In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

Appendix A: Excerpts from the Convention Establishing the New Hebrides Condominium Signed in London, 27th February, 1906. PROTOCOL. The Undersigned, Eldon Gorst, Assistant Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath; Hugh Bertram Cox, Assistant Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, Companion of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath; Marcel Saint-Germain, Senator, President of the Council of Administration of the Colonial Office at the Ministry of the Colonies, Officer of the Order of Public Instruction, Holder of the Colonial Medal; Edouard Picanon, Inspector-General of the Colonies of the First Class, Governor of French Guiana, Officer of the Legion of Honour, Officer of the Order of Public Instruction, delegated respectively by the Government of His Britannic Majesty and by the Government of the French Republic, in order to draw up, in conformity with the Declaration of the 8th April, 1904, concerning the New Hebrides, an arrangement which shall put an end to the difficulties arising from the absence of jurisdiction over the natives of the New Hebrides and settle the disputes of their respective nationals in the said islands with regard to landed property, have agreed to the following provisions, which they have resolved to submit for the approval of their respective Governments: PREAMBLE. The Government of his Britannic Majesty and the Government of the French Republic, being desirous of modifying, as far as the New Hebrides are concerned , the Convention of the 16th November, 1887, respecting the New Hebrides and the islands leeward of Tahiti, in order to secure the exercise of their paramount rights in the New Hebrides and to assure for the future the better protection of life and property in the Group, have agreed on the following Articles: 199 GENERAL PROVISIONS. article i. Status. (1) The Group of the New Hebrides, including the Banks and Torres Islands, shall form a region of joint influence, in which the subjects and citizens of the two Signatory Powers shall enjoy equal rights of residence, personal protection, and trade, each of the two Powers retaining jurisdiction over its subjects or citizens, and neither exercising a separate control over the Group. . . . article viii. Native Administration. (1) In the present Convention, “native” means any person of the aboriginal races of the Pacific who is not a citizen or subject or under the protection of either of the two Signatory Powers. (2) No native, as defined above, shall acquire in the Group the status of subject or citizen or be under the protection of either of the two Signatory Powers. (3) The High Commissioners and their Delegates shall have authority over the native Chiefs. They shall have power to make administrative and police regulations binding on the tribes, and to provide for their enforcement. (4) They shall respect the manners and customs of the natives, where not contrary to the maintenance of order and the dictates of humanity. . . . article xviii. Official Languages. Either the English or French language may be employed in proceedings before the Joint Court. In a suit between British subjects and French citizens, the proceedings shall be interpreted and the judgements shall be drawn up in both languages. The registers of the Court shall be kept in both languages. . . . PROVISIONS RELATING TO LAND. article xxii. Land Suits between Non-natives and Natives. (1) In land suits, the rights of non-natives may be proved either by occupation or by title-deeds establishing the sale or grant of the land in question. (2) When occupation is made of sole ground of a claim to ownership, visible and material proofs must be forthcoming, such as building, plantations, cultivation, cattle-rearing, improvements, clearing or fencing. Occupation must be bona fide, and have been continuous during three years at least. . . . 200 Appendix A ...

Share