THE NEW HERRIEES AND THE LOYALTY ISLANDS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 156, 12 June 1886, Page 6

THE NEW HERRIEES AND THE LOYALTY ISLANDS.

M. Lk Boucuer, the ex-Governor of Caledonia, who was recently superseded by M, La Cascade, on account, presumably, of the complaints regarding the persecution of native Proteptanta, by French officers on the inland of Maid, arrived in Melbourne en rottte for Paris and from thence to Guada* loupe, whither he has been transferred by his jGoverment, to assume the charge "of that island. The somewhat standing news of annexation in all parts of the world by three of the five great European powers since he'lefc for Sydney appear to take M. Le Boucher by* surprise. At the same time, as an official, 1 he is bound to uphold and endeavour to 1 justify the action of his own Government; With regard to the Recidiviste Bill already voted, he declares in' the most explicit terms that the Australians have no cause' to fear that its provisions will tend to, flood the New - Hebrides with criminals. The advantage of these islands to France, should they be annexed, will be their capabilities 'for raising crops of coffee and other 'produce. 1 "> -"" l !*! * 11 On ' another important matter — the alleged ill treatment of native Pantestants < on" the 1 Loyalty^ Islands, M. Le f Boucher ia reticent'. * ' Some'particulftra relative to the' alleged' peraecutions'have published. s Six * Prbtestan'ts'-wefe' said*to' 'navebeen seized, beaten and .eont into exile -on a barren island' 'withd^tP wat^r^'^Th'e • Protestant dhurchci^'oti 'the^lbland^of i M»ro were allege'd t 'to have' bfeen^ closed, and' other < 'airocities ' committed i A ft^iBr evident' from < what .little >I M.'"!DI' inolined 'io say', bn'.| the, 'subjebfc ' th&t ? the ; ministra1 tloas^ of the' Protestailt ' miesionaries have 'Been 1 * a lv! tii6rn ?in 'tfde*of " Ftdnch»ioffi'cialism, ah'd it' rdmairia'to^e sebn whether J ih¥Tpolicy'bKtbe iWcodiine "governor ? m*p bring about a better feeling, and lessen j

the ?r friction; at* present ti existing. * In* any,, oaoßi;. after, .the strong, expression "of opinion, on the^-pa^t, of,tbe .Minister of Marine, it is hardly .probable ,that coercive will to in order ,to. compel native ohiefs and; their follpwera to.^aqr^toa p»rt^cular,|ponven^l^. L f The valise of r ,Np\^ , Caledonia .Jto r) JPtsace^ apart fsom-ite, utility, as a penal settleuqent, is, hardly. $jich; as, to t«mpt.that(,|cpuntry into further kindred acquisitions. < Fully,' twor^hirda > v of the , budget .of, aboqi; „15,000,000' franca, is .contributed „ by, the mother country,- a state of, things f more unpromis-, ing than .that, existing in Cochin .China, which, after-, deducting , the staff expenses contributed from Paris, is made to pay its way. ' , r t ' t