A NEW STATE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1931, Page 6

A NEW STATE

I’KOPO.SAI; IX NEW SOLTI I WALES. SLPPORT FOR MOVEMENT. SYDNEY, Eel,. 2fi. The scheme put forward by tile Premier (Mr Lang) have been responsible for tile renewal of the agitation for the formation of a new State in Northern New South Wales. The leader of the movement is the former Federal Treasurer, head of the Country Party, l)r Earle Page, and he is securing a great deal of support. Many enthusiastic meetings have been held, and at all of these tip. speakers have said in very definite terms that if the producers are to he protected, if they are to he saved from dishonour, .separation is the only way. It is recognised that there are great constitutional difficulties in the way, hut in some quarters threats have been made that the people as a body would refuse to pay taxes to the State if they were not permitted to have their own way. Dr Page sees a nay out. “Air bang has been made a dictator of New South Wales.’ said Dr Page at a meeting at Grafton, on tip. North Coast, on Tuesday night, “and ho is steadily and relentlessly pursuing a policy of destruction of capital and private assets by taxation that cannot lie met from income. Every effort is directed towards Communism and State ownership. .Mr hang has now placed the coping stone in his efforts to damage Australia by his policy repudiation. Tile Commonwealth Constitution provides for the Commonwealth taking responsibility for State debts. If New South Wales repudiates her interest payments, the Commonwealth law no longer holds, and New South Wales becomes an outlaw. “ The Commonwealth must then appeal to New South \Y ales to obey the law and the Constitution, and, on refusal. New South Wales automatically bftuiks loose from the Federation. Will j the North he content to remain with j the repudiYitionists or will it appeal to j the Federation as a complete tin t willing to pay its debts and demand admission to the federal authority?

i„. Page, went on to explain that repudiation such as was proposed by Air Lang would mean a stoppage of all | loans to the State, and money was, 1

ne.ct; snry for tlu* complete development of the rich North. l)r Da go explained that the procedure ol formino ;i new Stale would he the same as adopted hy West Virginia, United States, in 180.1. Virginia infringed tin* Constitution of the United States ami placed herself outside the Federal Union. One-third of the area seceded, or organised a loyal Covernmeiit, ap])ointed an executive, elected a legislature and a convention, which proidod for ordinance for a new State. The North of New South Walt's wotdd take similar action. The new State agitation has now extended to the south, and several meetings held this week in Hiverina have favoured the formation of a new State in that area in order to get away from domination hy iigU'istrialists and. more particularly. N 1 r Lang.