THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 28, 16 January 1912, Page 2

THE NEW HEBRIDES.

CONDOMINIUM CONDEMNED

In an article on Norfolk Island, “Trader” writes as follows in the Sydney “Morning Herald” about the Condominium Court:—.

Perhaps the finest residence in the island is occupied by a Spaniard—the impartial one who stands between the British and French judges, or rather on the heads of both, as President of the Law Courts, for the law here is not an ordinary ass. It is an ass with both its eyes out; an ass maimed in ono leg and halt in the other three.

A white man is suspected of selling a native a bottle of gin. Ho is brought . before the Court. The law listens grawely, lowering six solemn eye-brows, and pursing its cosmopolitan mouth. Then the collective wit and wisdom \of three empires are hurled at the hapless victim. First, the English mouth speaks:— ' Now, Puss-puss, you savee listen long me. Ono week he been go finish, you been look ’long, Mr give grog ’long one boy, or you no look?”

A pause—while this question to Puss-puss is translated into French, and then into Spanish. Then Puss-puss answers;—i “No, master, me no been look him make ’em all the same.” ;

Another pause, and another twofold translation. . . and so on, and so on, for three days :or four. Then the law, without relaxing one smallest wrinkle in that fierce triangular frown fines the offender five pounds. Yet they will tell you gravely that the Condominium is a success—that is to say the theorist will, and the interested official. To all others it is a joke or a humbug. During, a two and a half years’ residence in the New Hebrides the only people I ever heard praise the Condominium were Court officials or officers of gun-boats.

Yet—and this is surely rare—there is no complaint of the officials themselves ; their integrity and courtesy are praised by all. What is complained of, is simply the. clumsy inefficiency of the Condominium. “Give us British rule, or give us , French rule,” the trader exclaims, “and we know where we stand; but as for this flabby, flat-footed joint-control, the devil himself devised it. And now, in spite of all that has been said of the cumbrous and expensive Condominium, it must be admitted that this is neither; cumbrous enough 1 rtor expensive enough’, to cripple trade. There is am air of prosperity' about Vila; no suggestion anywhere of real anxiety.”