BAD NEWS FROM THE NEW HEBRIDES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11867, 18 October 1893, Page 2

BAD NEWS FROM THE NEW HEBRIDES.

« The periodical letter from Mrs. Watt, wife of the missionary at Tamoa, Now Hebrides, bearing date of August sth, 1893, has just been received, and tolls anything but a cheerful tale. Sickness has prevailed, and both Mr. and Mrs. Watt have been seriously ill, but at the date of writing had sufficiently recovered to enable them to once more resume their mission duties. At Kwamera, one of the mission ports on Tamoa, there was a heavy mortality amongst the Natives, and especially those who attended the Bcbools. Such an effect has this had upon the Natives of the place, that the boys and girls will not go to the school, Baying ' see how young people of the mission have died." Of Ambryn, another of the New Hebrides Mission Stations which is in charge of Doctor Lamb, Mrs. Watt tells bad nowß. The whole of the mission buildings were lazed to the ground by a hurricane, and the whole place was a desolation. To add to the general distress, two of Dr. Lamb's Infant children died. From Futuna distressing news is also chronicled. Dysentry has been raging, and, out of a population of 7,480, 130 people have been cut off. Dr. Gunn, who is in charge of the Futuna Mission, lost two of his family, whiht his youngest daughter was at death's door, and he himself had been seriously ill, but had, fortunately, reccovered. At B»ate ' dyaontry also made its appearance and carried off Mrs. McKenzie, wjfe of the missionary. By Mrs. Mcl£en?ie'fl death the mission looses one of its noblest and bravest women. General sympathy is felt for Mr, McKeuzie who is left alone on the mission, and for thp four motherless children in the colonies, Mrs, Watt writes jn a very despondent spirit about the mails. The usual monthly steam service between Sydney and the islands has been stopped, and the residents have now to depend for their stores and mails on visits of sailing vessels, which are very irregular and cannot be depended upon. This will make a very great difference to the missionaries and their families who are now deprived of anything like satisfactory communication with their friends in Australia and New Zealand. To give an instance of the unsatisfactory state of tho mail service wo- may say that the letter from which the above is taken bears the date of June 12th, but it has a post script attached dated August sth. This delay is best explained in Mrs. Watt's own words " It is now nearly two months since the foregoing letter was written and stamped ready for mailing, nay, was carried in a canoe' by sea to Weaßisi hoping to intercept the " Lark " when she returned there. It is again back in our hands and even now we have only to hope that it will got away by the S.S. Birksgate about a month hence. The arrangements made by tho Dayspring Board in Sydney have fallen through and instead of the '"' Lark " going to Sydney we are told that she is to meet the tiirksgate at Aneityum on 9th September. This alteration may prove very awkward to many, and I think not a few families will run short of provisions as thero seems some uncertainty as to how the lettera containing their orders for supplies will reach Sydney.- Advocate.