Guide 3 to NSW State Archives relating to Responsible Government - OCR - Flipbook - Page 188
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Responsible Government
New States
Because of the agitation for separation which had been taking place in New South Wales,
Queensland and Victoria during the late nineteenth century, provisions for the creation of
new States and their admission into the Commonwealth were drafted into the
Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act. After Federation, the demands for selfgovernment re-emerged every now and then in the New England (northern) and Riverina
(southern) districts of New South Wales as well as in northern and central Queensland.
Separation Leagues were first instituted in the New England area in Grafton, apparently
in response to the cutting of ferry services in 1915.10 By the 1920s the movement was
quite strong, with a convention being held in Armidale at which 47 new State leagues
were represented. At a Conference on 24 August 1920 at Glen Innes delegates from New
State Leagues met to deal with matters concerning the creation of a new State in the
northern portion of New South Wales. Originally in the Riverina there was a strong
movement for annexation to Victoria, but at a Convention in Albury in 1921 it was
decided to seek separation from New South Wales instead. A short time later, the South
Coast League decided that it did not wish to be included within the Riverina, and lobbied
for the creation of its own State in the Monaro region.
The agitation for separation did have an effect. In September 1922 the Legislative
Assembly passed a resolution about the desirability of the creation of a separate State in
Northern New South Wales and that a Federal Convention should be summoned for the
purpose of considering the boundaries of the States and the distribution of powers
between the States and the Commonwealth.
A circular letter was sent from the Premier's Department to the Prime Minister and
Premiers of all States. In June 1923 the Prime Minister responded that there did not
appear to be any necessity at that stage for submitting the matter to a Federal
Convention as the first step was for the State to determine the terms of any separation,
including the allocation of public debts and public assets. He concluded that, once such a
proposal has been formulated, " the Commonwealth Government, subject to the
concurrence of the Commonwealth Parliament as provided in the Constitution, will be
prepared to take whatever steps are necessary to give effect to the wishes of the
Parliament and people of New South Wales".
Subsequently, in December of that year the Legislative Assembly voted unanimously in
favour of the establishment of a Royal Commission "to enquire into and report upon the
proposed creation of new States to be formed in whole or in part, from the territory of
New South Wales; and matters incidental thereto". A commission was issued in April
1924 to five Commissioners, who reported in April 1925.
The Royal Commission was set up to inquire into proposals for the establishment of a
new State or new States, formed wholly or in part out of the present territory of the
State of New South Wales. This inquiry exhaustively examined the legal, financial and
social basis for the organization of new administrative divisions in Australia. The
Commission was particularly concerned with the effect on the State of New South Wales
of any dismemberment, whether with regard to the Riverina District or to the Northern
New State, based at Armidale. In particular, the Commission examined proposals for
10
Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Proposals for the Establishment of a New State
or New States formed wholly or in part out of the present territory of New South Wales,
(Government Printer, Sydney, 1925), p.4, in SRNSW: CGS 12061, [7/5994]; copy in New
South Wales Parliamentary Papers, Second Session of 1925, Vol.2 pp.1-168
State Records Authority of New South Wales
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