Nickel-Based Boom
p. 124 · Read in the full issue
Reviewed
In New Caledonia
(From Our Own Correspondent) ■ VTEW Caledonia’s current bon >ll was the keynote of the specs tt «, by the Governor (M. Re Hoffherr) at the opening of tt May session of the Conseil Gene:; at Noumea.
The Governor pointed out th the population was increasing ♦ Noumea alone there were 1 European births and only 194 deatt m 1954), that external trade w increasing, that the 1954 buildii figures (139 buildings valued 130,000 000 francs, or about £A75(i 00O) constituted a record, and tlr motor vehicles had increased fro 1,140 in 1940 to 5,828 in early 19K The budget, with a surplus some 50.000,000 francs, reflected t; Colony’s prosperity.
However, M. Hoffherr stressu that this prosperity was bas« almost entirely on the mining ii dustry. And the mining indusfed meant the production of nick© although there were some signs an improvement in the chrom market and clear promise in tf export of iron ore and cobalt.
M. Hoffherr said that N© Caledonia’s trade deficit with Am tralia, which was aggravated by similar deficit between Prance an Australia, would, it was hoped, 1 reduced by exports of iron ore i Australia. t P(pur Suva Grammar Schoc pupils won commendation in til 1954 essay competitions of tit Royal Empire Society, Londoic They were Laura Harman, Jan Lament, Roderick Ewins and Peali Cayzer.