THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81910, 22 December 1906, Page 3

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

RUMOUR OF GERMAN INTRIGUE CONTRADICTED. M(r» Sydney, December 21. A German correspondent of the Herald says that when the statement wa-> made in September last that German firms were intriguing to secure a foot hold in the New Hebrides *o that Germany might claim the right to intervention before the final AngloFrench settlement, he had enquiries made on the spot. Ili» correspondent wait a resident of long standing in the Group, and intimately acj qoainted with the happenings there. Moreover, he was a Frenchman, so could not be suspected of partiality to Germans. He wrote that there is a German ttopra-raaker at Aoba. and that two German merchants at Moun* enzeilter, and Mr Hagen, wh«>-e schooner naiU under the French Ha;; and i» commanded by a British subject, have just opened a store at Api. One haa a native wife, who owns a piece of land at Vila, and another at Api, where a Htorc has been erected; also a pieee of land at Aoba. "I heard it stated," says the French correspon dent, "that in former years a German company from Samoa bought land in various parts of the Inland*, but never heard ~it said that of late that German* had been trying to do anything, and I know of do other German traders than Zeither and Hagen who carry on business without troubling about nationalities.

A BUBPBISE AGBEEMKXT. " THE TIMES" UkGES A BEMEDY. Beceived 21,10.27 p.m. Loxdox, December 21. " The Times" considers it clear that the New Hebrides Convention was ■prong upon Mr Dealtin before he realized that serious negotiations were proceeding. The settlement would UTe been different bad the methods of the Imperial Conference been kept sine by a substitute remaining in London when the Colonial Premiers arc unable to be tbere.