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Question of Pamphlets.
Representatives Debate.
N Government Accepts
Amendment.
Melbourne. June 1&
In the House of Representatives to
day, the Honorary 'Minister (Mr. C
\V. C Marr) moved the second .
reading of the Referendum Act
Amendment isill received tram tan
Senate, and provi&ng that pamphlets
relating to any constitution alteration
Bill to be submitted to a referendum,
shall not be issued' unless so ordered by
the Houses of Parliament, within one
week of the passing of tbe 801.' He said
that- 'in the event of hhe issue of pamph
lets being ordered, the Electoral Ome»
wourd be given until within fourteen day*
of the poll to send them out.
Mr. Hushes (Nar./X.S.W.): W5H rot
ing be t'ompulsory?
Mr. Marr: Yes.
Mr.,Cbarlton (Lalx, N.S.W.) «d that ?
thne iihouH be allowed for the prepara
tion of the case. The two weeks allowed
was too short. The referendum was to
be taken in Ausust.
The Prime Minister: The intention of
the Government is to bold the referendum,
as soon as tihe constitutional minimum
period of two 'months has expiired.
Mr. Chsiiton said that there wonld not
be tune \t- get the pamphlets to the whole
of Hie electors.
Mr. Bnyley (Xat., Q.) : At least 95 per
cent, will get them.
Mr. Gregory (C.P-. W.A.): Why shouH
the other 5 per cent- be kept in ignor
ance.
Mr. Chnrlton said that a large section
of the Press was opposing the constitu
tional Bills about to be put He intend
ed to support the first, but he wanted
time to educate the people on it.
Mr. Bruce said that he wished -to maka
it dear that the Government was Roi»t to
proceed with tbe referendum on the BEls
just passed, irrespective of anything done
at the proposed constitutional session. If
they were approved legislation must be
brought down, prior to which the Govern
ment would like to consult the industrial
leaders on both sides. That would take
time, aad it was therefore necessary to
get on as soon as possible, and it us
essential that the Bills should be submit
ted to the people at once. He would
take the sense of the Parliament as to
whether pamphlets should be issned
Mr. Gregory said that on so important
a subject the people should be advised
to the fullest possible extent. He did
not think the voting should be compul
sory, as tie-re were many people who had
no knoiriedse of tihe-sttbjeet.
Mr. West: All those will vote no.
Mr. Gr^ory saki he hoped they ttotjJA.
Mr. Albert Green said that insufficient
time was betes given to get the pamph
lets round. It would Ibe impossible to
get them distributed in the Xorth-Wert
of Western Australia by the time it was
proposed to take the vote.
The second reading was carried by 38
votes to IS.
In Committee Mr. Rodger® CXat V.)
moved an smendment that no pamphlets
be issued in conn*ction with the two
ConPti'iution Amendment Bilk passed by
thp House in the current session.
Mr. Oharlton, in supporting the no
tion, said that the more he looked into
the matter the stronger was his convic
tion that it would not be possible to do
justice to the- different parties in the
House or the country in any passpnlet
to be issued at the p'ubl:c expense. In
the circumstances he thought it would
be wise of the Government to accept the
amendment.
Mr. Bruce said that the discussion bid
shown how difficult it would be to iasae
a pamphlet on these particular referen
dums. The Government would like to
present its arguments to the people, but
recognised that it was not a fair attitude
to take up, and it was. therefore, pre
pared to accept the amendment. (Cheers.)
It was tho only way out of a very ?com-
pUcated position.
The Bj:i was passed through Com
mittee with minor amendments, read a
third time, and returned to the Senate,
The House rose.
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