PAPUAN MANDATE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 June 1922, Page 5

PAPUAN MANDATE

REPLY TO CRITICS. Recd Noon. SYDNEY, June 16. "The constant cavilling against the New Zealand Government’s administrations of Samoa finds abundant echo in connection with the Federal Governnient’s administration of Papua. Mr. Hughes, replying to adverse criticisms, says : "it is time that these misrepresentations were stopped. Deliberately, or unwittingly, interested business and public men are assisting in the insidious propaganda which is being carried on with the object of discrediting Australia as a mandatory Power. Germany wants the islands back and she is being assisted by those who repeat all the rumours they hear, and retail all the poisonous tittle-tattle of the enemies of the Com-

monwealth. German propaganda s an insidious deadly thing, its agents are many, and not confined to those of German nationality. Gross representations recently made in the German Reichstag against the Australian administration of Papua were based upon the authority of certain members of the Australian Parliament. Germany is determined to regain possession of her lost colonies, and is bending every effort to that end, endeavouring to persuade the world that Australia is unfit to govern New Guinea, but the retention of these islands is essential to Australia s safety. Those who spread the lying statements are enemies of the Commonwealth.