QUEENSLAND AFFAIRS

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 50, 27 August 1920, Page 7

QUEENSLAND AFFAIRS

REPLY TO MR, LENSTON.

(»H!M» rngss ABBOCUTION.—cePYSIGHT.) (Received August 27, 10 a.m.) LONDON, 25th August. The British Australasian Society, in a letter to the newspapers in reply to Mr. Lennon's speech, says that the Queensland Government's a,ction is re* pudiation pure and simple. At meetings with Mr. Theodore there was no suggestion of interfering; with Queensland's self-governing powers, ba,t it was made clear to the Premier ' that a breach of faith would be ruinous to the credit of the Government as well as individuals, and that the one BUre road to the restoration of credit waa by the repealing of the Land Act Amendment Act and 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 Act taxing these particular Jeaseholds to the same extent as they would hays suffered by a breach of covenant in connection with 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 join with him in an announcement through the press that his Government had done ihe right thing, and thai? we were satisfied. Naturally, we refused to be parties to any such hollow deception."

The letter concludes : "The LieutenantGovernor is only throwing dust in the electors' eyes when he tries to lay on the Queensland delegation .or certain London financiers trie blame that rests, in fact, solely on the shoulders of the Queensland Government owing to a deliberate breach of faith. '