"AN ABSURD STORY."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3139, 17 March 1909, Page 5

"AN ABSURD STORY."

GERMANY IN THE PACIFIC. RUMOUKED SEIZURE OF AN ISLAND. AMERICAN PRESS BLAMED. Received March 16, 10.20 a.m. MELBOURNE, March 16. Dr. Irmer, Consul-General for Germany, characterises the cable message to the effect that it was believed Germany intended to seize an island in the Pacific, and transform it into a Naval base a« absurd. He points out that Great Britain, Germany, France and America, have already appointed an administration in the Pacific. He added:—"The scare comes, as usual, from an American source. A section of the New York press seldom loses an opportunity of putting Australia against Germany. The reports are circulated for purposes of irritation."

A cablegram the other day was to the effect that a Canton telegram to the "New York Herald" stated that tt was believed there that Germany intended to annex an island in the facific, and that that supposition was strengthened by the fact that the Commandant of the German squadron at Canton shipped aboard a German steamer a quantity of food supplies, guns, ammunition and material for the erection of a barrack building, and that the destintion of the steamer was unknown. It was subsequently stated fro/r> Berlin that, in response to a message from the Governor of Samoa, the warships on the China station, were due at Apia, and that the gunboats Jaguar and Arkona were following. It was added that in connection with the succession to Mataafa, some opposition to German supremacy, had been organised by a chief named Lanaki, who refused to obey the Governor, and it was hoped the pressure of the warships would suffice to ensure punishment of the ringleaders and the proven tiou of bloodshed.