Rail Of War

In Nc

From R. W. Robson.

Noumea, Oct. I.

HIS French Colony of New Caledonia probably never will over altogether from the effects the war. Because half a million lerican troops, with endless lions of dollars, were domiciled e for a couple of years, the nomy of the place was completely inged, and still is twisted and ;orted. Most middlemen made tunes, and even the humblest igine seems still to have more ney than is good for him. fhe hills around Noumea are all red deeply with the roadways ich once connected thousands of ny hutments. In a valley, H es out, there is a big suburb of anset huts, where all kinds of neless folk live. Because thousands Indonesians were first kept here freed labourers, making their own ns, and now are departing in ’loads, the labour market is in a dition of frenzy. The .land is pered o’er with the half-caste off ng of overseas servicemen—NC’s ire citizens.

"his is all ancient history. What lot so well known is that, when Americans brought in 600 ses, and turned them loose in the ntry without any quarantine ck, they also brought in the jensland cattle tick. The pest has irished in a hitherto tick-less mtry; and now the owners of v Caledonia’s 90,000 cattle must them regularly at short intervals heavy increase in the annual cost running cattle-stations. The vernment does what it can to p, by providing cattle-dip micals; but why did not the vernment get heavy damages from Yanks for such carelessness?

Jemand for New Caledonia’s ned beef has fallen off lately, and al meat is plentiful. One can a tender, succulent steak here ; now at quite low cost—about only pleasant post-war develop nt I have seen here.

Viiss Valerie Chance, Of

iney, is holidaying in Brisbane, ying with her uncle, Mr. S. H. ance, the well-known ex- RM of pua. Val and a girl friend are ng a tour of Australia—patrolling ■ motor-bike! Miss Chance was in haul as a child during the 1937 uption, and also lived on the >ldfields.