Council

Report To The

N. Caledonia's Representative in Paris Tells of French Attitude to Colony's Problems

WHEN he returned from Paris recently, New Caledonia’s representative in the French Upper House (Council and Republic), Monsieur Henri Lafleur, a Noumea business man specially interested in mining, gave a long resume of the French attitude to questions affecting the Colony.

He said that the National Assembly had delayed adopting the new bill giving greater power to the General Council be cause of more pressing matters, including the future constitution of Algeria. The Caledonian bill would be considered when the Chamber sat again in November.

The financial agreement made with France, by which the latter would re lease foreign currency to adjust the Colony’s trade balance would prove satis factory only if the Colony was prepared to work hard to produce and export.

Otherwise it was of no value. New Cale donia was still importing far too much and producing far too little. Small in dustries should be encouraged to the utmost. Otherwise the Colony would enter on a period of greater restrictions than she had ever known.

M. Lafleur mentioned as new possibil ities local production of sugar, rum, wheat and flour, tinned vegetables, fish and fruit.

The metropolis had agreed to pay for urgent undertakings such as Noumea sani tation and water schemes, a new hospital and sanatorium, and water for bush town ships.

The Mayor of Noumea, M. Sautot, who was present, pointed out how urgent such modernisation schemes were. Prance should be asked to supply sewerage pipes at the earliest possible date, r ONE matter that is causing much heart burning locally is a rumour that has reached Noumea from outside, that the Pacific franc is to be devalued. Such action would destroy New Caledonian faith in France, which promised that the Pacific franc would be fixed at the present level.

M. Lafleur, reviewing the French financial situation, pointed out that it was far from good. Yet he did not think that the fears expressed in Noumea about the Pacific franc were well founded. The Government, he said, understood the Colony’s geographical situation and knew that devaluation would be disastrous to local economy. All the same it would be well for the General Council to make its voice heard on the matter.

A debate ensued, and it was decided that the President of the Council should communicate the feeling of the Colony’s population to the French authorities.

M. Lafleur has been busily occupied trying to find a supply of coolie labour for the Caledonian mines in particular, also for coffee and agriculture. He admitted that unfortunately his efforts so far had brought no result of the kind desired.

Nowadays it was not possible to recruit Javanese in the Dutch East Indies or in Timor; also they would have to abandon hope of getting Indo-Chinese, Japanese or Koreans. It might be possible to get workers from India or Italy, but such labour would only be suitable for agriculture, not for mining.

The only solution for the mines was Chinese labour. It seemed, from information available, that this source of supply would provide suitable labour if workers were recruited in certain provinces and by people well acquainted with the Colony’s needs, The Council decided to bring the matter to the attention of the Labour Commission for study and recommenda tion. It was understood that labour con tracts would be for three-year periods, and that the Chinese would be re patriated at the conclusion of their term

and not permitted to stay. Many mines were now closed or about to close for want of labour. Agriculture, too, was in desperate plight.

M. Lafleur mentioned the possibility that New Caledonia might be chosen in stead of Australia as a permanent home of the South Pacific Commission con sisting of US, Dutch, Australian, New Zealand and French representatives. The US Army’s former Pentagon Building at Anse Vata, which formerly housed the entire Army’s administrative staff, would adequately house the Commission, it was stated.

The proposed Noumea Casino, M. Lafleur added, could not come into being without foreign capital. Americans and Aus tralians were already becoming interested in the project.

The board of directors would be 75 per cent. French and 25 per cent. Australian and American.