- Author
- Ogle, Brian
- Subjects
- History - general
- Tags
-
- RAN Ships
- None noted.
- Publication
- June 1997 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)
Labour won only eight seats out of 36 in the first Parliament but they were skilled and tenacious speakers. The Labour men of 1900 were 100 years removed from Gucci suits and Woollahra real estate. They consistently called for direct taxation claiming that the working class paid 95% of the tax from customs and excise.
From the Floor of the House of Representatives. August 7, 1901
Defence Bill
Mr Kirwin, Member of Kalgoorlie, journalist, newspaper proprietor,, free-trader. Born Liverpool, England, son of a gentleman, farmer:
“The Commonwealth cannot build a navy, and, it is absurd to talk of such a thing at the present time, in view of our financial position“. (Reps. Debate p.3525).
Mr Sawyers (New England):
“I am entirely opposed to the establishment of an Australian Navy – a thing which is far beyond our means“. … from a defence point of view to Mr Sawyers the rail connection to Werris Creek is much more important.
(Reps. Debate p.3515).
There was one other fascinating item in Sawyers’ speech:
“In England, 1901 is a year of extreme activity! The British Parliament has voted over £16,000,000 for naval construction. This is to pay for fifteen battleships and twenty-two armoured cruisers“. (Ibid, p.3517). In 1996 one frigate would leave little change.
Mr. McDonald (Kennedy, Qld.) was, according to the official biographer, “a noted Republican, an anti-conscriptionist and anti-Federation which he called – “…a middleclass device for diverting the needs of Labour”. Nicknamed “Fighting Charlie”, McDonald was a tough little fellow with an oratory “persistent as a summer fly”. He sat in the House until his death in 1925, a cause of anguish to all parties because it was said he knew procedures off by heart. Before letting him loose in this paper, we should consider the peroration of Sawyers, the previous speaker. This was what stirred up McDonald:
Sawyers: I call for United Australia to rise to something like a true conception of its responsibility as representing a portion of the Empire. I am opposed to the construction of a purely Australian Navy, at Australian expense and under Australian control. Rather we must rate a more adequate sum towards the support of the British Navy than the present paltry £126.000. (Ibid, p.3518).
Mr McDonald would not have a bar of Sawyers’ propositions, particularly the last one. He pointed out that, as over 10 years, the Colonies had contributed £1,250,000 sterling towards maintenance of a squadron built for about £900,000, obviously the ships were obsolete. (Ibid, p.3520).
Solid Labour, solid Australian, McDonald was the first Commonwealth speaker to decry the expansion of Imperialism – English, German or French. He forecast the future disaster, monetary and human inherent in the frantic build-up of arms. He was adamant that Australians should not subsidise a navy over which they had no control and which in the event of a European war would be removed to that sphere (Europe) leaving Australia’s coast defenceless.
“We must cultivate the quality of self-reliance – If we recognise, as a Parliament, that it is necessary to have a first line of defence (Navy) we should be honest enough to the people of Australia to come down and to say so, and to be prepared to pay for it“. (Ibid, p.3250).
“I hope that honourable members will be sincere enough to come forward with a proposition for The Big Income Tax or Direct Based Tax necessary.” (Ibid., p.3522).
From the Floor of the House of Representatives, July 16, 1903
Naval Agreement Bill Debate
Our Mr Sawyers: was again prominent this time in full support of the Bill “…in the cause of Imperial Unity. (Reps. Debate, p.2246).
Australia was to subsidise the Australian Squadron to the tune of £200,000 sterling per annum for 10 years.
Mr Page (Labour, Maranoa, Qld.) spoke volumes in opposition to any idea of a subsidy, particularly for 10 years at the end of which Australia would have nothing to show. Even the Naval Reserve would belong to Britain.
Page, of all speakers on naval matters, was by far the most knowledgeable and the best prepared. His coverage of the subject was of such depth and width as to be worthy of reproduction in toto, at some other time.