THE NEW HEBRIDES

Otago Witness, Issue 3115, 26 November 1913, Page 27

THE NEW HEBRIDES

MELBOURNE, November 18. In an interview in reference to the New Hebrides the Federal Prime Minister (Mr Cook) said: “We cannot consent to any such thing as the cession of the group. It would be a great blow to Australia for any other country to obtain sole possession of these islands. I have made it clear that the policy of Australia on the one hand will be emphatically opposed to any attempt to cede the islands to a foreig i Power, and, on the other hand, to endeavour to secure the uniform enforcement of the decrees of the Joint Court.” A deputation from the South Australian churches asked, through the Minister of External Affairs (the Eon. Mr Glynn), that the Commonwealth Government should use its influence to have the New Hebrides transferred to Great Britain, or that the constitution of the French Condominium should be altered. Mr Glynn informed the deputation that on August 29 the Governor-general received a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies asking him to assure the Federal Ministers that the Imperial Government is not considering any proposal for allowing the New Hebrides to become a French possession. The Minister added that the matter had been fully placed before the Imperial Government, with a request that in the event of any alteration in the administration being contemplated, the position and interests of Australia should be considered. It was not desirable to say publicly what the present position was, because sometimes reticence was necessary.