Caledonia

Future Of New

Where Reforms Are Needed

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, June 10.

WHAT is to be the future of New Caledonia? To-day, this important Territory of Fighting France is enjoying much prosperity—the result of the presence of so many Allied soldiers— and this may be an opportune time to lay new economic foundations for the Colony. Your correspondent discussed some interesting aspects of this prospect with M. Henri Montchamp, who is going away into the combatant ranks of the

Fighting French, after a year’s service as Governor of New Caledonia.

It was suggested to the Governor that France’s exclusive policy should be changed, so that Pacific shipping lines leaving Australian, New Zealand and American ports after the war would call regularly at Noumea. Before the war, no foreign lines called at the port be cause of heavy port dues and the mari time and customs policy pursued; yet these lines passed almost within sight of the New Caledonian coast. The only Line calling was Messageries Maritimes, pro viding a monthly service heavily subsi dised by the French Government.

M. Montchamp agreed that the port had been retarded by the policy pursued and that local requirements should be taken into account. Customs regulations and port dues might well be modified and made more supple in the interests of mutual trade, particularly with New Zealand and Australia. Regular inter course was desirable; there was very real friendship between the New Caledonian people and those two neighbouring coun tries, and an increased interest on their part in Caledonian development and wel fare would be welcomed. Noumea might become an important shipping port as well as an important air base.

No More Japanese!

BEFORE the war the Japanese had a monopoly of several New Caledonian industries. They controlled the trocas (pearlshell) industry, sending the shell to Japan for button-making; they exported beche-de-mer (sea-slug) to China; they were fishers and lumber workers; and they were getting a real hold on rice and coffee growing. Japan was the only country exploiting the Colony’s vast iron ore deposits, and the Japanese were beginning to exploit chrome and nickel mines on a large scale.

Above all in commerce—as merchants and storekeepers—the Japanese were particularly active, and wherever they went it was mainly Japanese goods they were selling. On the whole, it seemed that the average Japanese in New Cale donia was more prosperous than the average French colonist. Was there danger of their return when the war was over?

“If they were relatively richer, then perhaps it was because they worked harder than our colonists, who spend a lot of their time deer hunting and who rely overmuch on Javanese and native labour,” said the Governor. “Commer cially, the Japanese were out to monopo lise wherever they could, and we cer tainly do not want them back.

“This is just where brother nations like Australia and New Zealand might profit ably link themselves with New Cale donian industry for our mutual welfare.

We need local industries here; we should be able to make our own soap, and shoes; we could do our own tanning; we used to make excellent rum; and perhaps we could do with a button factory. Or, if we could not make our own buttons, we should prefer to send our trocas to Aus tralia, if you could establish a button making industry there.

“Mining is a bigger question, still. We have here one of the world’s largest reserves of iron ore. We want to exchange this ore for gold, which we need for smelting nickel. We prefer that this exchange should be with the people with whom we have a real understanding, and for the good of the South Pacific area in general. It would be a very good thing if Australia and New Zealand took con siderably more interest in this country in the way of developing and sharing local industries and exchanging products.”

Evils Of Land Monopoly

mHE Governor said that one thing that X iflight fruitfully be considered in future was a reallotment of land, for the good of the Colony. Up to now, New Caledonians had been living in a state of plutocratic feudalism—the feu dal barons being one or two mining cor porations, two or three large stores, and a handful of cattle-station owners.

To a suggestion that the small miner “did not have a look in under the pre sent system,” the Governor replied that vast areas were certainly held under con cessions by big concerns, without being exploited. But the ownership of mines was always vested in the State which granted the concessions, and perhaps an alteration in the present system might be desirable. What the small miners most needed was to organise themselves into a strong syndicate, which would have the backing of the administration.

He agreed that the island, with 20,000 European inhabitants, was seriously under-populated. One reason was that cattle-stations occupied too large a por tion of the country. Much of these areas was suitable for agriculture—the pro duction of vegetables, coffee, maize, rice, sugar, perhaps wheat. Put at the dis posal of the children of large families and other colonists, settlement would be stimulated and the country fruitfully opened up.

Dominion Status?

I ASKED M. Montchamp if there was any likelihood of New Caledonia developing as a French Dominion— a sort of Gallic New Zealand.

The Governor replied that that might come about when there was a European population of 500,000, with their own faculties, schools, colleges and institu tions, able to turn out their own doctors and professors. That was an essential thing about a Dominion—about Australia and New Zealand, for example, whose contribution to British culture and out look were an admirable feature of world development.

New Caledonians complain that their Governors are changed too frequently, giving them little opportunity to get to know the Colony. Did Monsieur Mont champ not feel that Governors should stay in office for three or five years?

“Yes, that might be a good thing,” he replied. “But the population should see to it that they make life supportable for their Governors!”

Mr. Alfred Gibson, who was Assistant Government Printer in Papua until the evacuation in 1942, and who had spent 27 years in that service, has been visit ing the Cowra district of NSW lately.

He told the local editor that he would not be happy until he could return to Port Moresby a sentiment echoed heartily by many hundreds of people who are shivering in an unusually cold Australian winter.