Some Ideas For The New State

Letter to the Editor THE Federal President of the RSL, after visiting these Territories, advocates their formation as a State.

The idea is full of possibilities, but much has to be thought of.

We must, of course, have a Coat-of- Arms. I suggest the shield be supported by Australian taxpayers, since the new State certainly would be.

A State should possess a traditional figure, or Father of His Country. For this position I nominate Edward the Liberator.

Eddie would be the principal figure in a group, heroic size, standing in front of our Parliament House. The group would depict the good man in benign pose, arm outstretched; crouched at his feet, in supplicatory attitudes, would be a number of emaciated natives, the overseer’s weal marks plainly visible on their backs.

There must be pigeons fluttering (etc.) about. No public statuary is complete without these, I suggest our own goura pigeons—they are bigger than any others!

Well, it’s a grand idea. With other fossils I will have a vote—my second. The first was in France on the conscription issue; under-twenty-ones being allowed to vote there.

Will the natives be allowed to vote too, and pay income tax?

I am, etc.,

G. T. Gemmell.

Mariboi Estate, Papua.

Mrs. D. Rawson, an American news paper woman, who recently had been travelling through India and China writing articles for the US press, paid a visit to Papua and New Guinea in May on the “Bulolo.”