THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 36, 5 August 1911, Page 5

THE EUROPEAN SITUATION

GERMANY AND ENGLAND. AN UNDERSTANDING DESIRABLE. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. I Received 4, 10 p.m. London, August 4. Lord Haldane, in an address to an Oxford students' meeting, said it would be a pity if the peaceful co-operation of Germany and England were marred or impeded by unnecessary suspicions arising out of ignorance and want of forbearance. There were few things more desirable than an understanding between England and Germany. A change might mot supersede considerations of defence, hut the tendency would be' to lighten the .financial burdens. A GERMAN PROTEST. Berlin, August 3. The German Colonial Society has issued a manifesto protesting against any settlement which fails to give Germany compensation in the shape of the Sus «®mttry. THE CESSION OF TAHITI. A MATTER OF CONCERN TO AUSTRALIANS. Sydney, August 4. The Herald says that the suggested cession of Tahiti "to Germany in return for Germany giving France a free hand in Morocco ought to call forth an immediate protest from Australia and New Zealand. It was unfortunate that Mr. Fislier and Sir Joseph Ward were absent, for joint representations should immediately be m&de in such terms as to leave no possibility of mistake as to the feeling of Australia on the matter. Any introduction of Germany into the Pacific would be bitterly resented, because it would mean an ever threatening menace at our door. The Herald adds that the possession of a Pacific island was nothing to boast of. Those wanting it could only desire it as a point of departure for a much more far-reaching attempt at aggression. STATEMENT BY SIR JAMES CARROLL. By Telegraph—Prees Association. Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives this afternoon, replying to Mr. Massey, the Acting-Premier said the Government had noticed the cablegram in the papers concerning the proposal that France should concede Tahiti to Germany in return for a free hand in Morocco. The Government had the matter under consideration, and would take such steps as it deemed advisable. Probably other colonial Governments would be communicated with in order to ascertain what steps they propose to take with a view to concerted action in the matter. Tahiti is the largest island of the Socjety Group, situated in the South Pacific, about midway between Australia and South America. The area is about 000 square miles and the population ITSSS. It exports 06pra, mother-of : pearl shell, vanilla, and other tropical products. The island contains valuable deposits of phosphate. There is a steamer service between Tahiti and San Francisco. The French took possession of the island in 1844 and assumed a protectorate over the Windward group. This arrangement lasted till 1880, when the whole group was formally annexed by France. In 1887 the French, by a convention with the British Government, obtained the remainder of the Society Islands, the Leeward group, of which' they took possession in March, 1888. _________ \