"AFTER THE WAR."

Otago Witness, Issue 3331, 16 January 1918, Page 25

"AFTER THE WAR."

AUSTRALIA A GERMAN COLONY. Air Thomas J. M'Mahon, who arrived in Sydney last week, is'a man of cosmopolitan address. Broadly, says the Sydney Morning Herald, he is generally at home either in one or other of the States of Australia or in the Pacific Islands, whose conditions, in their relation to the commonwealth, have been the subject of his close study. Mr M'Mahon says that, by word and by pen, he has tried to foster a good feeling between those islands and Australia on the ground that Australia should bo regarded as their motherland. Especially is this applicable, he points out, to places like German New Guinea, the Solomons, and other spots within close range of the Australian coast. .

Mr'M'Mahon's references to German New Guinea aro of special interest because of the fact that it is now under Australian military occupation, with Sir Samuel Pethebridge as Administrator. " There," says Mr M'Mahon, " I saw a good deal of the Germans. They aro still there —very much there. Indeed, so much so that they fail to see that they are going to be defeated. They still hold all the interests there. They have done wonders, and proved unmistakably that German New Guinea is a wonderful territory. German New Guinea is a place of such resources, of such prospective wealth, that should it come under , Australian administration and protection after the war it will recoup the commonwealth for much of its borrowing for war purposes. Most Australians do not understand that this territory is still German, country, governed by German laws, and is merely occupied by an Australian administration undqr the terms of occupation. My investigations led to the opinion that the Australian administration is most highly successful. Thinks largely to the tact and firmness of Sir Samuel Pethobridgo, the Germans there are behaving themselves well, and are giving no trouble. That territory will unquestionably bo a very valu able asset 1 to the commonwealth should it be passed over to it. All the main tropical products aro engaging the attention of the Germans. Their plantations are becoming wonderfully fruitful and profitable, the revenue, since the military occupation, having largely increased. Far from relax-_ ing their efforts because of the occupation, they are going, vigorously ahead in the firm belief that it will remain German territory. Some of them have openly expressed to rqe the strong belief that after the war Australia, too, will be German territory." "My inquiries have taken me to many places made notable by the lato Dr George Brown. The part that Australians are playing, both in enterprise and in actual investment, in the Solomons is something that cannot escape notioe. While English enterprise thore is represented largely by. Levers, the dominating company from the standpoint' of Australian enterprise is that of Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd., whose enterprise and courage have proved such big factors in building up the Pacific Island trade. In that connection, that firm has done splendid work, and has not received the credit which is its due." Mr M'Mahon proposes to lecture in all the States on the trade and industry of the Pacific- Islands in their relation to Aus tralia.