QUEENSLAND'S LAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1920, Page 7

QUEENSLAND'S LAWS.

SELF GOVERNMENT'ISSUE. By Teleetaph—Press Assn.— Copyright. London, Aug. 25. The British, Australian' Society, in a letter to the newspapers in reply to the speech of Mr Lennon (Lieut-Gov-ernor of Queensland), says that the action of the Queensland Government is repudiation, pure and simple. At the meetings with Mr Theodore (Premier) there was no suggestion of interfering with Queensland's self-governing powers but it was made clear to the' Premier tlnU breach of faith was ruinous to the credit of Governments, as well as individuals, and the one sure road to the restoration of credit was by repealing the Land Act Amendment Act, restoring the status quo ante. Mr. Theodore offered to repeal the Act, but coupled the offer with an intimation that the Government would immediately introduce an Aet taxing these particular leaseholds to the same extent as they would have suffered by the breach of the Government in their' leases. Thus the Government professed to keep faith in the letter while deliberately breaking it in the spirit. This offer was coupled with a suggestion that the society should join with him in an announcement in the press that this Government had done a right thing and that the society was satisfied. Naturally the society refused to be a party to any such hollow deception. The letter concludes: The Lieut.-Gov-ernor is 'only throwing dust in the eyes of the electors when he tries to lay on the Queensland delegation or certain London financiers the blame that rests in fact solely on the shoulders of the Queensland Government, owing to its deliberate breach of faith.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ;