New Caledonian Natives

Now Increasing

rjIHE native population of New Cale- X donia and the Loyalty Islands now is on the increase. Last year the official figure was 31,481, an increase of 728 on the previous year and of more than 2,000 over the count in 1939.

The intelligent Loyalty Islanders, who migrate in large numbers to Noumea to find work and sell their vegetable crops, make up 12,000 of this total.

The fall and rise of native population in this French territory corresponds with what has gone on in other parts of the Pacific. When Captain Cook discovered it the population is supposed to have been between 200,000 and 300,000, and terraced native plantations covered miles of hillsides; yet to-day, a much smaller population, white, Asiatic and Melanesian, cannot feed itself and has to live on im ports. , By 1887, the native population, dis couraged by disease and abortive revolts, numbered only 42,000, and in 1906 it was only 28,000. ... .

These adverse population trends did not affect the Loyalty Group to such an ex tent; in recent decades population de cline has not been noticeable.

Mr. V. Whittaker of Brisbane, spent the school vacation on his parents plan tation “Awilunga,” New Guinea.