French Do Good Job On

Pentagon Building

From a Special Correspondent

Noumea, Jan. 4.

THE French metropolitan Government has announced that it will advance to the New Caledonian adminstra tion, the sum of 17,000,000 Pacific francs to purchase the land at Anse Vata and to cover the expense of installing the South Pacific Commission headquarters there. The charge really falls on the budget of the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Work of transforming the former US Army’s Pentagon Building at Anse Vata for the use of the Commission is pro ceeding satisfactorily, and arrangements have been made to lodge the first section of the Commission’s staff soon. Local contractors have joined forces with the Public Works Department to get the work finished on time.

The secretary-Generat of the Com mission (Mr. W. D. Forsyth) has indi cated that he would like the work done In two stages. ' The more immediate need is to prepare the wing to be used for offices and the two wings allotted for the personnel and passengers in transit; as well as a fourth wing for the domestic staff. The central rotunda is to be

converted into a reception hall, alongside which will be kitchen and restaurant. Above the rotunda is accommodation for the Secretary-General and his family and for guests.

The second stage will involve the installation of library, laboratories, an assembly room, etc.

Colonel Bent, a civil engineer who served in Noumea during the war, has been acting as liaison officer on behalf of the Commission.