Noumea Debates Possible

f 20,000 Troops Arrive.

Move By French Soldiers

i (From Our Own Correspondent) F 20,000 French troops are ? moved from Indo-China to New aledonia a possibility that is ring discussed at Noumea the feet on New Caledonia’s economy ay be disturbing. In fact, it is )t putting it too strongly to say at cries of alarm are already going 3.

First suggestion for the station g of a large force in the island opped up in the famous Coude du >resto report, which was presented the French Senate after Senator jude du Foresto had made a fleet g fortnight’s visit to New fledonia.

The report proposed that a big Iministrative and military centre culd be created in the Colony.

And then General de Gaulle, at Irecent press conference, sug sted that the French expedi aiary force in Indo-China should i moved to New Caledonia.

Rumours current in Noumea allege that the idea of stationing 20,000 troops here was mentioned during the recent brief visit of the In spector-General of the French Forces (General Guillaume).

After eliminating sensationalism, the facts of the situation are: • New Caledonia’s present popu lation is only 65,000. The arbitrary addition of 20,000 economically un productive soldiers to the popula tion might well involve major problems, • Such a development might even involve ultimate devaluation of the Pacific franc, which is now worth 53 times the French franc. • Cost of living and production prices would automatically soar. • New Caledonia’s agricultural and mining products for export might be priced out of the world markets by rising costs.

A Noumea news-sheet has summed up the proposal as “a sword of Damocles hanging over our economy.”