THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4757, 3 January 1918, Page 5

THE PACIFIC ISLANDS.

BRITISH OR GERMAN?

NZ REPRESENTATIONS TO HOME GOVERNMENT.

Press Association TelegramWELLINGTON, Jan. 2. The Government has been making representations to the Imperial Government in regard to the strong-feel-ing here as to any proposal to hand back to Germany the islands in the Pacific -now held by British forces, and also probable difficulties of competing with a leading German firm which" has been doing business with the islands —the Deutsche Handets ■& Plantagen Gesselschaft Co. Mr. Massey, alluding to-day to the question of New Zealand and the island trade, stated that the Government was very anxious that the. whole business of the Deutsche Handets & Plantagen Gesselschaft Company should be taken over by New Zealanders, and were exceedingly, disappointed that only a comparatively small part of it came' to the Dominion. The difficulty on the part of New Zealanders had been uncertainty with regard to the future of the islands—whether they would become British territory in the ordinary sense of the term, or whether, after the war. though they are now in the possession of British troops, the islands would go back to Germany. “Speaking for .myself,” added Mr. Massey,- “I am. confident that with the opening of the Panama Canal these islands will become very important, and British people" in the Pacific cannot be too careful to see that mistakes such as those which occurred in the past are not repeated.”