THE NEW HEBRIDES

Southland Times, Issue 19519, 19 May 1922, Page 5

THE NEW HEBRIDES

DEFECTS OF TEE CONDOMINIUM. (By Telegraph—Press Abbe. —Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY May 18. Mr JuMice Devers, who was recently appointed British Judge in the New Hebrides Condominium, was welcomed by the Presbyterian Assembly. He eaid he recognised the difficulties of the position under the condominium Government. It rested with him and the French officials to make things work smoothly and satisfactorily, and he trusted he would be able to do so. The Assembly, dealing with the foreign missions report, discussed the New Hebrides position. The report stated that the outlook politically wai gloomy. The condominium continued witn its grave injustices and irregularities, oases of illegal recruiting had occurred, drink wm freely supplied to the natives, and gambling was becoming more prevalent. There was little or no cause of complaint against the British settlers, and cases against them were dealt with, but similar cases against French citizens or those under French rule were condoned and even shielded. The report approved of the efforts of the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zea land to secure complete British control of the group, and urged them, while paying due regard to French claims and susceptibilities, to continue their efforts to that •nd The Rev. W. McGovan said that one missionary reported that at a heathen dance fifty bottles of grog were consumed. Mission, schools were being wrecked by the sale of grog. He warmly denied statements made by French papers that the Presbyterian Mission had instituted a veritable serfdom to cultivate its own estates and that the three southern islands had become a dependency of the British clergy. He regretted having to make these statements, but the French themselves had said that if they got the group, Protestant missionaries would be expelled. He also drew attention to the growth of the Japanese in the islands. They now outnumbered all the Europeans in New Caledonia and the New Hebrides, and more were coming. The French at first welcomed them, but now they would be glad to get rid of them. Would Australia, be asked, w&ka up too late?