No Compensation!

Bitter Blow for Property Owners In Solomons and Gilberts

THE dwindling hopes of Solomon Islands and Gilbert Islands property-owners that they might some day receive war damage compensation were finally dashed on August 7, when Sir Brian Freeston (High Commissioner for the Western Pacific) published a statement in

Bsi.

His Excellency said that the report of the War Damage Claims Commissioner had been carefully considered. As the normal revenues of the British Solomon Islands and the Gilbert and Ellice Islands were already insufficient to meet adminis trative costs, and as the principal factor to be considered was the degree to which compensation payments were needed to effect rehabilitation, or restore economic productivity, it had been decided, in con sultation with the British Government, that there should be no war damage com pensation scheme in respect of either of the Territories named.

The announcement —which is not re markable for its clarity—has been badly received in the British Territories, although it was not unexpected.

During the Jap invasion, the British Solomon Islands and the Gilbert and Ellice Colony were at least as badly damaged as New Guinea. New Guinea owners were very generously compensated in 1944-47 from a special Australian fund; owners elsewhere got nothing.

The British Government said, however, about 1946, that if Japan paid any war damage compensation, property-owners in all Britain’s invaded Pacific Territories (Malaya, Borneo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Solomons, Gilberts, etc.) might receive something. Hopes were raised when Com missioners were appointed to receive and assess claims.

But, in the past two or three years, it has become clear that no substantial war damage compensation is to be extracted from Japan; and, meantime, under Socialist administration, British national finance has seriously deteriorated. It now is Britain’s policy to make her Colonies share in her financial troubles. (See article on page 20.) Had there not been a principle involved, the BSI and Gilbert owners might have received something. But acknowledgment of any liability there would automatically have included war damage in the bigger British Territories nearer to Asia; and that would have represented an enormous sum.

Editorial Note

There are still a few millions left in the Australian War Damage Compensation Fund.

Why should consideration not be given now to the plan that Australia should take over the British Solomon Islands, and re habilitate planters and traders there as she did in Papua-New Guinea?

It is the only way in which the Solomon Islands will develop any real economic value —it will never be done under the present regime.

The Solomons are bound to come under Australian rule, sooner or later. Why not now?