MURDEROUS ATTACK ON MISSIONARIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 139, 13 June 1911, Page 7

MURDEROUS ATTACK ON MISSIONARIES.

POISOKED ARROWS SHOWERED OK HOUSES. TROUBLE AT SANTA CRUZ. The steamer Kulambangra. the Lever's Plantation, Liciit>-d. regular island j trader, arrived at Sydney on Sunday, | June 4, from a cruise among tbe islands lof the Paciue.

On the outward voyage, when a call was made at Santa ( ruz. there were signs of trouble among the natives, and not a few of tin- white re.-idents were preparing for emergencies. The cause of the native disturbance was not known, but when the steamer returned to the place from Pago Pago and the other islands, it was found that two missionaries had been obliged to quit their quarters and seek refuge use-here. A party vi-itod the spit where the missionaries had been quartered, and found it deserted, while the dwelling was practically smothered with arrows, indicating that the natives had literally i-ho.vcred the place with poisonous arrows. A number of these were secured by members of the party as trophies of the visit. It was ascertained that no person had been killed, but the exact whereabouts of the missionaries was uot known when the steamer left, except that they had escaped with their lives. It was stated that they were French missionaries.

Trouble of a different kind was reportfd at YVallis Island, where French traders were complaining of the unfair conditions imposed upon them by the native king. It was alleged that he was supported by a French priest in his policy of de_-n_nding heavy charges for copra. The pl-antiris •were practically up in arms and were preparing to have their grievances placed before the Krenc-h Government with the view to a visit irom a cruiser, so tlt-it full inquiries could be made. The Kul-miKingra landed at "Wallis Island M. Botige. a French Government official, who was to make inquiries -as to the exact position ot affairs. M. Bouge had previously been in the NewHebrides, and it was thought that th" result of his visit would be to improve the conditions under which the planters at present worked.

Pago Pago, the American naval station, was visited, and it was found thaan epidemic of measles had set in. The hospital was crowded with patients, and in order to cope with the outbreak the authorities had selected an area of land on which a number of tents were erect"<l and these were filling up quickly. No deaths wore reported up to the time the steamer left.

The drought at the Ellice Islands has broken, and when the Kulambangra was there the rain simple poured down. The position of affairs bad been reversed, and the complaint wa3. that too much rain had fallen. One of the passengers, describing the rain, "Jt came down in sheets, a perfect deluge."

Hull and Sydney Islands, on which hundreds of cocoanut trees were planted a few years n_o, were visited for the purpose of finding out how far the trees had progressed. It was found that, on each island, dry weather had parched up the whole scene. There was not a single tree remaining, snd instead of flourishing planations, the visitors viewed a barren waste.

While the steamer was at Gizo. in th? Solomons, it was reported that Mr. C. Bernays. a Government officer, had beer found shot near one of the lagoons. He had gone out duck-shooting, and as he did not return a party set ont to search for him. When 'his body was found, the face was disfigured as a result of a gun shot. It was thought that he had been accidentally killed, as the natives in the locality have not been troublesome of late.