New Caledonian News

From Our Own Correspondent.

Noumea, Dec. 7.

M. LE BOUCHER, the new Secretary-general of the Colony, arrived by the November Cephee from Tahiti, where he held a similar position.

M. Frey, formerly a director for the Societe le Nickel, who has been living in France for 14 years, is paying a short business visit to this country, with Madame Frey. His wife’s family are largely interested in the pastoral industry of N. Caledonia.

M. Frey was in the Jameson Raid many years ago when he was mining in South Africa.

The Cephee left on November 21 for Marseilles via Tahiti, Martinique and Panama. She took from here 600 tons of nickel, 11 tons of tinned meats, and 6 tons of coffee. At Vila she loaded copra.

The Ville d'Amiens departed on November 23 for Brisbane, where she loaded a cargo of wool for France. She took from Noumea 1183 tons ol cargo and 611 tons from New Hebrides.

It was with regret that the death of Mr. Moore was announced on November 2. He arrived in New Caledonia from England in 1888, as chemist for the Societe le Nickel. Later, in 1896, he en tered the service of the Laboratoire du Service Local, which post he held until 1909.

November was an exceedingly hot month here, but relief came towards the end of the month in the form of storms. December was ushered in with a really heavy one which replenished the failing waterholes and smaller creeks and refreshed the cattle pastures, much to the relief of the “eleveurs,” as the pastoralists are called here.

The rainy season is during January and Feb ruary, so that the long dry period this year has ended earlier than usual.