MASSACRE IN NEW CALEDONIA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 274, 2 August 1878, Page 5

MASSACRE IN NEW CALEDONIA.

(Correspondent of the Town and Country Journal.) Ox the morning of the 29th I set to work to get something really definite respecting the dreadful wholesale slaughter of men, women, and children, when I learned as follows :— At Dezarnauld's station resided a man named Chene. He took a black woman (some say the second taken by this man) from the tribes Mandai. The natives demanded her, and an aagry altercation arose. The result was that Chene and Ms family were murdered on the 19 th of June. On the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd, the gendarmes arrested some chiefs and detained them as hostages until the murderers were given up. On the 24th and the 25th the natives rose en viasse, attacked the gendarmerie at Foa, and killed the gendarmes, numbering five, captured their chiefs, took all the armes and ammunition, and having tasted blood commenced a general raid on all the whites at Goinde Dogny Boizzot station, also Millets, and with the assistance of Atai's tribe, marched on to Bouloupari, where one of the most frightful massacres on record was committed, sparing neither man, woman, or child, neither gendarme, convict, or settler, and which ended up in a scene of conflagration, and also mutilation of bodies, too revolting and sickening to describe here. Although we hear of the natives having marched on to Tonibo, I know of no other killing of whites than those alluded to, excepting poor Colonel Gally-Passebosc, which I will allude to presently. On the first news of the rising, the Governor, with great celerity, despatched troops in all quarters to surround the Atai aud Bouloupari tribes, and sent on Captain Servan to head the Kanala tribe, so that the junction might be made, and hem them in, and flying columns of monnted volunteers, headed by Messrs. Boutan and Moriccau, were immediately forwarded on to harass tho tribes. It is to be regretted, that in avenging the Bouloupari massacre, some live mission natives, including their chiefs, were met with in sugar-cane at Doinbea, and wore shot. These poor creatures were coming to mass in Noumea, and, it is known, were quite innocent. I hear that the officer who ordered these men to be shot really regrets the occurrence, and that his Excellency also has expressed his regret at the shedding of innocent blood. I know from the mission priests, and also from Mr Joubcrt, that these poor fellows wore quiet and inoffensive, and quite ignorant of what was going on. Great regret is expressed at the death of the Colonel Commandant. It seems he was at the head of his troops with a member of the telegraph staff , repairing the line, which had been cut, when he received a ball in the leg ;on which he cried out " JBieu touche" or well hit ; instantly he received a second, when he said, "Je sit Is finis— l am finished." The troops, on seeing their commander fall, fired on all sides, and rushed forward, but could not see' the slightest trace of anyone. The poor fellow was conveyed back to Uurail, where he died in a few hours. Colonel Gally-Passebosc, although the youngest colonel in the French army, 3S, Las seen a great deal of service, was all through the FrancoGerman campaign, and held the post of military attache to the British in the Abyssinian war ; he was as brave as a lion, and still at the same time gentle as a child. If this insurrection had not taken placa he would have been on his way to France by this mail to be promoted to the rank of general. Some of the victims among the slain and wounded are very well known in Sydney. M. Te Coutilly, husband to Madame Courvoissier that was, is killed ; John Henderson, killed; young Markam, of Queensland, killed ; Madame Porcheron (late Miss Cagney, of William-street, Sydney), not expected to recover ; Telier, with his three children (an uncle of Mr. Cabron, of the firm of Messrs Cabron and Sohark, also well known in Sydney). It is estimated that up to the present, including gendarmes, convicts, and settlers with their wives and children, 125 have been killed. The excitement in New Caledonia is intense, but all have the greatest confidence in Governor Olry ; he has commanded the strongest admiration by his remarkable coolness, and with the great prompitude he displayed in despatching the troops in every available direction. The Governor has a grave responsibility, a terrible responsibility on his shoulders. Only two tribes, perhaps 1,000 men, have yet revolted ; all the others are quiet, and the mission Kanakas have offered to fight against the rebels, asking to be led by a French officer, in conjunction with their priest ; but then there is no knowledge what one false step might do. Fortunately the prisoners are quiet, but some sympathy must exist with them, and if the tribes all revolted and marched on Noumea, the consequence would be frightful to contemplate.

In the beginning of May the bill for the erection of a national monument in Rome to the memory of Victor Emmanuel was unanimously passed at Montecitorio. It will be erected in that part of the Thermae of Diocletian called Piazza dei Termini, so as to face the new Via Nazionale. Subscriptions to a very large amount have already been received from many of the provincial towns.