THE FRENCH AT THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 72, 22 September 1900, Page 5

THE FRENCH AT THE NEW HEBRIDES.

* REPORTED LAND-GRABBING. [PRESS ASSOCIATION.] (Received September 22, 9.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The New Hebrides correspondent of the. Daily Telegraph says that" other instances have occurred of French land-grabbing in those islands. Two Englishmen who had bought land Iroin the natives received a letter from the French Company commanding them to leave the place. It is alleged that the land belonged to three natives, and had been sold by two of them to the. French Company without the. consent of the , third. The third sold some more land to the Englishmen, including a small corner previously bought by the French Company, which now claims the whole, , though, excepting the corner mentioned, all was outside their limits. The warships Ringarooma and the French warship Eure recently visited the islands, and the officers held a mixed Commission— Captain Rich, of the Ringarooma, presiding— to deal with complaints made by natives of Mcli with- reference to certain lands claimed to have been purchased by the French Company. Plans were produced, with natives' signatures attached, as proof that they agreed to the sale. The natives claimed that the area indicated a chief's lands which they could not sell. As th© chief failed to produce evidence the matter was withdrawn, and thus, adds the correspondent, a valuable piece of land has been wrested from the natives. Rumours of dissatisfaction and trouble in the near future are rife, and the reputation of the British for impartial justice and fair play has received a blow which all ' Englishmen admit is deserved.