EXPLOITING NEW GUINEA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2308, 26 May 1898, Page 13

EXPLOITING NEW GUINEA.

Melbourne. May 18. * The Age, in referring to what it characterises bb tbe monopoly proposed to be created in N«w Guinea for a British land booming.- syndicate, says it is outrageous. The fate of Australia r may be involved in what on the face of it appears to be merely a smart business deal/ Tbe paper strongly £nrimadvertß *on Sir William Macg^egor'a action in refusing previous applications by Mr , Thaodore Bevan, the New Guinea explorer, on behalf of an Australian development sjndicite, and then reversing the policy in favour of a mysterious British syndicate. It severely condemns Mr Duncan Gillie?, the Victorian ex-Premier, for joining the directorate < ef the company which proposes to exploit Australian territory, ,and accuses him of wanting to imitate Mr Cecil Rhodes in the Jameson raid. It urges the Premies (Sir Or. Turner)' to lose ao time in taking steps to have this preposterous grab defeated or withdraw Victoria's New Guinea subsidy. Sydney, May 17. The. wholesale alienation of New Guinea lands to an English Company was discussed by the' Cabinet to-day, bub the decision was not disclosed. If is believed the Government will ask tbe ether colonies to make a joint remonstrance, to the Colonial Secretary. Brisbane, May -18. Premier Byrne atrongly opposes the concessions granted to the New Guicea syndicate. ' Under the New Gainea Act , the Imperfs.l authorities should have consulted the Queensland Executive in the matter, but did nos»

The Age publishes particulars of negotiations between' Sir J. Somern Vine, "representative of a Britith syndicate, and Sir William Mac sregor, foi extensive land consft.s&icns in Btitish New Guinea. The jour&al says that evsr since Britith control was established Australian enterprise hwi buen severely discouraged, if not absolutely blocks by the stringency with which all propolis to wftsV.op *he resources of the island wet* toretitetl, «-;h ; '.e tti«i ajiparyisfe tendency was io favour British n-xpUiiteef. The favoured syndicate is to have 250,000 acre* in fee simple for 2s per acre, on condition that ifc spends a farther 2a per acre on improvements within eight years. Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria did not contemplate such a sacrificial disposal of th<3 territory when, in order to secure it as belonging to the Australian tiphere, they agreed to pay between them £15,000 a year towards the cost of its government. But the ridiculous nominal value placed on the land is not the most extraordinary feature' of the transaction. The application made and granted w»s not for a particular area of 250,000 acres, but for whatever available are* or areas ihe .syndicate m*y covet after due inspection «tnd appraisement. Still more rerawk&blp, the syndicate is net bound to select the land at oixae, bub is givan eight years in which to pick the eyes out of the possession. It receives a monopoly of selection against all comers, and with the land goes the right to all mineral deposits found thereon. Furthermore, it is agreed that, if afc the end of those eight years the Papuan Government has not declared available a total of 250,000 acres, the privilege of priority held by the syndioa^e will coiitimte Until the reamred urea is thrown onen.