THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10320, 1 February 1927, Page 5

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

CONDOMINIUM RULE CONDEMNED.

REV' HODGSON ADDRESSES ROTARY CLUB.

Much light on conditions in the New Hebrides under the condominium rule of British and French was shed by the Rev. R. Hodgson, of Waerenga-a-hika., in an address before members of the Rotary Club yesteraay on his experiences in connection with the Melanesian Mission. Mr Hodgson said it would be impossible to imagine a more Gilbertian position than that which arose'in relation to the dual control of the islands. There were two separate issues of stamps, one British and the other French, and, in like manner, two Governors, two judges, two sets of policemen, and. even two government ships. As regards the laws, he could, however, say this: that they were full of justice, but their administration was quite another matter. No consideration at all was given to the welfare of the Natives owing to the conflicting interests of the administrators. It was, of course, very necessary that Native labor should be made available on the plantations, but the recruiting laws were a farce and every possible means was resorted to to set them at defiance. Recruiting was too often enforced and, when it was not, frequently the Natives were not allowed to return home after their period of service had expired. All sorts of dodges were used to keep the Natives: in some instances the Natives on one plantation were encouraged to marry Natives working on an adjacent property; and, in others, the wages were withheld, so that the Natives had either to continue at their work or starve. It was decided in 1896 that a land court should be set up to inquire into the whites’ land titles; now it was 1927 and that court had never func_ tioned. He would not dwell on the recruitment of women labor; shocking things were often done. It was, too, a mistake to suppose that “blackbirding” to provide labor for Queensland Was at an end. Proceeding, Mr Hodgson asked his hearers to accept from him as true the fact that the missionaries were quite justified in connection with their impassioned appeals for justice for Natives of the New Hebrides Islands. Nobody knew better than they did how futile and how harmful was the present system of dual government. It often fell to the lot of a mission steamer to repatriate a family which, hut for its arrival in that locality, might never again have been allowed to, return home. As showing that the interests of the recruited Natives were not studied he went on to point to the heavy mortality on the plantations. Dr Spicer, a noted authority, had laid it down that 40 per cent, of the laborers did not get an opportunity to return home and that the death rate on the plantations was ten per cent. The speaker said that the matter of control of the islands could not be allowed to rest until steps were taken to ensure that the welfare of the Natives would be fully studied. It was a very sad state of affairs that depopulation should be proceeding at such a rapid rate. He knew of instances where the population of an island some five or six years ago was, say, 200; to-day it had dwindled down to 30 or 40. On every hand, girls who should be the mothers of the future Native races were recruited and never again saw their own island home.

In conclusion, Mr Hodgson said he felt that Rotary could do a great deal in educating the people of the Dominion on the need for vast improvement in the control of the islands. His hearers would have noticed that, recently, a Royal Commission had been set up to inquire into conditions there. New Zealand, as well as Britain and Australia, would have a representative. Much good, it was hoped, would result from its efforts. On the motion of the chairman for the day, Rotarian W. J. Sinclair, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded tlie speaker for his informative address.