A Change Needed.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 51, 22 June 1914, Page 5

A Change Needed.

IN THE NEW HEBRIDES. CONDOMINIUM A FAILURE, [Bx Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press .is? dotation.] (Received 9.30 a.m.) Sydney, June 22. Mr Jacomb, a well-known barrister, a resident of the New Hebrides, who is visiting Sydney, states that the natives of the group are being steadily wiped out. The present population is 65,009, against 659,000 thirty years ago. At the present ratio of decrease very few natives will be left in twenty years. In the Torres group the population in twenty years has been reduced from thousands to 350. He declares that the sale of grog and recruiting are still rampant. The condominium is a rank failure and everybody is tired of it. s He strongly opposes the partition of the group between England and France.

The secretary of the foreign mission of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, Rev. F. H. L. Paton was interviewed in Sydney when returning to Melbourne from a visit to the New Hebrides, where ho took part in the deliberations of the synod held in. June last. After the conclusion of the synod Mr Paton visited all the different stations and outlying islands. In describing his impressions Mr Paton said ho found that the results of the synod were by no means overdrawn, and that the missionaries were more than within the mark In their descriptions of the actual conditions. “There was everywhere,” ho said, “a feeling that things had got to such a pass that they could not get worse, and that the situation was quite intolerable. The British settlers are just as he-on on a change from the present method of controlling th® New Hebrides as . the missionaries. Great expectations have been aroused by a cable published in the press respecting the conference between the British and French Government* on the question of exchange—that was between Sir Edward Grey and M. Poincairc. The views expressed by th© people in the islands were hope on the part of the British .and anxiety on the part of the French. “The spiritual side of the work is very encouraging,” Mr Paton said. “The new conditions of trade end settlement are bringing with them new problems. The natives have been so suddenly projected into these new conditions that they have not yet had time to adjust themselves to them. It would be difficult, in any ease, but. the situation is complicated by the effect of the dual control and the. different ways in which tthe British and French regard their responsibilities to the native races.” Recently the Commonwealth Sinister for External Affairs stated that the Government had heard nothing of a suggestion to partition the group between Britain and Franee.