New Caledonia

652 Javanese Leave

From Our Own Correspondent.

Bouloupari, Sept. 27.

THE Van Rees left Noumea on Septem ber 7, with 652 Javanese coolies.

There was a large crowd to see her de part at noon. After the various bells had been rung, farewells taken and the Javanese coolies in the steerage had showered a quantity of loose coin on their laughing comrades standing on the wharf, who vied with one another in picking it up, the ship still remained stationary.

When it was nearer 1 p.m. than 12, M.

Maryn, Inspector Hollandaise de Travail, arrived, and the vessel left without fur ther delay. He had kept the steamer waiting in a manner that was regarded as inexcusable, and the other saloon pas sengers made a sharp demonstration against him as he went up the gangway.

Though the Van Rees took away this large number of cool ies she only brought 175 from Java, which was insufficient to meet the applications already sent in. A new convoy is expect ed to arrive on No vember 7, and, it is anticipated, they will all be applied for be fore the end of Octo ber.

The new arrivals take some breaking in, but when well trained they make very good servants and plantation work ers —they are mostly on five year con tracts.

A resident who has a charming home in Noumea had an ancient native tabou.

This curio was a couple of centuries old, and was placed against a tree in the drive. One Sunday

morning as he wandered about the gar den the owner missed this ancient curio and questioned a new arrival as to its whereabouts. To his horror he found the treasure had been chopped up to light the morning fire. This native relic had been in his family’s possession for 45 years and he would not have parted with it for a large sum of money.