French Aggression in the Sew Hebrides. TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 54

French Aggression in the Sew Hebrides. TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — I have taken the liberty of sending you a copy of the memorial on French aggression in the New Hebrides, which was prepared by Mr Paton and myself. You will see that it reveals a very serious state of matters in those islands.. There is, indeed, grave danger of tho islands passing under the tricolour, and that at a \ cry early date, if something be not done to check the ■wrongful French settlement which is at precent being_ pushed 011 with almost feverish haste by tf*e French authorities. Legitimate settlement, of course, cannot be objected to, but the amount of settlement that would be made if it were restricted to lands which had leally been bought would be so c rnaH as to }>c of no C'ir.sequence. AVLat is wanted is «Oine authority v/'iich will scrutinise the title deeds, and, vhen jurt, to support the natives in their t-ffoits to restrict wrongful occupation.

The mail from +he islrnds has juet armed, and it is full of news of tho French doings. I take the liberty of appending some excerpts from Iptters received by me. The first is from Mr Graham Kcrr, planter and trader, on Epi. He cays :— '" Everything here is going on much the same. More French settlers cominue to arrive, tho last batch settling at Diamond Bay. They are sent out by thcFrench Government, and allowed so much to carry them on. Of course, it is a political move, and unlesb our people do something shortly it means a serious thing for us, all these French people settling heie. 1 hope some good will come of your interview with Mr Barton. ... I hope also to see the Queensland recruiting stopped." The next is from Mr Fraser, my fellow missionary on Epi, who has been championing the cause of the oppressed and harried natives for so long." He writes: — " Beauheu (the French settler mentioned in the memorial) is trying to obliterate the past by allowing the people to rebuild their school and houses on the old site. (He had with an armed party burned these down four times over.) A French set f ler Las co/ne to O'Connor's place, and six others are expected shortly, and sites are marked out for them and a track marked out from Diamond Bay to Ne!«on Bay Trumble (a Britisher) has a block of 40 acres right in the middle of their new claim, and lie forbids, all trespass. The school at Nelson Bay .... 13 also in the way, and they have aeked the natives to pull it down! .... They have broken down some fences already, but for want of labour not much lias been done. Things will be hot enough by-and-bye. They claim s^en miles of coa3t there, probably to the usual depth of three and three-quarter miles. ... I got an inkling from Mr how the big areas are pi'.t into the deeds. AVhen at* Fila, M (the French I Company's agent) told him that he wa» buying land for the French Company, and that he was paid a certain sum for every acre he purchabed for them. 'And so,' said he, 'you may be sure I chucked in the acres.' " Exactly; they have "chucked ir the acres" until they claim f^lly the half of ihe entirp group a? their private property; and on the j Island of Epi they claim fully fi\e sixths of the island, although I am ceitain that they have actually purchased not. more than onehundredth part of it. If we would Kue these island to Austialatia, we mu-t h;ue these dcecU re\Ked.— l am, etc., T. Smaiil. Mii-'nionaiy on Epi, New Ilebiic'cs. Inchclutha, April 1.

How docs p man got in a funk, And take himself nsrht 'ft" to bur!:, Ju=t when a pain with symptom- \.i,ne Will make h,m think he's eaug'it the plague? How often doc^ a cough 01 a It! Make towauU of 1 1- o bia\e and bold Until they find the leineJy sui<_ — "NY. E-. "VYooiJb' Gs.LAJ PEPr£Viii^x Curr?