TRADE WITH PACIFIC ISLANDS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2894, 5 October 1916, Page 5

TRADE WITH PACIFIC ISLANDS

IMPORTANT COMMISSION IN AUSTRALIA ? OUSTING THE HUN pyTeJeßr»s)l--Pre6s Sydney, October 4. ; . An Inter-State Commission has.com- , hienoed an inquiry into the question of British, and Australian trada with the' South Paoifio Islands. , ' -The Chief Commissioner, explained that-the inquiry was the result of a Government request to investigate tie v copra trade with Australia.and report ..whether it was desirable-that special action should-, be taken with a view to • increasing Australian and British cdnirol of sßoh trade.' He read a cable message from• the Seoretary-'of.State for tie Colonies. (Mr'.' Bonar .Law) informing the Commonwealth . -Government Slat the New Zealand Government had made representations to the Home Government as to the probable difficulties of • successful competition after the war with a leading' German firm, the Deutsche .Handels and Plantagen Gesellschaft, doing business in the South Pacific:. The polioy of . the Commonwealth, the Commissioner said, was to increase control of the Australian and British copra and other trades, S. in the South Pacifio which were' previously in German hands. This could ha equally achieved whether the trade • came to the Commonwealth or to any other part-of the Empire. NewZea- ' 3and had initiated certain inqumos m ' the'copra trade in the Tongan Group, - and it had been arranged befaveen_tne Governments concerned that the Commonwealth should - enjoy Won of both the New Zealand: Government and. 1 the High Commissioner for -the Western.Pacifio. '-;•,': J _'. - After- reviewing .'the administration of the various islands, the Chief Com- .. missioner said that the .Commission ' was not concerned question of readjustment of'administration, wnioh * could only be undertaken by the Imperial Government in the settlement of the terms of peace. ' It would be best for the Commission to consider ail British Island* territory as involved in Telation to the whole question of' ■ British and German trade. The important portion of tie inquiry\ would, be con- i neoted with shipping, banking, . and j postal and telegraphic communication,' and possibly in a hmited extent'to the interchange-of labour between the islands..-.. ■ .•" .'. . ■'■ '■ I -.:-.-,-.Mr. : . Meek,..managing, .director.; of 'Lever Bros., gave evidence that the ad-i • vantages the , German shipping.; cbm- :. panies had in the way of copra freights " prior. to'.We,war ; were largely;due to\a Government ; subsidy. Snipping copra ,: to-Sydney from' Tonga,: via' Auckland, had increased the freight 155.; per ton, tut he thought that the Sydney-Tonga -line should be. re-established, after the war. There was treat scope for the development of other products ; .besides copra, but,the trouble was_ to "'■• get sufficient labour. - The" natives , only worked to keep themselves. Indian labour ha'd.been mentioned, and the Fijian Government was now nego- "'■. tiating with the Home Government ' for establishing continuous Indian immigration. ..' Speaking generally of the islands, witness thought a great development, was not possible without in-, irodnced labour. -