GERMANY IN THE PACIFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 244, 12 October 1917, Page 5

GERMANY IN THE PACIFIC.

VIEW IN FIJI. (From Our Own Correspondent.! NUKUALOFA, October 3. It will be remembered that the Premier of New South Wales, Mr. W. A. Holman, expressed the opinion that Australia would never consent to handing back what was German New Guinea. 'The following appeared in the "Western Pacific Herald" (Suva, Fiji) on the subject, and is of interest as showing the feeling there: — " Most of us have taken it for granted that Samoa will remain British, and New Guinea also. The people of the British Empire have suffered a good deal hecause of a habit of ours of taking things for granted. Silence on the part of the Australian politicians at a time like this could easily be interpreted into an acquiescence in any i course that may seem easiest for the British politicians. It may require just such an expression of opinion as that of Mr. Holman in New York as a counterpoise to any influences which may be at work in England in a contrary direction. . • . AVhen it becomes the duty of the British Government to consider the future of New Guinea and iamoa. it is to be hoped that the opinion of Mr. Holman will be borne out in practice. Samoa in the hands of the Germans would mean that near Australia and New Zealand would be, in the course of a. few years, an immense German submarine base, fully fortified and self-con-tained for several years at least. While such a base would be a source of danger to the Commonwealth and the Dominion, it would be something more serious for Fiji, and would imperil the safety and well-being of these islands entirely."