NAURU ISLAND.

Taihape Daily Times, 4 September 1919, Page 3

NAURU ISLAND.

WHO FOUGHT NEW ZEA=[.AND'S BATTLE? INTERESTING DEBATE IN THE HOUSE}. WE~LLINGTON, Sept. 2. The Pl‘illlo..B’ls.llis‘fcr’s exp]-.,,m,tion iof the P 0515011 of Niewizealantl with regard to Nauru Island was interesting no‘r. only because of the interest attaching to the. acquisition of the supply of Phosphates: but because the debate reV’oalC‘d that '9l‘~'iS"\\'as one of the points upon which Sir Joseph Ward, according f 0 it Statement made in his speech on Monday night, had not been consulted, Mr Massey said, referring to Nauru, that he went away impressed with the necessity of :obtaining any interest in .Nauru it was impossible to obtain- H 0 Was not aware then of the difliculties to be met with. The island was in the possession of Australian troops, and the phosphates were being exploited by a. company, partly British and partly Gerniaii. The matter first came up at a meeting of the whole British delegation. Mr Hughes sought a mandate for Australia. Mr Massey protested that New Zcaland required a supply of phosphates as cheap as possible. The ‘matter was referred to Mr Lloyd Georg‘e_. who tr_a.nst'erl-ed it to the Secretary of State for the Colonies (Lord hlilner)_ Mr 'M:asscy was proC =e<ling to recount the. negotiations between Lord Milner, Mr Hughes, and himself. when Mr T. M. Wilford askad. was sir Joseph Ward consulted"? Mr Massey: He was present at the conference. ‘-. ~ Sir Joseph \Vard‘: Only the prelimin.ary meeting. I l{llOW“DOfl1ll1_Q,‘ more of [tho n(!,<;'ot_ia’rioils. I can aecep no il'esponsibility for a. matter for whieh ‘T. was not rcsponsible_ Mr Massey: Oh, very well. Sir Joseph \Vard: I had responsibility, but I was ‘not consulted on this ‘1118.1.'to“. ' ' ' Mr iMassey:" I can give the whole story if necessary, but does the hon. grentlemnn wish me to give the whole discussion at the meeting‘, which was rather warm?’ ‘I can give it privately. Sir Joseplr. VV’arcl: Anything that concerns me I Want said publicly. Mr MasSey‘:‘-‘OII, I am not going to take part in any school-boy squabble. Sir Joseph VVar(l: I think anything referring to me should be said publiely. Mr .\lassey: I don’t. 1111Llei'sttai1(l. TllO hon. gentleman was present at the m;ed_ting fat ‘which tthc .-‘.s~ubjcct tips discussedf =l-I'e' heard the arrangements. made to get'Ml" ‘Lloyd George. ‘ S.ir Joseph Ward: I was present zizf one meeting——an informal one--when} a dispute arose between Mr Massey; and Mr Hughes. I am not .sa.yi:lgl arything against Mr Massey. He. w;.s§ doing his best for New Zealand. 1} am not takingany credit for zmythingi done by Mr Massey. That was the only meeting I was at. I do not lmoxv! the conditions of the Nauru :1j;..-(-.c----vumnt. either ¢lir~=.-e:l_v «.;' iiidiiectly, audi; for that reason 11011.: I can accept n3l respoimibility. , the agreenieiit may! he one that is i‘9-lkiiiy acceptable. Mr Massey: I only saw the agre<':—j ment on the‘ «lay Ill2'L[ I left Paris, and} the hon_ gt-’lll'le‘:‘:!{J1l h--. 0 been a‘.x'ai*l E 50211 Paris weeks |)‘."f.)l‘-'3 that. Sir .lose-I')h- ~;Wa:.-xl; Not Weoix'.‘~'. Ml‘ "Ma's.-:ey:' For a considerablei time. i’ '- ' " i Sir Joseph "\\"ar<l: It was long be£oi'ei : letft Paris: » t Mr Masls€'._V- then continued his <'*.Oul‘)f sot‘:tlwfirnzrgotiations con«luete:.'i g hy Lord. ‘Mailnei-1" He -aid that event-‘I ually -ail;:lgrt-em'ent was finally Illil(l(‘.j for ]'()i—llt‘:’Ci)nll'Ol. and was accepted.‘ '!‘hm~. -the oil“est'i(m :a:~o.~‘e as to work-i Eng the 'plloSphat€S. Lord Milner sug- I -'-.’,'BSt(‘(l tha't-‘th'ey.'<hollld be taken com-1 pulsoril_VT:‘ The German interest.~.: were sold at auction -for £575,000. The pro‘ posalitor‘ joint acquisition was agreed my 13'“;’“~?:§‘<li\pen<lent on the l3’;irlirrwent of each ‘Country accepting the piireliase.’ ' : 1"-J11.-'>(.' L A

Mr \'\'H!:)l'd: Have we any power to gel’ out of it? ' .Mr Ivlassey: Yes, certainly_ Mr Witty: Will you tell us why we have to pay £600,000 for a one-sixtfx share? - Mr Massey said this was not corroct. It rose from a statement of the representative of the company valuing ifs interests at three million.