Hurts Noumeans'

Australian Press

Feelings

From a Noumea correspondent Noumean newspapers are in lignant over what one newspaper iere has described as “a cam »aign of tendacious news being

mblished by Sydney newspapers

nd certain Sydney radio

rations.”

According to the local Press, the ulmination of the “campaign” was n article in a Sydney newspaper tating that Noumeans had boycotted le military parade held on Victory )ay (May 8).

It was said in the newspaper that, blowing this news item, the Austri an Consul in Noumea thought it his uty to apologise to the High Com missioner for the newspapers’ and idio stations’ distortion of the facts.

The newspapers also disliked the iggestion in the Australian Press mat paratroopers were brought in > New Caledonia ( PIM, Mar. p. 18) ipecially to deal with possible poli cal trouble.

The facts behind the Victory Day pset are these: This year Victory Day was not a iblic holiday, and the military irade was held at 8.30 a.m.

Possibly certain circumstances ade this time necessary, but most ;ople regretted that it was not at idday. Few people here are free 8.30 a.m. on a working day.

It is a great pity that they could >t attend as the parade, held at nse Vata, was worth seeing.

Disturbing aspect

The parade did have one disturb g aspect, however. A reliable local jwspaper reported that a class of hoolchildren, headed by their acher, had remained seated during e playing of the French national ithem.

It has been suggested that the Aus alian Press is being fed stories un vourable to New Caledonia by a :wsagency in Noumea.

This is hardly likely since the only iws agency operating here is gence France Presse. It seems uch more likely that tales from urists are responsible for the >ries appearing in the Australian iwspapers.