Inquiry and Report'

Bsi Compensation

Inquiry and Report' Within Twelve Months

Suva. Feb. 19.

rE_ claims of European owners of property in the British Solomon Islands probably will be considered by a British Commissioner this year, I made inquiries to-day, here, at the headquarters of the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. Sir Alexander Grantham said that he was not in a position to make any official statement —the matter was in the hands of the British Colonial Office.

I learned, however—unofficially, but on good authority—that it is expected that a British Commission’er will receive in structions within the next few months to proceed to the British Solomon Islands, and assess all claims. If and when that decision is made, BSI property-owners who have not already done so will be re quested to lodge their claims in respect of war damage. * British Commissioners already have been making inquiries in Malaya, British Borneo and other British Far East Ter ritories affected by the Japanese inva sion. Their task in those territories is a very much bigger one than it will be in the Solomons, where it is supposed that a few months’ work will show that the total war damage compensation pay able —if it is payable—will not much ex ceed £1,000,000.

It is not yet certain that Great Britain will compensate property owners in Jap anese invaded territories. All that Britain so far has promised to do is to appoint Commissions to investigate the position of properties damaged by war operations in Jap-invaded countries, and report. It is unlikely that reparations collected from Japan will cover the com pensation sought, so the difference, if it is to be paid, will have to come from the British taxpayer.

It can be emphasised, that although the inquiry in respect of the British Sol omons is not yet authorised, the British Solomons property-owners will be under no handicap in comparison (in respect of time) with property-owners in other British territories in the Far East. In other words, the reports of all these Commissioners will be treated on the same basis, and at about the same time —perhaps in 1947, but probably in 1948.

The position of property-owners on the Gilbert Islands is almost exactly identi cal with that of the BSI property-owners,

outlined above.

Rwr.

•Since then, Sir Alexander has made a state ment. (See page 23.)