New Caledonian Exchange

Australian Says He Was Well Treated

IT was stated in this journal in June, 1948, that, the French authorities in New Caledonia had confiscated a sum represented by £3O in Australian currency, and 40,082 United States dollars, which was being taken away by an Australian contractor who had been doing work in

New Caledonia, and who did not want Pacific francs.

Now, 18 months later, Mr, A. Jamieson, of North Sydney, who says he is the contractor in question, reports that the funds referred to were not confiscated, but “were held in suspense until a clari fication of the matter was reached . . . no confiscation was involved . . . the amounts as recorded v/ere incorrect.”

Mr. Jamieson praises the treatment ac corded him and his men by the French authorities. “It must be said that the Chef du Bureau des Change in Noumea has at all times made available Aus tralian currency or local francs in the proportions as requested of him by myself and on account of my employees, without erception.

“The Chef du Bureau des Change Noumea—Mr. Coquilait—has felt the wrong imputation of the article. In his case it has been made more acute by reason of the fact that he has extended himself in his endeavour to give relief to Australians working in NC, with respect to remuneration being paid in Australian currency.”

EDITORIAL NOTE—We cannot now re member the source of the report which we published; but we are happy to make the correction asked for. It is generally believed, however, that persons desiring to spend a period in New Caledonia have much trouble with exchange there, and there is little chance of developing a tourist traffic with the French Colony until its reputation, in this respect, has been changed.

Mr. R. W. Taylor, who is Seventh Day Adventist missionary and teacher in Savaii, Western Samoa, accompanied by Mrs. Taylor, has spent three months’ furlough in Australia lately. He fias a notably fine collection of colour photo graphs of Western Samoa.