THE NEW HEBRIDES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1611, 14 January 1903, Page 19

THE NEW HEBRIDES

INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN RASON, R.N.

THE BRITISH OUTLOOK.

LIBERAL TRADE ENCOURAGE-

MENT NECESSARY.

FRENCH ENTERPRISE

“If wo want supremacy in the New Hebrides, wo must give liberal encouragement to trade, recruiting free from harassing restrictions, and more liberally subsidise the steamers,” is the way in which Captain Rason, R.N., sums up the position. Captain Rason is the British Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides, and after six months’ residence there is again in Sydney, en route to Fiji. The captain, who is a typical Royal Navy man, was seen at the Grosvenor Hotei yesterday by a “Daily Telegraph” representative. “Tho islands,” he said, “are governed conjointly by England and France respectively. Wo have, however, no jurisdiction over tho natives, who arc free to do just what they like in the way of murder, theft, or lesser offences. Provided they don’t come into conflict with a white man, we have no power to interfere.”

“But suppose a native kills another ?” “Why somebody else usually kills ium,” was the reply.

“The English representative at the isis by no means a.s free as the French representative,” said the captain. “His hands are tied in many directions in which the other fellow’s are free. In the event, for instance, of an offence by natives against an Englishman—murder, perhaps —I have no' authority to punish the offender, not even to arrest him. And the result is a state of anarchy among tlio natives. The ciiiefs are not hereditary, and the only peoplo that are feared are the medicine men, who are credited with being able to produce sickness or even death.” “And how do the medicine men originate?” “They practically buy their rank with feasts and entertainments. There are 15 ranks, the occupants of which are endowed with varying powers, but nowadays no one gets to the highest rank.”

“Tho effect of missionaries on these people is, of course, good?” “In most instances yes, but in- others the missionaries are- endeavouring to enforce very severe restrictions, in some instances absolutely forbidding the converts to smoke. As tho natives travel and gather knowledge of the habits of the white men they become dissatisfied with the high standard set them. “There are at present some 50,000 natives on the islands, and the missionaries have a fair hold, particularly the Presbyterians in the British, portions and the Catholics among the natives in the vicinity of the French settlement. “And occasionally the missionaries have a little sectarian squabble?” “No,” said Captain Rason, “that’s a thing they never do up there. They help each other along in first-rate style. Only recently a Catholic missionary, finding a Presbyterian brother in distress, for some weeks sent him along vegetables, fruit, find other food. 'Because I send you this,’ lie. wrote to the Presbyterian, ‘don’t think that I believe you are going to Heaven. I know you are bound for the other place, but I hope to> warm your heart towards me and to reason with you so that in the end we may be lxappy together.’ ” “The whites,” he said, “number about 300 or 400, and they are mostly French.”

“Why?—“Well because the conditions under which Frenchmen live there as compared Avith those under which the English live are much more favourable and encouraging. While our people are handicapped, the Frenchmen receive substantial encouragement. Their steamers are much more heavily subsidised, and the coffee growers are encouraged by bounties. Their traders are allowed to sell rifles and other arms to tii© natures, ours are forbidden; and their schooners are absolutely unhampered in the recruiting trade. To’ sum up, it’s a more attractive place under present conditions for the Frenchman.”

“The natives all have Snider rifles, but fortunately they don’t understand them very well, and are mostly afraid to- fire them. off. The introduction of firearms is rather a good thing in one way; the natives used in the old days to have poisoned arrows, but they have ceased to make them now, and when we take the rifles away from them they will be practically unarmed. “I have only been there six months, and I don’t think I can say trade has improved in that time. The principal articles for export are copra and maize, and as white maize is dear in Sydney it pays the New Hebrideans well, but at ordinary rates they cannot face the tariff and make money. Copra is of course a safe investment, since it always commands a good price, and can be easily grown and gathered. “Are there any labour difficulties?” —“Well, that’s one of the points on which the French people have considerable advantage. All the labour is black, and no boy will work on the island to which he belongs—he has to be recruited. The British recruiting is car-

ried on under exactly the same conditions as tho recruiting of kanakas was for Queensland. The captains engaged in the trade have to find a £SOO bond and to observe a number of harassing restrictions, which naturally narrows down tho number engaged in the trade, and renders it difficult for settlers to obtain sufficient labour. With the French it is different. Their recruiting is absolutely unrestricted, 'and consequently they are able to get boys much more freely. Given tho labour—which costs to recruit about £lO per head for three years —and it should not take long for a settler to get a good return ont & cf the land. Still, in spite c-f the disadvantages under which the Britisher labours, lie keeps his end up; the question is how much longer under existing conditions he will be able to do so. “I have made a report on the question c-f recruiting and employing labour, embodying certain suggestions which will no doubt be considered by the commission to be appointed to deal with the New Hebrides question. The commission will bo called upon to deaf witfi land matters. The ownership ef the land is uncertain in many instances. Tho natives sometimes deny that they have sold, and the settlers are just as emphatic in declaring that they are honest pure] lasers. Only a special commission can deal with such matters as those, and I expect the members of-the commission will be appointed next year.

“After a short stay here I am proceeding to Fiji for the purpose of conferring with the- High Commissioner there, chiefly on tho labour question. ’

Asked as to the conditions under which the white man lives in tho New Hebrides, Captain Rason said that for tiie greater part cf the year the climate was good. There were practically no mosquitoes, flies, or snakes, and the only sickness prevalent was a slight fever, which lasted only a day, and had no serious effects on the sufferers. “No enterprise,” he said, “looks particularly' alluring if it calls for hard work, and the settler in the New Hebrides must face that ; but in six or seven years he should, with reasonable industry, have established a valuable and highly reproductive plantation.” In conclusion lie said, “If British settlement and British interests are to' extend sufficiently to justify England in seeking to govern the islands, then British settlers must be encouraged—they must receive at least the same measure of encouragement as the French settlers do at present. The most amicable relations exist between the representatives of the two nations there and there is no reason why they should not continue. ’ ’ — £ ‘Telegraph. ”