THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 210, 5 September 1893, Page 5

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

THE RESULTS OF THE RECENT

HURRICANE,

The following letter, which has been received by the eteamer Tonaia, at Sydney, from Dr. Robert Lamb, of Ambry.m, New Hebrides, will enow how much needed was the help sent by the frienda of the mission, and how greatly it was appreciated :— " Ranior, Ambrym, New Hebrides. —As H. M.s. Dart called here immediately after tba departure of the Lark, I send this note by favour of Commander H. E. PercyGust to Fort Saudwich to catch the French mail. Will you kindly express publicly the thanks of the whole mission party for the sympathy and liberality with which the friends in Christchurch, Auckland, and elsewhere responded to our appeal for assistance. Although the distress among tho people is not so great aa we anticipated, it has been, and is, real enough. Tho yam crop, never large at this end of the island, alone was generally saved, though tho mission crop, being near the sea, perished. Tho people are at present eating hard, wild berries, tho husk of the green cocoanub, the leavos of the bread-fruit tree, pumkin tops, stringy roots and vines ; in fact, anything edible they can find in the bush. Our own party hare been living from hand to month, and once I had to go in the small boat in search of food, but some stores kindly given us by Captain Peurn, of the labour ship Lochiel, and a stock of rice lonb ua by M. Francois Rossi, of Ration, enabled ua to hold on until the arrival of the Lark, Several labour ships have been hovering around Ambrym expecting a large haul of recruits. They have nob been altogether disappointed, bub the people prefer hard times to leaving thoir island homo for the Queensland and other plantations. The relief committee in Sydney have been instructed to forward us by each mail a aufflcienb supply of rice and hard biscuits till the native gardens are nj>aiti in full bearing. We are not giving the food away in such a manner aa to pauperise tho peoplo, We expect all that can work to do ao. and we pay them in food and clothing. Tho sick, the hungry, weak ones and the little children can have for the asking. The mission is an industrial one, and we seek to turn tho need of the peoplo into a channel- profitable to themselves. If we wero to give away gratuitously the supply would be exhausted in a few days. Wo hope to turn their labour to account in rebuilding tha statioD, and in providing school and hospital accommodation for themselves. The mission party are in fairly good health, and have been endeavouring to construct an abode oub of the wreckage lefb by the cyclone. Again asking you to convey this expression of our thanks to all helping friends, I remain yours very truly, Robert Lamb."