DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 85, 11 April 1933, Page 7

DIFFICULT PROBLEM.

Carrying Out Decision of

Voters.

FORMER PREMIER'S VIEW.

(Received 12 noon.)

MONTREAL, April 10.

The decision of the voters of West Australia to secede from the Commonwealth will be very difficult to carry out now that the finances of the States are so interwoven, according to Sir Newton Moore, a former Premier of West Australia. "The promise of Mr. Lyons to hold a convention to examine the difficulties of the position with a view to adjusting the anomalies that undoubtedly exist, seems to me a practical way of securing relief.

"West Australia has been a very heavy per capita contributor to the bonuses paid to industries which have been no benefit to her, and has justifiable grievances. The Commonwealth was created by six sovereign States in order to secure a universal system of defence, post and telegraphs, and a single Customs tariff with inter-State free trade. West Australia, in view of the fact that she had only some 10 years before received responsible Government and had not had time to establish her secondary industries, was allowed to retain protection against the other States for five years, reducing the inter-State tariff by 20 per cent yearly.

"But five years in the history of a nation does not allow much time to establish industries, and there has always been a feeling that West Australia has been the dumping ground for the manufacturers of the eastern States."