Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 22 July 1889, page 11


THE NEW HEBRIDES.

(FROMODB CORRESPONDENT.)

HAVANNAH HARBOUR, JUNE 24.

There seems to have been a kind of epidemic of crime among some of the Europeans in the New Hebrides of late Last month I reported the shocking murder of Captain Greenlees on board the schooner Colonist, of Sydney, in this harbour The Colonist is still here, having been pronounced underworthy by the authorities For some time the accused Weaver, after having been committed for trial for murder, was kept a prisoner on board RM S Opal On the 2nd current H M S Lizard arrived from Noumea, and having taken Weaver and the witnesses in the case on board left the same day for Fiji There are strange stones of) ing about as to the mysterious cruise of the Colonial

Weaver, before the crime was committed, had told to different persons various stories, as that he was on important business for the Imperial Government of a private nature that he was going to play the part of Rajah Brooke on some island to the north, and that he was going to an island where there was an immense quantity of pearl shells ready collected, and waiting for him He gave himself out as a very rich man, and boosted of the sums he spent in charity and church work, and professed his belief that Christianity was of no use without civilisa-tion, and civilisation of no use without Christianity), and said that in his proposed South Sea colony he was going to have a missionary as absolutely necessary to its well

being On the other hand the Colonist was found almost empty and having also gether a poverty-stricken aspect, and as it is credibly reported with three augur holes in her hold filled with clay Probably some thing will be brought out at the trial which will throw light on this *_)Stenous and tragic affair

News has just reached here of another mysterious crime or alleged murder at Ambrym It appears that some Frenchmen living on that island, a considerable proportion of whom are liberated convicts from New Caledonia we have now already between 20 and 30 such men in this grouphave been at loggerheads One named Lebel died a short time ago, and his neighbour, well known as François Rossi, has been formally accused by two resident French men of having given him poison The French war vessel Saone has therefore had the body of Lebel exhumed, to be taken to Noumea and examined for traces of the poison (arsenic) Another Frenchman named 1 and rob, living a short distance along the coast, was recently killed by the natives or by a native, and it is said that the natives had been put up to do this murder by the person accused of the murder by poison This seems scarcely credible, and for the sake of human nature let us hope that it may be found not true The native said to be built is a prisoner

on board the barge, and will be taken for trial to Noumea. Roth the Opal and the bone have been at Ambrym within the last few days I had the mixed Naval Commission is doing good work, and is having a good deal of work to do It is certainly the most effective arrangement that could have been devised in the circumstances for dealing with such matters those just referred to 1 Francois Rossi has not been arrested, though the most grave accusations have been laid against him The exhumed remains of Lebel will be first examined at Noumea. The Sabine, which arrived here on the 1 ith from Ambrym, left on the 14th for Noumea. It is said that 1 ranges has a large number of the Ambrym natives under his influence and, on the other hand, some are hostile to him the other day the hostile natives had prepared an ambush to kill him when the Opal happened to steam in and frustrate their plan On the subsequent arrival of the Saone Francis proposed to the captain a joint military expedition into the interior against his enemies, and offering for his part to provide a contingent of 200 armed Ambrym savages 'This proposal, it need hardly be said, was not entertained

would like specially to call the attention of Australians to the above statement, that there are now already in this group from 20 to 30 laborer, or French ticket of leave men, and that for any thing that is known to the contrary this number may speedily increase to two or three hundred, or indefinitely Now what, I ask, is to hinder any of these men from passing by ship from the New Hebrides to Australia, if they wish to do so ' Suppose one of them presents himself on board one of our Australian mail steamers at Hay mind Harbour and pay his passage to Sydney or Melbourne, what right would the captain have to refuse to take him None that I Y now of besides how 13 the captain to know that he is a liberated convict In this way, even without annexation, is there norths most heinous danger of the New Hebrides become in" the back door through which the liberated convict stream or rising Hood that 13 swamping New Caledonia may escape into Australia ' Meantime I would beg most earnestly) to suggest that Sydney and Mel-

1 nurne combine, and all the other colonies that have shown so much interest in the New Hebrides to secure the running of a monthly Australian steamer not only to, but also thou in, this group, and that without more delay) It is reported here that the 'Tanais is to be subsidised by the French Government to run to and through the (group, and will carry freight at extremely

low rates.

H M S Opal arrived here from the north on the 13th and leaves for Noumea to day The A USN steamer Tenterden arrived from Sydney, and left to day for Fiji in the

usual course