NEW HEBRIDES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1932, Page 8

NEW HEBRIDES

PURCHASE OF FRENCH INTERESTS. A PLANTER’S SUGGESTION. AUCKLAND, January 7. The possibility of Great Britain buying France out in the New Hebrides was discussed by a New Hebrides planter, Mr J. W. Storey, who arrived by the Morinda oil a. holiday visit to the Dominion. Hie Condominium, he said, was very unpopular with British planters, who, while they were on perfectly friendly terms with the French residents, felt strongly that the dual form of government was a failure. A French proposal, said Mr Storey, was that in exchange for territory in French Indo-China the British .Government should relinquish its interests in the New Hebrides, but this had met with considerable opposition and nothing further had been heard oi the suggestion. Personally he was of the opinion that the British Government should investigate the feasibility ol completely buying out French interests in the group. It would naturally he a costly matter, but ample compensation would he obtained by the acquisition of a group of islands that were extremely rich in natural resources.

“Think what a huge revenue the islands would be to the British Treasury,” said Air Storey. “The British planters .would welcome settlers from New Zealand and Australia, and as far as the French planters are concerned tile majority are so heavily in debt to the large companies that they would 1 believe, welcome a proposal that would relieve them of a burden which appearances suggest will be saddled upon them for ever.” The official French attitude was a different matter, he added., but it was significant that great disappointment had been felt that the promised share of the German reparations, totalling 40,000,000 francs, had not been forthcoming. Mr Storey added tlial a New Zealand or Australian rmimlab- on!.:* be extremely popular in the group.