American-French

Co-Operation

Wartime Measures In

Noumea

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Jan. 15.

rE American Forces in Noumea have established one of the largest and best-equipped military, shore, and traffic police and fire control organisa tions in the South Pacific. Appeals have been made to the French inhabitants to co-operate with them as effectively as possible.

An announcement, published recently, asks civilians to report immediately any cases of disorder or damage, by telephon ing the French police or the police forces of the US Army, Marines, or Navy shore patrol, adding that it was important to make sure to which branch of the Ser vices those implicated belonged.

The New Zealanders in Noumea have their own military police, and so —of fairly recent establishment—have the French, under the command of a battle scarred officer of the Foreign Legion.

ANOTHER subject which has been under discussion between the Ameri can Army and the French authori ties has been the direct or indirect em ployment, by the armed forces, of num bers of native or immigrant Javanese and Indo-Chinese labourers, to the detriment of the hard-hit Caledonian coffee planter.

American authorities have issued the following communique:— “High wages paid by individuals, organisations and companies working for the war effort have created anxiety among employers of labour not working directly for the war—all the more so as a large number of men and women are now employed by the US Forces.

“The commanders of US Armed Forces in New Caledonia have co-operated with the French authorities in forbidding the recruitment of natives and immigrants without authorisation of the Civil Affairs Officer of the First Island Command and the French authorities. In addition, a list of the natives and immigrants em ployed by the US Forces prior to this agreement, has been handed to the Immigration Department."

It is promised that Americans who find unauthorised persons working for them will report the matter to the French Native Affairs or Immigration Depart ments, while Caledonians knowing the names of any workers irregularly work

ing for the Americans are asked to do the same.

The head of the Immigration Depart ment has on more than one occasion complained to me of the number of Javanese and Annanite labourers who have deserted their employers to hang around Army camps, where they do washing for the soldiers and other menial jobs. He added: “The American authori ties have been advised of this, and col laborate fully with the Department, so that escapees no longer will receive shel ter in military camps, but are arrested and turned over to the local authorities.”