Dollar Prosperity In

N. Caledonia

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Oct. 16.

THE New Caledonian budget for last year showed an excess of receipts over expenditure of 10,680,209 francs, giving the Colony a 17 million francs reserve.

Private Gordon Stewart O’Bryan, NZEF, formerly of Rarotonga and son of Mr. William O’Bryan, many years Wharfinger for the Union SS Co. at Rarotonga, is a prisoner in Germany. He was reported missing after the battle of Crete in May, 1941.

Mr. Lewis Walter Dowson, who died in Melbourne in October, was a well-known executive of the Vacuum Oil Co. For the last 19 years he was attached to the head office, Melbourne, where he was manager of the Pacific Islands Department.

Mr. W. C. Hynam, formerly gaoler of Tulagi, and sub-inspector of constabu lary, British Solomon Islands, who retired some years ago, died recently.