THE NEW HEBRIDES

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4294, 1 March 1901, Page 7

THE NEW HEBRIDES

TO If ATM EXT OF THE NATIVES. A BURNING SUBJECT. DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. When the New Zealand General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was held at Wanganui the other week, u was decided that a deputation should interview ihe Premier-on the snhjcc: of the condition of the natives, and of Brit?ish subjects and missionaries at tie. New Hebrides. Accordingly, the. Rev J. K. Elliott (-Moderator), the Rev W. Sldrer, Messrs W. Allan and W. M. Hann-iy and the Rev Mr Mackenzie (Finite Mission' waited on Air Seddon last night shortly after ids return from X< Lon. The Rev Mr Smale, an authority on New Hebrides matters, v.a.v to have accompanied the deputation, but lor some reason failed to do so, and id.,; statement will he forwarded to the Government in writing. The deputation stilted , its case, bet found that Mr Seddou was not only thoroughly acquainted with the whole of the circumstances oi the missionaries, islanders and traders, but had matters well in train for the remedy of the evils complained of. The Premier said that he had boon watching the game that was being played in tho New Hebrides for some lime. When he was, in Aieliiburne he had sent a memorandum to tho Right Hon E. Barton, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth, on the 23rd January last, pointing out that the French claimed to have acquired laud from tho natives, and Unit the natives had denied the sale of the land, and giving it as his opinion that there was necessity for inquiry into the forcible ejection of natives and Europeans from hand so claimed to have been acquired. He had also expressed apprehension lest the. French would ultimately .claim a- paramount interest owing to the areas of land held. Ho bad pointed out to Mr Barton, also, t hat a trade boycott was being carped on ; that French traders were selling arms and goods which British traders were prohibited from selling; that there was practically no one to represent British interests or to see that our set Hers and traders, got fair play; that mouths elapsed between the visits of British men-of-war; and that recently the captain of a British man-o’-war undertook- to inquire into a purchase or alleged purchase of lands by the French Government, or French .sottler.-J and traders, and decided that the sale was valid. He had stated to Air Barton that under what authority a naval officer had so acted he was at a loss to comprehend. He had pointed out, also, to the Federal Premier, how important it was for Australasia that on no acixuijf should British interests in the New. Hebrides be ceded. But, recollecting) what had happened in Samoa, he ha.L ventured to suggest there was urgent! necessity for, statesmen like the Federal] Premier to bestir themselves ere it was 1 100 late. He had suggested the mak-j rng of a recommendation to tho Secrctary of State, that, pending the Com-, monwealth dealing with Hie matter, a* Resident .Agent should he appointed to the New Hebrides; Hint visits of tl.c High Commissioner or the Pacific or. Depnty-dommissioner should occasion- j ally he made, and that once in every | three months a man-o’-war should visit ] the islands. He had also suggested th.u-j a mixed Commission should be sot up;with a chairman well versed hi native customs, to inquire into tho causes of complaint. . {| The Rev J. K. Elliott said the Premier seemed to have anticipated tho deputation in every suggestion which it had proposed to make. The Premier replied that as far hack as October last he had communicated with tho Secretary, of State for the Colonies on these same lines. He had been made cognisant of what was going on during his visit to the islands, and it was upon that that ho had taken action, and he had thought it well to enlist the; yinpatlues of the head of the Commonwealth, and besides writing to Mr Barton, he had had a conference .with him on the subject. He still thought that, tho first step to he taken was the up- 1 [/ointment, of a. British Resident to go’ about amongst tho islands. Directly; (hose with grievances had some one to appeal to, many of the evils would be Mopped. But nothing loss than a Com-! mission could settle the matter. The; appointment of a Commission would, however, naturally take time. His information was that maps had been sent to France to enable emigrants to select land, and no doubt these maps were faulty as to landmarks, and a great deal of misunderstanding had taken place for (In's reason, as it had done in this coi-‘ ouy over the same question. An espeoi-; ally complicating influence was the fact’ that there were shore natives and inland natives, and it was morally impossible for some of the land which tho French claimed to go back as far as it did. He could not understand how a naval off.-’ cer could profess, to sortie questions of this kind, when there were express re-; gulations that officers of men-o’-war wore 1 not to interfere in questions of land or, land purchase. The mischief of it was that the French would make use of this! expression of opinion in the prosecution' of their claims. The matter had now; arrived at an acute stage, but the depn-> tatiou would realise that at tho present; juncture the matter would have to be] approached in an entirely diplomatic; manner. What wer were asking for, however, no one could take offence at. We were merely asking for an inquiry into tho condition of the British trad- 1 pi's in the New Hebrides. No doubt lack of British assertiveness in. the past had given the. French a false impression. The sooner they understood the true position ihe better. Mr Elliott, Th thanking the Premier, said that undoubtedly he had a thorough grip of the subject, and was doing his best to serve the British Empire in this matter. The Premier replied that to him it was a labour of love. CHAMBERLAIN'S COUGH REMEDY A GREAT FAVOURITE. The soothing and healing properties of this remedy, its pleasant taste and prompt and permanent cures have made •it a great favourite with people everywhere. It is especially prized by mothers of small children for colds, croup and whooping; cough, as it always affords quick relief, and as it contains no opium or other harmful drug, it may be given as confidently to a baby as to an adult. For sale by all dealers, small size Is (3d, large size 3s. 259 Ton can depend on ridding your children of worms with Wade’s Worm Figs, tho wonderful Worm Worriers. Is. 3G(i “The greatest Wealth is contentment with a little." Contentment is easily obtained by drinking only A. and B. ifackav’s Liqueur Whisky. Note from C. Smith, Cuba street.—l have just received a purchase of coating serges, in all the leading shades ; which'’' clear qu’ckly I intend to include in lie sa.e and sell at half price, 5s lid the cress, double width. I have also turned out to sell a lot of dress lengths, which are reduced to 2s lid, 3s lid, 4s lid. as lid. Gs lid, 7s Gd and 10s Gd the dress. 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