New Caledonian Notes

Prospects for Coffee Crop

From Our Own Correspondent.

NOUMEA. March 14.

THE coffee season has opened in a very promising way this year, and if the cyclones continue to pass us by the prospects are very bright for a good harvest. The bushes are very heavily laden, and already the beans are turning scarlet, and the first light picking has commenced. Coffee, unlike most crops which are harvested at one time, goes on for a considerable time. The beans ripen at different periods, and it is necessary to cover an area many times.

The rain has been more evenly distributed for the past six months—the long, dry season having been practically eliminated —with very favourable results to growers. The price of coffee is still very low, but with the increased output, the pros pects are much brighter.

Salt From N.E. Africa

Amongst the cargo of the Eridan, which arrived recently, was a large consignment of salt from Colombo where it had been sent by the Governor of French Somali Land, N.E. Africa, from the province of Djibouti. Salt, heretofore, has largely been imported from Australia, but by a new arrangement now in operation it is landed from Africa at 125 francs (about £2/5/- Australian) per ton—the Messageries Maritimes offering a special freight as it is produced in a French colony. The Eridan brought 250 tons of salt from Europe, 70 tons from Colombo, and 360 tons from Australia —680 tons all told —thus showing that New Caledonia is a very good customer of Aus tralia.

The Sugar Market

The Carriso arrived recently from U.S.A. with 1000 tons of mixed cargo, petrol, etc., and 735,000 feet of timber for La Societe Kaori. For the first time Noumea residents have been able to sample American sugar, supplies of which arrived on the vessel. The light open jute sacks are lined with strong brown paper, and the sugar is of a very high standard, exceptionally white and clean. Java sugar, so largely used in this country, is done up in rough half corn sacks, and is apt to contain jute hairs. The Eastern product can in no way compare with this American sample, which more resembles No. 1 brand of the C.S.R. Co., Australia.

The U.S. sugar is much more reasonable in price than that imported from Sydney.

Fruit Importations

The last St. Vincent de Paul from Sydney brought a large consignment of flour (2,686 bags), 933 bags of potatoes, 420 bags of rice, 110 bags of wheat, 86 bags of pollard, 70 bags of bran, 70 cases of beer, and many cases of fresh fruit. Several leading business houses have installed electric freezing chambers in Noumea, and there has been a great increase in the importation of fresh fruit, apples, pears, etc.

One wonders why the population prefer these imported fruits to the luscious New Caledonian fruits, such as paw-paw, pineapples, mangoes, oranges, and bananas, which the growers here find it does not pay to market.

New Aero Club

The Aero Club, which has lately been formed with His Excellency the Governor Monsieur Siadous as president, has opened a subscription list to buy an aeroplane, which is to be called the Cagou. There a quick response, and it will

not be long before the young French New Cale donians take to flying.

The Bucephale left Noumea on March 1 for Sydney, where she is to be dry-docked. She will return about the middle of March with 500 tons of general cargo.

The Committee of the Veloce Club Caledonian have invited two amateur cyclists from Sydney to compete in their local contests. Cycling is very popular in New Caledonia, and there are some very promising peddlers among the local sports men.

The mysterious disappearance of M. Detets, of the Boghern district, near Bourail, has caused alarm. A father of a large family, and owning several properties, he left his home on horseback at an early hour on February 4. Though his horse was subsequently found, no trace of him has been discovered by the gendarmerie and the many people who organised a hunt to locate the unfor tunate man. As several large rewards have been offered and nothing has transpired, it is feared that he has been the victim of a crime.

La Societe Caledon Nickel has purchased the Cap Tariffa for its fleet of cargo boats which are employed in bringing coal from Australia for the furnaces. This boat left Dunkirk, France, on December 20, and arrived at Noumea at the end of February.