“CRUEL AND IMMORAL.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17349, 14 May 1924, Page 11

“CRUEL AND IMMORAL.”

CONDITIONS AT NEW HEBRIDES. CONDOMINIUM CONDEMNED Conditions in the New Hebrides under the condominium "ere strongly condemned by mmebers ot the Christchurch Presbytery to-day, and a motion was passed asking that tho condominium should be brought to an end. The question arose out of proposals to celebrate the centenary on Ainy 25 to Dr .1. (t. Baton, a famous Nov Hebrides missionary. The Rev H. H. Barton, secretary of the Presbyterian Church Foreign * Mission Committee, wrote from Dunedin stating that a petition would he sent to the New Zealand Parliament asking it to urge that the islands should he brought under sole British control. Air Barton’s letter stated: “The condominium is an admitted failure. Nobody, French or British, wants a continuance of it. It has failed to maintain law and order in the group, to protect the natives from oppression, or to settle a single land,claim. This failure is due to the fact that the French administration fails to carry out its part of the -Joint Convention. There is a grave responsibility. unless prompt and vigorous action is taken, that the islands may pass Into the hands of France. In spite of our friendship towards that great nation. wo cannot blind our eyes to the facts. Those who understand the conditions and tendencies of the times in the New Hebrides best beljteve that the undivided rule of the French would probably result not only in the ultimate extinction of the Presbyterian missions, which have carried on their beueiicicnt work for seventy years, but probably in the extinction of the native race also, and its replacement by foreign indentured labour from French possessions.” The letter continued: “A recent missionary conference stated, that the position of women in French plantations is growing more and more intolerable. They are illegally recruited, ilc legally kept beyond their time, used to decoy men to recruit, married or divorced at the will of the planter, or given to the promiscuous use of v the men; the British Government acknowledges this, but professes its inability to move the French Government to put a stop to such brutal, and wicked practices.”

The Rev J. V. Jacobson supported statements in the letter.

The. Rev N. L. D. Webster said that he had been told that conditions in the islands were very dreadful. The Rev F. Raton, Dr Paton’s son, was a friend of the speaker, and Air Patou’s sister, Airs Gillon, had told him that the cruelty and immorality of the French traders were simply horrible. He had been Held that the divided rule had been an utter failure. The Presbytery should urge that steps he taken to have that scandal removed.

Rev J. Paterson said that the New Zealand and Australian Governments "ere in sympathy with the .Presbyterian Church in regard to tho islands. The Federal Government had made representations to the Imperial Government. The Presbyterian Church had spent cast sums in - missionary work in the islands, and the Imperial Government seemed to be utterly indifferent to the claims of the Presbyterian Lhurcli, from even an economical point The Rev AV. Tanner, Moderator, said that the Nonconformist, or Free Church influence now was more pronounced in the Imperial Parliament, and. consequently. in the Imperial Government, than previously. Representations to tho imperial Government should have a good effect. Mr .Tarobsnn said that he did not vnoa how the British Government conkl eo ahont obtaining sole control of the islands. Would it buy tho rench interests ? Mr Webster: That’s for the British anti trench Governments to settle. 1 he Presbytery, on the motion of Mr Jacobson, seconded by Mr Webster, decided to ask the New Zealand Government to take any steps possible to end condominium end to establish sole British control, and to commend to members of congregations, and electors generally, the petition in circulation