Canberra Taxation

Serpent Enters Paradise!

Norfolk Island Aflame Against Canberra Taxation

xi f ractl f all y the whole of the non-official population of Norfolk Island, an Australian Territory, is in rebellion against Australia. The first steps have been taken to demand indepen dence—or at least to secure some measure of self-government.

NOT one word about this has, however, been published in Aus tralia.

The 850 people on Norfolk Island are not aborigines. Most of them are full Europeans; a small propor tion are the descendants of the original Pitcairners—p art Euro pean, part Tahitian. All enjoy European status. But they are given no share worth mentioning in their government—that is controlled on a dictatorial basis by the Department of Territories in Canberra, through an Administrator.

These conditions have existed for 50 years. NI people have accepted them—they live very simply and quietly in their isolation, and have had little to worry about. The Pit cairners (descendants of the folk who settled there in 1856) live mostly on their own farms; the majority of the Mainlanders (people who have settled there in the last 50 years, especially retired business and professional men) have small private incomes.

For a community of 850 people, there is a ridiculous administrative set-up—an Administrator, residing in a Government House, provided by the Commonwealth, and a group of officials —all paid by Australia with an annual grant of between £15,000 and £20,000. As someone re cently pointed out, such a com munity in Australia would be run as a Town Board or Road Board, under a Council giving honorary service, with a paid clerk and fore man of works.

However, this £15,000 per annum grant, plus the incomes drawn from overseas by private residents, plus revenue derived from sales of bean seed and similar products, plus a substantial income from visiting tourists (mostly New Zealand) gave NI enough overseas exchange to pay for its modest imports. It is an isolated place, so its imports are ex pensive. Its one port is so exposed and hard to work that Sydney-NI freight is £l5 per ton —more than the England-Sydney rate.

For many decades the economic structure was balanced, and no one fretted. The Administrator was accepted as unchallenged dictator.

He was supposed to consult with an Advisory Council. The Council met from time to time, and dealt with matters of no importance. For years, it has seen no finance figures, to show the state of the nation. It left everything to His Honour.

In recent years there came a change. There was a new Territories Minister (Mr. Hasluck) and he appointed a new Administrator (Mr.

Norman—carrying the military title of Brigadier). And these interest ing figures appeared in Australia’s annual Estimates and Expenditure, under the heading of “Norfolk Island”: £ 1952 .. .. 15,223 .. .. Expenditure 1953 . . .. 40,247 ... 1954 .. .. 58,256 „ 1955 .. .. 20,480 .. .. Estimate In a sleepy sort of way, the Islanders probably realised that they had been given a special grant of around £70,000, and that the Ad ministrator was spending it. But they were given no details, and they apparently were content to leave it all to the boss.

The centre of settlement and trade on NI is the hamlet of Burnt Pine. The administrative centre, always, has been in the ancient stone buildings of the convict-days settlement at Kingston Bay (on the South Coast, two miles from Burnt Pine). The people always have wanted such amenities as the Post Office, Library, Bond Store, and so forth, at Burnt Pine, but have lacked the initiative to make a fuss about it.

Sleepily, they watched the activ ities of the new Mr. Norman, at Kingston. They saw great additional

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TC Chief

Retires

[?] E. V. Crisp, [?] recently retired [?] the managing [?]ctorship of [?] ships Trading [?] any, attended a [?] r in his honour [?] Papua Hotel, [?] Moresby, on [?] ber 30, 1954. [?] Crisp has been [?] the company [?] 1927. He is [?] eded by Mr. [?] Mitchell but [?] emain as chair [?]of the Board of

[?] ors. In the photo, from left to and Mr. Jack Mitchell, are: Mr. N. Johnson, Mr. Crisp, Photo: Papuan Prints.

comfort brought to Government House (built on a sort of promontory, in Kingston Bay) at a cost un officially estimated at £11,000; they saw the old stone buildings re furbished, and roads and other public conveniences attended to; but they saw no effort made to remove administration facilities to Burnt Pine. They still were obliged to go two miles or more to post a letter, or change a book, or get their grog issue.

But they took it philosophically.

Obviously, the new Administrator was enjoying himself very much.

AND then came the bomb-shell.

At the beginning of December, without any warning whatever, the people were advised by Gazette notice that substantial increases had been made in the rates of duty im posed (on an ad valorem basis) on practically all imported goods.

Motor cars were slugged 10 per cent, and jewellery 20 per cent. The new duties fell with particular harsh ness upon goods then approaching NI in the Malaita, intended for Christmas trade. Most had been ordered, and some paid for, at the old rates. The traders simply took the rap.

NI then awakened with a venge ance. Angry protests to Mr. Norman got nowhere—he refused to accept responsibility, and referred them to the Minister. Territories Minister and Prime Minister in Canberra were bombarded with radiograms.

They were blandly ignored. Can berra could not care less. NI has no votes All the enraged Islanders got was an assurance that the Island’s revenues had not been taking care of the Island’s needs in education, hospitals and like services; and they must do so in future. The new duties would remain.

Then came another blow. The Administration proposed to impose a landing-tax of £1 per head on visitors to the Island. This sent Islanders' blood pressure even higher. Nl’s principal industry is tourist traffic from New Zealand — and already that had been harassed by a NZ National Airways decision to raise passenger fares. Anything more stupid than a tax on in dividual visitors could scarcely be imagined.

The Tourist Bureau met, to curse the Administration with bell, book and candle. Speakers pointed out that although tourist traffic is vital, the Administration’s sole financial help to the Bureau over the years was an annual grant of £lo2—and the recent repair of the Emily Bay baths by convict labour!

At date of writing, it is not known whether this head tax on tourists will be imposed.

MEANWHILE, the very ang Islanders settled down to ci culations. What had t] Administrator actually done w that £70,000 grant? Was it possil that he had spent it all on Gc ernment House, and in doing 01 the ruins of the old Kingston buil ings?

They pointed out that half £70,000 should have been ample ; even the most extravagant dictate needs, and the other half woi have helped substantially in car: ing on the school, hospital, fores services and other amenities which the Island is directly respc sible.

They pointed out the extravs ance of present Administration cc trol. The hospital was too big a lavish for the Island’s needs; a the running of the school (150 cl dren) cost £53 per head per pu If the Island could not afford st things, why did not the Adm istrator cut down these costs, stead of imposing taxes wh threatened to cripple the Islar main industries?

Finally, 250 people (practically i whole adult population) attendet public meeting on December 20, s engaged in a discussion which \ not flattering to either Administ tion or Minister. It was resob to make a strong protest to Minister against the proposed Lai ing Tax, and a further prof against the new customs duties.

Steps also were taken to prep and get signatures for a petition the Queen, asking for the repeal the new taxation, and begging a much larger measure of s< government. A section of the pec are ready to cut the painter v Australia; and many, less o spoken, sympathise with their sei ments.

More sober people are asking v Australia should spend £20,000 annum on a top-heavy, moi ornamental and generally use.

Administration; when a grant only half that amount, and an a nowledgment that this small cc munity of less than 1,000 people quite capable of governing it without so much fuss and expei would solve all the Islai economic troubles, and leave it fulfil its destiny as a quiet, isola! peaceful and happy little corner the South Pacific.

On present appearances, Mink Hasluck and his chosen henchn have certainly made a mess of it Special Correspondent.

If Pastor J. B. Keith (President the North Queensland Mission Seventh-day Adventists with he quarters in Townsville) has b appointed President of the Cc Sea Union Mission of Seventh- Adventists in succession to Pas H. White.