ADELIE LAND.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 5 June 1925, Page 9

ADELIE LAND.

DISPUTED ownership

FRENCH CLAIM ASSERTED. A decree of the French Government, the text of which has been receß-ed by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. S. M. Bruce, indicates that up to December 3!) last the French had not abandoned their claim t-o be regarded as the rightful oAvners of Adelie Land. The decree, Avjhieh'was promulgated on the date mentioned, formally proclaim > a national park of refuge for certain species of marine birds and mammals in the Kerguelen and Crozet Archipelagoes, the Islands of St. Paul and Amsterdam, as AA-ell as Adelie Land. The decree asserts an application oA’er the whole of the Crozet Archipelago, and, in particular, Possession, Hog and West Islands; the whole of St." Paul and Amsterdam Islands; to the north of Kergu«*sn Archipelago, the whole of the Howe, "MacMurdo and Briant Islands, and to the south, the coast comprised between St. Anne’s Point and Rabbit Bay exclusively, to a depth of 1000 metres from high AA-.ater mark. According to the French decree, in- all these territories it is forbidden to hunt marine mammals in general and, in particular, sea lions, sea bears, seals”, sea elephants, sea leopards and penguins. This decree has revHed in specific form the disputed ownership of Adelie Land, which is due south of Australia, and to Avhich the Commomvealth has strong claims, both in respect of exploration and the precedent created by Canada, Avhich proclaimed its ownevshin of territories between jts northern boundary and the Pole and the award of Spitzberge.n to Norway by the Paris conference. The Prime Minister states that the question of oAvnership of .A delie Land is still in-negotia-tion hetAveen the British and the French GoA'ernments.