ISLAND OUTRAGES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3385, 28 November 1911, Page 3

ISLAND OUTRAGES.

A MISSIONARY MURDERED.

REPORT FROM MISSION COURT

[SPECIAL TO TIMES.! AUCKLAND, Nov. 27

On the arrival of the mission steamer Southern Cross from the New Hebrides and Solomon Islands, it was reported that there was considerable unrest among tlie natives of the latter group, and that several murders had been committed, a missionary being one of the victims. In the course of a conversation with a “Star” reporter, Captain AVm. .Sinker, who originally brought the Southern Cross out from London, and who has been in charge of the vessel during her trips to the Islands during the last nine years, said the position and the source’of the trouble was confined in the main to the Island of Mala, whor© tli© natives were a wild race of cannibals. The. kanakas who returned from Australia were the first to. stir up strife, and as soon as the natives began to realise their power the position became serious. The bush tribes bitterly resent the intrusion of the white man, and the chiefs employ head hunters, who when opportunity offers murder anyone in connection with the mission villages, and carry the head of their victim to the chief. A high price lias been set for a white man s head, and the missionaries on the Island are working in imminent danger. The natives at the mission settlements have been taught that it is. wrong to fight, and are practically without any means of defence. As an indication of the natives’ daring, it may be mentioned that when the warship Torch landed a party to suppress the unruly ones, the hill tribes concealed in the bush opened a fusillade with rifles. One man fell with a bullet through his jaw, and the party had to retreat. There is a police force on the island, but natives have t-o bo employed, and they are not at all satisfactory, as they only stav in the force a very little time, and they have little more than learnt their duties when they want to return to their villages. Captain Sinker considers that if natives could ho imported from Fiji or some distant group more satisfactory results could he obtained. Asked for his opinion as to the result of the now arrangement in the Hebrides, Captain Sinker said that as the matter was at present . under the consideration of the. English Parliament, and the Commissioner of the Group was making personal and complete investigation, he would not care to criticise the action of the Protectorate Governments. He felt confident, however, that the new arrangements, including the joint English and French Court, would achieve highly satisfactory results.