New Hebrides.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1922, Page 1

New Hebrides.

PRESBYTERIAN ViEWS. IUSirtAUAN AND M.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION SYDNEY. May 18. Justice Dovers, the recently-appoint-ed British Judge for the New Hebrides Condominium was welcomed by the Rri'sbvterian Assembly. He said

lie recognised Ike difficulties ol tlie position under the Condominium G’nvernmenl, It rested with l int and tin French officials to make things work

smoothly and satisfactorily, and lie trusted he would he able to do so. Tin* assembly dealt with its foreign

missions report, and discussed the New Hebrides position. The report staled i the ini Hook politically was gloomy. 'I he condominium was to he continued wit 1 grave, injustices ami inegularil ies Cases of illegal recruiting find inclined and drink was freely supplied to tin* natives, while gambling was becoming

more prevalent. There was little or no cause of complaint against tile British settlers, and the eases against them were dealt with, hut similar cases against French citizens or those under French rule, were condoned, and even shi. Ided. The report approved of the efforts of the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand to secure eiintplete British control of tin* New Hebrides. It urged them, wink' paying due icgM-d lo French claims and susceptibilities. to continue their efforts to Hint end.

The Rev Mr McGowan said one missionary reported that at a heathen dance ‘<so bottles of grog were eousumMild their mission schools were being wrecked by the sale of grog. The Rev Ml McGowan warmly denied the statements made by the French paper that the Presbyterians in Hu’ New Hebrides have there instituted a system of veritable serfdom to cultivate their own estates, and that Hie three southern islands have become a dependency of Hie British elergv. lie vpwretted having made certain staP'meets, hot declared the French themselves hail said that if they goi U < -mop tlu* Protestant missionaries there would he expelled, lie also drew attention to the growth of tin* Japanese in the islands. They now mi!numbered all Europeans in New Caledonia and the. Now Hebrides, and more were coming. The French had at first welcomed them, hut now would he glad to gel rul ol them. He asked would Australia wake up too late. ...