THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

Evening Star, Issue 16909, 5 December 1918, Page 6

THE PACIFIC ISLANDS

Australian' attitude. j Amid cheers, Mr Watt, the Acting j Trime Minister of Australia, read the following motion in the lipase of Representatives : That the House of Representatives of | the Commonwealth of Australia declare tliat it is essentL'il t>> the future Fafety and welfare of Australia that the captured German possessions in the Pacific, which are now occupied by the Australian nnd New Zealand trooris. should not, in any oireumsiaaces, be restored to Germany ; and that in the consideration and determination of proposals affecting tho destination of these islands ..Australia should be consulted. Mr Watt saicl that it ivas plain that Australia was not . r.skinjj for itself any additional territory. These captured islands were supposed to be rich, and to have groat potentialities, but we had not entered the war for plunder, and it was not because .of that that, we were seeking a clear Atid definite lino of action in regard to those iriands. We did expect an indemnity for losses incurred and for the war expenditure which had fallen upon us. Above all, wo sought- to ensure future generations. It was suggested that there load come to Germany a great change of heart. If Germany meant business she would deliver over the men responsible for this great war. When she had done that, and the could do it if she liked, we would consider it an act of honest and sincere reform, arid not an act of pious humbujr. In th» meantime it was better to be sure than eoiry, &nd to destroy any possibility of a recrudescence of the evil. Any proposition to restore .the islands to Germany was a weak and dangerous policy. Froman Australian point of view, tho restoration of thee© islands to Germany would be equivalent to a German victory. New Zealand stood four-square with Aistferai'ia. on this crueefcioti, as the mteresta <rf the two Dominions were identical. The motion was carried.