Island News.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11823, 23 January 1903, Page 5

Island News.

Press Association—Telegraph—Copyngnt. Received .January 22, 10.20 a.m. SYDiNEY, January 22. Dr. Paton, who is visiting Sydney, speaks hopefully of mission work in the New Hebrides. He says that since the appointment of the Anglo-French Commission much friction which formerly cix- " isted has been .swept away, and that disputes arc noiw settled with a degree of authority, which command!* respect* and spreads confidence. The change will mean ■a large commercial gain to the islands. The traders and settlers', however, sitrong"ly favour British annexation, and hope ifc Tmay still be brought about. He consid•ers that the new se^ttjlers. have good pros^ .pecte m, the future,,and wiith patienots should do well. A great evil was that •of •tra&tng in firearms, which had been <camefl to ti lamentable degree amongst: tlm natives. Just before he left tie captain of & French schooner, while landing the body of an islander who had died' aboard, was shot dead and two of the. crew badly wounded. Some parts of the islaaute are suffering' .severely froni drought. A settler at'-Epi givesl an account of the kidnapping of three of his native boys by an armed' party of Fx'enchmen. The :;boys had run away from French settlers, • owing to ill-usage, lie alleges that the French are allowed to buy and sell-natives for a .term'of years,.,and gives: instance* •where they were whipped and treated like slaves. He appeals to the atuthoritiesi through the Press to set the enslaved 3joy.s at liberty.