Banabans boycott

phosphate talks in Wellington

The Banabans of Oce; Island, who have become i creasingly truculent in the pt couple of years over their sha of the proceeds from phospha mined on their island, boycott talks in Wellington in mi September on the distribution

phosphate monies.

THE talks were attended by deleg dons from Britain, Australia ai New Zealand, which jointly exph Ocean Island’s phosphate as t] British Phosphate Commissioners.

The Banabans claimed that as t] landowners of Ocean Island, it w their right to speak directly to t] BPC governments instead of simp attending as advisers to the Briti: delegation.

They told the British delegatic m Auckland that if they could n exercise their right, they would n attend the conference as sile advisers. The British rejected the claim.

The Banaban party included tl Rev. Tebuke Rotan and Council!* Tepeke Anterea. The Fiji-Indie political leader and barrister, Mr. i D. Patel, acted as their legal advise

They may go to U.N.

The Banabans now plan to ho] a meeting in the near future wil their legal adviser and econom advisers (Philip Shrapnel and Co.. < Sydney) to determine what their ne: move should be.

One possibility is that they ma decide to try to bring their case 1 the attention of the United Nation The essence of their case is th; the proceeds from Ocean Islan phosphate are unfairly divided b< tween themselves and the Gilbert an Ellice Islands Colony, of whic Ocean Island is a part. The presei distribution is 7/- a ton for th Banabans and 40/1 for the GEIC The Banabans say that they shoul get about two-thirds of the proceed!

The Banabans’ plan for the futur will partly depend on the outcom of the talks in Wellington, where th sale price of phosphate was expects to be the chief item on the agenda