SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 57, 4 October 1916, Page 8

SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS.

TRADE COMMISSION INQUIRY. Press Association —Copyright. (Received 9.10 a.m.) Sydney, October 4. The Inter-State Commission lias commenced an inquiry into the question of British and Australian trade with the South Pacific Islands. The Chief commissioner explained that inquiry was the result of the Government request to investigate the copra trade with Australia, and to report whether it is desirable that special action should he taken m view of the increasing Australian and British control of such trade. He read a cable from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, informing the Commonwealth Government that the New Zealand Government had made representations to the Home Government as to the probable difficulties of successful competition after the war with too leading German firm of Deutsche Handels and Plantagen Gellschaft, doing business in the South Pacific. The policy of the Commonwealth was to increase control of the Australian and British copra and other trades in the South Pacific, which previously wa? in German hands. This would •■r equally achieved whether the trade came to the Commonwealth or any other part of the Empire. New Zealand had initiated certain inquiries into the copra trade in the Tongan group, and it had been arranged between the Government’s concerned that the Commonwealth should enjoy i the co-operation both of the New Zealand Government and High Commissioner in the Western Pacific. After reviewing the administration in the various islands, he said the Commission was not concerned with any question re the adjustment of the administration, which could only he undertaken hy the Imperial Government in a settlement of the peace terms. It would ho best for the Commission to consider all British island territory involved in relation to the whole question of British-German trade. Important portion of the inquiry re connected with shipping "and hanking, postal and telegraphic communication would, possibly he limited to the extent of an interchange of labour between the Islands.

Mr Meek, managing director of Lever Bros., trave evidence that the advantages which the German shipping companies had in the way of copra freights prior to the war was largely due to the Government subsidy. The shipping of copra to Sydney from Tonga via Auckland had increased the freight 15s per ton, hut he thought the Sydney-Tonga line should be.rc-ostablished after the war. There was great scope for development in other island products beside copra, but the trouble was to get sufficient labour. The Natives only worked to keep themselves. Indian labour had been mentioned. The Fijian Government was negotiating with the Home Government for establishing continuous Indian immigration. Speaking generally of the 'lslands, witness thought great development was not possible without introduced labour.