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Grey, Mr. Harcourt, or both, and should this fail the question should be raised on either the Foreign Office Vote, the Colonial Office Vote, or both.

Admiral Sir W. FAWKES suggested that a suitable question to be put in the House would be to ask how often the High Commissioner for the Pacific has visited the islands. He thought the High Commissioner had too much work as Governor of Fiji to do his duty as High Commissioner, and therefore the posts should be separated.

He mentioned that when he was out there he received reports from his captains about the liquor imported into the islands. He applied to the Government and was given an order in council that no liquor should leave Australia or New Zealand without a permit from the British representatives in the islands.

The Very Rev. the DEAN OF DURHAM moved the following resolution :

That Sir Edward Grey be asked to receive a representative deputation some time after Easter in order to lay before him the deep feeling in various parts of the country upon the abuses in the New Hebrides, and the urgent necessity of securing a solution of the difficulties which have arisen in the Archipelago.

Mr. LANGRIDGE, one of the Hon. Secretaries of the John Paton Mission Fund, seconded the resolution. He endorsed the opinion that strong men were needed in the New Hebrides. After the recent tornado in Ambrym about seventeen hundred natives had been rescued, mostly in motor boats, one thousand being taken to the island of Malekula. A French commercial vessel urged some of the natives to go on board their ship, and those who did so were taken into slavery.

The Rev. STANLEY HOWARD, in supporting the resolution, said that in connection with the Malekula refugees, mentioned by Mr. Langridge, he had heard more recently from the islands of the murder of six native teachers.

He also mentioned a case in which he had personally been concerned in 1909. The wife of one of their teachers had been carried off by a French ship, contrary to the regulations of the Condominium. When the husband went to protest to the Captain, he was told that he must accept payment for his wife, and a pair of trousers was put overboard into the water for him to pick up, in the pocket of which were three sovereigns. These Mr. Howard had carefully preserved, and showed to the meeting.

The resolution was carried, and a copy has been sent to the Secretary of State.

DEPUTATION TO THE FOREIGN OFFICE.

It having been announced that the conference between the British and French Governments, which for some time past has been under consideration,

was about to take place, and that it would be held in London in June, a further letter was addressed to Sir Edward Grey, asking him to receive the deputation proposed before the conference began, in order that certain important representations might be made to the Government on the whole subject. As a result the Secretaries of State for Foreign and Colonial Affairs intimated their willingness to receive the deputation, which attended at the Foreign Office on June 11. In addition to the representatives of the AntiSlavery and Aborigines Protection Society, Admiral the Hon. Sir E. R. Fremantle and Captain Sinker represented the Melanesian Mission, Mr. A. K. Langridge the John G. Paton Mission, the Rev. F. B. Meyer and Sir Charles J. Tarring the National Free Church Council, and several Members of Parliament, Sir Gilbert Parker, Sir George Toulmin, Dr. Chapple and Mr. T. E. Harvey, were also present. The Hon. J. C. Lyttelton, Chairman of the Society's Committee, introduced the deputation, and after the Secretaries had spoken, making certain suggestions for the better administration of the New Hebrides in the interests of the natives, two Members of Parliament spoke, and Admiral Sir George King-Hall expressed the thanks of the deputation to Sir E. Grey and Mr. Harcourt for receiving them, and for their assurance of sympathy with the case put before them.

The members of the conference, which held its first sitting on June 10, include Lord Emmott, as Chairman, Mr. A. W. Mahaffy, and others. Mr. Mahaffy will be remembered as having had considerable experience in the New Hebrides, where he has acted in an official position. The proceedings. of the conference are confidential.

ACTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN NATIVE RACES ASSOCIATION.

The Association held a meeting in February to consider certain recent correspondence from Mr. E. Jacomb, of Vila, with numerous enclosures dealing with actions of the Joint Naval Commission which were reported on by the Sub-Committee for the Western Pacific.

The following resolutions after discussion were unanimously carried :1. That the circumstances surrounding the sitting of the Joint Naval Commission for the New Hebrides at Vila, December 18, 1913; the procedure of trial at that sitting; and the recommendations of the Commission of that date be brought under the notice of His Excellency the Admiral at Auckland.

2. That copies of the letter to His Excellency the Admiral be forwarded to— The Minister for External Affairs, Melbourne.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies, London.

The High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Fiji.

The Secretary of the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society,
London.

3. That the Secretary of State for the Colonies, London, be respectfully
requested to give consideration to the status and modus operandi
of the Joint Naval Commission in the New Hebrides, with a view to

preventing the abuses of justice such as are alleged to have occurred at the sitting of the Commission at Vila on December 18, 1913.

4. That copies of the foregoing recommendation be communicated to the Press, with a concise statement of the facts.

5. That copies of Resolution 3 be communicated to the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific and the Minister for External Affairs.

The Annual Meeting.

THE ANNUAL MEETING of the Society was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel on Thursday, April 23, when Sir T. FOWELL BUXTON, as President, occupied the Chair. Among those present were Admiral Sir George King-Hall, K.C.B., Mr. W. H. Dickinson, M.P., Mr. Douglas Hall, M.P., Mr. S. J. G. Hoare, M.P., Sir Colin Scott Moncrieff (Treasurer), Sir William Geary, Mr. F. W. Fox (Vice-Chairman), and the Secretaries.

The CHAIRMAN, referring to the day being St. George's Day, said: There no doubt are those who will dwell upon the Forces of the Crown— forces military, naval, and diplomatic-and the links that are forged by commerce. But I think we do well to hold fast the doctrine that of all the links which exist there are none more important than the spirit of fairdealing and justice towards the various weaker races with whom we have to do. (Hear, hear.) I would claim a great deal for it. I would claim that we could better do without our forces than we could do without the influence that comes of justice and of the reputation for fair dealing. (Applause.)

It may be well to remember the various classes of countries upon which we conceive that we do well to watch with a careful eye, with a view to their conduct towards those weaker races. There are the directly self-governing Colonies; there are those countries with which we are connected by treaties and obligations of various kinds; there are, thirdly, those countries with which, though there may be no authority of our government over them, we are connected by commerce, by the presence of English companies, by the use of English capital directed from home. And then there are all those other countries with which we have no such links and ties. So that I think we may consider that there are four classes of countries in regard to which it is our duty to keep a watchful eye, and as to which we have a right to call in question anything that is taking place, whether under the eye of the English Government or not.

"

Now there are those who think that slavery is extinct-who are inclined to say, What is the use of making a fuss? There is no such thing as slavery." Well, it is our business to point out that that is an utter mistake. There is far too much of slavery, whether under that name or under fictitious names, on the face of the earth. (Hear, hear.) It cannot be denied that on the Western side of Africa-in Angola and San Thomé-there is slavery

in a very flourishing condition, whatever it may be called. There was a time, I think, when the Foreign Office seemed rather to lack the full information we thought they might have had. They rather denied that the condition of serviçaes, as they are called, was other than that of free labourers. But I am glad to believe that on a more recent occasion, on July 23 last, Lord Morley, speaking for the Government, and being asked the question whether there was any difference between the condition of the serviçaes, and that of slaves, proceeded to say: "In my opinion I do not think there is." (Hear, hear.) He did not see that there was any difference. Well, then, very recently, too recently for most of us to have had an opportunity of reading it, there has been a White Paper issued by the Foreign Office. I am glad to believe that the case of Mr. Bowskill, which has attracted the attention of many of us, will be dealt with very shortly by my relative Mr. Samuel Hoare, M.P. Well, we gather from this White Paper that there is no doubt at all—it is not denied by our Consuls-that the labourers in the islands of San Thomé and Principé do manifest the strongest possible desire to leave those islands, and to get as near home as they can. Then another thing which is pointed out is that the supposed contracts are merely fictitious that they are not contracts at all in any reasonable sense of the word—and that those who are held to come under the obligation of them are held by something which is altogether unreal. Another point is that the planters themselves are wholly opposed to the repatriation of their labourers as far as they can possibly prevent it. There has been a little more done in very recent years-more than there was before-but there is a great deal to be done, even under the law as it at present exists.

Well, then, I think we must also acknowledge that the Foreign Office itself is entirely right-minded about it from our point of view-that they are anxious to do all they can to abolish any pretence of slavery under any form whatever, whether in that part of the world or any other. (Hear, hear.)

I am glad to mention the fact that we of the Anti-Slavery Society have appointed a sub-Committee especially to watch the state of things in South America-Putumayo, and other portions of Peru; and other South American States. We should have been glad to have had the continued presence and support of Mr. Charles Roberts as chairman, but he has official reasons for ceasing to be a member of that Committee, the force of which we entirely recognize.

Another part of the world has very much occupied the attention of the Anti-Slavery Society, and that is the New Hebrides. I think the only satisfactory thing to say about that is that the French Government have indicated a desire and readiness to join a Conference on the subject in order that there should be some common action towards bringing about more decent government than there is at present. There is an immense amount of carrying off of labourers for work in the islands, maltreatment

of women and children, and things of that kind, which ought to be put a stop to, and I hope that this Conference will be held, and will be able to do something in that direction.

Then in Southern Nigeria there has been a good deal of harm caused by the House Rule Ordinance. That is a state of things which brings about something very nearly akin to slavery, and I am glad to know that by present arrangements it is to come to an end with all legal force at the beginning of next year. That I hope we shall watch and see is carried out.

As to our home arrangements, it has been determined by the Committee to set apart a certain fund especially for investigation purposes. It may be that occasions will arise when it will be necessary to investigate-it may be necessary to send out some one to look into things; and to have a fund ready will help matters when such an investigation appears to be necessary.

It is my duty now to move the following resolution :-That the Report be adopted, and that the members of the Committee and Officers as set out in the Report be appointed for the next year.

Admiral Sir GEORGE KING-HALL: I beg to second this resolution, and in doing so I shall confine myself to that particular part of the globe that I know something about, viz., the New Hebrides. I have lately come back from Australia, where I was Commander-in-Chief, and I had some acquaintance with the condition of affairs reigning in the New Hebrides, detaching ships to that part of the station from time to time as they were available.

I obtained a very clear insight into the working of the Condominium, which is an utter failure, principally by reason of the fact that on the part of the French the Convention is a dead letter, and its articles might as well have never been signed, for they are being continually broken.

I am most reluctant to say anything that would give offence to our friends across the Channel, especially in view of the very warm welcome they are giving to our King and Queen; but the present state of affairs in New Hebrides is so scandalous that it would be wrong not to speak out frankly, for I cannot believe that the French Government or the French people know what is being done under the shelter of their flag, which has in the past stood, and we hope and believe in the future will always stand, for Liberty, Equality and Justice.

The illicit liquor traffic with the natives should be put down with an iron hand, and the judgments of the Condominium Court enforced, and not set at defiance. My belief is that the Condominium Court should have executive authority to carry out its decisions, which it has not got at present. (Hear, hear.)

If it was not for the missionaries, who have been there for years and years, and made it possible for the traders to live in these islands, and also,

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