But Still Severe Shortage of Meal

Rain Eases New Caledonia Drought, But Still Severe Shortage of Meal

From PlM’s Noumea Correspondent A week of heavy, widespread rain relieved New Caledonia’s long drought in January.

r[E rain was general, and the Loyalty islands got a share of it.

However, despite this welcome relief, the meat situation was becoming even more grave in late January, for it could not be expected to pick up overnight.

Butchers were open only twice a week in Noumea, with customers mipiieine for tlrpir jtttcT even then missing out P ln country closed down entirely.

The Oucoa meat works on the west coast has temporarily ceased canning because of the lack of ca ttle.

Meanwhile, there is agitation for official rationing of meat so that everyone can get a share. Some butchers have been fined heavily for overcharging.

Mainstay of the butchers is imported Australian pork, The drought has brought several suggestions for solving similar problems in the future, In the Loyalty group where things have been especially critical because most drinking water comes

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Another idea is* to follow Aus tralia’s successful rain-making experiments. xwo members have tabled a motion in the Territorial Assembly, suggesting that similar experiments be tried but' in New Caledonia (possibly involving Lancasters with the French Air Fleet Arm).