Vol. 19 No. 22
It is suggested that the Committee Stages of Pounds (Maintenance and Provision) Bill and Milk and Dairies Bill on the Order Paper to-day be fixed for Wednesday, 1st May. We ought, I think, to take the Fifth Stage to-day of the Agricultural Products (Regulation of Export) (Amendment) Bill because the Government requires that Bill for, they say, administrative reasons. Is the House agreed?
Ordered accordingly.
It may be regarded as certain that we shall receive from the Dáil this week the Local Loans and Funds Bill, and also, for the second time the Constitution (Amendment No. 19) Bill. We may possibly get the Courthouses (Provision and Maintenance) Bill. This will be all. The Government desire for administrative reasons that the Local Loans and Funds Bill shall be passed into law before Easter. As next week is Holy Week, I suggest that we should follow precedent by meeting on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. We can then take the Second Stage of this Bill and there will be a motion on the Order Paper to enable the remaining stages to be taken. If we receive the Courthouses Bill this can go on the Order Paper for a Second Stage and we can fix the Committee Stage for the 1st May. As the Constitution (Amendment No. 19) Bill may give rise to a considerable debate, it is strongly urged that even though we receive it this week the House takes a decision to-day that it shall not be placed on the Order Paper for next Tuesday, but that the Second Stage shall be taken on the 1st May. That will give us an opportunity of giving the Bill more consideration. Does the House agree with that course?
What about this Local Loans Fund Bill? I have never seen it. I do not know what it is about. It is a Finance Bill which is probably of a rather complicated nature as far as I understand it. This idea of getting it through before Easter does not give us much time to look at it. When are we to get it?
We have had it up to the Committee Stage—that is all we have seen.
That is a very important point.
The Local Loans question in this country is quite a serious matter and this is one of the things that I doubt it is wise to let go through at one sitting and after a casual debate. I have not read the Bill but I only know that it is connected with matters which have to do with the credit of this State and with accounts which probably want looking into. The Local Loans Fund Bill deals with a very intricate question, a question which has been undefined in this country ever since we started. It mixes up the account so far as I have heard about it between moneys advanced with the securities behind them from people to whom the money is lent and certain amounts advanced for the State on the credit of the State. Yet they are all included in one account. It is a matter that will want a bit of looking into. I am talking from conversations which I have heard. It seems it is not a thing that we should hurry through. I wonder why it is that the Government want it in such a hurry and why they are only giving it to us one week before they want it this year? If the Minister tells us of any solid or pressing reasons it may alter our view.
Perhaps Senator Connolly could give us some information.
I am afraid I cannot. I did not anticipate that there would be any discussion about this to-day and I am not in a position to give any information about it.
Of course when one hears the words Local Loans one is inclined to think that there is something very mysterious about the matter. When I saw the Title of the Bill I thought it was a rather complicated measure. Senator Jameson has admitted that he has not read the measure though it was circulated here weeks ago. I read the Bill very carefully and it provides for a guarantee by the Local Loans and it preserves the existing rights and liabilities including the liability in respect of the Guarantee Fund. So far as the Local Loans Bill is concerned my impression of it was that it was merely an administrative measure for the purpose of clarifying and co-ordinating these Local Loans. My impression of it was that it was a very good, necessary and useful measure, and that it does not do anything to which I am sure a sound financial expert like Senator Jameson could possibly take exception.
Senator Comyn has made an excellent speech in favour of the Bill, but he has not given us any idea why it should go through on one day. I suggest that we should accept your programme, Sir, and that we should not take up the attitude in advance of taking the Bill and dealing with all its stages in one day.
We shall not bind ourselves to take the remaining stages of that Bill on Tuesday next. We can argue the matter then.
That was the point that I wished to make to the House.
