Britain And New Hebrides

Depressing Story of An Unhappy Political Experiment

THE report that Britain is prepar ing to abandon, to France, her administrative responsibilities in the New Hebrides Condominium, published in the January PIM, caused a considerable stir in Aus tralia.

The Foreign Office, and the Colonial Office, London, denied that any such plan was in contempla tion; Canberra said it knew noth ing of it; and finally Britain’s High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Sir Robert Stanley, an nounced that “the report is with out foundation.”

I| is acknowledged, however, that and French High Com missioners for the Western Pacific, and’ the British and French Re sident Commissioners in the New Hebrides, will meet formally in Honiara (BSD early in March. The report published by the PIM came from a reliable source. Whether or not it is premature, it can be taken as a fact that Britain’s future con nection with the New Hebrides is under official consideration.

BRITAIN’S readiness to abandon her administrative obligations in the New Hebrides —thus putting an end to the 50-years-old Condominium and leaving the valu able archipelago entirely to France —is quite logical. These Islands are of no strategic, political or economic use to Britain. They are merely an irritating source of endless cost.

Seventy years ago, when Germany was urgently seeking colonies and showing the liveliest interest in any unattached lands, Britain and France grabbed simultaneously at and jointly held the New Hebrides.

They kept the Germans out, but created an awkward little problem of their own, which they solved eventually (1906) by forming a Condominium Government.

In the field of Islands adminis tration, the Condominium has been a joke for 50 years. It has become famous as “the Pandemonium Gov ernment.” It should have been wiped out in 1920, after World War I removed the German colonial threat, but neither of the two jealous nations would give way.

IN the beginning there were many British planters and traders . . The French section of the jomt Government went to great lengths to assist and encourage the French nationals, especially in pro viding the latter with plenty of in dentured Asiatic labour. But the British Government never at any time assisted British nationals and in time most of the British dropped out. A certain number stayed and obtained French nationality—and the essential labour by which their continued residence become possible

Decade by decade, the New Hebrides economy became more French. To-day the only British in stitutions there, apart from a thin sprinkling of depressed Colonial Office officials, are Burns Philp & Co. Ltd. and the Presbyterian Mission both Australian. Three quarters of the 300-400 British there are Australians.

Britain’s share in the New Hebrides, and her Solomon Islands, were offered to Australia in 1949-50; and rejected by Canberra on the ground that Australia already has all the Islands expense and trouble she can cope with in Papua and New Guinea. France doubtless could make effective use of New Hebrides, run in administrative combination with New Caledonia.

THERE is only one reason why Britain’s withdrawal from NH should be opposed by Australia —but that reason is paramount. It is Asia.

In East and South-east Asia there are more than 1,000,000,000 quick breeding people, the majority of them actually hungry. In the South Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, there are lands which could feed Asia’s surplus population and which are held by only 10,000,000 whites.

Natural laws operate to-day as they have done for 10,000 years. If we European communities are to re main established and free in the South Pacific, we must have protec tion against overcrowded Asia especially against the new Asia which has taken shape in the last quarter-century. That protection can come from only two directions —Western Europe and North America.

The Lord helps those who help themselves. We can expect no assistance from overseas unless we put in our own defence organisa tion. The events of 1941-45 showed that our outer defences must be built up in the chain of archi pelagoes which lie like a natural barrier between Australia and Asia —the archipelagoes of Indonesia, New Guinea, New Britain, New Ire land, the Solomon Islands, the New Hebrides, and New Caledonia.

It is this consideration which in duces Australia to spend up to £8,000,000 per annum in Papua and New Guinea. We contend that it would be sound tactics for Australia to extend that defence organisation eastwards from the New Guinea area, across Solomons and New Hebrides.

Of course, it would be expensive.

But would it not be more logical, and more realistic, to spend the money in trying to ensure our own safety, rather than in the hopeless task of cultivating Asian goodwill,

by giving away millions through the: Colombo Plan?

A score of Colombo Plans will not, alter Nature’s fundamental laws. If' ever we lose the protection of Western Europe and/or North America, nothing will prevent the; swamping and probable extermina-J tion of all European communities, in the South Pacific by countless; millions of Asiatics. These Colombo : Plan idealists should read the: history of what Asiatics did to help 4 less Europeans, on various in the last century—the Indians Mutiny, for example, and th e* Chinese Boxer rebellion, and the* Japs’ performances in the Islands! they overwhelmed in 1941-43.

If Australia thinks its future is: secure here, in the shadow of Asia,; then let it forget New Hebrides— which never has been much more* than a frustration and an adminis-i trative joke, anyway. But if Aus-| tralians are impressed with thef; logic that lies in Asia’s over-popu4 lation, Asia’s hunger, and th e* under-populated South Pacific’s! helplessness, they should see to it; that the Solomons, as well as the* New Hebrides, become part of what-l ever structure of defence Australia), is capable of building.—R.W.R.

Of Vital Concern To BP’s

THE only British institution vitally concerned in any change in New Hebrides status is Burns Philp & Co. Ltd.

This Co. has large investments in NH, and it conducts a regular ship] ping service through the group. If France took over, the French prob ably would force the BP stores and shipping out of NH, just as they forced them out of Wallis and Futuna Islands, several years ago. I In such matters, the French are* ruthless. No Australian concerns!: maintain trading or shipping estab lishments in Noumea, for example,; although Noumea is the only non- British port within a few hundred! miles of Australia.

Fifty years ago, the late Sir James : Burns formally presented, to thejs new Commonwealth Government ofll Australia, rights to about 100.000 k acres of valuable land in Newh Hebrides—the idea, of course, beingfc that this should be made available]* to British planters. Australia still]! holds those rights—but regards them with indifference, be# cause nothing has been done aboutW them. If they go by default theyfj probably will enrich some long# sighted Frenchmen, who have beenii watching them for many years.

The 600-tons motorship Viriah owned by New Guinea Industrieag Ltd., en route from Brisbane to Laeis and Madang with oil products, de# veloped trouble in her pipe systen® and put into Cairns for repairs lateie in January. She resumed her voyage s three days later.