Customs Inquiry Suspect
pp. 47-48 · Read in the full issue
Port Moresby, June 1.
BECAUSE of a general fear that Minister Hasluck is looking for a loophole to justify direct taxation, and will do this by linking the Terri tory with Australia in a common Customs Union, the public giving evidence before the Customs Inquiry here, is strongly opposing any change in the present arrangement.
This is perhaps not the attitude the Inquiry Committee expected, but obviously it is the only attitude that can be taken by a community that has had long and bitter experience of such Canberra experiments as this.
When Mr. Hasluck announced that the Customs Inquiry was completely unbiassed and that the matter had
not been pre-judged, locals merely laughed.
Mr. William Tailby, former Resi dent Commissioner of the Cook Islands, is at present visiting Eng land with Mrs. Tailby. He is on retiring leave.
Before Chief Judge Marsack and four Assessors at Apia High Court on May 15, Ailua Feleti was found not guilty of negligence in driving a motor bus on the Cross Island road on January 9. On that date a bus driven by Feleti collided with a PWD truck; two people were killed and several injured.