Australia And The Pacific
p. 27 · Read in the full issue
What is Her Interest in New Hebrides?
AN article in last month’s issue, in which we suggested that Australia should seriously consider the consoli dation of her Islands interests by seek ing to extend her administration over the Solomons and the New Hebrides, has caused a good deal of comment.
It is likely that, as a result of the publicity given, the matter will pre sently have the attention of the Com monwealth authorities.
The most interesting development has been in connection with our com ments on the New Hebrides. We gave the history of Australasian and New Hebrides Co. Ltd., and showed that when that concern was taken over by Messrs. Burns, Philp & Co. Ltd., its land interests were given to the Com monwealth Government; and it was pointed out that for many years the Commonwealth Government has paid a retainer to a Mr. Wallace, a solicitor, who lives at Port Vila, and whose main interest, it is understood, is to protect Australian land claims generally and advance them before the Condominium Joint Court.
We emphasised that the total lack ef interest by Britain and Australia in the New Hebrides in recent years had permitted French interest to be come dominant in the Group; and that, if the present policy were pur sued much longer, the Group would pass into the hands of France. Not that France particularly seeks this possession—on the contrary, the New Hebrides are so distant from most other French possessions that the ad
ministration is probably a source of embarrassment to that nation and the French colonial authorities would be probably quite glad to part with their interests there for concessions in some other part of the world where administration would link up more conveniently with other territorial in terests.
We have formally sought informa tion from the Federal Government concerning Australia’s interests in the New Hebrides and have received a somewhat baffling reply. The Govern ment makes no reference whatever to its supposed land interests in the Group, in which we are particularly interested, and simply says that Messrs. Burns, Philp & Co. Ltd. have trading activities in the New Hebrides and receive from the Commonwealth Government a subsidy towards the maintenance of shipping services, The Government’s letter proceeds:— “The Commonwealth Government pays a retainer to Mr. Wallace, a solicitor, who assists Australian and other British settlers in land cases, in which they may be interested, be fore the Joint Court. I may mention that he is not required to watch the Commonwealth Government’s in terests.”
However, the wheels are beginning to revolve, even though slowly, and it is likely that there will be develop ments in connection with the New Hebrides within the next few months which will be of considerable interest to Australia.