NEW STATE IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18817, 4 March 1931, Page 9

NEW STATE IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Alarm in Labour Circles. PROPOSED PETITION TO FEDERAL CABINET. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received February 3, 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 3. In the Legislative Assembly, several Labour members asked questions about the New State movement. Mr Herreron asked the Premier whether steps would be taken to stop persons preaching sedition, and openly advocating the removal of the Government by force. The Premier, replying, generally described it as Press propaganda of the pernicious type. He was watching the position closely. If the privileges of the Press were abused the Government would act and would also maintain law and order. Petition Proposed. Dr. Earl Page, Leader of the Northern Secession Movement, arrived in Sydney to-day. He said the petition, asking for the creation of a new State would be ready for presentation to the Federal Parliament, within six weeks. SECESSION IDEA GROWING. WEST AUSTRALIA MOVES. Recent developments in Federal politics have given stimulus to the campaign in Western Australia for secession from the Commonwealth. Western Australia has always complained that it suffered more than any other State as a result of Federation, and the idea is growing that it would prosper if it were a State unto itself once again. How this could be brought about is a problem, but it is with the idea of solving that problem that the Dominion League came into being in the State. Already the league has accomplished much in the moulding of public opinion, as is shown by the fact that nearly all the leading politicians of the State and many prominent business men who have nothing to do with politics openly advocate secession. The aim of the Domion League is to arrange for a referendum so that the feeling of the people as a whole will be impressed upon the rest of Australia. Then, if secession is not possible, it is thought that Western Australia would be in a much better position to bargain. Status of Dominion. The people of Western Australia have always been careful to explain that secession does not mean cutting adrift from the Empire. What is sought is the status of a Dominion within the Empire, similar to New Zealand. It is claimed that Western Australia has nothing in common with the Eastern States, has received no favours from them, and hopes for none. Western Australians have always been opposed to the high tariff wall that has been erected around Australia, and, in fact, it was this that really started the secession movement. The secretary of the Dominion League recently gave the following explanation of the aims of the league: “The secession move is not directed against the people of the .Eastern States, but against the Federal Parliament, and it appears that most of the other States are beginning to realise the futility of Federation. Often we have been asked, ‘Could we finance secession? Undoubtedly, we could. Federal taxes, excise, Customs duty, and excess charges on Eastern States’ imports cost Western Australia £6,600,000 a year, while under secession, even if we maintained the present Departmental staffs, which would then be largely duplicated, and allowed for interested and sinking fund on the State portion of the war debt, an annual saving of £2,361,000 would be effected. Secession means a release from the chains of Canberra, that £12,000,000 monument of legislative incompetence. It means one Parliament only for us and fewer politicians, and less cost to the people of Western Australia. We believe that secession will attract English and Australian capital to develop our vast resources and promote our industries. No one in the Eastern States will want to prevent us obtaining secession. And we would not seek it if we could otherwise overcome our disabilities, but we cannot.”