AUSTRALIA'S MANDATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18192, 11 September 1922, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S MANDATES.

VIRULENT GERMAN ATTACK. " SHAMELESS ROBBERY." LABOUR PRESS QUOTED. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. A. and N.Z. LONDON. Sept. 8. The Geneva correspondent of the Australian and New Zealand Pres» Association states that German propagandists are apparently broadcasting among the League delegates pamphlets and leaflets virulently accusing Australia of exploiting the mandated territories. The documents consist principally of voluminous extracts from Australian Labour organs, and also from the Berlin paper Koloniale Rundschau, Colonel John Ward, M.P., a member of the British delegation, received three documents, which he lianded to Sir Joseph | Cook. One pamphlet was headed : I '* Shameless Bobbery of German Colonies; I Exnosure by Australian Labour Press of J Shady Methods and Mal-administration by the Mandatory Power; Australia, Following; tlie Lead of England in Defiance of International Law, Steals German Private Property, sets German Settlers adrift, and : confiscates the Savings of Deported Ger mams." This pamphlet, after announcing its indebtedness for these facta to the Australian Labour Press, proceeds. " These facts relate the trickery whereby Australia, in the i name of the League of Nations, obtained a j mandate for the administration of German I colonies in tho Pacific. In doing this sir© was merely taking her cue from the British j Government, thus continuing the huge fraud whereby England tried to justify I the seizure cf the German colonies, the ! enormous value of which, with the destruction of German commerce, was Ebgland'a object in fomenting the world war. The great work of civilisation and commercial development which Germany carried! on in her colonies for the benefit of all the nations is 'being •destroyed utacier British rule through the incapacity of administration and greed of capitalists. " Here againi it is the Labour Press which exposes the injustice and immorality of British Imperialism. It seems that Germany can only look to the representatives of Labour in Great Britain and the Dominions to obtain tho return of her . colonies." Another paragraph in the same painphj let headed: " Beginning of Australian , thieving," accuses officers and soldiers in I the Australian forces of loofcine private houses at Rahaul and openly shipping stolen gqods to Sydney. Other articles describe Australia as unfit morally to act as a mandatory Power, and accuses Australians of imposing enforced labour upon the German settlers after robbing them of all their possessions. The Koloniale Rundochan analyses the mandatory system, and declares it is a mere sham to cloak practical annexation.