THE NEW HEBRIDES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17609, 27 October 1931, Page 7

THE NEW HEBRIDES

MOVE FOR ANNEXATION BY FRANCE MISSIONARIES PROTEST MELBOURNE Oct. 13. There is a movement on foot towards annexation of tho New Hebrides by France, according to a statement made by one of the missionaries of the Presbyterian Church of Australia, lhe missionary, who lias had 34 years’ experience in the. islands, has reported to the foreign district department of his church that for many months there have been rumors that, following a ■•■isit from the Governor of New Caledonia in regard to a French grant of approximately £60.000 to French settiers, Tonkinese will be settled on unoccupied land, much of it being British. Some British planters are reported to have signed a petition along with tno French, asking for sole rule of the islands by the French instead of the present condominium. In his .report the missionary staled that the. plea has been put forth that it would be better for the British to 1,,- under French rule than under British, because “under British rule they would be ‘missionary ruled,’ tfllat is, they would be under obligation to have senie regard to the rights generally of the natives, to the native women, as well as to ordinary British decency.” The report goes on to quote an article in a French newspaper to the effect that Australian missionaries had great influence in the islands, but opposed all reform. “This," states the report to the Presbyterian Church, ‘evidently means that the missionaries are opposed to the exploitation of the natives, ‘plantation marriages,’ and to the practice of white planters in holding sir.gle native women and girls on their plantations or bartering their bodies and souls for profit.” The report states that the Commonwealth has spent large sums in subsidies for steamers to encourage and develop Australian and British interests, and that although the condominium form of government might be bad, government under sole control of the French would be worse.