i2 5 2 AUSTRALASIA ILLUSTRATED. 



the British Crown would be authorized to register deeds of property acquired by British 

 subjects in the Islands over which his commission extended, especial!) as there was no 

 single chief who ruled even one island. This was, after consideration, forbidden by the 

 British Government. It was next expected that the Consul appointed to reside in the 

 New Hebrides, especially as he was a Deputy Commissioner, would register titles, but 

 even the Consul was unfortunately withdrawn. The British Consul at Noumea has, we 

 understand, some care of British interests in the New Hebrides ; but it is not a satis- 

 factory arrangement ; there ought to be one resident on the Islands. British subjects are 

 at a serious disadvantage, though the joint commission of French and British naval com- 

 manders has some authority to adjudicate in cases of disputed title. This was formerly 

 the case when British naval ships visited the Islands. But it is hoped that a registry 

 may be established. Another difficulty has arisen from the unequal action in trade of 

 the French and British Authorities. The French Government allows traffic with the 

 natives in fire-arms and intoxicating liquors. The British Government forbids both. The 

 sale of spirits to the natives ought to be prohibited by all civilized Governments to 

 their subjects trading in the South Seas. With regard to fire-arms the case is different. 

 Internecine warfare is growing less as European settlements spread, and as missionary 

 work takes effect. There is not so great a tendency now to attack traders or settlers, 

 as the visits of ships of war are more frequent. Besides, gun-shot wounds are probably 

 less to be dreaded than wounds from poisoned arrows, for it has recently been proved 

 that the arrows are dipped in some telluric poison, which causes tetanus. The Islanders 

 in^ the less civilized parts will not sell land except they get payment in muskets and 

 ammunition. Thus, while the French New Hebrides Company could purchase largely 

 because they could give muskets in exchange, the Australasian New Hebrides Company 

 and other British settlers were refused because they could not legally offer fire-arms as 

 purchase money. This has been very discouraging to British trade. The New Hebrides 

 Mission Synod adopted the following resolution with reference to the forementioned dif- 

 ficulties : " This Synod, being of opinion that the time has now arrived when it would be 

 conducive to the civilization of the natives of the New Hebrides, especially of those who 

 have already embraced Christianity, that British subjects should be encouraged to settle 

 in this Group as traders and planters, and that the present laws affecting this Group 

 are so inadequate and unequal as to deter the most desirable class of colonists from 

 settling in this Group, strongly urges that the Imperial Government be moved to 

 provide that British subjects in the New Hebrides may be enabled to obtain legal titles 

 to their lands, and also enabled lawfully to engage the natives of one island of this 

 Group to labour upon another. This Synod is further of opinion that the prohibition 

 of the sale of fire-arms and ammunition to natives of this Group, at present laid 

 exclusively upon British subjects, should either be rescinded or applied universally to the 

 subjects of all nationalities." 



I he facilities and restrictions to trade ought to be equalized by the great countries 

 which are joint protectors of the Group. Representations have been made on the part of 

 traders and of missionaries to some of the Australian Governments on this subject. In 

 the colony of Victoria it has led to action, and both Houses of the Legislature and the 

 Melbourne Chamber of Commerce have passed resolutions on the subject. When the 



