THE GERMAN TRADERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 231, 28 September 1915, Page 4

THE GERMAN TRADERS.

The efforts that tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce is making to draw the attention of the authorities to tha operations of a large Herman trading firm in the Pacific should commend themselves to the approval of all lo\al and patriotic citizens, and we' sincerely hope that they will meet with the »uccess they deserve. The facts of the case have been stated at length, on si\ eral occasions, in the "Star,' , and it should be clear to everybody by this time that the German trading company knhwn as the D.H. and P.O. is purely an enemy organisation, that it has a virtual monopoly of the Island trade in Nimoa and Tonga, and that it is Mill making very largo profit* out of this trule in npit<- of the war. Manifestly it 'in not fair to the Australian and Ne»v Zealand firms interested in the Pacific trade that nliens and enemies should thus l>e permitted to drive tijem from the market end mak« profits out 5 --of their lofc£<-s. Tlje position .is rendered more remarkable by the fact that Samoa, the Hrm's colonial headquarters, is now in British occupation, and Tongi ■.'.here i £reat part oi it* trade ii pondiieted, Is a British dependency. Under the circunwtnncee it is surely time for our own Government to urge those -fads upon the notice of the Imperial authorities, and to request pernmfiion to take step* that will bring this astonUhing etate of thing* to a clo*e promptly and finally. It is simply monstrous that while we are at war with Germany, a- German firm should be allowed to pi on trading in British possession* and dependencies, an.i that it »hould he permitted to make large profit* which in the na-turul order of things find their way through neutral channels back to Germany, and thus strengthen our enemies to continue the struggle against us. The head office nf the D.H. and N.G. in in Hamburg, and every penny of prottt that this firm makes m an additional contribution to the ■ fund from which the enemy is enabled to finance. h'» peculiarly atrocious methods of warfare. Ne/w Zealand in justly proud of the bold and vigorous policy which secured the occupation of Samoa; and we think that our people, have just cause for indignation that the profit* of the lucrative Island trade, which wae built u|\ in the first place I liy the capital and enterprise of i Britbh pioneer*. should now fail i largplv into German hands end should be utilised to upreed liijnth and destruction among our ~fricjid,e and allies, and incidentally assist to hwcll the heavy casualty lists at Gallipoli. Surely the time has con* , for our Gerprnmrnt to ask the Imperial authorities for derinite instructions on these points: On what terms, if nnV, should enMny firms he per mitted to continue trading in Samoa and Tonga, or with New Zealand" and Australia, even through neutral countries, and what, steps should be taken to pro-. ient absolutely the profits of any enemy firm or individual from finding thiir way liai-k to Germany to replenish the enemy's exhausted trpautury. Wo hope that politic*! representatives will take Up this matter at on<-e, and will urge Parliament and the Cabinet to' ;lenl promptly with thfc fccandalcmg iuid outrageous state of things that we have disclosed.