INSULAR AUSTRALASIA. 



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Federal Council assembled at Hobart, the chief interest of the meeting centred 

 in the debate on the resolution with reference to the New Hebrides, submitted 

 by the Attorney-General of Victoria. The Council was unanimous in agreeing to that 

 part of the resolutions which affected the restrictions on the traffic with the natives in 

 liquor and fire-arms. The proposed political federation of the Australasian colonies may 

 have to deal with this matter, if it be not settled by the mutual arrangement of 

 France and England. It is natural to expect that another difficulty will cause even 



NATIVE DRUMS IX THE NEW HEBRIDES. 



more interest, if not alarm. Indeed, it has been felt for some years that a great 

 danger menaces Australia from the deportation of the worst kind of convicts from 

 France to New Caledonia. Some of these when the terms of their sentences have expired, 

 and others when they make their escape, land upon Australian shores. It is well known 

 that hundreds have already found their way to the chief cities of Australia on the 

 eastern coast, and that some have committed crimes. A request has also been made by 

 French settlers in the New Hebrides to be allowed to hire convicts to labour on the 

 Islands. The French Senate actually passed a law authorizing the transportation of one 

 hundred thousand of the worst convicts to New Caledonia. When the great outcry 

 arose from the Australian colonies against this, it was not carried out. But subsequently 

 a law was passed authorizing the transportation of sixty thousand convicts without 

 specifying their destination ; and in consequence of this it has been reported that the 

 French Supreme Colonial Council has recommended that colonizing and trading companies 

 should be allowed to employ convicts in the Pacific. This would endanger British 



