NG Taxpayers Explain Why

MR. HASLUCK FACE TO FACE WITH HIS CRITICS

NG Taxpayers Explain Why They Have Lost Confidence

RABAUL, December 4.

The Australian Minister for Territories, Mr. Paul Hasluck, :ing his first visit to Papua-New Guinea since the intro tion of the contentious tax bill and related arguments, did give any concrete assurances about anything to a 16-man utation which met him here today.

HASLUCK arrived in Port Moresby this morning and lade Rabaul his first touring no doubt because he is aware great deal of the opposition policies originates in this He will be going to other y’s big deputation did squeeze Vlr. Hasluck a frank state of how the basic tax scale 3en fixed for the Tax Bill, isluck said: “I took full re ality for taking a stab at the •easonable rates by suggest ion on half the Australian nd concessions at double the Mon Hasluck also strongly de the right and precedence for a majority of Administra tembers in the P-NG Legis- Council. xpressed disappointment that , on-Administration members Council had used the taxation as material for an attack Government, rather than as sans of introducing new al for the bill itself.

Learned Something

bers of the deputation said he meeting with Mr. Hasluck icy had been promised noth ut they had learned a few deputation was organised by w Guinea Taxpayers’ Associa ith support from its branches filiated organisations in New

Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville and on the New Guinea Mainland.

Introducing the deputation, the president of the association, Mr.

Dudley Jones, said that the validity or otherwise of the taxation ordin ance was not under discussion, as it was a matter coming up before the High Court of Australia.

The main purpose of the deputa tion therefore was to impress on Mr. Hasluck a series of claims illustrating weak, unworkable, un just or economically dangerous clauses in the bill as it stood.

Mr. Jones and other speakers then made the following points: • The great upsurge of public opinion in sympathy with the Taxation Association’s cause was evidence of public support and feeling in the matter. • The association was deeply con cerned at the ill-will which Terri tory people felt towards Mr.

Hasluck over the Taxation Bill, and could not tolerate that such a posi tion should continue. • More than 400 level-headed people at public meetings had voted no confidence in the Administration, which was further proof of feeling in the matter. o The Taxation Bill had been in troduced with indecent haste and with little warning. • Taxation was already having its effect on the economy of the Terri tory, causing valuable men to leave, retarding development and creat ing unsettled conditions. o The Administration continued to waste public money, thus making the position worse by putting up the cost of services and utilities and giving a poor developmental return for money spent. • The deputation finally specific clauses from the bill which were considered unworkable, unjust or economically dangerous. The clauses covered concessional allow ances company taxation, taxation of profits earned before intr of the bill, unfair exemptions to mission trade enterprises and native organisations, and the need fo

greater scale of allowances because of high living costs.

The deputation also criticised the Administration and the Common wealth Government for failing to provide copies of the original document “Review of Territory Finances” which had suggested tax ation. They said that summaries of the document were all that had been available.

Minister's Denial

This was strongly denied by Mr.

Hasluck, who said that members of the Legislative Council had been told the full document was avail able if requested.

Mr. Hasluck also strongly denied the deputation’s claims that the Taxation Bill had been introduced with undue haste. He said: “Back in 1957. I gave the clearest possible hint that we were thinking in the direction of taxation. I gave it again in October that year, in a Press interview at Port Moresby. I had it circulated, and any one who could not take the hint must have been sleepy.

(Continued on page 149)

“Then we produced the review of finances document because I re alised that the hint had still not been taken.

“Still nothing much happened for a long time, and then it is to the credit of the people of Rabaul that they stirred themselves.

“A deputation from you called on me in Canberra, and I faithfully put your views before Cabinet.

“It was not until April this year that Cabinet finally decided to in troduce tax. Cabinet could not see the sense in turning over to a public inquiry a responsibility that was its own, and accordingly the measure went on.”

Mr. Hasluck spoke with consider able force later in the meeting when it was suggested that the Legislative Council at Port Moresby would not appear to have much value because its majority of Administration mem bers were instructed how to vote.

Mr. Hasluck said: “Of course they are instructed how to vote. That is their job. That is what they are there for —to give the Adminis

trator an official majority. This system is an established matter in subordinate legislative bodies. Don’t be fooled about it or have your les pulled. It is there for a purpose, and there is no secret about it.”

Mr. J. K. Dowling, a member of the executive of the Taxpayers’

Association, made a strong series of attacks on the economic structure of the Territory. He based his at tacks on excessive Administration leave conditions, lack of vehicle maintenance and care, excessive use of Government facilities for private use and apparent lack of overall planning.

Mr. Hasluck took notes of Mr.

Dowling’s statements, but did not give any assurances.

Later, Mr. Hasluck met Native Local Government councillors, some of whom told him that (a) there were too many Christian missions in the Gazelle Peninsula and (b) all alcoholic liquor should be banned in the Territory.

On the missions question they said something should be done to prevent more missions from coming to the Territory. They were con fusing the natives. Mr. Hasluck ad vised the natives to refer this matter to the next visiting UN Mission.

On liquor, they said the majority of the Tolai natives did not want to drink, and the only way to stop natives drinking was to stop all im ports of it, Mr. Hasluck said the drink problem was “great” and the Gov ernment was trying to make up its mind what to do.

In a radio broadcast during his first day in the Territory, Mr.

Hasluck said he had come to the Territory to talk with as many people as possible.

After appealing for a united effort to overcome the many problems, he said that “a rumour is being woven about insecurity”. Australia was not going to pull out of the job in P-NG, however. The end would come only when the indigenous Territorians, in their own time and by tfnir own choice, attained self-Government. But in advancing towards this goal the Australian also had his rightful place in the country, and both now and later the two peoples needed each other.

He “But harm is being done by those fearful or mischiev ous croakers who act as though we are on the run. We are not on the run. We are confident of the right ness of what we are doing, and of the capacity to see it through.”

NZ shipping Company passenger liners on the UK-NZ service are to abandon calls at Pitcairn Island— which is served by Shaw Savill vessels —and will instead call at Papeete on an experimental basis.

Ruahine, bound for NZ, was to make the first such call in November.