NORFOLK ISLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 9

NORFOLK ISLAND.

Discussing the Act passed by the Fede* ral Parliament dealing with Norfolk! Island, the Common-wealth. Minister for* External Affairs (Mr. Glynn) said last week that the next step would be for that Imperial Government to issue an Order ins Council resting the control of the island) 5 in the Commonwealth. The Act which,' had been passed was an Acceptance Act, ", authorising the Federal Government to accept responsibility for the of the territory when vested in the Commonwealth Government by an Imperial Order in Council under section 122 of tha / Constitution. That did not make it parti .*\ , of the Commonwealth. It was, like J V Papua, simply territory governed by the / N Commonwealth. If it were part of the '*"•■ Commonwealth it would be part of a State. Freedom of interchange had to bo established by Act, ypd did not auto* matically follow as it would were the) territory accepted as part of the Common* wealth. The Federal Parliament had to provide in the Act that imports coming direct from Norfolk Island, which vera the produce of the island, should bo free of import duty, for there was no Excise upon similar Australian produce. Tha duty collected on the 'imports in Norfolk ■ :.; Island would still be imposed. Tha '; revenue of the Island was small, and a> :j deficit of about £1500 a year had been ~y made up in one way or another by tha >l| New South Wales Government. -fi^