Purchases Through
p. 42 · Read in the full issue
New Caledonian
Imports
Purchases Through Government
From Our Own Correspondent
Noumea, Dec. 5.
OF interest to Australian exporters is information issued over the Gov ernor’s signature, following a meet ing between Government officials and the Noumea Chamber of Commerce, on December 2, relating to the new economic agreement with Australia.
Local importers are asked to supply the names of their Australian agents for the different categories of goods to the delegate of the French National Commit tee, 60 Hunter Street, Sydney, as quickly as possible. Flour, sugar, salt, potatoes, onions, tea, jams, fruit juice, canned vegetables, washing soap, leather, cement, knitting wool and alcohol belong to the category of articles to be ordered directly through the administration.
Orders must be handed in between the Ist and 15th of each month to the local Economic Bureau. Order forms have been printed, and copies of orders should be sent by importers to their Sydney agents.
Save where the Australian Government insists on approved suppliers, agents may place their orders as in the past; but where orders go to suppliers designated by that Government cheques will be made out in the name of the French National Committee, which will then look after payment.
Goods other than those specified above are not subject to restriction for the time being and may be ordered as in the past. Orders for flour must not be less than 10 tons, so importers of small quan tities are asked to group their orders.
A second category of articles is listed under the “lend-lease” agreement, namely rice, barbed wire, sheet iron, corrugated and otherwise, nails, cramps, piping, elec tric -wire and bulbs, lamps and acces sories. For these, orders must be put in at three-monthly periods and will be settled on arrival of the goods in
Noumea. Such orders must be handed in to the local Economic Bureau prior to January 1 for the first three months of next year. They will be limited to strict and justifiable necessities.
Monetary Policy
The Administrative Council has asked the Governor to cable General de Gaulle asking him to maintain the monetarv status quo in the Colony, which means continuing the circulation of the local Bank of Indo-China banknotes, at the same time postponing the proposed issue of Free French banknotes. The cable also asks that the foreign exchange at the disposal of the local bank, which derives from the sale of the Colony’s mineral and agricultural produce, should remain exclusively at the Colony’s disposal. It is also asked that advances already made by the local Treasury to finance the Free French exchequer should be covered by sterling, in accordance with the Church ill-de Gaulle agreement.
Developmental Road
The Administrative Council has voted credits for road improvements, particu larly in pushing through automobile routes to Hienghene, on the east coast, and to Ouegoa, in the north; and for public service buildings outside Noumea.
The route to Hienghene will serve one of the richest coffee centres in the island, as well as the island’s most beautiful area from the tourist point of view. It will also make a thrice-weekly postal service possible to this hitherto isolated spot, and will bring one or two restless native tribes under more adequate super vision.
War Tax
The Administrative Council has voted the continuation for 1943 of the special war tax on exports, which is fixed at 12.50 per cent, for nickel and chrome ores and matte, 20 per cent, for iron ore, 10 per cent, for deer and cattle hides, 5 per cent, for trocas and timber and 3 per cent, for other exports, save coffee and copra, which are exempt. The proceeds of this tax will no longer go to the Fighting- French exchequer overseas, but will be paid into the local treasury.