ORDER FOR DEPORTATION

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1934, Page 5

ORDER FOR DEPORTATION

BRIT ISH-BORN S ÜBJECT NORFOLK ISLAND DISPUTE ADMINISTRATOR'S ACTION MR. ONSLOW’S ALLEGATIONS By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, July 18. The Sydney Morning Herald says that an extraordinary incident, probably unprecedented in Empire administrative matters, occurred on Norfolk Island last week. Mr. J. A. MacArthur Onslow was ordered to leave the island after he had failed to pass a language test in German. Mr. Onslow alleges that he had a difference with the administrator, and there could be no other reason for his deportation. He intends to seek redress at law. According to friends of Mr. Onslow a definite break between him and the Administrator occurred on Anzac Day, when, it was alleged, the Administrator refused to attend the Anzac Day function if a certain official of the Returned Soldiers’ organisation were present. This gave rise to vigorous criticism. According to Mr. Onslow he was ordered to appear before the Administrator. A climax was reached last week when he was told that he would be required to leave the island by the next steamer. Next he was brought before a Customs officer, who, incidentally, was secretary to the Administrator, and given a language test in German. As he failed to pass the test an order for his deportation was issued immediately, and he sailed by the Morinda the following day. Norfolk Island is British territory within the Commonwealth. Mr. Onslow when he reached Sydney declared that the islanders were seething with discontent against the administration, whose powers they wanted reduced.

KEEN INTEREST AROUSED A PRECEDENT MENTIONED ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT r By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 12.45 a.m. Canberra, July 18. Considerable interest is being taken among Commonwealth Ministers in the Norfolk Island controversy. Sir Harry Lawson, Minister of Territories, said there were precedents where a British-born subject had been required to pass a dictation test in a foreign language in mandated territories. The Commonwealth Government is convinced that the Administrator of Norfolk Island, Captain Pinney, acted within his powers. The Government is awaiting his report regarding tlje trouble with Mr. Onslow, but it knew sufficient to enable it to say Captain Pinney was justified in the action he had taken. It also had every confidence that he acted justly for the benefit of the islanders. Mr. Onslow is a son of Major-General J. W. MacArthur Onslow, a member of the Legislative Council and a descendant of Captain John Macarthur, founder of the Merino wool industry in Australia.