THE POSITION IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11489, 23 January 1903, Page 5

THE POSITION IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

A HOPEFUL OUTLOOK FOR SETTLERS. BRITISH ANNEXATION FAVOURED TALES OF SLAVERY. United Press Association—By Elsotrio Telegraph—Copyright. (Received January 22nd, 10.20 a.m.) SYDNEY, January 22. Br. Paton, who is -visiting Sydney, speaks hopefully of mission work in the New Hebrides. Hβ says that, since the appointment of the Anglo-French Conumaeion much of thi friction that formerly existed hue been swept away, and the disputes have now been settled with, a degree of authority whiah commands respect and spreads confidence. The change will mean a large commercial gain to tie Islands. Traders and settlers, however, are strongly in favour of British annexation, and they hope that it may still be brought about. Dr. Paton considers that the new settlers have good pnospeote for the future, and, with patience, they should do welL A great evil wu the trading in firearms, wbdoh was earned on to a lamentable degree amongst the native. Just before he left the captain of a French schooner, while landing the body of an Islander wfco had died on board, was shot dead, and two of the crew were badly wounded. < Some parts of the Wand* are goffering cererely from drought. A setCer at Epi give* aa account of the kidnapping of three of hie native boys by an armed party of Frenchmen. The boys had run away from tie French settlers owing to their ill-usage. Dr. Paton alleges £hafc ihe French are ilk> wed "to boy and eeH tbe natives for a term of yean, and he gives instances where they were whipped and ireated like slave*. Appeal* to the authorities through, the Press set the enslaved boys at liberty.