that these British officials shall, so to speak, "go bail" to the natives of Africa for the Portuguese word. The situation on the islands to-day is extremely well summed up by Mr. Vice-Consul Bernays in the following paragraph:

"

I quite realize that conditions have wonderfully improved in the last. few years, and I think we are slowly approaching a time when the liberty of the servical' will be almost beyond question. As you are aware, however, what progress has been achieved has been brought about by a multitude of laws, parts of which have been properly applied, while others have been altered by succeeding laws, and yet other parts have never in any way been put into execution. Sections of labour regulations dating as far back as 1878 are, I believe, still in force, and the changes and amendments, the regulations and counter-regulations, which have been made since that time are altogether beyond the knowledge of anybody who has not made a speciality of Portuguese laws relating to labour."

The Portuguese contention again advanced that interested motives underlie the agitation for reform need not give occasion for concern. We wish the British Minister had suggested being shown some evidence in support of this outrageous allegation, or, failing this, to request its withdrawal. It is alleged that it is to British commercial interest that San Thomé plantations should either be controlled by British merchants or ruined. This is ridiculous to anyone with an elemental knowledge of the facts. British commercial interests have been repeatedly invited to assume responsibility for certain cocoa plantations and as repeatedly have refused. That British commercial interests desire the ruin of the San Thomé industry is preposterous, for frequent requests are made to the Society as to whether, in the opinion of its Committee, labour conditions are such that it is yet possible for reputable cocoa firms to purchase the bean; manufacturers who refrain from such purchases, surrender to less scrupulous merchants the opportunity of purchasing the most regular grade of bean on the market. It cannot be too clearly grasped that the principal British cocoa merchants will be only too glad when labour conditions again permit them to purchase the bean.

There is one matter of supreme importance which demands the most careful inquiry. At present the issues are somewhat obscure, but the principle of extending to a commercial interest the power of inflicting punishment upon employees without trial is a principle so indefensible that no civilized Government would ever allow it to its Colonial administration. To indicate one danger alone: Mr. Smallbones has repeatedly drawn attention to the apparent evidence of forcible "recontraction" of labourers. If punishment without trial for offences is to be given to the plantation owners, they will certainly be exposed to the temptation to exercise such powers with a view to "persuading " time-expired labourers to recontract.

Whilst, therefore, the White Book as a whole shows evidence of con

siderable progress, it is overshadowed by the possibility of a new element upon which further information must be sought as early as possible.

Indentured Labour in Papua.

WE have received further interesting communications from the Australian Association for the Protection of Native Races on the subject of the charges of slavery in Papua. The Association has made vigorous representations to the Commonwealth Government, and will probably follow up this action by further questions and statements, but they are satisfied that "the Government is ready thoroughly to purge the Administration of anything approaching to slavery, and will follow out to the very last any inquiry necessary to see that justice is done." While it may be possible to cite isolated incidents of injury to natives as having passed apparently unnoticed, prompt action is taken where information upon which prosecution can ensue is forthcoming. Moreover, they are assured from Papua that traders. and others who know the conditions join in denouncing such unfortunate incidents as have been reported.

The Secretary for the Department of External Affairs, replying to the letter of the Association, wrote:

"The Minister is of opinion that it is a very serious matter that such exaggerated and incorrect views of the alleged slavery in Papua' should be entertained in England, and particularly that it should be supposed possible that efforts should be made by the Australian Federal Government and by the chief officials of Port Moresby to minimise the disclosures.'"' On the specific charges of the forcible recruiting of natives in the Kumusi district, the statement made in the Melbourne Age that the magistrate responsible was dismissed for complicity was confirmed, and the Minister further informed the Association that the Executive Council of Papua had prohibited the renewal of the licences of the recruiters concerned.

In answer to an inquiry as to the number of natives returned to their homes, the official intimation was to the effect that as many as III contracts were cancelled and the natives allowed to go home, but some elected to remain at their employment. There were few, if any, deaths among them. The investigation made into the illegal recruiting of these natives was exhaustive, lasting eighteen months, and very voluminous evidence was collected which is not yet made public.

The Government quoted some statements made by an American man of science who visited Papua in 1913 and called attention to the altruistic character of the Government which, he said, was being administered to benefit and uplift the native population. This writer compared the civil

servants in Papua with the missionaries, in their self-sacrifice and devotion to duty.

It seems clear from this correspondence that there was ground for the allegations which found their way into the British Press, but it is satisfactory to know that the Commonwealth Authorities have investigated the charges with energy and thoroughness. An instance of the desire to do justice to the natives is mentioned in the refusal of the right to British residents in Papua of trial by jury, which would undoubtedly enure to the injury of the natives.

TRIAL BY JURY.

On this subject we happen to have lately received some interesting particulars from a trusted correspondent in Papua who writes at some length on a recent agitation for elective representation and jury rights taken up by a local newspaper in Port Moresby, which he considers to be of a factitious character. He states that there are less than 1,000 white settlers in the territories, apart from the Government officials and missionaries, and these are widely scattered; he is convinced that a white jury could never be got to convict a white man of a crime against a native, as it would be regarded as an act of disloyalty to the white race. At present the Chief Justice tries such cases, and local opinion has no power to influence his judgment. In our correspondent's opinion, the existing paternal form of Government is the only one which affords an adequate guarantee for the proper safeguarding of native interests.

GOVERNMENT RECRUITING.

As regards the system of Government recruiting in Papua (referred to in an article in the April Reporter), we are informed by the Australian Association that the report of the interview with Judge Murray given in the Melbourne Age was not entirely correct. The system of voluntary recruiting there described is rather ideal than actual, and the Sydney Daily Telegraph reporting the same interview from Melbourne gave an account of the method which was more true to facts.

The Daily Chronicle, in its issue of July 28, gave prominence to the subject by publishing the following under the heading, "Slavery in Papua stopped: Australia ends an ugly scandal."

"Our attention is called by the Anti-Slavery and Aborigines Protection Society, in a letter which we print below to the fact that following the publication of an article by our Melbourne correspondent in the Daily Chronicle of July 1, 1914, which declared that slavery was flourishing in Papua (British New Guinea), an investigation was made by the Australian Government and severe action has now been taken to bring an end to the conditions we described.

Among the allegations made were that native police threatened men with the destruction of their villages if they refused to sign on for a term of years; that many 'boys' in one division were actually handcuffed for declining to come away at the bidding of certain professional recruiters ; and that the entire able-bodied males of one village had been captured. "The letter is as follows:

"

To the Editor of the Daily Chronicle.

Sir,-On July 1 of last year the Daily Chronicle published an article from its Melbourne Correspondent in regard to certain allegations of slavery in Papua.

"The attention of the Association for the Protection of Native Races in Sydney was drawn by us to the article, and the reports on which it was based were fully investigated. The secretary, the Hon. Thomas Brown, then brought the matter before the Commonwealth Department of External Affairs.

"Our sister society in Australia has now informed us of the steps taken, and also of the request of the Minister for External Affairs that these should be made known to the editor and readers of the Daily Chronicle.

"An exhaustive inquiry, lasting many months, has taken place into the allegations of illegal recruiting of native labourers, and the evidence collected is very voluminous.

"The magistrate concerned has been dismissed for complicity, and the Executive Council for Papua has ordered that the recruiting licences of the agents concerned should not be renewed. One hundred and eleven native contracts were cancelled.

"We beg to point out that this action demonstrates the value of publicity, and the readiness of the Commonwealth Government to take vigorous measures whenever abuses of native rights are brought to its notice.

"We are, your obedient servants,

TRAVERS BUXTON,

Secretary.

"JOHN H. HARRIS,
Organising Secretary.

"We heartily congratulate the Commonwealth Government on the prompt and vigorous action it has taken to remove an ugly scandal, and hope that under the altered conditions no native will be forced into an indenture which he does not understand, or be threatened with punishment if he refuses to sign a contract to which he does not wish to be a party."

British Indians in British Columbia.

RATHER more than a year ago the Society received a communication from the Friends' Association of British Columbia asking the Society to use its influence in support of a resolution which they had sent to the India Office praying that in consequence of the disabilities and unfair treatment suffered by British Indians resident in Vancouver and the neighbourhood, an ex

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ANTI-SLAVERY REPORTER AND ABORIGINES' FRIEND.

perienced official should be appointed to watch over the interests of the Indians in the Colony. The Society wrote to the India Office supporting this resolution on general grounds, but the letter having been forwarded to the Colonial Office, a reply was received from Mr. Harcourt that he did not regard the suggestion as being a practical one.

During this year the Society has been in communication with Mr. Robert W. Clark of British Columbia, who is fully acquainted with the situation and who submitted to the Society a disquieting report on the treatment of the Hindus in the Colony. The Committee again brought the matter before the India Office and an interview was obtained with Mr. Charles Roberts, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for India, who gave a sympathetic hearing to the case presented by Mr. Clark along with the President and Secretaries of the Society, and as a result, a letter was addressed to the Secretary of State for India setting forth the complaints which have been received, and urging the need of redress. Again, however, this letter was passed on from the India Office to the Colonial Office for the reason that as the laws and local administration were concerned, these were matters on which the India Office could express no opinion until the views of the Colonial Office had been ascertained, though it was pointed out that the transference did not mean that the India Office had no concern with the local grievances of Indians in British Columbia.

A copy of the letter to Lord Crewe and of the somewhat disappointing reply on the subject which has more recently been received from the Colonial Office follow.

May 8, 1915.

TO THE MOST HONOURABLE THE Marquess of CREWE, K.G., HIS MAJESTY'S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA.

MY LORD MARQUESS,—

The Committee of this Society has from time to time, during recent years, brought before His Majesty's Government either through the Colonial Office or the India Office, some of the disabilities from which His Majesty's Indian subjects are suffering in the Self-Governing Dominions, the Crown. Colonies, Protectorates and Spheres of Influence. In the opinion of the Committee, redress of these grievances is long overdue.

We recognize that this is not the moment to press for reforms, but, feeling convinced that the whole subject is under consideration with a view to redress at the earliest moment after the termination of international hostilities, we beg leave to bring before you the pressing claims of the Indian Community in British Columbia.

This Society received last year from the Friends' Association of British Columbia a copy of a Minute passed by that body in August (of which we