Government Printing Office, 1954

  1. Home
  2. Node
  3. Government Printing Office, 1954

Government Printing Office - Royal Visit, Brisbane, March 1954

From Warwick Examiner and Times, Wednesday 28 November, 1917:

BRISBANE SENSATION
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE RAIDED.
SEVERAL THOUSAND COPIES OF "HANSARD" SEIZED.
STATE PREMIER DEFIES MR HUGHES.
PRIME MINISTER SAYS COMMONWEALTH IS SUPREME.
TUSSLE BETWEEN STATE AND COMMONWEALTH.

BRISBANE, Tuesday. - The Censor issued the following statement this evening: The District Commandant, in reply to inquiries, states that the Government Printing Office was visited last night under the powers contained in the War Precautions Regulations.

Later particulars state that there were seized several thousand copies of "Hansard," containing the report of the debate last week on the action of censor with regard to the anti-conscription campaign.

Mr. Ryan, this afternoon, issued a "Gazette" Extraordinary dealing with the matter, and stating that he had written to the Prime Minister urging that the military authorities should forthwith restore to the Government Printer those copies of "Hansard" taken away one the previous night.

The "Gazette," which is signed by Mr. Ryan, says: "I am sure you must realise the great necessity of avoiding anything in the nature of displays of military force which may inflame the public mind at a time when feeling is already running high." It concludes with an expression of hope that all citizens will respect the law and maintain the strictest order.

The Premier, in the Legislative Assembly to-day, gave notice of his intention to move to-morrow that the action of the Commonwealth Government in raiding the Government Printing Office and seizing thousands of copies of "Hansard," was subversive of the rights of the people, and calculated to affect the good order and government of the State.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Hughes) late to-night supplied the press with copies of the coreespondence which passed between himself and Mr. Ryan on the subject. Mr. Hughes claims that Mr. Ryan had no authority to take the action which he did; that the Commonwealth authority is supreme and must be obeyed. There was only one sovereign power, namely, the Commonwealth Government and it would not permit its authority to be defied or undermined by any individual or State. In conclusion, Mr. Hughes intimated that Mr. Ryan could rest assured that it some of the statements printed in the Queensland "Hansard" were repeated outside, he (Mr. Hughes) would know how to deal with the matter.

F. Melton, Queen street, Brisbane.

Read article here: bit.ly/2gav0L4

*****
QLD State Archives also holds a copy of the Queensland Government Gazette: Extraordinary, which is signed by Mr. Ryan. It can be viewed electronically here: bit.ly/2fL8Uhu


Then and now...

Diagonal view of the Government Office showing sandstone facade

You might also like

Architectural drawings of the Brisbane Commissariat Store

Plans of the Commissariat Store

View of the facade of the old library, showing the garden entry pillars

Queen's Park and Library


Location of this image


View Larger Map | See more historic photographs