The most Important
p. 19 · Read in the full issue
W Caledonia
Polls
The most Important Election Ever
In what is described as New edonia’s most important election le first under the new “Lot \re” —Deputy Lenormand’s on Caledonian party captured :the 30 seats.
M imposing list of candidates faced the electors in the New Caledonian elections on Oc -5r 6. here are 123 candidates for 30 :s and these candidates repre t no less than eight parties, here were Republicans of sev hues, Independents, a Country ty, a Labour party and several don” parties. ew Caledonian politics re ble, only more so, French metro tan politics. oting is by universal-suffrage there are 33,600 voters—about I more men than women and i more natives than Europeans, he elections are the most im ;ant ever to be held in the icry as the new Assembly will mapping out an entirely new ire for New Caledonia. The rnibly will have 30 members i a cabinet of six members pre d over by the Governor or the ddent of the assembly. The ibers of the cabinet (Conseil Government) will be called min :s and each will have as his lonsibility certain departments.
OWE V E R in spite of the number of parties, the election campaign was very mild, with ily an unkind word exchanged , T een any of the contesting des, an unusual thing in New sdonia where the last two elec s resulted in libel cases before courts. le three principal parties were m Caledonian, backed by the ves mostly; Ex-Senator Lafleur’s y represented only in Noumea net, and the Republican Social infant of the same party Metropolitan France. This latter, esented in all districts, was led by Georges Chatenay, New (donian born lawyer, le Republican Socialists, and Lafleur’s parties represented : Business”. reat efforts had been made by Repub. Socialists, even to the nt of bringing out an organiser 1 France. But it was love’s ur lost. When the shouting and fighting died it was found that Lenormand on the East and t coasts, and in two of the Loy islands had swept all before . A massive native vote gave party 18 of the 30 seats.
The Repub. Socialists gained seven seats; Mr. Lafleur’s party three seats; one seat went to the Trade Unionists and one seat to one of the several Country Parties.
The new assembly will have 17 European members and 13 natives.
Once again the New Caledonian native showed his appreciation of civie duties whereas his European brother was lax. Over 30 per cent, of those eligible to vote did so.
Abstentions in the district of Noumea reached over 40 per cent.
Mr. Lenormand and his party have no easy row to hoe. However there are some able men in the new assembly and all are optimistic. t Sir John Gutch, KCMG, High Commissioner of the Western Paci fic, arrived in Sydney on October 16, from Britain (where he has been on leave) en route to Noumea. He will be the chief British representa tive at this month’s sitting of the South Pacific Commission. Sir John will go on to his home in Honiara about October 26.