LIFE IN MELANESIA.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14564, 15 January 1913, Page 5

LIFE IN MELANESIA.

INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIANITY

CONDITION OF THE NATIVES

The conditions prevailing in Melanesia formed the subjee-fc of a conversation which a "Press*' reporter bad yesterday afternoon -with Archdeacon Uthwatt, of the Melanesian Mission, who is visiting New Zealand. Tho Archdeacon has spent three months in Australia in tho intorests of tho mission, aiul after a short stay in Christchurch ho loffc for Wellington lar.t night, en routo to Nelson.

Archdeacon Uthwatt said that during the last ten years tho work of the mission had made a marked advance, and while tho number of European workers had not increased in proportion to tho work. the? number Ol natives who had become Christians had rapidly increased. He? said there were now splendid opportunities for great developments in the mission work, which, however,- wero being hampered by the lack of funds and workers. In the Solomons alone it would be possible to place teachers in forty villages if this 'number of teachers could bo got.

. Speaking of the customs of the natives in tho Solomons at tho present time. Archdeacon Uthwatt said that head-hunting, cannibalism, and infanticide were rapidly disappearing, and this was duo to the presence of tho Christian Church, ana the wise administration of tho Government. Five years ago. continual murdering was going on in tho heathen villages, but this was rapidly disappearing, and he expressed the opinion that in ten years' fcimo murdering amongst the natives would be unknown. Other islands, such as Tho Ban Its group and The Torres group, wero altogether Christian, and lite was quiet and peaceful there. The? conditions in the Santa Cruz group were described by the Archdeacon as bad. Ho said tho natives wero treacherous and unstable, and in almost all parts of this group tho natives were always fighting amongst themselves. Tho visitor said tho immediate effect of Christianity was the abolition of fighting and cannibalism. In the Solomons thero arc 200 Christian villages, and in tho whole of the Mrlanesian mission there are 350 Christian villages. It is thus seen that more than half of the Christian villages aro in the Solomons, and this is principally duo to tho fact that the Solomons are the biggest and most thickly-populated islands. "In the New Hebrides, The Banks, and tho Torres, the poP"' atlon » decreasing owinz to the amount of intoxicating liquor—chiefly brandy and gin—which is consumed by tno natives." continued Archdeacon Uthwatt. "This liquor is sold to tne natives by many of the traders, though it is against the law to dp so "the north the population, if not slightly increasing. » at any rate stationary, and this is due to the fact that the administration of the magistrate is so good that from one year s end to another not one pint of intoxicating liquor is sold to the natives. In the New Hebrides, on the other hand, a great deal of drinking is going on amongst tho natives.*' Archdeacon Uthwatt went on to say that in 'regard to the white population in tho Solomons, the position was rapidly changing.. Ten years ago there were few white people there, and these were mostly traders nnd men in. terested in the fruit industry. But. now." he proceeded, "the white people aro pouring into the islands. mo„ ci them soinsfther- with the intention of establishing plantations ami Jiving there. The white P°*™ laUo £, p ° I I ?* I Solomons is now over 000. mere *"■*

a few rubber plantations copra being tho principal industry." In conclusion Archdeacon Uthwatt said that many people had an idea that it wo? useless for missionaries to go amongst tho natives, who were quite happy if they were left alone. "This is an erroneous idea." said tho Archdeacon. "Wo are givihg the natives happiness, peace and freedom, and while we aro doing- away with their evil customs, we are introducing good habits. We aro not trying to five the natives a twentieth century civilisation, but wo aro giving them Christianity."