N. Caledonians
p. 30 · Read in the full issue
Protest Over Convict Film
riTHE New Caledonian delegate to the JL French Provisional Consultative Assembly. M. Gervolino, has pro tested to the Minister for Information in Paris, against a French film in produc tion entitled “Women for Noumea.” The film deals with the convict period of last century, scenes for which were being shot in the St. Lazaire prison at Paris. The protest, strongly worded and at consider able length, draws attention to the Colony’s gallant record during two world wars.
M. Gervolino’s action recalls an inci dent of a year or two before the war, when a Sacha Guitry film had to be hur riedly withdrawn from a Noumea cinema.
The film contained a burlesque night club
scene in Paris, in which the orchestra figured in convict garb, and the conduc tor’s stand showed the word “Noumea.”
A great deal of the dislike of members of the D’Argenlieu Mission in 1941-42 arose from real or fancied stand-offish ness and criticism of the Caledonian born by French officers and officials who commandeered the best cars and houses and lived at an extravagant rate while the local population were suffering from wartime shortages. For months the story went the rounds that a member of the admiral’s staff had warned newly-arrived French officers not to associate with Cale donian families. There was also disgust because one of these officers confessed that he was not aware that a New Cale donian contingent was fighting in North Africa.
Prior to the war, Caledonians visiting Prance were angered when they found picture postcards of convicts leaving La Rochelle “for Noumea” still on sale in certain towns. Actually no convicts have been sent to the Pacific since 1897. and the words should have been for “Cay enne.”
Actually there is not much convict blood in the French New Caledonian to day. The free pioneers of the country were largely of English, Irish, German and Italian stock, coming via Australia, with a good sprinkling of Breton seafar ing men on the coastal boats, and soldiers who elected to stay on with grants of land after their military service was finished.
Apart from these, the penitentiary system brought out hordes of officials, and these, in many cases, stayed on and raised large families.
The majority of the convict element did not marry or raise families. Among the few who did, were those who became con cessionaires or landholders, and to them one must pay a tribute of praise, for many became excellent citizens (just as many ticket-of-leave men did in early Australia). They pioneered the country both in the mining and agricultural fields.
Since 1895 the population has been added to by three or four hundred fami lies recruited from Northern France and Belgium, by some families from Corsica.
To-day the Caledonians are a friendly, hospitable people, like Australians of the
outback.