FRANCE IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1962, 20 January 1914, Page 7

FRANCE IN THE NEW HEBRIDES.

MISSIONARIES' CHARGES. A HOT REPLY. ATTACK ON PRESBYTERIANS. By. Tclesrfeub.-Preßa Aißoetation-OoDrrieht 'Roc. Januarv 19, 10 in p B i) Sydney, January 19 The- Presbyterian missionaries of the New Hebrides are hotly attacked by Mr. M. It. liaussel m "La Franco Australia," published::;at'.-Noumca,''New. Caledonia, lie says .- . ■ ■■■'. i,;...;t'10. ruin French" colonisation by every possible means, and remain sole masters of the; archipelago' is the aim of the heads of>,theso Presbyterian movements. 'Jhe Rev....Messrs, Gitla-tt and I'aton, their .efforts-having .failed miserably in these islands before tho firnie-ss shown by. tho: colonists and tho growing contempt of tho natives, now try to make their cause a national one. People are assisting in. tho odd and unexpected spectacle of a nation in the process of formation, which does not succeed in colonising' - its -own territory, crying noisily for' the annexation of a few islands without taking the opinion of the colonists installed there." Replying to Mr. Glenn's . (Federal Minister of External Aifairs) eulogy of the Presbyterian missionaries, Mr. L-aus-se! says that the Presbyterians' religion is tho only means of gaining the confidence, respect, and, above all, the na- ! tives' money. For sixty years they had j regularly brought the New Hebrides into contempt of ail justice and all morality ..by their excesses, and this is borne out by the indignant protests of tho colonists, "Reduced to slavery in their schools, and dispossessed of all his property, the unhappy Kanaka is obliged to work for a,' 1 master whom ho detests and fears. Fatly paid, comfortably housed, visited by Burns-Philp vessels, tho Presbyterians should ho able to do useful and durable work. In tho southern group, where tliey are the sole masters, one nds only misery and rniti. Tho immorality anions the ffinrakas is frightful. On the other hand, the Catholic missionaries have gained tho esteem and affection of,the colonists and tho na* tives." * For a long time past there has been an undercurrent of hostility between the Preach colonists on the olio side and certain missionary interests 011 tho other. As lons age as August, 11)13, M. Colouna, the Deputy French iiesideiit at the New Hebrides Group, which is jointly administered by Great Britain ami Franco, in welcoming M. Martin, who was then recently, appointed to replace M. Nouffiard as French lto9id.eiit, declared it was fortunate that M. Martin had been appointed to the head of affairs, because the situation was gi'avc, and thero waß a struggle taking place between the settlers and the Presbyterian missionaries. M. Coloinia added: "We must unite against these missionaries, and, if necessary, start a IJoEy War." M, Bourdois, Mayor of Vila, sail! ho thought the pretext under which tho missionaries work was false philanthropy, Thev wore ablo to act in all security, lie might almost sny with the protection of tho Governments. "It is time," ho continued, "to unmask these so-called meii of God, who pursue the ruin of their followmen under the guiso of preaching to tho natives. They are not onlv enemies to colonisation, but are against the work of civilisation, by preventing natives and Kuropeans coining together. We ask tho natives to be free to work with u»," On the other hand tho missionaries, led by.-the Bishop of Melanesia, formulate gravo charges of las administration, and al sorts of irrpgulimties— buying of na , : tive women, illicit liquor traffic, and slave conditions of employment. These charges have recently been revived bv Mr. CiiTlam ■and Mr. Pa ton, who urffo the early abolition of the Condominium.