The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAR, 14. 1906. THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1698, 14 March 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, MAR, 14. 1906. THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Tiixt the Anglo-French entente has proved its.worth is shown by the recent cables stating that New Hebribes Commission has satisfactorily adjusted the differences hotvvoen Great Britain and France in regard to the New Hebrides. In the absence of details, it is impossible to state whether the adjustment will meet with the approval of all parties, but it is safe to assume that it will not find favor in the eyes of some. Many, no doubt, would have liked to have had the islands put under the aegis of Britain, while the French resident would doubtless wish a French regime. Iho New Hebrides are at present under the joint protection of Great Britain and France, each nation sending a warship to the group alternately. The settlement of disputes between the natives is in the hands of the captain of the warship in authority for the time being; Buch disputes are now to be dealt with in the newly constituted Courts ; No', doubt the settlement of the New Hebrides question will draw public attention to the islands. They lie to the west of the Fijis, and have a total area of 3300 square miles. The islands were named New Hebrides by Captain Cook, who, in 1773, first fully explored and described the whole' of the group. As far back, however, as 160(5, Captain Pedro Fernandez de Quiros had landed on the largest and most northerly island of the group He at once fancied it to be the great Southern Continent, deemed to be est sentiai t.p balance the great Continent of the North, and eagerly looked for both by sailors and men ot science. He named the bay Vera Cruz, the river that fiowed into it, Jordan, and the city which he founded there, New Jerusalem. The land itself he.called by the preposterous designation of Tierra Australis del Espiritu Santo. In 1768, the French explorer, Bougaipville, sailed round Santo, discovering that it was but an island, and through the straits that still bear his name; whereon, finding many islands all around, he baptised them L’Archipel des Grandes Cyclades. But Cook, being the first who sailed in and out amongst all the group, and put on record the most faithful descriptions and details, considered himself entitled to name them the New Hebrides. The islands, which number 30, are scattered over 400 miles. The largest are Santo, 73 miles long by 40 miles broad ; Mallicolo, 56 miles by 20 miles, with a fine harbor; Ambrym, 22 miles by 11 miles, which was the scene rocently of a violent submarine disturbance, and has a splendidly equipped hospital; Lopevi, an active volcanic cone; Erromanga (the Martyr Island), 30 miles by 22 miles, where the famous missionary Williams was murdered, and sir ce then four other missionaries have met the same fate ; Vate, 30 miles by 15 miles, with the fine harbor of Havannah: Tanna, 18 miles by 10 miles, containing the volcano Yasna,

and also famous for its fioroo tribe of natives ; and Aneiiyum, 17 miles by 11 milos, the headquarters of tho Now Hebrides Mission and where earthquakes aro frequent. Tlioro are numerous volcancoes on the islands, tho fires boing aetivo on Tanua, Am- < brym and Lopovi—tho volcano on ' Tanna being now, as in tho days of 1 Cook—“ a pillar of cloud by day and 1 of firo by night,” a far-shining lighthouso for tho sailor, kiudlod by tho finger of God Himself. Tho population of tho islands is about 70,000, tho natives being partly Malay and partly Papuan —a mixture of Ham and of Shorn. Until tho advont of tho missionaries tho natives wore cannibals of a very pronounced type, and savages without any traces of civilisation. Polygamy universally prevailed ; infanticide was systematically practised ; and oven tho dospatch of paronts when they grew old and helpless. Widows wore put to doath on almost-every island, to bear their husbands company into the spirit world. In character and features tho natives differ in the different islands, but much of the inhospitality and savagery disastrously shown in the murder of Bishop Patteson and tho several missionaries can doubtless bo traced to tho misconduct and cruelty of traders and labor agents, tho New Hebrides forming the chief recruiting ground of the labor traffic. At Aneityum the natives aro all Christians, and this influence predominates in tho neighboring southern islands of the group.