COLONY OF BRITAIN

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29068, 3 December 1959, Page 26

COLONY OF BRITAIN

New Jersey Man’s Desire (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) WESTFIELD (New Jersey), December 1. A businessman has fired the first shot of what he hopes will be a reverse revolution to get New Jersey back into the British Commonwealth. Mr Erik Roos, aged 50, who catches his train daily to and from Manhattan, is upset about paying the New York State income tax even though he lives in New Jersey.

He wrote to the Governor of New Jersey (Mr Robert Meyner) today to appeal to “the Crown of England for our return to colonial status with its guarantees of British justice.” He said he was being subjected to “taxation without representation,” the same cry that touched off the Boston “Tea Party” and the American revolution two centuries ago. New Jersey residents who work in New York and Philadelphia have been protesting for years that they are taxed there but are not allowed the same deductions as residents and do not get all the services provided by those States. The British consulate in New York took Mr Roos’ announcement calmly. “We’re getting rid of our colonies these days,” an official said.