[?]Oumea Worries

Ore About Troops

Han Autonomy

From a Noumea correspondent Not everyone in New Cale

lia supports the move by a

egation of the local majority

•ty to join Tahitian colleagues

the move for greater autonomy

ie opposite). Generally the

slic is unhappy about As

ibly members wasting public

ney by going off to Paris with ious excuses.

'he delegation was sent as a result a resolution passed in January by v Caledonia’s popularly elected ritorial Assembly (PIM, Feb., p. , asking for internal self-govem it within the French Republic. ; minority party, the Entente \R, rejected an offer by the iority, the Union Caledonienne, to s part in the deputation—they i’t want anything to do with ;rnal self-government.

'he Melanesian members are those 3 mostly support the moves. Many v Caledonians don’t want local onomy if it means a recurrence the ministerial system which was dished a few years ago because it > abused.

Bad behaviour

situation of more urgency in umea, according to most people, he behaviour of many of the 300 I French paratroops who arrived February—ostensibly for training. increasing number of islanders : the arrival of the troops with est in the nickel industry—in er words they are there in case y are required to keep order. But y are not doing any kind of order ping. and paratroops are now ring their differences with fists, ves and foul tongues. In the past nth there have been at least half iozen brawls in Noumea, two of m serious. 3ne paratrooper in April was en six months gaol after having d a knife in a brawl. [n early May, Noumea will also a demonstration of naval power, en the French aircraft carrier ?menceau, 22,000 tons, and several ;t escorts, call in en route to hiti and the forthcoming nuclear mb test series.