THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12683, 22 December 1906, Page 9

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

THE REPORTS OF GERMAN IN." TRIGUE.

EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY.

United Prets Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. . SYDNEY, December 21. A German correspondent of the "Sydney Morning Herald" says that when the statement was made in September last that German firms were intriguing to secure a foothold in Che New Hebrides so that Germany migh cl.im the right of intervention before the final Anglo-French settlement he had enquiries made on the spot by a resident of long standing in tho Group, and intimately acquainted with the happenings thsre. Moreover, he was a Frenchman, so tie oould not be suspected of partiality to the Germans. He wrote: "Tnene ia a German copra maker at Aoba and two German merchants, Zeilter and Hagen, whose schooner Bails under the French flag, and is commanded by a British subject, have just opened a store at Api, and one has a native wife, who owns a piece of land at Vila and another at Api, where a 6tore ia erected ; also a piece of land at Aoba. I beam it stated that in former years a uerman company from Samoa bought land in various parts of#he islands, but never heard it said that of late Germans had been trying to do anything, and know of no other German traders' than Zeitler and Hagen, who carry on business without troubling about nationalities."