GERMANS IN THE PACIFIC.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2856, 29 January 1916, Page 4

GERMANS IN THE PACIFIC.

A statement supplied to a northern newspaper by a man. with business connections in tho South Sea Islands shows how, in 1908, Genua,iv agents were at work* in Tahiti ostensibly trading, but really iv pursuance! of a commission from the- Gorman War Office. Trading under a French name, the Germain compaaiy showed remarkable activity in acquiring land at the chief harbours of Tahiti. About the same time there came from Samoa. Herr Schulitz, of tihe German Government. He was said to' be on a. short visit for health, but stayed six month with Herr Oppenwraitn. He became mixed up in the landpurchasing scheme. The death of Heirr Oppcinwrath revealed the,'fact that the German land-jobbers had in their minds neither copper nor mother-of-pearl, but acting on behalf of the Gormaai Government were, as fast as opportunity could he found, acquiring tho island by hits, particularly sites most valuable from a naval and military viewpoint.