AMONG THE ISLANDS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1345, 26 May 1885, Page 3

AMONG THE ISLANDS.

H.M.S. Undine has arrived in Sydney from the New Hebridies via Noumea. It was ascertained that the French authorities had taken action in the case of Joseph Booth, a British subject in the employment of a branch Company, who was murdered at Port Stanley a year ago under circumstances which have been already relatedi An armed party landed from a man-of-war and attacked the villages known to contain the murderers, and two natives were killed and six captured, including several chiefs. These were conveyed to Noumea where they are in prison. With regard to the murder of a British subject named Peter Cullen, who was in the service of a German Company on a little island to the southward of Mallicolo, where he was staying when he met with.his fate, the German Consul at Noumea was engaged in making enquiries into the matter, as no German man-of-war was available for the purpose. It will be remembered that a German agent and two native servants were killed at the same time as Cullen at Tunna. One of the missionaries (Mr Gray) had been informed by the natives of his village that some of the residents of an adjoining village had threatened to shoot him. The natives of Mr Gray’s village have determined that no ill shall befall him. They mount guard round his house every night, fully armed. At Espiretu Santo Captain LeCrcss was informed that the masters and crews of the French schooners Ambroa and Idaho had, some two or three months previously, attacked and burnt a village on that island, alleging as an excuse for their conduct, that the natives had stolen a boat from one of their traders. The French authorities took action in the matter by arresting the captain, mate, and recruiter of the Ambroa, and taking them to Noumea where they are now in prison. The French gunboat Bruat visited the scene of the outrage with the intention of arresting the captain of the Idaho also, but when she reached there it was found that the captain had deserted the vessel and hidden himself in the bush. He had not been found at the time the Undine sailed. The French authorities have stopped recruiting in the New Hebrides Group. The natives are getting very shy of going away from their homes at all, and two vessels which were recruiting when the Undine was there—one for Samoa and the other for Honolulu—bad been unable to get a single recruit.