THE MELANESIAN SLAVERS.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 91, 25 April 1870, Page 3

THE MELANESIAN SLAVERS.

Punch is very severe upon the " Queensland Slave Trade," as it is called. Tho following appeared, February 19 .—" Mutato Nomine. Wo have don fl- away with slavery in the British Domini?-us. 'No slave can breathe where Victoria rules.' There seems to be one exception to the vaunt, and strange to say, it is in QueeusWil of all places. Hero is Lord Belmore's aajo'uut of the way ' free labour' is introduced into that favoured region, from the South Hea Islands :—'A vessel goes to one of the cannibal islands, thickly populated, and under the control of a chief. The chief wishes to reduce his population, and to pocket the premium the trader is ready to pay for each labourer. He calls his peoplo together, and says:—' Here is a chance for thirty or forty of you to engage with the trader.' The number required go on board. They arc asked whether they are willing to go away in the vessel; they declare their willingness, and the terms of the law are apparently complied with. But they know very well that if they refuse to go they will be killed and eaten. No comment seems to be necessary

upon this, if it is true.' We decidedly agree with Lord Belmore. No other comment is necessary than that of Mr. Murdoch, of the Emigration Board : —' No authority short of the Imperial Legislature can put a stop to proceedings of this description, nor would an Act of Parliament be of much avail unless cruisers were employed in the Polynesian seas to carry it into effect.' Here would be a nice job for one of Mr. Childers' ' flying squadron.' John Bull would not begrudge the cost of a cruiser to put down this kind of rascality, which is sowing the in Australia of that very curse of 'slavery which it has cost us, and other nations, bo much to get rid of.