1960 REPORT OF DIVISION OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (Reason for delay in publication)

Mr David Marshall asked the Minister for Finance why it took two years and three months to publish the Report of the Division of commerce and Industry for the year 1960.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (Mr S. Ramaswamy) (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have been asked to reply.

I do not accept that a time lag of two scars and three months is unreasonable for the publication of the Annual Report of the Trade Division of my Ministry.

The preparation of the Annual Report must wait upon completion of trade statistics for that year. Major reorganisation in the Ministry in 1961 necessarily engaged the officers in more urgent duties, and compilation of the 1960 Report had to be held in abeyance during the period.

The Member for Anson was the Minister for Commerce and industry sometime during 1955/1956, and he will doubtless recollect that during his tenure of office, he did not publish the 1953/1954 Annual Report for the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Mr David Marshall: Sir, I am reminded of the remark that one asks the organ-grinder and gets a reply from the monkey. But I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary whether he is seriously contending that two years and three months is a period indicative of efficiency in the Department in the production of so slim a document as that Annual Report.

Mr Ramaswamy: I have said that the officers were engaged on some other urgent duties.

Mr David Marshall: Ah, I hear the organ-grinder!