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Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 926, 29 January 1917, Page 6

A former Governor of German East Africa has been easting about for colonies which will suit Germany's purposes after the war, and has come to the conclusion that Australasia is not to be thought of in that connection, because the Dominions in the South Seas are becoming too strong. In the circumstances, that reason is as good as any other, and we can imagine the sigh of relief that will be wafted across Australia and New Zealand at (he thought that they may now consider themselves definitely outside the purview of the pan-Germans. The ex-Governor's statement is meant, of course, lo give the lean and dubious people of the Fatherland the impression that Germany will be in a position at the end of the war to pick and choose when the bargaining begins. It is one way of pulling on a brave face when things are going badly and threaten lo be very much worse. If the Entente Powers succeed in their aims Germany will be glad to take what she is offered. There can be no doubt but that she covets a place in the African sun, and the loss of her East African and South-West African colonies will make the pan-Germans all the more insistent that the German flag should float over some part of the Black Continent. It is as well that the Germans should be relieved of their African colonies. They [were 100 handy to India and Australia on the one side, and to Egypt and the Cape on the other. But the practically illimitable dreams of the pani Germans have been rudely dissipated, and all because von Kluck failed to reach Paris in the scheduled time, and because England decided to fight. Had Germany hacked her way through east and west in Europe, England would have been attacked in Africa. The stupendous bubble has been pricked. So far as Africa is concerned, Germany may be compensated for her lost colonies, but she will be set down in a place where she can be carefully watched by her neighbours.