News From New Caledonia

Revival of Mining and Timber Industries

From Our Own Correspondent.

BOULOUPARI, August 15.

THE Laperouse arrived in Noumea early on July 31. She was expected at noon, but at 8 a.m. a whistle blew and the town awakened to the fact that she was in the harbour. She carried more passengers than usual and a crowd soon gathered at the wharf and there was much excitement and handshaking to greet the visitors. The captain had speeded up to make the com munication with the Ville de Strasbourg, which left Noumea that afternoon for France.

Among the passengers on board the Laperouse were Mr. and Mrs. Perkins, Mr. and Mrs. Bergmann from America, Mr. Park, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Stepp and Miss Muriel Dangar. Mr. Perkins was for a number of years in charge of the American mining interests in New Caledonia and has now been transferred to headquarters in New York. During their previous sojourn in New Caledonia both he and his charm ing wife made themselves extremely popu lar and all in Noumea joined in welcoming them back again, even though it is but for a short stay.

Mr. Park, whom we see frequently, and who handles a large volume of business from Australia, remained in Noumea, but Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Stepp proceeded on the round trip through the New Hebrides, also on business.

Timber Industry

There has recently been signs of revival in two of our most important industries — mining and timber. One would not imagine that such a remote island as New Cale donia would be affected by the strikes in San Francisco, but such has been the case.

For the time being it has become impos sible to import Oregon from America and the demand for local soft woods has be come keen. The milling companies have been able to place some of their old stocks and have become more active.

Before the heavy taxes were imposed by Australia we used to market a lot of tim ber there and since that market has been closed the industry has almost been at a standstill. It is to be hoped that the local demand will not fall away when trade re lations with America again become normal.

Chrome Deposits

It may perhaps be of interest to readers in other parts of the world to know that New Caledonia is 250 miles long and 30 miles wide, and for its size is the richest mineral area in the world. The minerals chiefly found are nickel, chrome, cobalt, copper and gypsum. The latter is used in the treatment of nickel and has a high local value.

The “Societe de Tietaghie,” an English controlled company with its headquarters in London, has the largest chrome mine in the world and the chrome found is of the highest quality, yielding 56 per cent, pure chrome. From 1914 to the present time this company has mined over 500,000 tons of mineral, and there are at the pre sent time 100,000 tons ready for export.

“La Societe Chimique du Chrome” is controlled from New York and has the latest and most up-to-date installations.

Its output goes to America. In 1932, 8,179 tons were exported and, in 1933, 15,394 tons. Australia barely enters into the market for chrome; in 1932 and in 1933 five tons were her full complement for each year.

Nickel Exports

The two nickel companies of New Cale donia amalgamated in 1931 and though the combined output fell by 1000 tons this was more than compensated for by the greater economy of working. In 1932, 3,915 tons of mattes of nickel were exported, and in 1933, 5,978 tons. Apart from the ordinary uses of nickel, there are at present about twenty-eight countries using nickel coin age.

“La Societe Caledonickel” imports the bulk of the coal for her fleet of steamers and her smelting-works from Australia; the figures for 1933 amounted to 82,000 tons.

Bourail’S Rich Flats

I noticed on a recent visit to Bourail that the rich alluvial flats have not been culti vated this year, many being sadly ne glected and overgrown. Usually they have large crops of “ail” (garlic), which is such a necessary factor in French cooking. At present one cannot buy a kilo in the centre of Bourail, and I understand that a local merchant has had, for the first time in many years, to place an order in Australia.

A sad reminder of the last cyclone is the fallen war monument, which was executed in France by a well-known artist. All that remains of it are the soldiers’ boots with the inscribed tablet below. It is singularly in keeping with the overgrown and uncultivated flats.