NEW HEBRIDES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 136, 30 May 1908, Page 2

NEW HEBRIDES.

AN EXTRAORDINARY I'OSITION. DISCUSSION IN THE COMMONS. Received 29t1),.0.25 p.m. London, May 29. On the colonial vote in the House of Commons, Major J. E. B. Seeloy explained the difficulties of bringing the New llubrides Convention into operation. The difficulties arose from the extraordinary state of things existing there. The country had no sovereign; it belonged to nobody, and the Government was hampered at every step because there was no precedent. Order, however, was now boing evolved out of chaos. Something would be done to make the place happier for the unfortunate natives who had been harried in the past. Britain had no control ovor recruitment by France of natives for service in New Caledonia. "Wo must rely," lie concluded, "on Franco's justice and humanity." Sir Frederick Banbury declared the British Government could not shirk its obligations because some natives were outside British jurisdiction. The Government shared the responsibility for the treatment of natives whoever they were. Mr. Hawed Tennant said that a Sydney telegram showed that French traders were landing largo quantities of intoxicants at the New Hebrides. Mr. T. Hart-Davies held that the Colonial Office had done much to improve the old system of the New Hebrides. The vote was agreed to.