General Material - New Hebrides
(Published Material to 1901)
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Published Material includes : Advertisement for Nurse (1895); report on progress of the Hospital (1897); departure of Nurse Phillips (1897).
Published Material Includes : Need for British annexation of the New Hebrides and submissions made by the Presb. Church of Victoria to Premier of Great Britain (1884); Reply (1885); proposed French annexation of the Islands and representations to the NZ Premier to intervene (1886); increasing Roman Catholic influence in islands (1886); landing of French troops and raising of French flag on pretext of protecting French nationals (1886); determined and unscrupulous methods by French to gain control (1886); appeal for British intervention (1887); withdrawal of French troops and formation of a "Joint Naval Commission" entrusted to maintain law and order as per the convention between the British and French Governments (1888); rumours of French annexation of the Islands and need for vigilance of French aggression (1893); anxiety over increasing French commercial hold over the islands and French Colonial aspirations generally (1897); New Hebrides Mission Synod Memorial protesting actions of the French New Hebrides Company re illegal land claims on Epi (1900); report of deputation of Presbyterian Ministers to the NZ Premier, Mr RJ Seddon re unscrupulous methods used by the French to obtain land in the Islands (1901); new French settlers on Epi taking land by force with assistance from French Naval Officers (1901); journalistic piece by Rev T Smaill on the political system in the New Hebrides (1901); petition to King Edward VII from natives on Epi re unjust aggression and unlawful taking by French settlers of land, property and buildings (1901).
These published reports of the Nguna Mission Station were written by the Rev Peter Milne (snr).
Published Material Includes : Production of Arrowroot and its sale within New Zealand.
Mr WC Blair, with assistance from his home Church at Wanganui, set himself up as a Christian Trader and Missionary on Paama in 1898.
Published Material Includes : Farewell from Wanganui Presb. Church; extract from letter giving report on his observations and work on Paama.
The Convener of the Synod of Otago and Southland Missions Committee, the Rev William Bannerman, visited the New Hebrides in 1889 to view progress.
Published Material Includes : Copies of letters written while in the New Hebrides (1889); journalistic pieces written by Rev Bannerman about his trip (1890).
"The Dayspring" I, II and III were Mission supply vessels supported by the various Presbyterian Missions operating in the New Hebrides. The "Dayspring" Board handled all income and expenditure relating to the shipping service, freight and passages under the general title of "New Hebrides Mission Maritime Service".
Published/Copied Material Includes : the aims and objectives of the "New Zealand Association for Insuring the Missionary Vessel, the Dayspring" 1865; Account of visit of the "Dayspring I" to Dunedin in Dec 1868; "Dayspring" Annual Reports including some annual general Missions reports (1873, 1874, 1879, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1887, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1898, 1899-1900); diary notes of voyage by Mrs Fraser, the Captain's wife (1871); loss of the "Dayspring I" on a reef at Aneityum Harbour in Jan 1873 (1873); "Dayspring" Insurance Fund (1873); purchase of the "Paragon" and fitting out as the "Dayspring II" (1874); funding (1874); raising of funds by Sabbath School children (1878 to 1880); abbreviated "Dayspring" Annual Report (1882); proposals for a new vessel and desire for a sailing vessel rather than steam due to excessive operating costs (1887); loss of the "Cairndhu", tender to the "Dayspring II" (1887); comparison of commercial and Mission shipping services to the New Hebrides (1888); visit of the "Dayspring II" to Dunedin (1890); subsidizing of commercial steam Mission service to Islands by NSW and Victorian Governments (1891); withdrawal of temporary service due to loss of subsidy (1893); inauguration of new commercial steam service (1894); resolution of Victorian Presb. Church Assembly to build a steam powered Mission vessel utilizing funds raised by Dr JG Paton (1895); comparison of operating costs with other Mission vessels (1895); regret by New Hebrides Mission Synod that it was not consulted over new vessel and misgivings over it's cost and need (1895); launching and sea trials of the "Dayspring III" steam ship at Govan, Scotland (1895); arrival in Australia including dimensions, capacity and statistics (1896); bitter opposition by Rev W Watt to the vessel and replies by Rev W Bannerman and Rev JG Paton (1896); disapproval by the Free Church of Scotland of the Victorian Church supported steam Mission service (1896); loss of the "Dayspring III" on a reef and full report (1896); historical resumé detailing why a steam vessel was not a necessity by Rev W Watt (1896); interview with Dr JG Paton re mission shipping service and funding (1897); discussion on and strong opposition of many Missionaries to Victorian Church plans for a replacement Mission vessel (1897 to 1898).
This published correspondence between the Rev David Sidey and the Rev Robert Erwin represents two opposing view on the wisdom of funding a third Missionary to the New Hebrides when funding for Church Extension work within New Zealand is inadequate or neglected.
The Rev GB Inglis of Ashburton acted as Deputy to the New Hebrides Mission Synod during 1900, being absent for around five months.
Published Material Includes : Appointment; general letter; criticisms of New Hebrides Mission Report.
Report of damage to keel after running onto rocks (1854); Report of voyage round and visits to islands in the New Hebrides including [sic] Aneiteum, Fotuna, Eramanga, Fate, as well as the Loyalty Islands, Mare and Lifu (1854).
This file contains published journalistic pieces concerning the New Hebrides as follows :
"[The] New Hebrides - a plan for their more speedy Evangelization" (1886); "The New Hebrides - a brief story of our work" by Rev AJ Campbell (1886); 'The New Hebrides Presbyterian Mission" - a short history (1889); "A Sabbath in the New Hebrides" by Mr M McGillivray (1891); 'The New Hebrides Mission" - a talk by Prof. Drummond of the Free Church Presbytery of Glasgow (1892); "Methods of Missionaries" (1893); "Early Tanna Heroes" (From "Quarterly Jottings", 1899); "Recent Cannibalism on the Island of Tanna" br Rev FL Paton (1901).
This published material documents the Labour Trade in the New Hebrides which involved the removal - often by force or deception - of natives by labour vessels to Fiji or Queensland to act as cheap labour, mainly on sugar plantations. The natives in Queensland became known as "Kanakas".
Published Material includes : Reports of the labour trade by Rev John Geddie including an account of "The Fanny" incident at Nguna (1871); "The Slave Trade in the New Hebrides" - extracts from a pamphlet published by the New Hebrides Synod (1872); the 'Queensland Labour Traffic" by Rev JG Paton (1890); 'The New Hebrides Labour Traffic" by Rev O Michelsen (1891); "Kanaka [Queensland Labour] Traffic" - Queensland Legislature Bill allowing resumption of the labour trade and report of the Royal Commission into the traffic (1892); New Hebrides Mission Synod resolution condemning the traffic (1892); efforts to discredit Missionaries (including Rev P Milne) and exoneration (1894); the report of the Queensland Kanaka Mission (1897); "Kidnapping in the New Hebrides" (1899); "The Federation Commission and Coloured Labour" and "The Exploiting of the Tropics" (1901); "An Incident in the Labour Traffic" - (The "Marie Henry" Incident at Nogugu) by Rev JN MacKenzie (1901).
Thiss published material realted to the suggested contents, the need for, and the shipping to the New Hebrides of Mission Boxes.
NB : Also includes details of suggested Mission Box contents to Madras, India (1899)
One reference giving details of a maintenance allowance of £30 per child granted by the Synod of Otago and Southland for Missionary children required to leave the New Hebrides Islands due to health reasons and/or education.
This published material relates to congregational giving, particularly for Mission purposes, and funding of Mission activities in the New Hebrides.
Published Material Includes : Appeals to congregations for increased giving, particlularly for Mission purposes in the New Hebrides; Sabbath School Mission collections; suggestion for a semi-jubilee Mission fund for printing of New Hebrides scriptures (1891); proposals to form a Parish Missionary Association to fund Church extention (Home Missions) and Foreign Missions by two annual collections which would replace all regular special appeals (1892); New Hebrides Relief Fund contributions (1893); decrease in Mission funding (1895).
A transcript of a letter detailing the murder of Mr Morrison, a white settler (?); by natives on Tanna Island, New Hebrides.
This published material relates to financial support of native Teachers in the New Hebrides.
Published Material Includes : Contributions to the fund; Christian natives on Nguna supporting their own Teavhers (1896).
The New Hebrides Mission Synod of 1889 decided upon a Mission Flag comprising of a white St Andrew's Cross, a white border, and the letters NHPM (New Hebrides Presbyterian Mission).
This published material relates to the purchase and payment for Mission Flags.
This published material mainly contains reports of the annual New Hebrides Mission Synod meetings.
Published Material Includes : Reports of Synod Meetings for 1870, 1872, 1874, 1876, 1879, 1883, 1885, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900.
This file contains miscellaneous published reports including : Missionary appointments and movements; voyages of the "Dayspring"; Roman Catholic influence on Islands; Free Church of Scotland Foreign Missions report (1888); hurricane damage (1893); sickness; launching of boat for use of Dr. R Lamb (1894); Establishment of training institution to train native teachers & pastors [Tangoa Training Institute] with Rev J Annand as Principal (1894); rumoured murder of a Missionary on Tanna (1899); contributions from New Hebrides natives for Indian Famine Relief (1900); medical work undertaken by Dr JT Bowie (1901); news from Mission Stations; appeal for Missionary to replace Rev A Gillies on Tanna (1901).
Letter from the Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of Nova Scotia, the Rev James Bayne, to the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland Missions Committee re co-operation in the New Hebrides Mission Field (1853)
Decision of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland to support Mr Inglis as their Missionary to the New Hebrides (1853); General report of Missionary work (1853); First Annual report of the Mission to the New Hebrides written by the Rev John Inglis (1853); Report of Committee on Foreign Missions of the Rereformed Presbyterian Church of Scotland with references to the work of Mr Inglis (1854)
This file contains a published account of the murder of a white man, Mr Easterbrook, by natives on Tanna and the subsequent investigation by Lieutenant Caffin of HM Royal Navy ships "Beagle" and "Renard".