivy Evelyn Wedgwood. ' Patrick John Kennelly. South Australia— ■ John Owen Critchley. Rex Whiting Pearson.

J ohn Victor Ryan. Keith Alexander Laught. James Philip Toohey.

Western Australia. Joseph Alfred Cooke. Malcolm Fox Scott. James Mackintosh Fraser. Harrie Stephen Seward.

John Harris. Shane Dunne Paltridge.*

F.2176.

* Elected to fill long casual vacancy.

358 No. 86.— 8th September, 1953.

Senators Sworn.—And thereupon all the Senators elected, except Senators O’Byrne and Toohey, who were absent, made and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance at the Table, pursuant to the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act. The Deputy then retired.

5. Election of President.—The Minister for Trade and Customs (Senator O’Sullivan), addressing the ■ Clerk of the Senate by name, reminded the Senate that the time had now come when it was necessary for the Senate to choose one of its Members to be President— Whereupon Senator O’Sullivan moved—That Senator Alister Maxwell McMullin do take the Chair

of this Senate as President. ·

Which motion was seconded by the Minister for Repatriation (Senator Cooper). The Leader of the Opposition (Senator McKenna) moved—That Senator Theophilus Martin Nicholls do take the Chair of this Senate as President. Which motion was seconded by Senator Armstrong. And Senators McMullin and Nicholls having submitted themselves to the Senate— The Senate thereupon proceeded to ballot; and the ballot being concluded, the Clerk reported the

result, as follows :— Senator Alister Maxwell McMullin .. .. .. 31 votes.

Senator Theophilus Martin Nicholls .. .. .. 27 votes,

and declared Senator McMullin elected. The President-elect returned his acknowledgments to the Senate for the honour conferred upon him, and assumed the Chair, and was congratulated by Senators O’Sullivan, McKenna, and Mattner. Senator O’Sullivan acquainted the Senate that His Excellency the Governor-General had appointed

the hour of 4.15 p.m. this day, at Government House, to receive the President. '

The sitting of the Senate was thereupon suspended till 5.15 p.m.

The Senate having resumed, the President reported that he had presented himself as the choice of the Senate to His Excellency the Governor-General, who had been pleased to congratulate him upon his appointment as President.

6. PRAYERS.

7. Chairman of Committees.—The Minister for Trade and Customs (Senator O’Sullivan) moved—That the Senate do now proceed to elect a Chairman of Committees. ' Question—put and passed. Senator O’Sullivan moved—:That Senator Albert David Reid be appointed Chairman of Committees. Which motion was seconded by the Minister for Repatriation (Senator Cooper). The Leader of the Opposition (Senator McKenna) moved—That Senator James Mackintosh Fraser

be appointed Chairman of Committees. ' Which motion was seconded by Senator Armstrong. And Senators Reid and Fraser having submitted themselves to the Senate— The Senate thereupon proceeded to ballot; and the ballot being concluded, the President reported

the result, as follows :— Senator Reid .. .. .. .. .. 30 votes

. Senator Fraser .. .. .. .. .. 28 votes,

and declared Senator Reid elected. . Senator Reid returned his acknowledgments to the Senate for the honour conferred upon him, and was congratulated by Senators O’Sullivan and McKenna. .

8. Death of the H onourable A. M. McDonald, M.P.—The Minister for Trade and Customs (Senator O’Sullivan) referred to the death on 10th June last of the Honourable A. M. McDonald, Μ.Ρ., and moved, by leave—That the Senate expresses its deep regret at the death of the Honourable Allan McKenzie McDonald, former Commonwealth Minister and member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Corangamite, places on record its appreciation of his long and meritorious public service and tenders its sincere sympathy to his widow and the members of his family in their bereavement. .

And the motion having been seconded by the Leader of the Opposition (Senator McKenna), and supported by Senator G. J. Rankin. And all Senators present having risen, in silence— Question—passed. .

9. Death of Mr. D. Mulcahy, M.P.—The Minister for Trade and Customs (Senator O’Sullivan) referred to the death on 13th July last of Mr. D. Mulcahy, M.P., and moved, by leave—That the Senate expresses its deep regret at the death of Mr. Daniel Mulcahy, member of the House of Representatives for the Division of Lang, places on record its appreciation of his meritorious public service, and tenders 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 McKenna)—

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

10. Adjournment as Mark of Respect.—The Minister for Trade and Customs (Senator O’Sullivan) moved—That, as a mark of respect to the memory of the late honourable Members, the Senate do now adjourn. Question—put and passed. The Senate adjourned at seventeen minutes to six p.m. till to-morrow at three p.m.

11. Attendance.—Present, all the Members except Senators O’Byrne and Toohey.

JOHN EDWARDS, . Clerk of the Senate.

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