Caledonia's nickel industry

Tight French rein for New Caledonia's nickel industry

From a Noumea correspondent A bill passed by the French National Assembly in De cember will eventually give the French Government complete control of the immensely rich nickel-mining industry of New Caledonia.

The bill was passed despite the unanimous opposition to it of New Caledonia’s Territorial Assembly, and despite delaying tactics by the terri tory’s deputy in the French Parlia ment, Mr. Rock Pidjot.

Mr. Pidjot also opposed two other bills introduced at the same time one creating a new system of local government in New Caledonia, and the other concerning the economic development of the territory.

A Gaullist spokesman for a legal committee on the mining bill told the National Assembly that because of the increasing value of nickel, particularly from a strategic point of view, it was indispensable that the government should have control of all prospecting and mining.

Mr. Pidjot retorted that a decree of November 13, 1954, already assured the nickel industry of State guardianship, and that there was no risk of New Caledonian nickel being used for purposes contrary to the national interests.

Less say for locals

Mr. Pidjot went on to say that the three bills would reduce the pre rogatives of local authorities in mining, municipal and economic affairs, and added: “New Caledonia gives a lot more to France than it costs it”.

The Secretary of State for Overseas Territories, Mr. Michel Inchauspe, replied that New Cale donia cost France about 1,200 million francs annually. The State also provided considerable assistance to the mining industry.

Motions by Mr. Pidjot to have the debate on the bill adjourned, and to have the bill referred back to an investigating committee were defeated by 284 votes to 184 and 285-183 respectively.

A series of amendments to the bill by Mr. Pidjot were also defeated.

Under the bill, the French Gov ernment will have the sole right to issue prospecting and mining licences in New Caledonia, although existing

licences and concessions will not be affected until they expire. Until now, the licences have been issued by New Caledonia’s Governor.

In an editorial on the new law, Noumea’s conservative Bulletin du Commerce wondered what criteria the French Government would use for issuing new prospecting and mining permits, and renewing old ones.

Political opinions

“Will the small New Caledonian prospector,” it asked, “have to go to Paris to show that he’s a clean skin and to discreetly reveal his political opinions?”

Communist deputies who supported Mr. Pidjot in his opposition to the mining bill also supported him when he opposed the bill on the creation of communes in New Caledonia.

The communes bill, which suspends and dissolves the existing municipal councils and revokes the appointments of their mayors and deputy mayors, is designed to establish new local government districts and a new system of local government.

According to the French Govern ment, the new system will give the local authorities greater respon sibilities and greater control over their finances.

The third bill pushed through the French Parliament in December con cerns the attraction of new capital to New Caledonia, and gives the French Government the right to intervene where investments exceed 15 million francs. • The GEIC’s new Wholesale Society manager, Mr. William Hardie, has been quickly settling into his job and has proved very popular, locals told a PIM staff writer re cently. Mr. Hardie is on a nine months contract, but it would not be surprising of the colony tried to keep “Bill” longer.