NEW HEBRIDES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18784, 18 May 1923, Page 5

NEW HEBRIDES

CONDOMINIUM CONDEMNED ' BRITISH RULE DESIRED By Telegraph.—Press Association. —Copyright. SYDNEY, My 17. The Presbyterian Assembly has passed a resolution of protest against the grave scandals in the New Hebrides under the Condominium and decided to impress on the Commonwealth that th© only real solution is that the Group should pass under the British Crown The Rev. R. McGowan said that while the British were observing their part of the agreement, there has Ixjen a constant disregard of the terms of the commission by the French. He contended that three solutions were : (1) Patching up the agreement, but dual control was always unsatisfactory ; (2) France would obtain control, but in view of the bad treatment by the French under joint control, what could be expected under sole control; (3) Control by the British, which was desired by natives, and to which the British were entitled, m view of the war services rendered to France, and also on •account of missionary work accomplished there. The Rev. D. Paterson for twenty-one years a missionary in the New Hebrides, said that there were six thousand Japanese in New Caledonia. There also were some in New Hebrides. He added that the drink traffic was responsible for the decrease in the native population. Dr. Gunn, a former missionary, said that the French would not allow the British to recruit labour for Fiji, but recruited them for themselves for Noumea. Bad as the Condominium was, it was preferable to French control.