New Officials in New Hebrides

THERE have been changes in the Con dominium establishment in the New Hebrides since the French section of the administration came under the direction of the Free France Govern ment.

The Joint Court is now carrying on without a Chief Judge, and other high French judicial officers who were pro- Vichy have departed. The Court now comprises Judge Egan, formerly of Cey lon, who has been there since August as the British judge, and Judge Trognon, who was appointed by the de Gaulle Government, and who arrived there late in September.

The French Resident Commissioner (who took the place of M. Henri Sautot, appointed Governor of New Caledonia), is M. Kuter. He was born in New Cale donia and is a well-known official, who had been stationed in the New Hebrides on a number of occasions.

The difficulties created in the New Hebrides copra industry through the French Government subsidising all French-produced copra, while British planters received no assistance, have disappeared since the capitulation.

French and British copra is now virtually on the same basis so far as the general market is concerned.

Very Rev. G. E. Bergeron, S.M., who is now Provincial of the Marist Missions in the Pacific, at Hunter’s Hill, Sydney, was formerly well known as Procurator. One of his principal duties now will be to visit regularly each of the eight missions over which he has jurisdiction. War con ditions with their consequent effect on shipping, have placed many difficulties in the way of Father Bergeron; but since his appointment, some months ago, he has paid two visits to the Solomon Is lands. Rev. Joseph Nicolas, S.M., who worked for 17 years in Fiji as a mis sionary, succeeded Father Bergeron as Procurator.