Hew Hebrides Notes
p. 46 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Pt. Vila, Dec. 4.
THE French Resident Commissioner for Free France in the New Heb rides, Mr. R. Kuter, visited the principal islands in the north of the group in November. He was satisfied with what he had seen in regard to the way in which planters are maintaining the standard of production, assisted materially by the goodwill of their labourers—both native and Indo-Chinese.
Planters and business men in the archipelago, always generally in favour of investing in what they believe is a good risk, would prefer free trade with the outside world in preference to accepting the limitations of the South Pacific Copra Pool. They feel that they can benefit more from the facilities that appear to be given to the export of copra to America. (This, of course, was
written just prior to the outbreak of war with Japan.—Ed. “PIM”.) Good news has been received of the de Gaulle volunteers from the New Hebrides, who are with the Allied armies in the Middle East: all have been trained in modern warfare and are acquitting themselves well. In the Syria campaign they showed themselves inde fatigable in carrying out their tasks.
The Armistice Day fete held in Port Vila in November produced 20,000 francs for war work in the Condominium.
Mr. T. H. Claude Booth, of the BNG Trading Co. Ltd.’s staff at Port Moresby, Papua, recently married Miss Marie Lynch, of Queensland.
Mr. R. Spiers, of Wellington, NZ, is relieving Mr. E. J. Sutch as assistant secretary in the Western Samoan Ad ministration during Mr. Sutch’s absence on four months’ furlough.