So Good”

Lette r to the Editor

[?]olk Island Says: "So So Good”

’ER 2i years of persistent ?hting since (Tur Petition to M The Queen for a more :ratic “set up”—M inis t e r ck has granted a new basis nited local government which and should remove most of resent system of dictatorship, uld seem to be the nearest cal approach to the autonomy ras given to the Island in 1856, ken away under most dubious lot illegal circumstances—4l later in 1897. ister Hasluck has shown his It is now clearly up to the to take their local respon es more seriously and realise uncil is no longer to be looked as a “joke”. essential that it be properly /Uted in every detail up to andard of a Rural or County il with its powers to make i is. to be hoped that the Admin in will busy itself with :al help in its Constitution— is offering samples of other >ful Constitutions from pos- A.ustralia, New Zealand and Kingdom—from which we <tract the most suitable for ;al needs. e are those who have a great F experience of public service it on the Island and who I think, gladly offer their dge if asked. In our new tution we might do well to ?r provision being made for 1 to appoint two Aldermen those with such experience.

Their term of office could be longer and so create continuity in Council matters.

It is also to be hoped that Min ister Hasluck will obtain the services of an independent expert as is usually employed in the forming of such an Authority so that the tran sitionary stages are speeded up, yet based upon the finest experience.

It is then up to the new Authority to assume its various responsibilities by degrees, as the financial position allows in each case.

I cannot see any fairer way of financing than for grants to be based upon a percentage of the Island’s purchasing power—say, 40 per cent. This simply means a partial refund of concealed taxation now enjoyed by Australia in the form of income tax on individuals and the company taxes paid by the manufacturers, middlemen and transporters, all of which are in cluded within the cost structure of the goods we buy and pay for each year.

Minister Hasluck has always gone to considerable length to say the Island pays no taxes. This is nonsense. I doubt if we get back more than 90 per cent, of what we pay into the Australian purse. Much of the Island’s income is “fresh blood” in form of foreign currency.

Most of those who do not now pay income tax on mainland investments, would not do so even if we had income tax locally.

Even our direct taxes in duties are formidable in that they extract some £20,000 p.a. from an electoral roll of 518 persons. The reduction of a top heavy bureaucracy and so large an unproductive number in our midst, would remove the need for the Territories Department to be constantly attempting to hide the true position.

The propaganda booklet, “The

Progress to the Australian Terri tories, 1950-1956,” published in 1957, is a typical example of misleading statistics for consumption of those voters not likely to know the real position.

For example, the NI population shown as 1,039, is no doubt taken when the Island was bulging with visitors to our Centenary celebra tions. The real figures of the last census have not yet been published an our Gp^ette.

The state of local finances are deliberately kept from residents and it will be the duty of our new local Authority to see that all revenue and details, of expenditure are pub lished promptly each year. At pre sent the last available Annual Report and Balance Sheet (in which detail is concealed) is for the year ending June, 1953. An appalling state of affairs but indicative of the position of Administration in general.

I would like to express my thanks to those amongst us—including our one-time President, Mr. R. H. H.

Nobbs—who have stuck together and persevered with success in obtain ing a more democratic set-up.

Much effort and money have gone into bringing matters to the present stage; it is now up to all residents of the Island to see that the new Council gets the support that it will require.

Yours, etc.,

W. K. Selby Newbald.

Norfolk Is., June 22, 1957. t A third child, Stephanie Jane, was born on June 26, in Sydney, to Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Inder, former well known residents of Port Moresby, where Mr. Inder was 9PA Regional Journalist.