German Aims in Pacific

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 77, 17 April 1937, Page 7

German Aims in Pacific

JAMES^RANT,

Sir, — Yesterday I camo across a cutting from, a German paper about the year 1915, which I thought may interest your readers. It is as follows: — GERMANS IN PACIFIC. DESIGNS ON NEW ZEALAND. A former vicar at Fairlie, the Eev. H. N. Roberts, who has returned from the front, states that before le&vihg England he saw the following in a German paper, -which he believes to have been tho Berliner Tageblatt: "Af,ter' dealing with England it will be necessary to finish tho United States, and after that there will be only Japan to oppose German dominion of the world, We have spent a great deal of money at Samoa, but it is not a good harbour. Therefore it will be necessary for us to secure New Zealand, where there is a haTbour, Akaroa, that could easily be made impregnable. Banks .Peninsula, wbere Akaroa is situated, is a mountainous peninsula that could easily be fortified so that it could not be taken. "The inhabitants of New Zealand ,are an indolent, pleasure-loving people and wo would make them work to complete the fortifications that would make Akaroa impregnable against any nation; and a'baso for attacking Japan or any other Power in the Pacific. Tho New Zealanders are so indolent that they do not utilise the magnificent rivers they have, wMch, if harnessed, could produce power to run many manu'factures for the production of munitions or anything else they liked." The. paper contained a splendid map of the port hills and Banks Peninsula, showing how Akaroa harbour conld be made a fortress safe from attack either Viir 1 on r? at* qoq Voura nfn

302E. Avenne Eoad, Hastings,