Rom Canberra To
p. 69 · Read in the full issue
Ni "With Love"
,rom our Norfolk Island Correspondent It is the first of the month at :anberra, ACT. In the Territories \epartment a group of top advisors :e seated at a table presided over v the Minister, the Hon. Paul i asluck, MP. Mr. Hasluck draws i? his chair, smiles at his colleagues, id says ‘‘Well gentlemen, what i all we give Norfolk Island this tonth?”.
HHE above is pure fiction. But L looking at the impressive list of ind-outs received by the Norfolk land Administration since January, )62, one wonders whether there ay be some foundation for such a jlightful picture of Government rgesse.
In the first five months of 1962 e Federal Government —directly or directly—has announced its inten an of spending over £60,000 in this erritory, as follows: JANUARY: The Administrator mounced that an amount of >O,OOO would be spent on the repair id maintenance of Colonial build gs and other structures of historic terest. The cost would be met by e Australian Government and is eluded in the estimates of the epartment of Territories.
FEBRUARY: Details were given I the sealing of Norfolk’s more aportant roads at a cost of £lO,OOO. de Minister for Territories approved ie purchase of a new stone-crushing ant costing £7,000. Tenders would I called on behalf of the Admini ration for the supply of a road tiler costing approximately £3,500. tie Minister approved a request by e trustees of Norfolk’s Rawson all for financial assistance towards [decoration and improvements, the epartment contributing £l,OOO. An nount of £479 was paid to the NI [jurist Bureau for reprinting the >56 Centenary booklet.
MARCH: Mr. Hasluck approved sum of £1,500 for improvements the Public School for construction I ablution blocks, drinking fountains, c. The Minister for the Interior dr. Freeth) announced proposals r the establishment, at Norfolk land, of an lonospheric Prediction nit at a cost of £lO,OOO. Follow g discussions between the visiting perts from the Commonwealth epartment of Works and the orfolk Is. Council on the read ying scheme, a further amount [ £5,500 was made available.
APRIL: The Administrator advised
the chairman of the Norfolk Island Hospital Board that Mr. Hasluck had approved an increase of £5OO per year in subsidy paid to the Hospital, bringing it to £2,000.
Hasluck also approved the Admini stration’s meeting the hospital fees incurred by those people in receipt of the Administration’s “special allowance”. [This refers to those elderly and infirm residents, many without pensions or age benefits, receiving a pittance under the Ad ministration’s so-called Distressed Persons Fund—this is one of the seamier aspects of life for the aged in a “tax-free paradise”].
MAY: Mr. Hasluck approved recommendations by the previous
Administrator for further improve ments to Norfolk’s school and £550 was made available for modern furniture and educational aids. In the same month the Administration announced the purchase of a new autoclave for the Hospital costing £3OO.
So up to date we have got approxi mately £12,000 per month from Canberra “to Norfolk with love”.
Is there any significance in this? Is it part of the Federal Government’s plan to win friends and influence people? It must be remembered that Norfolk’s Council has repeatedly ex pressed its determination to strike off the Canberra shackles and set the island free.