MASSACRE AT THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 165, 30 July 1879, Page 3

MASSACRE AT THE SOLOMON ISLANDS.

The report of the cruise of the Melanesian Mission schooner Southern Cross give a generally hopeful account of the mission. Referring to a visit to Leper Island (Solomon Group), the report says the part of the island under the more special direction of the missionary gave many hopeful and promising signs of improvement, but on the other side of the island there was work for a man-of-war as well as for a man-of-peace. The massacre of a labour boat’s crew of six persons—two whites and four blacks—is reported. They were cooked and eaten. The Wolverine went to the island to exact due punishment. The actual instig tor and chief actor in the tragedy was secured and carried a prisoner to Fiji, and a heavy fine was levied on the people in pigs. It is a matter for much thankfulness that the whole affair was settled without recourse to force of arms or unnecessary bloodshed. The pacific conduct of the Commodore was much appreciated by the natives when they saw what power he had, and they are aware that if they perpetrate like deeds of violence, they will scarcely got off so easy again. The conduct of some of the whites in these seas is worse and more lawless towards the natives than that of the natives towards each other, and in a number of instances the blacks are driven to revenge themselves on ill-conducted and bullying whites, but in this case there seems to have been no provocation for so terrible an outrage. Love of slaughter and greed for human flesh lias been the only reason assigned for the onslaught. Awful it is to think that while at one side of a not very wide island the finger of God is visibly displayed in the reception into the ark of Christ’s flock of four young men who are loading daily a most good and exemplary life, and are a standing testimony in themselves of God’s own work, the work of evi is awfully active on the other, promoting such fearful and blood thirsty deeds as that without any reason six huma-i lives could be ruthlessly taken, and tie first death-blow he struck by a fimahawk taken from the boat.