THE NEW HEBRIDES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11622, 9 April 1901, Page 5

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

LATEST INFORMATION. The ' Melbourne Argus states that by the mail from the New - Hebrides, the : Rev. Frank H. L. Patau has received from the I Rev. R. M. Fraser important news from | Epi, the island on which the French have | been most actively aggressive: — i "A new settlement is being opened up ; by the French < about half-way between i Burumba. and Botnembau, and the first of j seven new families has arrived to take posi session. This family has settled on land which the natives acknowledge to have I been sold by them to the French. But for | the other settlers who are about to arrive j land is being cleared, which, according to the unanimous testimony of the natives, has never been sold by them to the French. A track is also being cut to connect the | settlements. This track passes through | native plantations, and native fences are j being removed by the French to make way : for it. And not only so, but the French demand that a native iron-roofed school, which stands on ground belonging to the natives, shall be removed, because they claim the site. Yet they have refused to produce any title for it. The French settler has also given notice that any pigs straying on to land claimed by.the French will be shot. Now, native 1 law <is that the planter and not the pigowner must do the fencing, and that if a pig breaks through a plantation which has been fenced, then the planter may take action against the owner of the pig. If the islands belonged to the French then they would have a perfect right to make new laws in this way. But as long as the New Hebrides are independent native law in such matters should be respected. " So alarmed have the natives become at these growing aggressions on the part of the French that the chiefs have got up a petition praying His Majesty King Edward to annex the island. This petition is signed by 675 male adults, including 106 chiefs, and is as follows: —«i

" ' Petition to His Most Gracious Majesty Edward VII., by the grace of God King of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India. ,

"'May it please Your Majesty,—We, the hereinafter-named chiefs and men of the Island of Epi, .in the New Hebrides, do cast ourselves at Your Majesty's feet, and earnestly beseech you that this island may be annexed by Your Majesty's Government. " 'There are many white men now coming to the New Hebrides, and at the hands of some of thesemostly Frenchmen— have suffered cruel wrongs". Some have forcibly possessed themselves of our lands, which they have not bought, burnt down houses, shot our pigs, and harassed us in other ways. ,

: "' We wish to live in peace, but at present we have no protection from such illjuries; but we feel that under the shadow of your just government we would have justice and enjoy peace. Many of us know the English language, and we appreciate and cling to the blessings of the Gospel and of civilisation which have come to us through men of your nation. We also feel that the conduct of the British race is more just and humane towards the, black races than that, of other white men. Therefore, we earnestly beseech Your Majesty to take us under your protection, and that our island may be annexed to the British Empire.' " This petition simply voices the feeling of the natives throughout the whole group. "Epi is the centre of the French operations, and it should be known that the British residents equal the French in numbers on that island. The British population is made up of 17 adults and eight children, while the French have 20 adults and five children. The six new families about to arrive will give the French the advantage of numbers. But the moral advantage Is all on the side of the British, who alone have Christianised and civilised the island."