NEW HEBRIDES SCANDALS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1008, 24 December 1910, Page 5

NEW HEBRIDES SCANDALS.

FRENCH LAXITY ALLEGED; By TcleerapU—Press Association—Copytjghl ; Sydney, December 23. . Tho Rev. Mr. Watts, a missionary /of the Presbyterian Church of' New. Zea- : ■ land, who has retired from active work, ■ has arrived here from the Now -Hcbri-,. ■ des.. ■ In an' interview Mr. Watts .'.stated,!-. that tho French warship Kersaint/.re^' ; cently, as sho often did, carried'away many native women-without the con-.V sent of their husbands, or . parents. It, was ; a common : practice.. '.Apparently.J:' tho French authorities nn; the , Islands 1 wero indifferent about the matter, laithough appeals-were made by thei-Bri l tish Resident. : , . Mr. Yi'atts added that practically'-, everybody said that the selling of wo-: . men and tlio supply of: grog and am- ;;, munition to the natives went on .mi-! checked by the French, and that it is ; far ivorse than before the establishment J ~ of tho Condominium. The French, how-... ever, never interfered with the 'missionaries personally.' ... ...s The missionaries, said Mr. Watts, ■ were greatly disappointed with tho Con-';: ' dominium.' While the law was enforced ' upon British subjects, there was prac-I. tically no control over tho French. In. some cases fines were imposed,.'but they.';; i were subsequently remitted; :