THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 66, 18 November 1913, Page 6

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

#■ THE POLICY OF AUSTRALIA. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] iCNiTED Puess Association.] (Received 10.10 a.m.) Melbourne, November 18. Mr Cook, i» an interview, referring to tiie Now Hebrides, said: "We cannot consent to any such thing as cession. It would be a great blow if other country should obtain sole possession of these islands. 1 made it clear that the .policy of Australia on the one hand would be emphatically opposed to any attempt to cede them to u, foreign power, while, on the other hand, we would endeavour to secure a uniform enforcement of the decrees of a joint court." A deputation horn the South Australian churches asked through; Mr Glynn if the Commonwealth Govern, ment would use its influence to have the New Hebrides transferred to Britain, or that the French condiminium should be ialtered. Mr Glynn, informed the deputation that the Governor-General on August 29th received a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies asking him to assure the Federal Ministers that the Imperial Government was not considering any proposal for allowing the New Hebrides to become a.French possession. Mr Glynn added that-the matter was fully placed before the Imperial Government, with a request that in the event of any alteration in the administration being contemplated, the position and the interests of Australia should he considered. He did not desire to say what the present position was, because sometimes reticence was necessary.