GERMANS IN NEW GUINEA
* — WHY TRADE. IS. ALLOWED. "In Australia there is a great deal of misunderstanding about the position of Germans in German New Guinea," said Brifjadier-Gcheral Pethebridge, Administrator of the captured territory, who arrived in Sydney last week. Germans in that colony are not enemy subjects, he explained, in the same sense as are the Germans in Australia. "Subjects of the German Empire," ho continued, "who. settled in Australia in peacc times, came into British territory and carried oil their business only with the consent of that nation. When war broke out between Britain and Germany that sanction was automatically withdrawn, as they were enemy subjects. In the case of German Now Guinea the position was .cliffcront. It was a German colony, and the Gentian settlers lvero carrying on their business in their own land. Under the terms of surrender the territory did not pass permanently into our bunds, as so many people in Australia seem to think. It passed under pur control until tluvend of the war, when its ownership would be decided in tho peace negotiations. As Administrator I could not prevent 1 these Germans trading with Australia, because they were entitled to do so under the terms of surrender. Had I interfered with them I would have been 'tearing up a scrap of paper.' What ,1 have done", however, is to watch, all transactions, and have made certain that no proceeds from the sale of these goods has gone to ■Germany. The complaints raised in Australia on this subject are based on a complete misunderstanding, us this trade, instead of injuring us, has benefited us. AH the produce of the territory, which . formerly went to Germany, is now; coming to Australia, and all the commodities necessary for tho upkeep and maintenance of the. German planters and business people, arc being purchased in Australia. The Burns, Philp Co. steamers have such tremendous demands on their capacity that they have to refuse cargoes. "German New Guinea exports copra, cocoa, shell, maize, arrowroot, and medicinal barks. The amount of copra sent from German New Guinea every month to Australia is about 1000 tons, valued at from £20 to £25 a ton. It will be easily seen that'as Australia obtains all these exports, and, furthermore, supplies all the requirements of the colony, while. Germany gets nothing, the fact that tho traders and planters are allowed to continue in business is not doing much harm." Up to Juno 30 of this year the Commonwealth Government, through, its representatives at Babaul, recognised German' notes and German silver as the currency of the possession. Now Australian coinage and notes are the cnrrenc.v. The outstanding German marks were recognised as the equivalent of ll'l. in British money instead of Is. ilieiv normal equivalent. German mourn- is not now rccogniscd at all. Some of the natives had large heaps of German money buried away. Several natives brought in their hoards and received British money for ilicm. A branch of the Com iron wealth Bank has been established iti Rabaul, and its business is increasing vapidly.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2854, 19 August 1916, Page 10
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511GERMANS IN NEW GUINEA Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2854, 19 August 1916, Page 10
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