Year: 1872

In tne house OF DOruS, on June "a the EaTl


of Belmore asked the Secretary of State for the


Colonies what steps her Majesty's Government


intended to take with the view of giving effect


to the law for the repression of criminal ourages


the natives of the islands of the Pacific Ocean.


In dealing with this subject he would con6ne his


observations to the present and past state of the
law in relation to this question, and TO the means
necessary to enforce it. -Four years ago the Leg
islature of Queensland passed an Act regulating
the labor traffic, with the view of insuring the
good treatment of the natives who had agreed to
become laborers for a certain time but no doubt
abuses were still prevalent in the traffic, although
they might not be so bad as they were forRerly.
Thus, the master of the Jason had been prose-
cuted by the Government for breaches of the
law on the subject, and having been convicted,
although some doubt existed as to the amount of
his guilt he was severely punished. The Mar
4 quIs of Normandy, the present Governor of
/ Queensland, who had taken especial pains TO rem
der himself fully acquainted with this subject,
had stated in a letter 20 the Earl of Kimberley,
dated November "a, 1871, that, from CONVEX
satio1 he had with the Government agent and
from other circumstances which had come to his
knowledge of late, he thought there could be no
doubt that the state of things among the islands
was at present very bad, and that gross atrocities
were being committed against the natives al.
though, at the same time, he had every reason
for hoping that the vessels belonging to that CO.
lony were in no way implicated because every
precautiOR taken, not only by placing an
agent on board each vessel, but also by strict in
vestigation her arrival IN port, and hefet sure
that not only her Majestys Government, but the
employers of labor themselves, would be most
anxious to check any irregularities, and to bring
the perpetrators to justice and he asked wheth
er the time had not arrived when it would be de-
sirable for her Majestys Government to take
steps to put stop to any illegal practices which
might be perpe,mted, whether by Fijror Queens
land vessels. The noble Marquis iurther added
that these islands were so numerous, and the area
they covered was so great that he feared the pre-
sence OF one man-Oi-war would be OF very little |
use but as no resistance was to be anticipated |
the service might very well be performed by gun

sells, the expense of which would be less than of
one man-of-war The theory of this traffic was |
that the white master takes on board skull-hunt- |
ers from the North, who are allowed bH him to |
take the beads of these Southern people, whom |
they are ever striving TO subdue, and that in con-
sderation of this aid the white master may take
men or trade on their return to the North. This .
used TO be done in New Zealand many years ago,
SO that the credbity of the story was not i'm
paired by its novelty. The matter having been
placed in the hands of very experienced detec-
tive, who was well acquainted with the labor tral
fc, that person had reported that various means
were resoTted TO in order to obtain possession of
the natives, one being that when the canoes came
off to the ships TO trade the boats of the ship
pulled between the canoes and the shore, and so
prevented the natives escaping TO the land, The
detective further reported that he had been in.
formed that it was the custom with the natives
of those parts to obtain the skulls of other ma
tives as trophies of valor. The more skulls chief
obtained, the greater he was supposed to be. The
only brig answering to the description Of that re-



to be the Water Lilly, owned BY the notorious
Captain Hayes, and at present sailed by MIN
and, from the antecedents of that man, he was
considered to be capable of any atrocity. The
Earl of Kimberley said that no one in that House
had more right to speak on this subject than the
noble Earl, who had for some time resided in the
vicinity Of the place to which he had alluded, and
who during the period be was Governor of New
South Wales, had done his best TO prevent the
evils resulting from this traffic. He was glad 10
hear from the noble Ear that he was not one #
those who we're prejudiced against the course
that had been taken by Queensland in this mat.
ter aud that it was evident from the prosecutions
which had occurred in that colony that the law
was efficient and was impartialy and vigorously
enforced. The noble Earl had referred to objec-
tions that had been raised to the Act that had
recently been passed on this subject, but he must
remind the noble Lord that the object of that
Act was 10 regulate and not to entirely suppress
this traffic, and that object would be best obtain
ed by requiring every vessel to be licensed before
she engaged in it. With reference to skull-hunt-
tuSS hb uCCplg ltIlGNlcu lldb lutlC cuuulu bS
found Europeans who, in order to facilitate their
own legitimate trade, encouraged the natives to
pursue this horrible and monstrous practice; and
he agreed with him that every effort should be
used to put an end to such a shameful and bar
barous state of things. lie trusted that with the
help of the China Squadron sufficient force would
be on the spot to prevent such Crimes being com
mitted in future. The force in Australian waters
at present consisted of six steam vessels of war,
four of which, assisted by three or four sailing
vessels, would be employed in preventing the
kidnapping of the natives. The Government
trusted that they wond be much assisted in their
efforts to check the abuses of this traffic by those
who had set up a government in those islands,
and who 1cere not0 recognised as hs d,atorities
Of FVjL


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