CUTTING ADRIFT

Taranaki Daily News, 18 February 1931, Page 7

CUTTING ADRIFT

NORTH NEW SOUTH WALES

desire to form new state

lang regime impossible

EARLE PAGE’S BOMBSHELL

free. 12.55 a.m. Sydney, Feb. 17. Launching the campaign for a new State in the northern portion of New South Wales, Dr. Earle Page, former Federal Treasurer and leader of the Australian Country Party, in a speech at Glenreagh to-night said the farmers coiild no longer submit to the insidious domination of the"' extreme labour element in Sydney. He dedared that if th® New South Wales Government defaulted to bondholders as intended, that State would automatically put itself outside the Federal Union. Mr. Lang would bo unable to obtain further credit from the banks arid ho would have to adopt some emergency form of currency. People in the north of New South Wales had no desire to be associated with Mr. Lang’s dishonourable repudiation scheme, said Dr. Page, and they were preparing to cut adrift from New South Wales. They intended to appeal to the Federal Government for. recognition as a State under the Federal Uniop, and for a Provisional Govern* tndnt pending the adjustment of boundaries, liabilities and Parliamentary sanction. An appeal would also be made to the British Government for assistance iff carrying out their object under the Separation Act of 1850.