GERMANY TOOK TOO MUCH FOR GRANTED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18380, 4 February 1928, Page 1

GERMANY TOOK TOO MUCH FOR GRANTED.

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received February 4, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON, February 3. Dr Heinrich Schnee, also Dr Gustav Stresemann have taken too much for granted in their allusions to the Tanganyika mandate. The official attitude is first that Britain has in no way suggested any East African scheme, to involve violation of the rights under which the mandate is held. Secondly if Schnee had read the Hilton Young Commission’s terms of reference he would have found that they merely concern similar domestic supervision within mandated territories to adjacent colonies. There is no suggestion of the British introducing sovereignty into the mandates. The Mandates Commission has a full right to question whatever happens within its mandates, and likewise any action contemplated therein. The British attitude is that Britain definitely does not propose any alteration of the mandate system, and therefore there is nothing for the German Government to suppose. Dr Heinrich Schnee, an ex-Governor of German East Africa, drew attention to the activities of Sir E. Hilton* Young’s Commission in East Africa, especially the scheme to unite Tanganyika with British territory. He added' that there was much talk in Britain of a great East African Dominion, but that would be a violation of the mandates system and a violation of German rights amounting to dishonesty. Germany should not agree to such changes without her consent. Dr Stresemann, Minister of Foreign Affairs, replying, said that the German Government would certainly oppose any alteration of the mandate system in East Africa or elsewhere.