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1 Mr A. T. Stirling, External Affairs Officer in London, to Department of External Affairs
Cablegram 3 LONDON, 1 January 1940, 6.51 p.m.
SECRET
TIMOR
My telegram 716. [1] Ambassador at Lisbon [2] has now reported as
follows:
'Oil Concessions have an exclusive concession covering 4,000
square miles. The company have undertaken to negotiate with
Wittouck [3] for payment of compensation in respect of expenditure
he has incurred in Timor for the purpose of satisfying scruples of
Minister of Colonies [4] regarding Wittouck's moral rights. If
satisfactory agreement is arrived at the Minister will grant
remaining area about 1,500 square miles to Oil Concessions.
Wittouck has no legal rights in the island and [5] the Minister
cannot grant concession in respect of remaining part until
negotiations with Wittouck have taken place. Japanese have no hope
of getting an oil concession.'
According to secret sources previously referred to, Japanese
Minister [6] still actively telegraphing his government, e.g.,
asking that the Consul General at Sydney [7] should endeavour to
ascertain whether Oil Concessions are backed by Wales Bank.
STIRLING
1 Documents on Australian Foreign Policy 1937-49, vol. II,
Document 417.
2 Sir Walford Selby.
3 S. F. Wittouck, Managing Director of the Asia Investment
Company.
4 Dr F. J. V. Machado.
5 ? but.
6 Kikuji Yonezawa.
7 Masatoshi Akiyama.
[AA: A981, TIMOR (PORTUGUESE) 22, iv]
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