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Timaru Herald, Volume LXXIX, Issue 12111, 4 July 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

Benin Oity of To-day

Mr W. E. B. Copland Crawford, District Commissioner of Warri, Southern Nigeria, recently arrived in Liverpool from West Africa. Mr Crawford, having made an official visit of inspection of the city of Benin, a Jew weeks before, was interviewed by Keuter's Liverpool correspondent as to the present condition of Benin, which six years ago, before the British occupation,! was known as the " City of Blood." The progress of civilisation in that hitherto barbarous country has been most remarkable. Mr Crawford said :

" When on my tour of inspection through Benin City and territories a month or two ago, I was much impressed by the contrast of Benin City of to-day an compared with Benin City of years ago. Then the country groaned under the most cruel system of barbarism and oppression that the world has probably ever known. Human sacrifices were of common occurrence, no man's life was safe or property secure. Crucifixion was a favourite form of human sacrifice, and the ex-King of Benin told me in 1898, when he had just been taken prisoner, that he had always been in the habit of sacrificing his people, in the event of rain or dry weather being required. Human sacrifices and fetish outrages are, of course, to-day -a thing of the past. and human life "is as safe and property as secure in Benin City as in any town in England. " I attended Court with the chiefs sitting and assisting in cases as assessors; ana found them cordially co-operating with the British officials in every movement conducive to the welfare of their people—and these it must be remembered are the same chiefs who were ready six years ago to massacre the white man rather than receive him as a friend in the city. " I inspected the Government schools there—schools'largely supported by the chiefs —and was much struck by tltts aptitude shown by the young native children. From examinations 1 made, I consider their work would compare favourably witli that of any children of ithe same age in this country. " Tlie natives appeared to mc lo lie contented and prosperous, and had not the crushed and. hopeless appearance that I had noticed in e'arlier years. "The trade in Benin City is good, and now that protection for property is insured will probably improve, especially if light railways are established for the transport of produce. " Excellent Government buildings have been erected with hricks made in the locality. On every hand there was evidence of the advantages that had accrued from six years of British rule, and one saw witlv satisfaction how order, security, and liberty had been evolved from savagery and oppression." Benin City, some 60 miles up the river of the name, is a large town of 40,000 or 50,000 inhabitant*. It was formerly the seat of a powerful theocracy of fetish priests, and famous for its human sacrifices: It was taken in 1897, and is now a thriving centre, with a British Resident and administrative staff; it is also a military post. The trading station and Consular establishment in Benin River is situated about eight miles above the bar, lying open to the sea breeez, though sandflies and mosquitoes abound. In January, 1897, a peaceful mission on its way to the King of Benin was massacred in the bush, and a force of native troops and bluejackets had to be sent to punish the Benins. The expedition was completely successful, the king's forces being defeated', and the king himself driven to take refuse in the bush. The king was afterwards captured, and is now in exile in Old Calabar.

The most striking feature (if tlie new English Licensing Act, was the clause which enabled the. magistrate to place anv .regular toper upon the black list. Tin's document was to be circulated among the public-houses of the district,.with a warning that euch persons were not to be served with drink. The Act has beeiv in operation nearly six months, and the prospect of being placed upon tjie black list lias proved a terror to not a few of the regular "soakers." Hut the chief magistrate al Bow street, Sir A/, da Kutaen, latch- discovered that the black list is optional or the part of the offender!' The Lord Chic Justice has sustained the magistrate's decision The whole trouble has arisen (writes the 1 correspondent of the Melbourne " Argus '*) out of the carelessness wit! which the Act was drawn. In this, a' in many other eases, ." legislation by re ference" has been the stumblinglilock. The Act states that notice of the convietior of an offender may be published if the Court is satisfied that an order of detention could be made under the Inebriates Act of 1898. Tho last-turned Act cm phasises the need for tvnson*. on the par' of an inebriate before he ov she can br placed under restraint. The clement, o' consent is, therefore, part, of the " Xev Act,*' «k it is called, and the scores o f persons who have been listed under it' supposed provisions since the Ist of Jiinv ary have been illegally dealt with. The Government is to-day being asked to brinp ia. short amending Act. There is jov among the topers in every drinking bar in London. •