The "Pandemonium"
p. 18 · Read in the full issue
London "Times" is Complacent About it?
IN a letter to the London “Times”, published on April 1. 1940, on the subject of a proposed Franco-British postage stamp, the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Sir Harry Luke, directed attention to the fact that in the Condominium of the New Hebrides, Franco-British postage stamps have been in use without interruption since 1911.
Sir Harry Luke added: “British and French officials jointly conduct the ad ministration of the Condominium in close harmony and co-operation”.
In a leading article, published on April 2, the “Times” refers to the letter of Sir Harry Luke, and proceeds, complacently and ponderously, to express pleasure at
the apparently successful and satisfactory outcome of the Condominium experiment.
It is a pity that the “Times” could not spend 24 hours in the New Hebrides and see something of the absurdities and ex pense of the Condominium system, with its triplication (French, British and Joint) of departments and services. And all this is being done to govern 800 French, 200 British and 40,000 or 50,000 primitive natives!
Heaven help us all if the ridiculous Condominium Government of the New Hebrides is to be taken for a model for Anglo-French colonial collaboration in the future!
Mr. C. Ferris, formerly of Dunelm School, New Zealand, recently arrived in Fiji to take up a teaching post with the Anglican Mission.