New Caledonian Soldiers

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From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, Aug. 3.

rIRTY of the 53 New Caledonian soldiers repatriated from North Africa have reached Noumea by plane from Melbourne. On July 14 they joined Melbourne’s French colony in placing a wreath on the Joan of Arc statue.

Those who returned are: Sous-Lieut.

Andre Armand, - Adjutant-Chef Andre Mornaghini; Sergent-Chef Charles Lec lerc; Sergents Andre Vernier, Paul Buard, Julien Letierce, Pierre Delarnaulds, Gas ton Lesson, Raymond O’Donoghue; Caporal-Chefs Andre Chapdeville and Andre Ragot; Caporaux Pierre Dupont, Alfred Volcy, Henri Derien, and Maurice Mercier; Ist Class Ptes. Camille Vincent, Roger Gadoffre, Georges Vincent, Emile Charley, Roger Trouillot, Alfred Gerard, Pierre Michelangeli, and Reginald Boul anger; and 2nd Class Ptes. Emile Dal stein, Edouard Goisavost, Johannes Salo mon, Gustave Mathieu, Auguste Reveillon, Jean Gerbet, Michel Clarque.

Noumea, Aug. 20.

FOURTEEN more New Caledonian volunteers have returned to Noumea

from North Africa. They are: Adjutant Magnier; Sergent-Chefs Thomas and Limousin; Sergents Le Carrour and Savoie; Caporal Colonna; and Ptes. Le Marrec, Malse, Hermant, Delaveuve, Galaud, Adriende, Geoffroy, Huyard, and Debien.

Chief Naisseline has received news that some of the native volunteers from the island of Mare, who left here with the second contingent, were wounded in the battle for Cassino. They are being looked after in American hospitals in Italy.

A letter to a grand chief on the Main land of the Colony from his brother with the French Forces in Italy refers to the attacks on the Gustave and Hitler lines, and mentions the death of several Cale donians.

NOUMEA, August 25. —A new adminis trative decree announces that in New Caledonia and dependencies, in the future, anybody condemned to death will be shot.

Between six and seven tons of un claimed trochus were recently sold to a Noumea trader for about £BB (Aust.) per ton —a record for New Caledonia.