THE EXPULSION OF THE REV J. JONES FROM MARE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1733, 6 January 1888, Page 2

THE EXPULSION OF THE REV J. JONES FROM MARE

"With reference to the action of the French aathorities In ordering the expul* slon of the Rev J. Jones from the mhsion atation on the Island of Mare, one of the Loyalty Group, the rev gentleman called at the " Sydney Morning Herald " office lately, and gave the following statement as his version of the affair. He said ;— " On the morning of the 9th December the Frenoh man-of.*arDoohftffant arrived m the north bay— an anohorage about four miles from the mission station — at Mare Soon after the vessel arrived, a boat containing the captain < f gendarmes (M. Boff), four armed men, an Interpreter, aud a pilot was rowed across/ to the mhsion station. A little later on my servant informed me that the armed men were coming up the pathway to the dwellinghouse. lat once left the home and met the party bb they spproaohed. After an exchange of salutiona : :..M» R*ff said, ' I want to speak to you.' Ire plied, ' Certainly ; please to walk into the house.' He entered and I followed — agen^ darme, the French interpreter, and the jjjlot accompanying me. The captain then produced a despatch, and at once admlnls* tered the oath to the interpreter, who translated the dispatch, whloh was m the French tongue, to me. The general tenor of the document wss to the effect that I wae to be immediately expelled from the Loyalty Islands because my presence there wss objectionable to the' Frenoh Government I was very much surprised, and said to M. Boff, ' Why am I to be expelled? I have done nothing ; I have alwavß acted m a proper manner toward the Frenoh Government, and I have always taught the natives to do the same.' The captain answered, ' I do not know why you are to be expelled ; I am simply carrying nut my instructions. 1 I said, ( When am I to go V He replied, ' Immediately ; there Is the steamer to take you away. 1 The captain then asked how long it would take me to get ready to leave Mar 6. I told him that it would take months before I could arrange my affairs. He then said, 'W> 11, yon have to ro now, and I will give yon half an hoar to get ready, and if yon refuse to obey me I shall use force ; you must consider you are under arrest ' I answered, * Yon will not be required to uee any foroe ; I ihall do my best to obey your orders.* To thfa the captain replied, ' Yon are In my charge ; and, although Ido not wish to act In a bar«h manner, I niust fulfil my duty, and see that yon are kept under my ye. I shall, therefore, command ft gendarme to accompany yon wherever you go while you are engaged m paokInjr, and you must not speak to. any of 'he natives other than your domestics. 1 4ft<>r I had paofeed up some of my goods, the French officer eaid to .me, '2 wish ynuc to sign a p*per stating that. I have -'"pi you evtffiolent time to get ready.' I answered, ' I suppose this refers to my personal effects for travelling purposes, and not to my household am. other pro* perty. 1 Mr Roff said, 'Oh, certainly, it refets only to your getting ready to go away to Noumea, and not to your houishold property." I then left the minion station, accompanied by a guard of armed men, boarded the French warship, and reaohed Noumea m safety. I should like to etate that I was well treated by the officers of the Duohaffaut. I was set at liberty upon reaoblng New Caledonia, but the Governor of the French settlement stated that I was not to go to the Loyalty Isles again. I interviewed the British Consul at Noumea, Mr Layard, and he recommended me to write out a protest agalnßt my expulsion, and stated he would deliver the same to M. .Nonet, tb* Governor of New Caledonia, and would send a copy to the British Foreign Office. Mr Layard further advised me> to hasten to Sydney and see Lord Carrlngton. I left Noumea by the Guoga on the following morning, and arrived m Port Jaokaon on Thursday evening," Mr Jones also stated that the FreDoh authorities had aoted m a veiy harßh manner toward him ; and he considered that great injustice had been done to him m compelling him to leave a mission station where he had resided for nearly 34 years He hopes the Home Government will take aotion m the matter and demand compensation from the French Government, as be will suffer a oonßlderable pecuniary losb through these highhanded proceedings Mr Jones is. of opinion that the Protestant inhabitants of Ma *", who number about 3000 (the other 500 dwelling on the Island belong to the Roman Ga hollo Oburcb), will remain true to their religlou, nulesa thoy are perse* auted by the ruling authorities. The rev gentleman waited upon hlB Excellency the Governor, at Government House, yesterday morning, and showed him a copy of the despatch or document by virtuD of which be was expelled from M »ns. The despatch m question is signed by the Governor of New Caledonia. Lord Oarrington promised Mr Jones that he would consider the matter and communicate with him hereafter. The rev gentleman has also reported the facts connected with his expulsion to the Hydnoy agent of the London Missionary Society, the Rev J. P. Sunderlaud, Mr Jones' wife and family were residing m Sydney when he waß expelled from Mai**. During his stay m this colony, the rev gentleman will be engaged m revising hi a translation of the Scriptures into the Mai 6 tongue. His expulsion is absolnte, and he will not be allowed to enter any of the Loyalties. agalp»