THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 74, 26 March 1912, Page 4

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Not for the first time, a xumonjr*is I circulating in Australia that England has At last decided to take over the control of the JJew Hebrides, Hnd has made arrangements •with. France to that effect. That such a change would be heartily 'welcomed in Australia goes almost without saying. For there is no disputing these facts, that the New Hebrides form a sort of natural outpost to Australia, that as a foreign naval foase they would 'be a constant menace to her, and that the islands having been opened up by British enterprise, may reasonably be regarded as Jorminfr an inti-gral part of England's Australasian possessions. Aβ to the "Condominium," the system of dual control, exercised by an AngloFrench Commission, it lias never worked ■well; and in recent j-cara the constant complaints of British traders and missionaries that the terms of tho agreement arc 'broken by French settlers with impunity have indicated wrrious friction the representatives of tho two nationalities there. The case- for annuexation hy England h strong enough, more especially as when the French took over Raiatea with England's consent they formally renounced the claim they had previously set up for the Sew Hebrides. But so much French money has been spent in aUempU to settle these islands and to open up trade with them, that no French Government would darn to ced/i them to England without some eubstantial recompense.. Various suggestions have been made from time to timo with thin object in view, but s< , far they have come to nothing. We can onJy await developments with interest; but meantime we may remark that Australia, will rcecal st r rongiy and justly any attempt to aiter tht- pos; Uon in ihe New Htbrirles without consulting her. At the Imperial Confere.nre of 1007 Htronß exception was !iJ;cn by the Australian representative* i i the .ict.on of tho Colonial Office in negotiating for the, transfer of the New Hnbrides to France without even notify ing the Australian (iovernment that any such arrangement was proposed; and it ia to be hoped that tho Imperial nuthoriUo* Tvill see the advisability of frank nud -xplicit communication with Au-lrsiiH •■; i •■jjrstion of such serious importiiose to t«r. t