THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 848, 27 October 1923, Page 5

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

METHOD TO OBTAIN CONTROL. FRENCH INTEiisTS COULD BE BOUGHT. SYDNEY, Oct. 26. Tho Herald says: “A third offer regarding tho Now Hebrides'was made to Mr. Bruce early in tho present year. Fifty-one per cent, of the shares in tho French society' were made available to Australia at a. coat of £150,000, which meant that the market valuation of tho whole property was about £300,000. The offer was not entertained.” i

The Herald adds: “The right to negotiate the sale of the society’s assets, either wholly or in the main part, remains open at a reduced price of £200,000.” The paper understands that the assets of the society include practically all the commercial interests hold by France in the New Hebrides and proceeds to argue whether or not it would be well worth white for the Commonwealth to buy and put Britain in a powerful position to negotiate with Franco for the complete passage of the group to the British flag. After referring to the failure of the present condominium arrangement to give satisfaction, the Herald says “but the surrender of French political interests in the group cannot reasonably be pressed while the prominent commercial interest remains under the French flag, nor can Australia entertain the idea of allowing the Union Jack to be eliminated from the group. If the assets of tho society were to pass to British ownership, negotiations _ for the determination of the condominium in a satisfactory way would be facilitated. The Empire would then have the best of cases to present for tho recognition of its complete control over the group.”—Press Association.