NEW GUINEA

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1926, Page 1

NEW GUINEA

GERMAN PLANTATIONS. SYDNEY, April 30. The sale by tender of former German expropriated plantations and trading stations in the mandated territory ol Now Guinea excited interest throughout the world, and the results ol the tenders have just been announced by the Prime Minister (Mr Bruce). In all. 46 plantations and 87 trading stations were offered, and tenders tor 20 plantations, aggregating €210,510 and for 73 stations, totalling €10,043. were received. Tenders were received for 23 other plantations, hut not accepted. though they are likely to be disposed of by private treaty with the unsuccessful tenderers.

Three tenders, were received for the whole of the properties in the territory. and 322 tenders came to hand for individual properties, or lor a number of those properties in one Jot. -Many of the tenderers took advantage of the system which permitted them to name properties in order of preference, with the object of purchasing only one of them. The 325 tenders came from 60 persons or companies, and of these no fewer than 54 were Australian soldiers, SOLDIER SETTLERS.

General satisfaction was expressed by the Federal Cabinet that so many returned soldiers tendered for the properties. The Ministry desires to carry out to tlie fullest extent the spirit of the mandate, and to advance the interests of the native population. Returned soldiers) it was considered, would make excellent settlers for the territory, and they should give a stimulus to its development. Because the Ministry considered that the best interests of tlie territory would he served by the establishment of many plantation owners, it had rejected all of the three tenders for the properties as a. whole. None of these three tenders were openly German in origin, as conditions of sale forbade any company tendering whose shareholders were not at least two-thirds British, hut it is believed that the Germans took full advantage of the fact that they could possess onethird interest in a tendering company. Tliis was one of the reasons which probably influenced the Ministry in giving preference to individual tenderers. Apart from this aspect, it was believed that monopolistic control of the territory would not be in tlie best interests of the territory, as the company holding the monopoly would obtain a dominating influence in its affairs.

A special officer lias been sent from Melbourne to report on tbe tenders at the next meeting of the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations.