Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3308859

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TAXATION WITHOUT

REPRESENTATION

\ very large public meeting was held in the Town Hall on Saturday night, in connection with the recent income ta\' prosecutions.

The Mayor (Cr. J. F Burton) was voted to the chair. He stated that three of our mo^t respected citizens had been cast into prison for refusing to .pay taxes until they had b^en granted representation, and which bad been faithfully promised by the Prime Minister ptior to the last Federal ßleojiious. Mr Staniforth 'Smith came to the Northern Territory with a , distinct promise from Mr Hughes that

representation would be granted. He (the Mayor) had the greatest admira- tion for the Honorable Staniforth Smith, who had declined to continue any. longer as Administrator when representation was refused. They could not expeci/ much from a man of .the calibre of the proseut Minister, who ought to bave remained at Port Augusta selling cabbage-'., but who was the greatest tyrant in the present Federal Ministry

Mr P. Brennan went back into history, describing the fight for freedom from the time of Magna Charta, and, incidentally took the «opportunity to violently attack the ".ST. Times" reporter for what he (described as " lying statements sent to ¿he-soutlWn press." <

Jtfr Hardie Oibson was in a humor

ous Vf in. He said it gave him much

Pleasure to see the hall so nicely ^ecoiated .with flags, b.»t, ajter a'l, *bey were only Cotton [It might be explained that Miss- Cotton bad decorated the hall for a dance on the previous night] Ministers were usually chosen for their diplomatic abilities, but Mr. Poynton was arty-' thiug but diploma' ic. Dow:^ South if you failed to get on the roll you were prosecuted, but here, in D rwin, if you tried to get on the roll you were prosecuted He moved, " That all resideuts refuse to pay taxes to the Government, and that they provide all the money necessary lo keep the wives and children of those.in jail, giving their lives for tbf* people." If you have -got a soul you will do it willingly

The motion was seconded and

caí ried.

Mr. Harold Nelson said those who were not with them were against them. t Peter Lalor fought the fight at the* Euroka Stockade which they were carrying on to-night. Lalor established a right which many of thom were prepared to laj' down. One of the provision in the Accept ance Act. which gave the Northern Territory to the Federal Government provided that Chinese, or other Asiatics, should be replaced by whites in Government positions. But wbat did they find to-day. All breeds from half.castes down. With barnacles like that sucking the life's blood out of the Territory, the place would never go ahead The gauntlet has been thrown down, and we will fight. A birthright has been handed down to us, and it our duty to protect it. Lalor did it, and died cheerfully. There is a monument at_^ Eureka upon which those miners' names are inscribed, and we will have a monu- ment, probably in Liberty Square, to Watts and the other men in jail, and a black slab on the ground at jbe base with the names of the traitors deeply embedded in it. He did not care a damn for the Federal Government, the Minister, or the Administrator : he had a course to steer, and ho would steer it until they pnt him behind the bai s He read a petition, which was said to be signed by #00 pei sons, .was to tho followino- efïe-'t:-" Wo, the undersigned, bave no iniention of paying taxes until our hi rr h rights are restored, and demand tho immediate release of the iih'ii now in jail. Failing that we demand that the Government do its duty in accordance with the tyiannicil laws without delay." In 1913, continued Mr Nelson, wo went out to Fannie B«y with a procession, fireworks, and the devil to pay, to greet a cert.tin mon who had been released by public subscription. To-day he had handed the sauie man a dodger and he snooted at it, but he took the people's money

in 1913.

. The Mayor announced that the' Darwin Town Band would play at Fannie Bay on Sunday afternoon.

Mr R. M. Biding said " he was sitting behind Mr Roberts, and bp distinctly heard him sneer'when Mr Brennan wis speaking. Ho thought Mr Roberts and Mr B-irrait. who had accepted briefs against tua people, should crawl down hole'-? and stop

there.

A subscription was opened in the room for the support of those who were or might be imjc>risoned.

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