Lunch Break

Noumea’S Long

Under Attack

From Fred Dunn, in Noumea There is a move afoot in Noumea to undermine one of the country’s oldest traditions— the traditional “siesta”.

VISITORS to New Caledonia have always wondered just why it is necessary to have the two-hour stop in the middle of the day. Businesses open at 7 a.m., close down at 11 a.m. opening again at 1.30 p.m., to close at 5.30 p.m. Probably the local himself could not explain just why the “siesta” exists. He would put it down to “tradition”.

There are only two months in the year when climatic conditions might favour such a long middle of the day stop. These are February and March, in the hot and humid season.

A Noumean newspaper has con ducted a poll to find the population’s reaction to an end of the siesta. A working day with only a short halt for lunch was proposed. About a dozen workers were interviewed, a cross section of Noumea’s working force, including Administration em ployees. All were in agreement that the midday halt was too long and that it should be shortened to leave workers more leisure at the end of the day.

Astonished

Among those consulted was an Australian linotype operator working for a local printer. He said that he had always been astonished at the working hours in Noumea. He sug gested an eight-hour work day of four hours, followed by a half-hour lunch break followed by another four hours of work. With the present system of a hours break he said he always had the impression of be ing at work though he is at home during the break.

If all those consulted were in favour of the “continuous” working day all agreed also that such a system would have to be uniform. If such was not the case working married couples, and there are many in Noumea, would find in many cases that periods of leisure would clash. One of the men interviewed, though in favour of the idea, was very pessimistic of it ever being adopted in Noumea. He thought

that summer daylight saving would be an easier plan to adopt.

The pessimism of the above gentle man is well founded. It is extremely unlikely that the idea will find favour with the big commercial houses. A closed shop is lost business, especi ally in these days of decentralised trade. The local can now find in his own neighbourhood all he needs at a price little more than in the big stores. With all the extra daylight leisure the commercial barons fear that consumers would spend too much of it in the suburban shops—although most of the suburban businesses are branches of the big houses.

Several years ago the commercial houses refused to co-operate in a campaign to end Saturday morning work. The scheme was adopted only by some administrative services and the local bank.

It will be interesting to see if the new campaign gains any momentum.

NEW CALEDONIA’S internal air service, Transpac, continues to progress. Traffic figures for 1965, just released, show that nearly 33,000 passengers were carried last year— an increase of nearly 7,000 pas sengers over the previous year.

Freight also increased to 647 i tons, while nearly eight tons of mail was carried.

PlM’s Noumea correspondent says Transpac’s service to New Caledonia cannot be overrated.

Created in 1955, the company has operated with a 100 per cent, safety record.

Nearly 160,000 passengers have been carried during the 11 years of operations.

The company has a fleet of eight planes, most of them light US-built machines. The work horses of the fleet are still two de Havilland Herons.

BECAUSE of the heavy demand for accommodation, the new Hotel Tanoa, at Nadi Airport, Fiji, is already in need of additions. The Tanoa, owned by Reddy’s Enterprises Ltd., was completed in May, 1965.

A new lounge and bar with a covered terrace will reach out to the swimming pool. Extra bedrooms and staff facilities will be added in two storeys on the airport side. The new additions will give the hotel 88 beds.

On the river side the dining-room is being extended. A regular buffet dinner, with pool side entertainment and a resident band playing nightly, are to be added features.