THE OTHER SIDE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 9

THE OTHER SIDE.

NEVV- HEBRIDES MISSION. PRESBYTERIAN EEPLY TO FKEXCH , ALLEGATIONS. .. ": We havo, received \_the . followiiig letter in regard to the charges made by French officials against,, the missionaries in the Nuw Hebrides:'— * ';,.": Sir,—l have been instructed by the Foreign Missions Committee of the Pres-; byterian Cluirch . of! New Zealaud,' of which I am conveiuir, to take some noticeof the charges made against. Presbyterinn' missionaries-in tlinlNow. Hebriiles 'by'.the' Deputy' French' Hcsident there, and by the Mayor of..yila,.the.capital,of.-the group. By one or.other of these: Frencln officials, according to the Preis --Assuciation telegrams, the missionaries are accused of "pursuing to ruin their .fellowmen under the guise of -preaching to. the natives," of being, "enemies of colonisation,"'and- opponents of civilisation. The Deputy Resident snys rt we.-must. 1 lunU). against these missionaries, and if. necessary start !i : holy;; war." .■' ,!. ...; Agninst these general charges 'let in» set. the testimony: given by. the ..captain of H.M.S. Wullnroli to the same-inissioii-'. s aries.' In 1902 the,. Rev., T. Smaill,:B.A.y died'suddenly ouEpi' after an 7 exliausting walk to'Visit.;a poor sick native. . The captain and -officers of- the ■; Wallaroo, erected a brass tablet iu.tho.little.church at Lamenu wiih , ; this' inscriptions ■ ' - ' .-■' In LovinK'Memoiy ''■ ;•:.'■ ' ' •' ■'■ ■■■•■' -.. :■: of "•:■ ■■;,'-. '-■ '..•■ ■: ■;' . The. Rev.; Thomas Smaill,. B.A.v">/ ;'.' Who gave his life for the regeneratiqn of . thi! piMiplo of these islands. , ;';!!;! , . . lI.M:S. Walla'rofe ■!'";.",[■; At that time I received ii: letter.from tiio captain from'-which. I make"' the -follow- 1 ing extract. : It contains commendationtdf.' tbn missionaries and : condemnation-', of/ spine of'their white brethren. The cop-' tain says': "The -people'..of the \lslauds: (both European: and natives) 'owe -much' to , the past Jahnurs of thq mission,' thoiiyh: I cannot 'say .they recognise ,'.it might do. To nroye :-'if •ricnessarf, uf. whul; : .l say, I'.woiild.aslc," where does" anyone ■ turn whW in - diffi-J culty, danger, .or distress, ; ,but ...to ;■' the: nearest : resident:! missionary", who''..-■ alone ; has: any ! influc-nce,:overKthd'. craftv. ; and ; suspicioussavages amongst Avhom'.lie lives, ; and whose -contact/bd*. experience , with whites ,in the. past, iso'nly calculated'to increase' a hundredfold the. difficulties'ofthose; who-:really. in'niiiV them' wel!>" : . :■'. By. the;- last mail I received a'letter from Dr. nowie;; medical,superintendent, of tho hi)si)ito], Amhvini, in which"-'; Ji.p ,makes the. same .complaints' against the French .Government.-. These he,gives; mo' authority' to piililish.; At •tho time "when the Convention came into operation-: it was, enacted that from,-.that dato.v i-iif person■ ahull, iii-thr.. Now' ilcbridu^'m..cluding . the-' Banks' and Torres- Islands,': /ami/ within ■the territorial waters : of the' group, sell m. supply, iuld:;icatiiig;;liquors to t.ho. natives,;in any form'and oniaiiy pretext whatever." -Dr. Bowie- says:' '.'lt; is. a matter for gratification to.bd.able to' record no charges of any de,snription:hayd been made agains't British! residents! ! and that.! charges when .made. ;iavc been iiiyesligate'd and dealt with'by by; the British Commissioner..:-It.is: a pleasure also to,bear witness.to the.worth' ot many .'of-.piir-Fren.ch- fellow-i'esidente, but .matti-rs- ha'ye. come -to' such a: 'pass! tlint. if.o'jght/tb bb 'known that charges' made against, several ■-. French. 'citizen's; even, gifrious charges, in : some. iiistinces : .have not eyen'been' investigated, or,'.'.ifthey have ; been gone -into and-the'alleged offenders, found guilty, "an utterly inade--' .quate ponalty.-has'been;inflicted, perhaps: a nominal fine, or ;a .fineVmay-have Veen imposed but. not;exacted, or:tho oftenwr may. have been, 'passed' over .altogether." ..In support 'of \ inn .fithtement .-'pr. "Tiowie gives four mcidentsxwhich.happened;;oh .ilmbnm:;-': , ;.'.,-^"---";!--;, , ■■' ■■■-. • '■.■■■ 'i -'■'•

; "Here on/, Ahibrim", ■■■ a' : Frenchman,'', sbk' sa much tlrink that at one' time theru were-three ..fights.going ,on" bn,'rthe one, beach betweeir.ydrunkeii'.. savages. . : Twp English/ inform' me MiaL-.th.ii* njan declared ,fi>_ them that lie would continue to-sell ! it ; tii : the ; lintivea "in- spite pi. all the yßritish /nieii-bfavar/and;. of: all : the;-commissioners .in. existence,,''and that Hie- French-authorities; would r Ant interfere." ■V. ,^--: '\ ■< !'■ •'.'■.■ . yv-V : /<;/;'-/ "last ;week another '.man'sold/".from his cutter at Ambrini; quantities of 'soma sort of aleoholicAliquor .which! he; described to the natives as rum. VA'.reguliir,; pandemonium' ■wa'sH'lie.: ■result'' >;:'■■';:. ."Several munths; ago at. NertK Ainbrini/ two murders; we're committed by: , natives■ ■when : under tlici." influence" of- drink sui/-': plied by a I'rerichmaii ithere. -, Althouglr this, was liot■ by; any "meaiis ; a Jirst; 01-' fence,: -ho "■■'■ y;ds ''not 1 . ,eyen;;-proceeded against."-,"'1'. , .-.■.;■..; ■':■•■'. .v;'- , 'i?': : .•■;•■';!. ■■:' ■ j "It. would..appear■that;.Freiich'. citizens,' in some instances at least, niay.-" harass and tlireatiai arid.■ "evenL-fire:-.'oh> : . "natives with impunity.':' Some time.'.ago .in" the presence. of :■ myself. and :of "another "white' witness, a lTenchniau:.'of .North . Ambiiiii' fired two, rifle-shots : in-the -face "of .-a crowd of; natives' : , passing along • .the beach to : ai church", service. '■ :'rhe.:mtitter ■ was reported:..by the- British, Commissioner 'to the .French;,: authorities,..' i but no punishment was .inflicted ■on:'th'e.-'df-■fender." ■■•';.■■;.■.■■>■■.:;'; : -V';.■/•■; • :;;;'■;; '.. : ' : : ""Three" drunken fights, 1 ' "two"' murders," and_•;."pandemonium"—a ■ Tery'. holy war!' ; Dr..Bowie's*pictures.'of.■ the,results. of French : civilisiitioh'and. colonisation "ref calls the entry niade by P.rpfessor; Drum-: morid in ■his;journal, at the;'time; when~ Mr." Smaill .was. settled.ou.Epi::."Awful■ crowd of\savages surr'piiiided.us.';;Every r man stark naked exbept.ior mfinitesinial: strip ibetween.legs.;'!, riiles cocked;:: Several:.;had.:Jjbivs;"'"with sheaves.pf .poisoned arrows.',- Many:- inuir-" ders' on the'beach and cannibal:feasts: . Notorious ■ district.' All cannibals here aro arriied." .-.The un-ChristiaiiV savage, as Drummond saw him, and .theVuiivage civilised by ' French spirits, nrp ■ hot' ualike. : V:vV:;v>; : . •„ \:;.■:■.■[ ■'■' :^,' ; - ';;■;■.'. . I:,cannot; vouch 'for Dr./ Bpwib's; statements, of; Course,, but their ; face jalue,' even'to one: who does'not knpw-'lum'i I is: as. good-as.' those ; "of the ■ French ■ officials: Especially is this ■so in '■ vieir of ,\vhat is said- by the : captain of."■. the Wallarob about the missionarie.s and- their ■.work; : -lam, etc.,;/ : '■■:■ "- .'■■■ ■■■■ ■,■.,•"'■.:.■• '\<X: ■'••■. ■■,:. ;,;,;-';Wm;:Hewmson,: : .; ■:■' ■"'. Comniittbe. Knox College, ■Dun'edin, , ; August ; 27; 1910.;;;