Some historical and global examples of tax resistance →
Australia →
Northern Territory, and Papua, 1919–21 →
Robert Toupein
Tax resistance was also used as a protest against the second-class political status of the Northern Territory, and against the government’s crackdown on civil liberties (which was related to the radical union agitation).
Many resisters were jailed, and the resistance was widespread — including even the mayor of Darwin, Robert Toupein.
According to one report:
It has been stated that early in Toupein admitted, in open Court, that the tax was owing, that he had ample means to pay it, but that he would not pay a penny.
His refusal, it is stated, was because of “no representation” in the Federal Parliament.
No step was taken to enforce the order of the Court, as the police force was inadequate to stand up to any resistance.
It is even alleged that some Government servants have paid no income tax for two years.
Failure to prosecute the former mayor will surely raise a protest from residents of the Territory who have paid their taxes regularly.
By some it is contended that the Government has adopted the line of least resistance, and refrained from collecting the thousands of pounds due only to obviate all risk of disturbance.
Mr. Hardie Gibson, who followed, dealt chiefly with the payment of income tax, and referred to the anomaly of residents of the Northern Territory being asked to contribute towards the cost of their own coercion, and the upkeep of a most despotic regime.
Mr. R.M. Balding briefly endorsed Mr. Hardie Gibson’s remarks, and stated that, if the men of the Northern Territory were true to their own interests, the Fannie Bay penal establishment would have to be considerably enlarged before it could hold all those who refused to pay income tax.… With regard to income tax, those who purpose resisting payment thereof were asked to affix their signature to lists which will be prepared and left at certain business places for that purpose.
The question, paramount above all others in the present and future, is whether Papuan residents are to sit quiescent and then take the objectionable medicine of taxation without representation which is being forced upon them without a say in its expenditure and without a voice in Parliament.
We have been informed that but 10 per cent of the population of Papua have rendered returns.
Are the other 90 per cent going to sit idly by and allow this insult to their intelligence without a protest?
One victim of this iniquitious impost whose income runs to four figures, has stated definitely that he will not pay the tax.
Dozens of others are murmuring threats at the Commonwealth’s refusal to grant us the franchise, and have averred that they will suffer imprisonment rather pay.
The many scandals which have been ventilated, together with other performances, information of which has been suppressed, but which are gradually coming into the light of day and deserve opprobious censure, have caused the feeling that we should have some say in the spending of any moneys paid by us to the Commonwealth Treasury.
One thing and one only is our present demand — Elective representation and no taxation without it.
“The Courier,” as evidence of its bona fides on the question, has decided, to form a fund for the defence of any resident who may by victimised, persecuted, or prosecuted for failure to pay the tax, and to that end we open the list with a contribution of Five Guineas.
Every white resident throughout Papua is asked to rally to the support of the movement — No taxation without representation.
A public meeting convened by the Northern Territory Industrial Council at the instance of the Darwin branch of the Australian Workers Union was held in the Don Stadium on .
The subject for discussion was: — “Taxation without Representation,[”] with the object of inaugurating some concerted movement as a protest against such taxation.
Mr. J. Thomas, chairman of the industrial council occupied tho chair.
Among the speakers were Messrs.
W. Blount, Hardie Gibson, Alf.
Paine, Tom M’Donald and J. M’Donald.
It was moved by Mr. Alf.
Paine, and seconded by Mr. T. M’Grath, “That we citizens of Darwin refuse to pay any taxation until we receive representation.”
An amendment was moved by Mr. T. M’Donald, seconded by Mr. J.J. M’Donald: — “That this meeting of Darwin citizens condemns the injustice of taxation without representation, and calls upon the Minister through the Director of the Territory to withdraw all summonses on this head pending the question of taxation as it effects the Territory being fully discussed, and that we protest against the system of garnishee as set forth in section 50a of the Income Tax Assessment Act of , and we warn the employers of Darwin that any attempt to put it into force from this date onwards will lead to industrial trouble.”
A division was taken, and the amendment was carried by a majority of at least three to one.
A further resolution was passed that the members of the Advisory Council place the above motion before the Director of the Northern Territory.
(A Contributed Report.)
The following is a resume of the speeches delivered at the public meeting on :
Mr. Blunt (Executive Council A.W.U.) said the present struggle reminded him of the fight for liberty in , and , a struggle which he thought would never occur again in the history of Australia.
He referred to the fight in which the machinery of the Coercion Act was used against them, to the rise and progress of the Australian Labor Party, the fight for adult suffrage, and never thought he would again be called upon to participate in a fight for representation in his own country.
For ten years the Territory had been under the control of an Administrator, and very little was known of the country.
Presuming that the country’s chief industry was stock-raising, the government appeared to think that the Territory’s best interests would be served by the appointment of a veterinary surgeon as Administrator at a salary of £2000 a year.
But every effort made for the advancement of the interests of the Territory was passed out by Gilruth.
The ballot box, a boasted institution throughout the British Empire, was not here, and the situation was irksome to any man, but especially to those who had enjoyed that privilege in other parts.
Every man had a rightful claim to a say as to in what manner the country should be governed, and how their money was to be spent.
Here in the Northern Territory they had, however, direct taxation without any form of representation — an unjust condition of affairs which brought on a feeling of antagonism to all forms of government.
The conduct of the Government was rapidly creating in the Territory a strong feeling of antagonism to all forms of Government.
We had a striking example of a similar instance when the British attempted to force the Americans to pay taxes without representation, with the result that the United States of American sprang into existence.
He referred to the proposal by the British in the American war of independence, to let loose the Red Indians on the Americans, and to the statement by Pitt in the House of Commons “Shame on them!
They would not be British if they would not fight for their independence.”
Pitt gloried in the Americans in their struggle.
How could a country be honestly governed if the people had no say?
Common sense must tell them that where the government of a country rested in the hands of two or three people, they would govern it in their own interests and not in the interests of the people.
They wanted the Government of the Territory more in the hands of the people and he held that in the local population sufficient brains could be found without sending 3000 miles away down south.
Mr. Burton, a returned soldier and President of the Darwin Branch A.W.U., endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker.
He was one of those men who had left this country to fight for freedom on the other side of the world.
Each and every one of those countries engaged in that bitter war, even the unspeakable Turk, had representation in the Government of his country.
Now he had come back to his own country to find himself placed on the level of a blackfellow or a Chinaman.
He had no vote.
The Germans would have treated him better.
Mr. Gibson (A.M.I.E.U.) referred to the agitation in Papua where a strong fight was being made against the injustice of taxation without representation.
Territorians must keep up their reputation and not allow Papua to lead the way.
He pointed out one unjust phase of the question as affecting the Territory in the fact that the Arbitration Court in New South Wales had ruled that an ordinary unskilled laborer required not less than 12s per day as a living wage, and was exempted accordingly.
In Queensland the minimum wage Was £200 per annum, but if living was £50 per annum dearer in Queensland than in Sydney a further exemption of £50 above Queensland should be allowed in Darwin.
He was afraid that pressing for payment of the tax would create a revolt in the Territory and he counselled first to endeavour to obtain their end by peaceful means.
Don’t refuse to pay your taxation, but don’t break your necks running up to the office to pay for fear of a blister.
In other words he counselled passive resistance to see how far the authorities were prepared to go.
They would pick their marks as was done in the cass of the Mayor, but when the final move was made he would not be in the rear.
He did not want trouble like they had last year, he could not see the necessity for it, but unless the Government adopted different methods they would spread the seeds of Bolshevism faster than by any other method.
The Government had hounded men out of jobs they had occupied for years, and when these unfortunate men again got a job the Government came down with a blister to take their money back again.
Another unfair point: An unskilled laborer may earn £150 in 14 weeks at the meatworks.
The exemption being £56 he would have to pay taxation on the £94 despite the fact that he may be unemployed for the rest of the year.
Mr. Bollon: We have held meeting after meeting and what good did it do?
A few men hopping over the fence at Gilruth finished things at once.
We should absolutely refuse to pay the tax until representation was granted.
(Applause.)
Mr. T. M’Donald said the attitude of the people was not so much against the tax — it was a question of taxation without representation.
In all countries a certain amount of representation was given before the people were required to pay the tax, and here in the Commonwcaltih all the States had representation in Parliament, the Northern Territory being the only exception.
He recognised that they were up against the Commonwealth Government, and was not anxious to cause trouble.
They should be able to get along without trouble or with the least possible trouble, and he suggested that the Director of the Territory be asked to keep back summonses until the people have had a chance to discuss the matter and see what basis could be arrived at to pay the taxes.
Mr. Paine said he had moved at the A.W.U. meeting that those present pledge themselves not to pay the tax till representation was granted.
He had been asked to modify the motion but refused to do so.
They should [pay?] nothing, but sit tight and let the Government do their best.
Hang out — stick to it!
Mr. Culliney: Can you tell us what to do if they put the bailiff in?
It is all very well to lead us into the forest, but who is to lead us out?
Mr. Paine said the bailiff was a tough question, but if none would pay, no one would compel him.
Mr. Balding said he had refused to pay 12 months ago.
Since then he had had numerous notices from the Government through the post.
A Government officer had been instructed to stop the amount out of his pay, but he had challenged them to do so without an order from the Court despite the fact that he had got a barrister’s opinion that they could legally do so.
In answer to a question Mr. Gibson said the Act was rotten and ought to be passed out of the country along with the party that passed it.
The Mayor Before the Court.
On , before Mr. E.C. Playford, S.M., Robert Toupein, Mayor of Darwin, was charged on an unsatisfied judgment summons, by the Commissioner of Taxation, for whom Mr. D.A. Roberts appeared, with non-payment of income tax.
Defendant, who went into the witness box, admitted owing the amount, but stated that he declined, on principle, to pay income tax until such time as political representation was granted to the Northern Territory.
An order was made for payment forthwith, but, so far as we have been able to ascertain, payment has not yet been made.
Google got off to a great start digitizing old newspapers, and then ran out of enthusiasm for the project, alas.
The Trove project is doing good work with old Australian newspapers, though, and they allow their users to correct the mistakes made by optical character recognition software when scanning the old microfilm images, so over time the database will become more searchable.
Today I’ll reproduce some of the articles from this database, concerning various tax resistance campaigns and feints in Australia.
First, this article from the Australasian Chronicle:
Whatever improvements may be made in our body politic during the present
session of council, one determination seems to pervade the minds of those at
the helm of affairs — a determination to tax the colonists both in town and
country. In addition to the bill for instituting corporations, with the
provisions of which our readers are already acquainted, the Governor has
brought forward another bill, for the purpose of appointing rural
corporations, under the name of Police Commissioners, with power to levy
rates for the support of police and the improvement of roads,
&c.
Now, as we have before said in reference to the Corporations Bill, we think
this altogether premature, as it is certainly contrary to the principles of
the British constitution. In the worst times of English history we find that
the representatives of the people were extremely jealous of anything in the
shape of taxation which was levied without their consent; and since that
period of history, during which the British government has been conducted
upon something like fixed principles, the representatives of the people have
exercised the sole right of disposing of all money bills. We have moreover
the best legal authority, as quoted by his Honor Chief Justice Dowling, last
session, that an English man, go where he will, carries with him the
constitution of his country, with all the privileges which it secures for
him. If this be true, then, we ask, by what right does Sir George Gipps
require the people of this colony to submit to direct taxation, destitute as
they are of any thing like representative government?
It appears that his Excellency, or his advisers, have forgotten the cause of
the American revolt, which ended in the overthrow of British sway after years
of angry feelings and civil war; and, although it may be said that in the
present case the tax is small, and would be for our good — we stop not to
discuss this matter — it is for the principle we contend. The tax
resisted by [John] Hampden was only of small amount. Had it been a farthing
instead of a pound he would have resisted it; for he contended, as we do, not
for great or small details, but for right — the right of free-born subjects to
be taxed by their representatives, and by them alone. “Without representation,
no taxation.” Once depart from this maxim, and, no matter how small the
present demand, we allow the Governor to insert his wedge in the block; how
far it may ultimately penetrate will depend upon the force which he brings to
bear upon it. In other words, consent to taxation without representation, and
you open a door through which arbitrary will can stalk in, whatever
shape or guise it may please to assume. Sir George has no doubt read the fable
of the horse, the stag, and the man. The horse was at enmity with the stag,
and entreated the man to assist him to catch and conquer him. He did so; the
horse thanked the man for his assistance, and requested to be released. “Oh!
no, my friend,” said the man, “you have boon so useful on this occasion, I
must retain you for my service.” It is in this way his Excellency calls upon
the Legislative Council to pass his unconstitutional bills, in order, he says,
to recommend the colony to the Home Government, and “prove that we are worthy
of a representative assembly.” Let the Council pass these bills, say we, and
the Home Government will “retain it for further service.” Depend upon it, the
British Ministry will not readily part with so obsequious a a body, to give
place to one which would not, assuredly, prove so easy of management. We have
another plan which we would recommend to Members of Council, by which they may
prove to the Home Government that the colony is “worthy of being entrusted
with a legislative assembly.” We would say to the independent Members — Prove
that you know the rights of free British subjects; throw out the Ordnance
Bill, and the Municipal Bill, and the Police Commissioners Bill, as involving
subjects which can only be settled by the representatives of the people; and
you will thereby prove effectually that you are worthy of freedom, and know
its value. On the other hand, should these bills pass in their present state,
we would advise the colonists to refuse the payment (unless under the extreme
penalty of the law) of a single farthing levied under the two last mentioned
Acts. We maintain that this may be safely done, upon the acknowledged
principle of “no taxation without representation;” and we are convinced that
this constitutional system of passive resistance would prove beyond measure
more convincing to the Home Government that we are worthy of possessing our
rights, than the plan proposed by his Excellency, of submitting tamely to be
taxed in such manner as he or they may choose to dictate. But more of this
anon.
A monster meeting had been held at Castlemaine,
Capt. Trewartha in the chair,
advocating passive resistance to the license tax. The following resolutions
were unanimously adopted:—
That as the Legislature have taken no satisfactory steps to redress the
grievances of the residents on the gold fields, this meeting protests
against the injury done them, and resolves to take out no more licenses for
gold digging, and to quietly abide the consequences; and as it is necessary
that the diggers should know their friends, every miner agrees to wear as a
pledge of good faith, and in support of the cause, a piece of red ribbon on
his hat, not to be removed until the license tax is abolished.
That as all men are born free and equal, this meeting claims their right to
a voice in the framing and passing of laws which they are called upon to
obey; and look upon nomineeism as a compromise of their just rights, and
will not accept as a gift that which is their inherent right, and will have
nothing short of their full and fair share in the representation of the
country.
That as the public lands belong by right to the people, and were given by
the Creator for the use of man, and cannot, with justice, be alienated from
him, this meeting declares that the government cannot any longer, with
propriety, withhold them from the people; that the present pernicious land
system should, with delay, be abrogated, and the standing orders in Council
revoked.
That this meeting resolves to unite with the people on the various
gold-fields, and of the towns of Melbourne and Geelong, in every just effort
to secure their rights.
That this meeting indignantly protests against the violent and illegal
resort to arms on the part of the Government against the people of Ballarat,
and the hostile attitude assumed by them towards the naturally peaceably
disposed and industrious inhabitants of the gold fields, by placing them
illegally under martial law, and deliberately records its unalterably fixed
determination, in the event of the Government refusing to immediately
withdraw the military from all the diggings, to use every just means within
its power to obtain their sacred and inalienable rights.
That in the opinion of this meeting the late disturbances at Ballarat have
been entirely occasioned by the exasperating and imprudent conduct of the
authorities; that the men who are at present in custody should immediately
be liberated, and that the Government should alone be held responsible for
the consequence.
That for the purpose of carrying out the foregoing resolutions, and as soon
as the necessary steps shall have been taken for organising and uniting all
the gold-fields with the cities and towns, a great national conference be
held in Melbourne, to secure the full and free rights of our adopted country — Australia.
That a committee be elected for the purpose of corresponding with the other
gold fields, and of carrying out the objects of the Gold-Fields Reform
League.
That this meeting from their very souls sympathise with the true men of the
people who are unjustly imprisoned for taking part in the late out-break and
also desire to publicly express their esteem for the memory of the brave men
who have fallen in battle, and that to shew their respect every digger and
their friends do wear tomorrow () a
band of black crape on his hat, and in their public and prívate devotions
remember the widows and orphans of the dead warriors.
The resolutions were all received with a great deal of cheering, except the
last, on the reading of which, every hat was lifted from the head with an
expression of deep reverence.
It was explained that the rule of action to be adopted was this:— If the
police went round to search for licenses, no resistance would be offered, as
they were simply executive officers, but on an arrest taking place it should
be reported to the committee by the nearest observer; they would immediately
call a monster meeting, and the whole of the people would deliver themselves
into custody. The men of Bendigo it was said meant to abide by the
consequences of that resolution. If the people of Forest Creek thought it was
right, they would adopt it, so that there should be united action on all the
gold fields of the colony.
On , before Mr. E.C.
Playford, S.M., Robert Toupein (Mayor of Darwin) was charged on an
unsatisfied judgment summons with the nonpayment of his income tax.
Defendant admitted owing the money, but stated that he declined on principle
to pay taxation until people resident in the Northern Territory were granted
political representation. An order was made for payment forthwith, but no
payment has yet been made.
Recent threats from residents of the Northern Territory that they will refuse
to pay taxes until they have been given the right to send a representative to
the Federal Parliament, have had little effect on the authorities, and in the
Court at Darwin to-morrow a batch of property owners will be called to pay or
give reasons why they should be excused. Not all residents have taken up this
defiant attitude, and the Secretary to the Department for Home and
Territories (Mr. J.G. McLaren) said on Saturday that the large holders of
land paid without demur.…
Darwin
(N.T.),
. — Several leading unionists were
before the Court on charges
of not having paid their income tax, and were ordered to be imprisoned for 28
days, without hard labour. The order for committal has not yet been put in
execution, and the defendants are still at large.
The New South Wales Trades and Labor Council carried a motion of protest against the imprisonment of a number
of residents at Port Darwin for refusing to pay Federal income tax.
This action was taken in response to the following wire from union officials
at Darwin:— “Eleven more residents appeared before the court to-day for
refusing to pay tax until they receive representation. Mr. Nelson (secretary
of the A.W.U.),
Mr. Brennan (secretary of the A.M.I.E.U.),
and four others, received 28 days’ gaol. The other cases were adjourned. We
call upon the council to hold public protest meetings; also to raise
subscriptions to carry on the fight. Nine men are now in prison, seven of
whom have young families. More prosecutions are to follow. Of the imprisoned
men four are leading speakers, while the rest are committeemen.”
The western miners will probably soon sound a call to arms, as the whole of
the lodges in the west are being asked to express an opinion as follows:
“That we, members of the western district of the Coal and Shale Employees’
Federation, ask the general secretary to get into touch with the executive
officers of all industrial organisations in Australia, with a view of
obtaining co-operation in refusing to pay State or Federal income tax on
wages of £300 or under per annum; also, in the event of a motion being
carried, and any member being sent to prison for refusing to pay, that all
unionists be called on immediately to stop work, and refuse to recommence
until such member is released, or the garnished money is refunded.”
So far all the western miners’ lodges which have dealt with the proposal to
exercise passive resistance to the income tax, unless the exemption is raised
to £300, have unanimously endorsed the scheme.
Only two lodges have yet to deal with the matter, after which the proposal
will be sent to the general secretary of the federation for endorsement by
the central council.
The secretaries of all the industrial organisations in Australia will be
written to and requested to resist payment of both Federal and State taxes
unless the exemption is raised.
In the Darwin Local Court. to-day, before a Special Magistrate (Mr. Playford)
five people were charged with refusing to pay their income tax. Four of the
cases were adjourned at the request of the Taxation Commissioner’s solicitor,
who was up country. The Magistrate granted an adjournment without hearing the
defendants. In the remaining case the defendant received the maximum penalty
of forty days’ imprisonment. The total number of residents imprisoned for
refusal to pay income tax is now twenty of whom seven are in prison. The
ex-Mayor (Mr. Toupin) and Mr. Bakling, who was appointed by the Government to
the Northern Territory Food Prices Board, were released this morning.
Joe Cook is a most unfortunate humorist. Speaking of the Lithgow miners’
passive resistance to income tax unless the exemption is raised to at least
£300, Joseph said he “would himself be a passive resister if he thought it
would be any good.” What an inspiration to public-spiritedness! How well
calculated to make a Lithgow miner feel ashamed of himself to be told that
the Treasurer of the Commonwealth would gladly evade the income-tax if he
could!
Darwin, . A public meeting was held in the town hall last night, presided over by the Mayor (Cr. Watts), under the auspices of the State Hotel Bar Boycott Committee.
The speakers, generally, announced their intention to refrain from payment of income tax until the rights of citizenship had been secured by the appointment of a local advisory board, and advised those present to do likewise.
Lists of passive resisters will be opened throughout the Territory, and a levy of 10/ has been struck.
Unionists have made an appeal to non-unionists and the townspeople for a voluntary subscription of a similar amount.
Sr. Ferricks will be met by a monster procession on his arrival, and existing grievances will be laid before him.
Darwin, . At a well-attended meeting, held in the Town Hall, and presided over by the mayor, it was resolved to enter upon an organised campaign against the payment of income tax, pending the rights of citizenship being granted.
Towards the expenses a levy of 10/ has been struck for all unionists, and an appeal has been made to citizens to fall into line.
Under a self-imposed ordinance, Gilruth decreed that beer, when bought wholesale at his liquor store, must return at least 35 per cent profit, while whisky at 50 per cent is not enough, for the Administrator not only insists but demands a profit of 75 per cent on all retail sales, even including recognized brands of bottled goods.
Added to this law is another than any person cannot import any liquor from Brisbane, Sydney, or anywhere else; that you must drink only one brand of beer (Carlton Brewery, Melbourne) and three brands of whisky.
If you violate this glorious law you are a felon, and you shall receive a £100 fine and 12 months’ imprisonment, and dwell with niggers in jail.
On an ordinance decreed that, owing to the new Federal supertax of 5–6d. per pint increase on beer, the Administrator passed on the tax by charging an increase of threepence per pint.
A meeting was held in the Town Hall, Darwin.
The Mayor presided, and a resolution was carried to boycott the State hotels until such time as a satisfactory reason was given for this latest act of the Administration.
A deputation was appointed to meet Gilruth, with the usual result.
What must the Southern taxpayer think when he knows that here in Darwin, where we have a white population of roughly 2300, he has to pay to keep a warship, as well as 80 soldiers, to force us in free Australia to knuckle down to the dictates of an individual who is not an Australian and, worse still, has not the slightest regard for Australian sentiment, and obstinately denies us what is enjoyed elsewhere in Australia.
If you think it reasonable or logical to live like human beings down South, while we, who are pioneers and deserve far greater consideration, are crushed down to the same level as Chinamen and aborigines, then the time has come for you to thoroughly awaken, for we are refusing to pay the Territory and Commonwealth income taxes, and no warship will compel the citizens to respect an Administrator or his precious system after a six years’ glorious trial, brimful of tragedies, or to permit the Government to continue an unrepresentative, rotten system at the point of a bayonet or by the intimidation of a gunboat.
Pay on, pay on, brothers of the South, for we absolutely refuse to upkeep this state of affairs.
In his concluding remarks the Mayor [Watts] congratulated the people of the Northern Territory upon the loyal manner in which the boycott of the State Hotel Bars, which had now lasted six weeks, had been adhered to.
No one in Darwin was drinking at the State Hotel bars now except among “the heads,” some of whom might be looking for another billet before long when the people got their rights.
Mr. Hardie Gibson, who followed, dealt chiefly with the payment of income tax, and referred to the anomaly of residents of the Northern Territory being asked to contribute towards the cost of their own coercion, and the upkeep of a most despotic regime.
Mr. R.M. Balding briefly endorsed Mr. Hardie Gibson’s remarks, and stated that, if the men of the Northern Territory were true to their own interests, the Fannie Bay penal establishment would have to be considerably enlarged before it could hold all those who refused to pay income tax.… Cr. [Harold] Nelson also read out a statement of receipts and expenditure in connection with the boycott committee.
A motion was proposed to the effect that a levy of ten shillings be struck on all residents of the Northern Territory, but this was amended so as to provide for a levy of ten shillings being struck upon all unionists, and for a voluntary subscription of a like amount being asked for from all other men in the Northern Territory, with the exception of those out of employment, who would not be expected to contribute.
A collecting committee was appointed to canvass the town for subscriptions.
A reception committee was also appointed to meet Senator Ferricks upon his arrival by steamer from the south, when another monster procession will take place, regarding which due notice will be given as soon as is possible.
With regard to income tax, those who purpose resisting payment thereof were asked to affix their signature to lists which will be prepared and left at certain business places for that purpose.
A meeting of the reception committee was afterwards held, presided over by Cr. Robt Toupein, at which a number of details connected with the visit of Senator Ferricks were discussed, and certain arrangements decided upon.
Boycott hotel bars and liquor store still strictly observed by citizens, and is now commencing tenth week, also citizens making determined stand, on passive resistance lines, to refuse to pay Commonwealth and Territory income taxes until such time as Australian citizen rights are restored.
Gilruth fled Darwin on , never to return.
Harold Nelson did do time in Fannie Bay for his tax resistance, but had the last laugh when he became the first parliamentary representative of the Northern Territory.
