WESTERN AUSTRALIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22071, 29 March 1935, Page 11

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

SECESSION PETITION COMMITTEE NOW SITTING LONDON. March 27 In the lofty King's robing roopt of the House of Lords, Viscount Goschen presided over.the historic Joint Select Committee, with Lord Wright and the Marquess of Lothian, which is to decido whether Western Australia's petition to secede from the Commonwealth can be properly received by the British Parliament. It is the first time in the history of the Empire that a State has sought to secede from the jurisdiction of a larger member. There was an entire absence of ceremonial when the members of the committee took their places and the proceedings were opened. Counsel were arrayed in wig and gown, but others were in street dress. Mr. R. Linton, Agent-General for Victoria, and Mr. R. G. Menzies, At-torney-General of the Commonwealth, and foil delegates were among the small group who listened to Professor Morgan in his opening address for the secessionists. Lord Goschen, in opening the proceedings, said the committee had decided to keep within the four corners of their order of reference, namely, to report whether the petition was proper to be received, and not to deal with the merits of the case. Professor Morgan said the British Parliament alone had power to grant the petitioners the relief they asked. Western Australia was determined to secede and obtain responsible government for itself as a self-governing Dominion, liberated from what was regarded as not only political subjection, but economic suppression under the Commonwealth Government. Its determination to secede was not transient or petulant, nor was it a mere party move. It was a determination accepted by all the political parties in Western Australia as expressing the will of the people. The State had not sought the path of rebellion, but had shown almost passionate loyalty, not only to the Crown, but to the rest of the Commonwealth. Professor Morgan declared that there was really no limitation upon the British Parliament's power to receive petitions. The historic basis of the right of-petition was that Parliament would always entertain petitions where no other means of redress were available.