Beyond The Dominion

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 184, 23 August 1909, Page 4

Beyond The Dominion

CHARGE AGAINST MISSIONARY. Brisbane, August 18. Government officials today concluded an inquiry into the grave charges made against the Rev. Nicholas Hey, superintendent of the Mapoon Aboriginal Mission, involving alleged cruelty to Natives. The charges were made by Michael Baltzer, and were circultaed in Germnay last year by a sister of Baltzer, and communictaed officially by Bishop Latrobe, of the Moravian Board of Missions, to the Australian Presbyterian Board of Missions, who control the Mapoon Settlement. Baltzer alleged that a half caste girl, Ellen had been unmercifully beaten with a stingaree-tail whip, for striking Mrs Hey. Baltzer, in his evidence before the inquiry, stated that the flogging had been cairred out by Hey and himself, at the former's instigation. Ellen, in her evidence, admitted being flogged, and that a dinghy chain had been put round her neck after it, but with the exception of that one beating, said she had been kindly treated by the Mission. Mr Hey, in his evidence, stated that Ellen was whipped for assaulting his wife. He explained to the children who witnessed the punishment why it was given, and how serious the offence was. The girl received 25 cuts, not 100, as had been alleged by Baltzer. He asked the latter to carry out the punishment, as he did not like to inflict corporal punishment on anyone himself. He considered it a severe whipping, and he would have administered the same punishment to one of his own children under the same circumstances. It appears that Baltzer, in August of last year, wrote to the Moravian Mission Board voluntarily retracting the charges made against the Rev. N. Hey. Other charges were preferred by Baltzer, but" as he could only offer hearsay evidence, they were struck out, and the Bench, after full inquiry, dismissed the charge against Hey. SIR JOSEPH WARD. London, August 18. Sir Joseph Ward assured a private conference of New Zealanders yesterday, in reference to the Defence Conference, that he would go back to New Zealand wth many good results. The New Zealand Prime Minister added that he thought he was justified in saying, in general terms, that he was confident that a very much better condition of affairs would exist after the Conference than was ever the case before. UNEST IN IRELAND. London, August 18. A fierce fight occurred yesterday at Lurgan, County Armahg, Ireland. A band of Protestants returning from farewelling immigrants were attacked by Nationalists. The rival mobs attacked each other with stones, many windows being smashed. When the police arrived and endeavoured to restore order, * the Protestants and Nationalists jointly assailed them, and a serious fight ensued. The Riot Act was read. The police made numerous charges on the crowd, using their batons. Twenty-two constables were injured, some having broken jaws and broken ankles. Thirty civilians were wounded. THE INDIAN TROUBLE. Calcutta, August 18. The Maharajah of Jaipur has warned his subjects to avoid the mad, wicked movement against English rule. He has ordered the prosecution and punishment of preachers of sedition, whether their campaign be conducted publicly or privately. THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER. London, August 19. An apparently inspired statement in connection with the Defence Conference has been published to the effect that under an arrangement entered into between Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister of the Dominion, and the Admiralty, the contribution offered by the Dominion of New Zealand to the Briatish Navy is not to be in the form of a Dreadnought or Dreadnoughts, as at first proposed, but of cruisers. The cruisers to be provided will, says the published statement, form part of the Pacific Squadron, and be employed in New Zealand w?ters for local Defence. NEW ZEALAND MEAT. London, August 18. Sir Joseph Ward yesterday received in conference the New Zealand meat importers and discussed the question of low prices. Sir Joseph promised to meet shippers in New Zealand with a view to securing the co-operation is regulating shipments, and to recommend the Government to spend some thousands in advertising New Zealand meat. The Goverr.nH-nt he stated, would have nothing to 6o with opening shops in competition with retail traders here, nor would he agree to branding meat.