DRASTIC REFORMS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 129, 5 June 1929, Page 11

DRASTIC REFORMS

PROMISED FOR QUEENSLAND

NEW GOVERNMENT'S PLANS

(From "The Post's" Representative.) ■ ':'" SYDNEY, 30th May.

. Far-reaching reforms of a political, social, and industrial character will follow the election in Queensland of a now Government which has displaced 'Labour, rule. Labour' had held the upper hand in that State for fourteen years, and the result of its Socialistic policy is to be seen everywhere. Private enterprise was relegated to the background, and to'a very large extent public enterprise took its place, and this policy materially helped to increase the annual deficits, for State undertakings were no more successful in Queensland than they have been anywhere else in the world. It is not surprising, therefore, that the, new Premier should make an early announcement to the effect that all State enterprises were to go. "We are getting rid of the State enterprises immediately," declared the Premier (Mr. .A...E. Moore) when lie was in Sydney the other day. "Butchers' shops and State meat shops, fish shops, and the State produce agency will cease to function at once. The railway refreshment rooms will be handed over to the Bailway Department, and the profits from that undertaking will go to the railways, where they rightly belong, instead of into the general revenue. The last' Government transferred £25,000 from the profits on the railway refreshment rooms to the State produce agency.' The Government wrote off £48,000 in respect to the fish shops, and £89,000 from the cannery, and yet last year the cannery paid a profit of only .£4OO. None of those industries has given employment to one more man. The State cattle stations were established to provide the State butchers' shops with meat.' Every pound of meat sold in those shops has cost the general taxpayer 4d."

Regarding the industrial policy, Mr. Moore said that the Government was opposed to a .third party, such as a Court, interfering with the intimate details of a business. It was proposed to encourage the, system of round-table conferences between employers and employees. No.ease would be allowed to go to the Arbitration Court unless it was shown that the parties had met in conference and had exhausted other means of preserving industrial peace. Profit sharing would be encouraged) and if any industry was prepared to take in employees as " profit sharers, the agreement reached would be registered in the Court. /Secondary industry would be encouraged by using part of'the credit of tho State to assist in the establishment or extension of industry under the same principles as the British Trade Facilities Act. There would be an immediate restoration of the freehold principle of tenure. In keeping with his policy Mr. Moore, on taking oifice, promptly rescinded the Farm Workers' award, which came into operation a little more than, a year ago. This, it is thought, will enable the fanner to employ many more men, for they will not be hampered by the overtime and other irksome clauses. Under the term of the award, which applied to any farm or orchard operating for profit, a forty-four-hour week was given. Overtime was provided for and double time had to be paid for work done on many of the public holidays. The result was that many of the farmers would. not employ any labour, and this is blamed to a large extent for the great amount of unemployment in the State during the last year. Eeferring to the proposal to restore the Upper House in Queensland—this was abolished by the Labour Government some years ago after it had displeased—Mr. Moore said that it was proposed to hold a referendum on the subject. There are many people who think that Mr. Moore has made a mistake in arriving at this decision, for it is said that there is no desire in Queensland for a so-called "House of Review." There are,many Nationalists who are of the opinion that Labour's example in Queensland should be xollowed by the otheir States, which, they olaim, are already over-governed. The cost of Government in Australia must bo enormous, and it would seem that in this direction at least some economy might be effected. It is quite likely that the Queensland people will decide against i the restoration of the Upper House, I and such, a decision would not add to the prestige of the Moore Government. | Economy in Legislature is going to be I effected in Queensland by cutting down the salaries of the members frOm £750 a yeHr to £500. Mr. Moore does not say that members are not worth £750, but he does net think so much should be paid at a time of depression and unemployment. Country members wijl bo allowed an additional amount annually for travelling expenses. ■ Thero is also going to be a redistribution of aaais, which were arranged by past Labour Governments to suis themselves. The country quota was almost forgotten in the desire to "make" safe metropolitan seats. Further, the railways are to be placed under the control of a Commission, thus removing this important Department from political control, The Minister of Railways will still'dictate the policy of the Department, b'.jt the service will be free from political influence. It is significant to note that at the last Premiers' Conference, held about two years ago, there were five Labour Premiers present. At the conference that is being held at Canberra this week the sole representative of the Labour Party is the mild Mr. Collier, from Western Australia.