THE NEW HEBRIDES CONVENTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13325, 3 November 1906, Page 5

THE NEW HEBRIDES CONVENTION.

VIGOROUS PRESS CRITICISM. By Telegraph.— Association —Copyright. Sydney, November 2. THE Sydney Morning Herald says: "Mr. Churchill lias apparently strangely misunderstood .the attitude of the Commonweath and New Zealand in regard to the NewHebrides. When he states that Australasia's acquiscence in the Convention with France had been obtained lie was stretching the courtesy of diplomacy to breaking point. What Mr. Deakin and Sir .Joseph Ward said in the end was that as the Imperial Government had disregarded their proposals they left the responsibility of completing the Convention on the shoulders of the Colonial Office. They should not have said this. They should have declared plainly that the Convention was, and is. opposed to the best interests of New Zealand and Australia, and that they, therefore, must refuse to sanction it in any way. The acceptance, as was inevitable* has been translated into acquiescence in the policy of the new arrangement, and tin's translation of their attitude will he an eloquent warning for the future. Australians may hardly be blamed for recognising the Convention new evidence of the desire of the Home Government to buy foreign friendship at the expense of the colonies. The Convention is absolutely against the interests of both the colonies concerned, and of our Empire. It is a weak and unworthy concession to politeness or pressure." (Received November 3, 1.10 a.m) Melbourne, November 2. Mr. Deakin has stated that the Commonwealth and New Zealand had no option but to leave the whole responsibility of the New Hebrides Convention with the Imperial Government.