Japanese In New Caledonia.

A PERSON described as “an Australian journalist”, on arriving in Sydney in February from Noumea, made to the newspapers the amazing statement that there are now 6,000 Japanese in New Caledonia.

This was promptly and emphatically contradicted by Monsieur L. Reverce, Pre sident du Conseil General de Noumea, who is at present in Sydney. He said that actually the number of Japanese in New Caledonia at th,e taking of the cen sus in 1936 was 1,420. This included not only Japanese, but European and other women whom they had married, and their children, who, under French law, take the nationality of the male parent.

Since then the number of Japanese in N.C. has decreased. The reason for this is chiefly the immigration law, which prevents non-Europeans settling in New Caledonia by prohibiting their residence there for more than three years. Foreign ers may not land at Noumea without de positing a bond, sufficient to cover their return passage to their native land. The majority of Japanese at present in Nou mea are employed in the mines. A fair number are also in commerce and mar ket gardening.

The majority of the labour in New Caledonia is Tonkinese and Javanese, who are indentured on five-year agree ments.