May Keep on Fighting

[?]espite Rejection of His Waria Claim

[?]einrich Rudolph Wahlen (75) May Keep on Fighting

LTHOUGH the last of the three claims, made for or on behalf of the L old Waria Syndicate (of the German regime in New Guinea) .for elusive prospecting rights over 5,000 square miles in the Morobe area of • New Guinea mainland, was rejected by Commissioner of Titles, C. P. cCubbery, in Port Moresby on February 14, it is possible that the claim will pursued in a higher court.

The moving spirit in this action Heinrich Rudolph Wahlen, who is a prominent merchant and inter in NG in the German era, fore World War I. He insists at. despite the political and inter tional changes brought about by 0 World Wars, the mining rights acquired from the German ivernment prior to August, 1914, ; still effective.

Vlr. Wahlen is connected by image and in business with a ding family in Sweden, which in •n has strong United States con ctions. The first Waria claim the New Guinea administration s made two years ago by four lerican citizens; the second by a edish national; and the third by ■. Wahlen himself. All now have ;n rejected.

Ir. Wahlen’s claims were made der the New Guinea Land Titles storation Ordinance which was icted to permit re-establishment title records destroyed during the Danese occupation of New inea. ?he Commissioner rejected the im on the grounds that any right way of concessions granted by 1 German Government during i German Administration of New inea ceased to exist in January, 3, when all gold and other tals became government property virtue of the Mining Ordinance New Guinea, 1922. Mr.

Cubbery stated that this was a htful exercise of sovereign power.

It. Wahlen, a venerable and .able figure—he is about 75 years —wrote recently from Hamburg the editor of the PIM, and said t, in pursuance of his Waria im. he was comtemplating an ly visit to Australia.

Lustralian daily newspapers lately re displayed prominently a

highly-coloured account of how Mr.

Wahlen, in the early years of this Century, maintained his famous plantation homestead at Maron, in the Hermit atoll, in the North western Islands.