NEW HEBRIDES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1713, 2 January 1920, Page 3

NEW HEBRIDES.

, A DEPRESSING PICTURE. i Mr Edward- »tueomb, Assistant CommisKiouoir of the New . Helirides-v from 1007 to H)ll, and subsccpicntly in private practice there as a banister, arrived i' 4 Sydney on Deceinber''4 en route to Riiglanu/' During his 15 years' sojourn in the New Hebrides $Mr Jacomb lias made a close study p| conditions generally, and particularly fii regard to' r tho Condoinhiiiun, which r lias since its' institution beqii the cause at much dissatisfaction and more criticism. The fruits of his studies and observations. Mr Jacomb embodied in two\books, the latest of Which,' on the future of the kanaka, has just been published in London. - . >., ~ A keen Imperialist, Mn Jacomb is depressed\at the' possibility -of the' Frenpii gaining complete control of the group; and he anticipates that the U ■.vnsfer to Franco, of supreme control ot theso islands,, but 1000 miles from Australia', will, be J he,-, forerunner to Japanese control. .. .' Japanese influence he warns Australia against, and contends that the present bankrupt condition of France makes her anxious to realise on some of her colonies. One hundred millions he puts the price' at which/Franco Would' pass on New ; Calodonia and the New Hebrides to Japan ; and to his mind colour is.lent to tlfo theory of .Japan's designs by" the present influx of Japanese into the New Hebrides.

i "Why," ho says, "should Australia 'be so! concerned over, the Japanese occunancy of tho ~ Marshall and Caroline Islands, when here at her door lies, a potential danger? The future must be considered, and as Australians are not Cognisant of conditions in the _ New Hebrides they are not in a p6sition to judge. Consideration should be given to the. future in view of'the importance of the Pacific, and were Australia to lake control the wisdom of such a course would bo-vindicated in later years. The Colonial Office would move to pi ace Australia in possession ( if: ! ,pnly Australia would express a desire' in that- direction ; but, unfortunately, it appears to bo no one's business, and so—well, 1 have said enough on this matter." Questioned on present conditions in the New Hebrides,' and' the working of the Con dominium. Mr Jacomb gave sonic interesting but depressing information. He first mentioned that when h■? left the group on .the' outbreak of war to join the Navy it was announced that the settlement of the land question —the granting of the Torrens titlewould be deferred until the war had ended. The joint court was;closed until the end of the war. On returning a few months Sgo Mr Jacomb found the promise that'the court would \o opened at the end of the war honoured in the breach. '

Now there was a genera] impression anion"; the French that it was a matter of only a very sliorfc timo when France would control thi- whole group. This transfer, strangely enough, was favoured by loading English* officials in the New Hebrides. .. '•Australia's future is botrndup with this group, and Australia should secure roi>tr»l," emphasised Mr Jivponih. Wlhilr. there is some (Toubt as to Australia's ability to administer colonies Mr Jaoonih has none: and considers that the New* Hebrides under Australian administration would benefit immensely. Certainly $ is'hard to imagine a worse condition of things than that pictured in the gl'onp by Mr Jnconib. His account of the treatment -sf (he natives is sad in the extreme, and the annihilation of"the raw, formerly healthy and wiry in peace, is, he considers,'only a question of time.