THE BIG GERMAN MONOPOLY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15395, 28 September 1915, Page 3

THE BIG GERMAN MONOPOLY.

HOW IT OPERATES IN* THE ISLANDS. (SPF.CIAI, TO "THE PRESS.") AUCKLAND, September 27. The. protest which the Aueklaind Chamber of Commerce is making against the manner in which the Island trade iti the Western Pacific continues to be monopolised by tho Germans has aroused considerable interest in Samoa, Tonga, and tho islands of tho Friendly group. A firm known as the D. R. and P. G. carries on n tremendous volume of trade, and is believed to bo doing quite five times tho business of its nearest rival," the Burns, Philp Company. The war has not made the slightest difference to its operations, despite the fact that it, is a company whose shareholders live in Hamburg, whose head office is in our reccntly-ac-quired possession of Samoa, and whose business places are to be found everywhere throughout the British Protectorate of Tonga. The Chamber of Commerce has asked the Prime .Minister to appeal to the Imperial Government to take action.

I "The position is ccrtainJv an extraordinary one,'' scid Mr Miller, agent for the Lizzie Taylor, which the German lirm obtained tor carrying on its trade. "The D. H. and P. G. hold a big monopoly of the Island trade, and tlio war has not made the slightest difference to their business. Their head office is in Apia, but apparently Colonel Logan is powerless to place any restrictions on them there, any more than the British authorities are able to do in the Protectorate of Tonga. The last balance-shcet of the D. H. and P. G., which I saw, showed a dividend of 28 per oent. ar.d a bonus ot T per cent. The Tongan people would. I believe, be glad enough to see the German ' hrm suppressed, for there are plenty of British firms anxious to increase their trade. The Burns, Philp Company has a fair connexion, as have A. T. Day and \V. Cocker, of Tonga, the Fie teller Company, of Yavua. and H. J. Brown, of Nukualofa. These and other firms could easily maintain the Island 'business if the opportunity arose. At present, however, it is doubtful if any of them does a lift h of the business ol their stronger rival, the German firm. Certainly the Chamber of Commerce is jnstilicd in its action. - '