Where Lies The Future

Editorial Note Where Lies The Future Of New Caledonia?

NEW CALEDONIA is getting itself steamed up quite unnecessarily.

Much of the old sense of re sponsibility has disappeared from Australian daily journalism. Ninety per cent, of the stuff which now appears in Australian week-end newspapers is exaggerated and over

jred rubbish, which no well rmed person takes seriously. Its f purpose is to entertain, le New Caledonians’ sensitivity he subject of Australian terri il ambitions is interesting, how lere is every likelihood that all Territories in the South Pacific be seeking new alliances before y years have passed, so as to protection against Asia. Both lin and France—the former by :tant choice and the latter ir duress —appear to be slowly drawing from their Imperial msibilities. t Australia, at present, is not e picture—even if the industrial ns wished to push her into it.

Australia wanted any more ftc Islands territory, she only to lift a finger and Solomon ds and New Hebrides would be ;r lap in quick time, for nurture protection. t, so far, Australia has resisted plea and argument. She in that, in Papua and New Guinea, )lk Island and Northern Terri -all costing her an astonishing >er of millions per annum—she ill the “colonial” responsibility /ants. present, it looks as if the e protection and development le 14 or 15 Territories, now y associated under the South ic Commission, will lie in some of self-governing federation, e in the care of an international —although, after what we have of the United Nations Trustee- Council, we would not wish a fate upon the South Pacific is.