Major Reference Work
p. 99 · Read in the full issue
on N. Caledonia
Father Patrick O’Reilly, who has ilready done a great deal of into Pacific literature, -ecently had published in Paris by he Societe des Oceanistes of the ifusee de I’Homme, a 361-page dbliography of New Caledonia. Its omewhat cumbersome French title s “Bibliographic Methodique, tnalytique et Critique de la fouvelle Caledonia.”
A review of this work has been upplied to us by C. W. Newbury, f the Department of Pacific Hstory, Australian National Jniversity, Canberra.
BIBLIOGRAPHIES, by their very ]J nature, are generally subject to ; qualifications: indispensable but ry compilations with compre ensiveness and exactness for their nlv virtues.
To trace down and classify over ,000 references to New Caledonia, ;s geography, resources and in abitants, from earliest discovery to tie present day, would have pro ided a worthy supplement to the lio-Bibliography produced two years go. O’Reilly and his many associ tes have gone further and added short analysis to nearly all works Bted.
The result is more than a pioneer ig work in Pacific bibliography as le author claims. The com lentaries to the sections on Admin [tration, the penal settlement or arly newspapers, for example, form n excellent and entertaining precis f the historical (growth of the [)lony.
The whole work is divided into lirteen sections comprising a useful st of general reference biblio raphhies, voyages, physical sciences, thnology, history, economic life, ledical science, literature, periodicals nd newspapers and a list of carto raphical sources. Two tables of ames and subject matter and a it of all periodical publications are P pended.
There are not many stones that ave been left unturned in Paris, ondon, Rome, Sydney or Noumea, istorians and anthropoliogists will i grateful.
Work on the new hospital for bniara, BSIP, is progressing satis ictorily. Isolation block, laundry, ftpatients department, dispensary, Moratory, X-ray and dental dept, •e finished and in use. Work is i. progress on the operating theatre ad kitchen and these should be nished this year. European staff farters have been completed or *e under construction. Foundations ,r the main wards have been laid.