Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1897. ATROCITIES IN THE CONGO.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10647, 29 June 1897, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 1897. ATROCITIES IN THE CONGO.

Our cable messages ol late haze referred to trouble betweeu the natives oi the Congo Free State and the Belgians, It one-tenth of what was recently stated la London ba trae, the wonder is that there ii a Belgian left alive In the territory. At a meeting of the Aborigines Protection Society in St. Martin's Town Hall, London, presided over by Sir Charles DUke, tales were told which a London paper says " simply appalled the andleneb." At the outsat an ende&vo* was mode to exolnde the Press reporters, on the ground that most of the testimony wonld be given by missionaries*, who, if they were known to bave made "Inconvenient revelations" in England, wonld on their retnrn to the Congo, promptly die of " Congo fever," which in English means being poisoned by Belgian officials, or wonld ba murdered by hired native assasslm. Ultimately the reporters were requested not to publish the names of the speakers. According to the reports, several of the missionaries olalmed to be eye> witnesses of the scenes they described , They stated that nnsornpnlons officers of the Administration are set as sentinels in the conquered villages, whose inhabitants are sent afiald to gather lndiarnbber. This work Involves great hardship, especially as the officials are never satisfied with the quantity brought in. This dissatfofaotion is Invariably expressed io the aanio way, according to the witnesses at the meeting. Several natives are Bhot and their right hands are out off, some* times before they are dead, Theße right hands are Bmoked, In order that (hey ■hall " keep," and are Bent away on the baskets of indlarabber, as an assuranoe to the superior officer that his subordinates are zaaloas. One speaker testified that he had seen a baby who, althongh he had bat a bloody stamp where his right hand had been, was still alive, and was ollaging to the bosom of his murdered mother. Here 1b the acoount of one toray desorlbed by a Swedish missionary : — At the end of last year a force of State soldiers, at the order of the corutnlasalre of the dlat-rtot, entered the village of Mandaka, Vajlgo, near my station, and, seeing the natlvee rnn away as nsaal at their approach, held out a quantity of brass rods with which they trade, lndiootIng that they were not theie to fight, bat to bay food. Seeing their pacific Intentions, the natives returned and commenced to prepare the food. Meanwhile, a. portion of tne troopß were sent down to the other end of the village, the natives were surrounded, the State soldiers opened fire npon them, and about SO were killed, This being reported to as by the Boldlers and the natives, Mr Banks rode out to Inquire Into it. He hlmielf counted 20 or 30 dead bodies, and Baw a beap of hands that bad been out off. A few days later, when Governor Wahle oalled in at oar station, Mr Banki detailed what he had heard, and M. Wehls answered that it was Impossible, but he summoned the commandant in' oharge— the officer who had ordered the raid had already gone elsewhere — and aßked him in French if the story were true. The Belgian officer assured M. Wabls that it was, but the latter thinking Mr Banks did not understand French, said, " After all, you may have seen this, bat you have do wlbneßses." " Ob," said Mr Banks, " I can oall the oommandant, who has jaet told you It 1b true." M. Wahii then tried to minimise the matter, when, to his great surprise, Mr Banks added, " In any oaso I have, at hit own request, famished the British oonsal, who passed through here lately, with a signed statement concerning it," M. Wahis rose from bis ohalr,aiylng, "Oh, then it is all over Europe." Then, for the firat time he said that the responsible commlssaire mast be punished, Some time after the Governor had taken his departure we were surprlied to hear that the guilty officer bad been sentenced to five years' imprisonment. A* the officer was all this time waging warfare |q the Interior we failed to understand what it meant. We afterwards learnt that he had been sentenced to remain for flve years on the Congo without furlough. King Leopold recently appointed a Commission to inquire into the treatment of the natives on the Congo, but accordIng to the speakers it led to nothing Indeed, more than one directly blamed these atrocities to the Bystom of enforoed labor authorised by the Belgian Govern* rnent, It was deeorlbed as "(imply one Df wholesale robbery, eztortlOD, slavery, and murder. 1 ' Native armed sentiuelii ohoaen from the wildest tribes, are plaoed In the towns to force tbe people to bring In rubber, Altogether, this Swedhh mis. alonary said, be bad come norosa uo fewer ihan 45 villages whloh bad been burnt Down and . S3 abandoned through the rabber trouble, and he bad often lean lead bodlei floating In the river or lying

by the wayside with the right hand* oat off— all victims to the robber question, In Kobrnary,-1895, while he was preaching to a number of natives at> a place called Eblra, where a whits man had never been seen before, Borne ol these sentinels rushed forward and seized an old man because he had been away fishing Instead of collecting rubber, The old man was thrown to the ground and dragged a few yards aside, The sentinel then pointed the gun at hfa head, and shot him before the speakei>a eyes. Then putting another cartridge Into his gun be pointed it at the crowd, and they Immediately fled. Next he told a little boy, eight or nine yean old, to out off the old man's right hand, which ho did. The dying man, not yet quite Insensible, attempted to withdraw bis hand when he felt) the knife, but in vain. The hand was then placed on a fallen tree, where already four others were displayed, bo that all might see them and take warning. The others had previously been smoked, and shortly this, too, was laid on the fire and smoked, In order to preserve them for the oommleBQiro — trophies of civilisation ! Continuing his terrible story, the missionary described how he often saw sentlnelß pass the mission station, carrying baskets of smoked hands, It was reported that the commUsßire had given orders that no more natives were to be shot on aooonnt of the rnbbßr, bnt atiH the mnrderß went on. The secret was explained when a sentry divulged that order* had been given privately to go on killing some natives, but to send In no more hands. In codclublod, the reverend gentleman said, the oountry was rapidly being depopulated, and Europe must do something— and do it soon— so that these down-trodden natives would have no more cause to ask, with a carte, " Why did the white man ever find his wpy to my country I

A report of yesterday's proceedings at the Supreme Court and oar Hastings correspondents letter will be found on tbe fontth page. The exeontlve of the flood relief 1 and will meed to-day at 3.30 p.m.* The Jubilee Assembly will hold their uaaal dance to-night at Stuart's Hall, Spit.* Annual tpeolal service, St. Anenßtine's Chnrob, Wednesday, 30(11, at 7 30 p.m. Dean Hovell will preaoh,* Mr Browett, of the Labor Buroau, Informs ns that fonr men will be seleoted at the Barean at 3 o'olook this afternoon for road work. Tbe Grand Jnry yesterday fonnd no bill In the oaae of Walter Flndlay, charged with attemptiog to administer poison, to wit, verdlgrl?, to his child. On and after the let July nest money may t>3 transmitted by means of telegraph money orders to all of the Anstralian colonies. The Grand Jnry were discharged for the eesslon by hie Honor yesterday afternoon at a quarter to 4, after returning trne bills In all the oases laid before them except one. In oommemoratlon of the Queen's coronation the Union Stesmpshlp Co.'c offices at the Fort were gaily lilnmlnated last evening, on a similar ssale to the display on jabllee night. i Messrs Williamson and Muegrove'a ' " Mstsa " Vaudeville Company opened their Wellington season at the Opora House last night. The company will not play at Napier. A theoretical examination in connection with the London College of Muslo will ha held in Napier cm Ootober 20th. Mica Le Meroler has been appointed local represeotative of the College. At the Athecanm tonight the postponed leoture on " Kobert Louii Stevenson and His Works" will be given by Mr S7, Diufflddle. Members are invited to bring their lady fiienda. Jo connection with the Fort Ahnrlrl Swimming Club's fifth annual ball, a strong committee hao been formed to make the necessary arrangements, and with fine weather there should be a large attendance. The Dresden Piano Company have sold nearly 100 pianos in their North Island agencies dnriDg this— their annnal b&lanoe — montb, more than one-third of that number having gone to Palmerston North, where the oompany have fast concluded a very successful 10 days tale.* A oommon juror was exempted from serving at the Supreme Court yesterday on grounds whloh have not been raised here before. When Mr W. Meban was called he pointed oat that he had served at the February sittings, and after standing aside for a while nntil the full juty list had bsen called, his Honor excused him from serving. LEna Hoff Bad Mary siam appeared before Messrs G. H, Swan and Vantler, J.s'P., at the Magistrate's Conrt yetterday, oharged with falling to send their children to sohool. Tbe Bench pointed out to the defendants that they mast oomply with the Act, and eaoh was ordered to pay 7a, coats of proceedings. It Is itsted by the Chloago Pott, whose representative Interviewed oar Premier, that the Right Honorable K. J. Seddon weighs exaotly 2701 b, and that seven years ago he was elected to "govern" these Islands. Ib mlgbt be Interesting to know what the Bight Honorable gentle* man will Boale when he retnrm to the colony. The residents of Walroa celebrated tbe reoord reign with appropriate enthusiasm. The town wbb brilliantly Illuminated and a procession formod, the band playing saleable masio. A publlo meeting was anbsequently held, at which Bpeeohes were delivered by a number ot gentlemen, the proceedings oonolndlng by the singing of the National Anthem. A native lad named Toba was drowned In the Motuki river near the bridge on Wednesday while taking over some firewood in a canoe. It Is stated that the deoeaßed bad a big pole pushing the canoe np the river, and when he wbb coming over above the rapids the pole slipped and be was pitched head first Into the river, No doubt he was dashed against the cliff, and probably washed ont to sea. Parties have been grappling along the river bat wlthont sucoess.— Guardian. Tbe matron at the Connty Hoipltal reports as follows for tbe past week:— 26 In-patlenta, including six females ; . two males and one female received dnrlog the week ; one male discharged ; no deaths. —Out of 20S new justices gaaatted this week, only three are in Hawko'a Bay, namely, Mr George Sbubbs, Napier; Mr F. Gradwell, Maksretn, and Mr N. M'Phee, Dmevlrke.— Walpawa correspondent, At the Supreme Court today the cases against Robert Todd, sheepßteallDg at Walpawa, and John Davles, theft at Danevlrke, will be taken. After these oases have bcea disposed of there only remain those against John Fitzgerald and William Wilson (trne bills) for themnrder of James M'lntosh, which will be beard to-morrow, and for wbloh the witnesses have been summoned for 10 a.m. Dr, Hosklng made several farther ex periments at the Masterton Hotnltal on Thursday afternoon with the X rays One of Mr C. £ Danlell's children was operated npon. The oblld was supposed to have a needle In the heel of its foot. The rays, whloh penetrated right through the foot, revealed nothing In the shape of a needle. Several photographs were taken by the doctor, whloh will (says the Star) probably be exhibited when developed, Tbe following further contributions have been reoelved towards thn Hawke'i Bay flood relief fnnd:— Mrs Fiazanger, Mllbnrn station, Eaikora North, per Dalgety and Co,, £100; Mania ntatlon list, £9; performance of "Vice Versa" and " Snowball," £21 2s 6A • Qleborne, £78 fjs (making a total of £558) | Hokltlka Christian Children's Ministering Leagne, £5; Braanerton, £4 la; W. M. Newton and Co, £5; estate of H. S. Tiffen, Greenmeadows, £2 10a 6d. The total fund now amounts to over £14.000. Commenting npon tbe deoislon of tbe Minister of Public Works to provide none other but road work for the unemployed compositors, the Qiago Daily Tima remarks;—"lt is very evident that Mr Hall Joneo baa no sympathy at all with tho hatdablps of these men, who are now victims to the professions of the Governmen 6 that every man Is entitled to look to the State for employment, To offer compositors work like that offered was tantamount to a point blank refmal, and it ww accompanied with terms of contempt." Captain Edwin wired at I 6 p.m. yesterday as follows ;— Wind between north* east and north and at all plaoes ; barometer farther fall everywhere i aea heavy on all western coasts after twelve hours, also on east ooast north of East Cape after sixteen hours ; and southward from Castiepolot after twelve honra; tide* good on all western coasts, and on east coast south of Napier, moderating from thence northward t northerly gales, with rain, are to be expeoted in all parti of the oountry, The man Watts, charged with breaking into a home in Brews ter- street, and not represented by conned, made a very able defenoe In tbe Supreme Court yesterday. The prinolpal evidence against him was a silver 0010, on one tide of which was engraved the Lord* Prayer, and on tbe other the Doxology. Watti said these ooloa were distributed by the Se&mea'i

Mission, and were, be said, aa oommon as halfpennies. The Judge donbted ttali otatement; at any rate bis Honor had not seen any like it previonsly, and basked np bis opinion by giving Watts three years' Imprisonment. Three jurora were exoused from serving on the Grand Jury yesterday. Mr F. Fenwicke, manager of the Bank of N.Z., who pointed out that one offioer of the bank had already been called for tha Grand Jury, while the staff was short handed owing to another officer being sway In Auckland j Mr Tyerman, who said he was captain of the Hastings Fire Police ; and Mr H. 0. Wilson, who stated that hiß partner, Mr Davles, was also on the Grand Jnry. Two common jurors were exempted on the ground of belne over age. His Honor said that this should be attended to by those who drew np the list, as people shonld not be put to the Inoonvenlenoe of ooming to Court under suoh circumstances. A meeting of the Hastings Bowling ?? i M Bs^ eld hat ri Bht8 ht 8t O'Reilly 1 , botel, Mr w. C. Uaddiion, president, In the i chair. The ocoounta In conneotlon with the reoent ball were laid on tba Votes of thanks were pasted to the ladle* who had given their assistance, and also to Messrs EIH« and Haizird. The statement of the juvenile ball showed a oredit balance in hand of £7 2s. A small souvenir was preiented to the honorary secretary, Mrs Tyerman, and votes of thanks were passed to all others who had aided In the success of the gathering, It was deolded to purohase vwlous lmple« ments for use on the green, and to make arrangements for the forthcoming tournament. The AH Nations' bazaar was again well attended last night, when mosi of the big refflas took plaoe. The following la a list of the prlza winners : — Dutch pair, Yum Gee ; hand-painted minor, Mr Gilbert Price; onshlon, Mr Howard : wall bannerette, Miss L. Steward: cow, Father Grogan ; wall panel, Brother Gregory; cushion, Mrs James Rots; shawl, Mrs Slmmondi; blaok thorn stlok, Mr Graves j tea cosey, Mrs Hayden j doll, Mr M. Keardon ; picture, Mra Mooney ; wool mab, John Johnson ; fire foreen, Mr W. Glfford j salad bowl. Mlsi B, Paaicy ; sheep and goose, Mr D, Djbaon. During the evening Mrs James Hobs and Miss Dempsey contributed vooat Hems. The baz »ar will be brought to a close this evening. A committee meeting of the Hastings Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Soolety was held laati night, Mr W. J. Tyerman in the ohair. It was notified that the assets of the old society had been handed over, and it was resolved that all moneys accruing from those assets should be devoted towards paying off the liabilities of the old sooiety, It waa derided to devote a portion of the prooeeda of any performances to be given towards tha same object. Messrs Tyerman and Mere* wether were appointed a finance oom< mlttee with regard to the liquidation of the debt. A general meeting will be held at an early date, when the subcommittee appointed for the purpose will lay bnfore the soolety their suggestions residing the next production, with a view to commencing the work at once, Colonel Pole Pentan inspected thi Ntpier Rifles last evening, aod the oom> pany acquitted themselves well In the varlons movements. In the absence of Captain Chicken, Lieutenant Stubbs took otasrge of the company, who put in the best attendance they have had for some time-, there being, 39 present. The new uniform seems to give general satlafao. tlon. Colonel Penton was accompanied by Colonel Newall, and Major Btytheand the Rev. Dean Hovell (chaplain of the Rittlaoo) were also present to welcome tha new commandant. The oolonel complimented the company on their drill, but drew particular attention to the fact that the men were lucllaed to move and %alk while at attention, trnd pointed ont tftat it was the duty ot the non commissioned officers to put a stop to »uoh" defects. There was a full attendance of the subcommittee of the Wanderers' Bloyole Club, to arrange for the annual ball, at the Mbboolc Hotel last night, when a quantity of business was transacted. The programme of the danoes was drawn up and committees appointed for the varloui duties at the ball, and all arrangements for the oaterlng were decided upon. It was reported that tickets were selling fast and everything pointed to a most satis* factory gathering. The following gentlemen have consented to act aa a general committee for the bull :— Messrs R, D, D, M'Lean. M.HR.P. S. M'Lean, G. H. Swan, C. D Kennedy, F. Logan, G. S, V. Wenley, H. Derry, A. Eooles, J, C. M'Vay, E, C. Gold Smith, J. W. M'Dougall, Captain Smith, and several others, and from the Interest taken In the event by all who have been approached In conneotlon with It, it la anticipated a brilliant euocess will be recorded, x The half-yearly meeting of the Loyal Forest Home Lodge, 1.0.0. F., M.U., waa held on Saturday evening, and In addition to the transaction of routine business elected officers. The election resulted bs follows: — N.G., Bro. J, P*pUe* ; y.Q,, Pro, 8., Ale»9u4»rf B,S,| BrOi J Oeborno ; warden, Bco, S Lewis \ slok ntewards, Bros. W. Retain*, P.G., and R. New ling, G.M. Leotnres will be given on the 10th July.— A complaint readies me that papers are being surrep* tltlomly removed from tbe M&kotnku Library. I am requested to warn the people oonoerned that unless theie pranks are discontinued the delinquents may find themselves before tbe Court Bhortly, —Mr J, M, P. Lookhead was the suooeisful tenderer for tbe position of rabbiter to the Norsewood, Makotoku, and Ormond* ville Rabbit Association,— Ormondvllle correspondent. The annual sale held by the D.1.C.,' Wellington, immediately before the oom* pany 'a annual balanoe and audit is now fairly under weigb, and If the utmost liberality In the rednobion of prices, backed by an almost incomprehensible variety of really reliable and useful wares, goes for anything, this great sale will not abate in popularity. Tboie who are unable to personally vlait Wellington are asanred that by oommunioatlng with the management and enolosing remittance for amount of order, suoh special care will be taken In tha exeoutlon of the order that tbe senders will fare equally as well as though they had perwnally visited tbe company's warehouse at Wellington, Since the last annual aale a oommodlous two-story bulldiog for ad* | dltlonal show-room space has been added to the warehouse, and the result is a larger vatlety of etook, and a still larger roll of emplot c" j.