Solomons And New Hebrides
pp. 85-86 · Read in the full issue
Actual and Possible Administrative Changes Under Discussion
PPARENTLY making prepara- L tions for the transfer of the headquarters of the Western eific High Commission from Suva iji) to Honiara (Solomon Islands), e Acting High Commissioner for e Western Pacific (Mr. G. D. lamberlain) visited Honiara tween October 11 and 16, and tried out a number of inspections. ‘ returned to Suva via Sydney.
Plans are actively afoot for the Efction of a number of new build *s in Honiara, as offices, stores d residences for staff. The staff WPHC has increased about four id, or more, since the days before orld War 11, when the organisa ►n was supervised quite efficiently Mr. H. H. Vaskess and a handful clerks The character of the new ganisation, to come into being, rly in 1952 (when Sir Brian Free m‘s term as Governor of Fiji and F High Commissioner comes to an .d) has not been disclosed.
When Mr. John Dugdale (British inister for Commonwealth Rela ms) was interviewed in Cairns in jptember, on his way back from e Solomons, he spoke of the pend g appointment of a “Governor” r Solomon Islands and Gilbert id Ellice Colony; but that may iv e been misreporting.
The cost of administering ilomons and G & E Colony already is increased enormously over 1939 jures, without adding a Govemor lip to the establishment. Neither ie Solomons nor the G & E Colony ive increased in economic or rategic importance in the last 10 sars.
In fact, the importance of the PHC is being reduced because, jcording to reports which are iually accurate, the Commission no nger will carry responsibility for ie New Hebrides and British presentation in Tonga.
TOT one word has come from 1 officialdom in Britain or Aus tralia; but the report is per stent that Britain’s administrative ssponsibilities in the New Hebrides :e to be taken over by Australia, id that the French Government els agreed to the change.
While it has been officially inounce d that WPHC head jarters will go to Honiara, for ipervision over Solomons and • & E Colony, there is a significant bsence of any official reference to ie New Hebrides.
It seems only logical that Aus •alia should take over British iterests in the Condominium. All immercial traffic in New Hebrides i with either France and the
French Colonies, or with Australia, The two currencies employed are French and Australian.
To a degree, the same arguments apply to the Solomons. Nearly all Solomons trade is with- Australia.
While the official currency is Fijian (probably because WPHC head quarters are in Suva) the currency in use is wholly Australian. Officials are paid in Fijian money which, in
terms of gold is worth 121 per cent. more than Australia money.
It would now be quite easy for Australia, with its large, well-trained administrative personnel in Papua- New Guinea, Nauru, and Northern Territory, to take over British in Solomons and neonaes. . (See also article about new
“J “7"*' Lae-Hon.ara-Nauru-
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Maybe, with the change in Britain s Government, this proposal will be further considered. It was discussed in some detail in London and Paris in 1950.
The rumoured transfer to Aus
tralia is not viewed with favour British residents in New Hebric The policy of the Condominium to interfere as little as possible w the business and private lives of 1 European residents; and this appreciated in a world that 1 surrendered itself almost wholly “controls.”