Echoes of Days of de Rochefort

de Rochefort

ONE of the highest tribunals of France, the Conseil d’Etat, has recently disallowed a claim made by descendants of a French artilleryman who served in New Caledonia in the transportation days. , .

The descendants were claiming 7,000 hectares of land, owing, they claimed, to their ancestor.

In 1874, the Governor of NC made an inquiry into the escape of Henri de Rochefort and five companions.

The artilleryman, though never ever having contact with de Rochefort, was nevertheless arrested.

His innocence was proved later and he claimed 300.000 francs damages—a princely sum at that time —or its equivalent in land.

He was offered a tract of Govern ment land.

The descendants of this man are now claiming the land but the Minister of Overseas France claims that as the offer was never taken up when made in 1910, it is now null and void.

This decision was upheld by the Conseil d’Etat.

Henri de Rochefort was perhaps New Caledonia’s most famous prisoner. He was deported to New Caledonia in 1873 for his activiities in the “Commune,” and was lodged

on the Ducos peninsula, now the Hansenide Sanatorium. He escaped from New Caledonia on board a British ship. He returned to France in 1880 after the amnesty. t A party of botanists from Auck land University College spent a month at Raoul Island, Kermadecs, in June-July. Intending to remain on the island only a fortnight, the party was marooned due to the re lief vessel suffering an engine

breakdown. Many specimens wes collected by the party. t The short-wave broadcast static at Honiara, BSIP, operating t 5960 kc/s (50-34 metres), is no well received over a wide area the Western Pacific. There is : transmission on Sunday; Wedne day, 0630-0800 GMT; other da:.

0700-0800 Gmt.

The station also has an outlet » the broadcast band on 1030 ko (291 metres).