Our First Half-Century: A Review of Queensland Progress Based Upon Official Information

by Queensland

The sixth Parliament met in November, 1871, and passed six measures in its first session, none of them of more than temporary importance save the comprehensive Brands Act, which received the Governor's assent in the following year. The main session of 1872 was fertile in practical legislation, the Health Act and a Railway Act—providing for the fixing of compensation for land resumptions by a railway arbitrator, and empowering the Governor in Council to accept proposals for railway construction from private individuals or corporations—becoming law with twenty-four other measures. An Act of this year provided for the gradual abolition of the export duty on gold; another provided for homestead areas on liberal terms; and another for the sale of mineral lands. A number of legal measures, all of an amending character, also became law. And finally, a Loan Act, authorising the Government to raise £1,466,499 for railways from Ipswich to Brisbane and from Westwood to Comet River on the Central Railway, and other public works, gave a new impetus to development. In 1873 the Parliament met at the end of May, and after the session had lasted two months the Houses were prorogued for the purpose of a dissolution. Only six Acts were passed during the session, and those of no permanent significance except, perhaps, an equally elaborate and Algerine Customs Act.

THE SEVENTH PARLIAMENT: 7th January, 1874-2nd October, 1878.

The seventh Parliament opened on 7th January, 1874, and the Palmer Government, being defeated on the election for the Speakership, at once retired. After nearly three months' adjournment to enable the new Ministry to formulate its policy, the session was resumed at the end of March, and eighteen public and six private Acts were passed. Among the most important was the Audit Act, which, among other provisions, altered the opening date of the financial year to 1st July, instead of 1st January, with the object of getting the work done during the cool weather. But the Act failed in this respect, for Governments seldom care to call Parliament together much before mid-July, in time to provide for the first Treasury payments of the new financial year. On the other hand, the Assembly members usually protract the sittings until close to Christmas week, at whatever date the session opens. Among the other measures passed in 1874 were the Insolvency Act, of which Mr. S. W. Griffith was the author; the Crown Remedies Act, providing for the conduct of suits on behalf of the Crown; a Supreme Court Act, making provision for the appointment of a third Judge to be stationed at Bowen, and fixing the salaries and pensions of the Judges at the amounts still payable; a comprehensive Goldfields Act; an Act for the protection of oysters and the establishment of oyster fisheries; and an Act to encourage the manufacture of sugar. In 1875 sixteen Acts were passed, one of the two most important being the Western Railway Act, providing for the reservation of the land for fifty miles on either side of a straight line drawn from Dalby to Roma, and the sale of such lands to pay for the construction of a railway to connect the two towns. The other and great measure of the session, however, was the State Education Act, the scope of which is elsewhere explained.

In 1876 twenty-three Acts were passed, two of them being temporary Supply Acts, measures which first became necessary with the alteration of the date of the financial year. A Crown Lands Alienation Act, passed this year, is noticed elsewhere, as is also the Customs Duties Act, introducing a tariff incidentally protective. Mr. Groom's Friendly Societies Act became law, as also did Mr. Griffith's Judicature Act, and the Fire Brigades Act. A Municipality Endowments Act provided a £2 for £1 endowment for municipalities during the first five years after their establishment, and then £1 for £1. The Department of Justice was provided for, enabling a layman to hold the portfolio of Minister for Justice in a Ministry, and, so far as official practice was concerned, to qualify such Minister to discharge the duties of the Attorney-General.

In 1877, twenty-eight measures were placed on the Statute-book, including the Navigation Act, Bank Holidays Act, Chinese Immigration Regulation Act, an Act to punish disorderly conduct in places of religious worship, the Victoria Bridge Act, and the first of a series of enactments for the destruction of marsupials and the protection of native birds. But the most important piece of legislation was the Railway Reserves Act, which, before it was finally repealed, caused considerable trouble in regard to the disposal of the moneys received from the sale of land within the reserves which were set apart in the various districts to provide funds for the construction of railways in the several reserves.

In 1878, the last session of the seventh Parliament, only a few measures were passed, among them, however, being the Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Act, the Intestacy Act, a comprehensive Local Government Act, and a Volunteer Act. An Electoral Districts Act redistributed the electorates of the colony, and increased the number of members of the Assembly from 43 to 55.

THE EIGHTH PARLIAMENT: 15th January, 1879-26th July, 1883.

In January, 1879, a new Parliament opened, and the ensuing five years contributed but a moderate number of Acts to the Statute-book. First in political importance was the Divisional Boards Act of 1879; then the Licensing Boards Act; the Orphanages Act; the Bills of Exchange Act; and the Life Insurance Act, providing among other things that after an insured person had held a policy for life assurance, endowment, or annuity for three years his age, unless in the case of fraud, should be deemed to have been admitted by the company, and also protecting the interest of the assured in the event of his insolvency. A short Act was passed requiring all moneys received under the Western Railway Act and the Railway Reserves Act to be paid into the consolidated revenue fund; and a Loan Act for £3,053,000 was also placed on the Statute-book. The Local Works Loans Act, referred to elsewhere, was also passed. The Rabbit Act, passed on the initiative of a private member, Mr. E. J. Stevens, was the forerunner of several measures having for their object the extermination of this national pest. In 1880, out of the twenty-four Acts passed, four were for appropriations, and four for private purposes. A new Pacific Island Labourers Act became law, providing for the engagement of all islanders under the inspection of a Government agent travelling in the recruiting vessel, restricting the employment of the islanders to tropical and semi-tropical agriculture, and making provision for their payment and treatment. The Post Card and Postal Notes Act provided for the issue of those instruments. The greatest political measure was the Railway Companies Preliminary Act, passed with the view of inducing capitalists to undertake railway construction in consideration of land grants.