Bad News from the New Hebrides.

Manawatu Herald, 21 October 1893, Page 3

Bad News from the New Hebrides.

The periodical letter from Mrs Wfttfc, wife of the missionary at Tamoa, New Hebrides, bearing date of August sth, 189», has jnst been received (says the Advocate), and tells anything bnt a cheerful tale. Sickness has prevailed, and both Mr and Mrs Watt bave been seriously ill, but at the date of writing had sufficiently recovered to enable them oneo more resume their mission duties. At Kwamera, one of mission ports on Tamoa, there was a heavy mortality amongst the Natives, nnd especially those who attended the schools. Such an effect has this had upon the Natives of the place, that the boys and girls will not go to the school, saying ' see how young people of the mission have died.' ( f Ambryn, another of the New Hebrides Mission Stations which is in chirge of Dr Lamb, Mrs Watt tells tad news. The whole of the mission buildings were razed to the ground by a hurricane, and the whole place was a desolation. To add to the general distress, two of Dr Lamb's infant children died. From Futuna distressing news is also chronicled Dyaen try has been raging," and, out of a population of 7,480, 180 have been cut oft*. Dr Gunn, who is in charge of the Futnna Mission, lost two df hig family, whilst his youngest daughter was at death's door, and he himself had bo en seriously ill, but had, fortunately recovered. At Kgate dysenlry also made its appearance and carried oft' Mrs McKenzie, wife of the missionary. By Mrs McKenzie's death the mission loses one of its noblest an 1 bravest women. General sympathy is felt for Mr McKenzie who is left alone on the mission, and tor the four motherless children in the colonies. Mrs Watt writes in ti very despondent spirit about the mails. The irual monthly steam pprvice between Sydney and the islands has been stopped, nnd the residents have now to depend for their stores and mails on visits of sailing vessels, which are very irregular and cannot be depended upon. This will make a very great difference to the mis. sianaries and their families who are now deprived of anything like satisfactory commimio ttion witli* their friends in Anst'ralia nnd "New Zen. • land. To give an instance of tho unsatisfactory state of the mail service we may say that the letter from which tho above is taken boars the date of June 12th, but it h.s a pos", script attached dated Angnst s:h. This delay is best explained in Mrs Wnlit'ji own words ♦• Ifc is now nearly two months since the foregoing letter { v/iU written and stamped ivady for mailing, nay, was carried i;i a canoo ! by sea to Weusisi hoping to intercept ! the " Luk " when she returned j there. It is again back in our j hands and even now we hay»» only , to hope that it will get away by the ; S.S. Birksgate about a monUi hence. ; The arrangements made by the Day- j spring Board in Sydney have fallen through and instead of the " Lnrk " going to Sydney we are told that she is to meet the Birksgate at Aneityum oq 9th September. This alteration may prove very awkward to many, and I think not a few families will run short of provisions as there seems some uncertainty as to how the letters containing their orders for supplies will reach Sydney."