Paris Over “Loi Cadre"

Political Stir in New Caledonia

All Parties Unite To Fight

From Our Noumea Correspondent

There was a political development of great interest in New Caledonia in February.

Without warning, the French Chamber of Deputies, in Paris, passed the first reading of a revolutionary new measure called “Loi Cadre”. It soon was seen that the measure is likely to introduce a new kind of administrative control over certain French Colonies—among which New Caledonia is prominent.

The first reading of the proposed new law was supported by Metro politan France Deputies members generally; and was resolutely opposed by Deputies representing the Colonies, The morning after this Bill was introduced and published, the Deputy for New Caledonia, M. Maurice Lenormand, caught the southwards plane out of Paris.

IMMEDIATELY after his arrival in Noumea, M. Lenormand called the public of New Caledonia to a general meeting. He published in his roneod news-sheet, L’Avenir Caledonien, a manifesto in which he declared that the Gov ernment of Metropolitan France, through Loi Cadre, planned to take from New Caledonia all the admin istrative concessions which New Caledonia had won with such dif ficulty over the years.

M. Lenormand announced that, in spite of promises repeatedly made by the French Minister for Colonies that the text of any new laws likely to apply to New Caledonia would be shown to NC’s Parliamentary representatives, he had known noth ing of Loi Cadre until the text of it became available on the first reading of the Bill.

He said that Loi Cadre would de prive NC of the control over her own finances which she had exer cised since 1946. The Colony also would lose control of the number of Government servants who could be sent from France to work in New Caledonia. Many other privileges would be withdrawn.

M. Lenormand stated also that under Loi Cadre, France would have the right to impose various new State Services upon New Caledonia, at New Caledonia’s expense—such as diplomatic and consular rela

tions; cultural relations: civil de fence; services attached to the Atomic Energy Commission.

No less than 35 new Services were named, any of which could be forced upon NC without NC’s consent.

One of M. Lenormand’s most startling allegations was that the French Government asked that 80 gendarmes be stationed in Noumea to keep public order, in addition to 12 Surete inspectors and a special brigade formed for the political surveillance of the Territory.

IN view of these revelations, public feeling in New Caledonia ran high.

The public meeting was very largely attended; and, as a result, a “Committee for Defence of New Caledonian Interests” was formed; and it includes representatives of practically every public organisation in New Caledonia.

An extraordinary development was that all war between the vari ous parties—and especially between the two principal parties—was called off and, for the first time in New Caledonia’s history, there was com plete political unanimity.

An observer says that even in the famous De Gaulle-Petain crisis of 1940 the people were not so united as they are to-day.

The new Committee immediately radioed Senator Ohlen, in Paris, asking him to place before the Senate a request that further de bates on Loi Cadre be adjourned.

The Committee also sent a radio to the President of France (M.

Coty) and another to General De Gaulle, protesting against the appli tion of Loi Cadre to New Caledonia.

ON February 25, the Committee received a radio from the Min ister for Colonies, stating that after his return to France, about March 6, he would be prepared to receive in Paris a delegation repre senting all the political interests in the General Council of New Caledonia; and ail available infor mation about Loi Cadre would be communicated to this delegation.

The Minister added that the Gov ernment of France would not be opposed to any reasonable repre sentations from the delegation in regard to the application of Loi Cadre to NC.

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delegation which subse [y left Noumea for Paris in i' Deputy Lenormand; Senator ; three leading merchants; native member of the General iil.