Unfair?

[gray_marian]

BBC News - Australia's Norfolk Island to lose parliament, gain tax

[Braid Anderson]

Personally I think they'll be better off.

[j.sabourn]

Think the tax man will have a hard time getting any tax from them. I have anchored off Norfolk Island a few times in bad weather as could anchor anywhere around it and use for a lee. Never been ashore there as would not leave the ship in case of a sudden change of wind. However those who did said it was very quite and peaceful, just what old people want, have every intention of going, but will have a few days in Sydney first to gird my loins, have a couple of no doubt cheaper gallons of ale buy 2 bottles of duty free whiskey ( the wife doesn't drink) for the few days sojourn on the island. Cheers JS

[Richard Quartermaine]

When I sailed there in the late 1940s it was the most pristine, beautiful islands with a very friendly very small almost 100% "Bounty" descendants. Their beautiful Norfolk Pines, quaint old English/Tahitian language mix and a large orange the like I have never tasted before or since. The orange was killed off by an imported virus and the tourist trade and incommers has done the usual. I had a young descendant pen pal for many years after I changed ships.

I agree with you Braid, there is no way they can keep the place running as the oldies would prefer and it is a damned shame.

I have recently received a PDF with the Norfolk/Pitcairner language in translation but I have to copy that section but will do so and post it.

Meanwhile I cut a section on Vanuatu in a posting and as the write-up I did some years ago includes Norfolk folk I improved those pages in my website to be more readable. Anyway, it's on my Queensland Insurance Company Oldies Click on the Burns Philp House Flag and scroll down. Cheers, Richard