Farmers In Trouble

Agricultural equipment going to rust out in the sun . .

Caledonian oranges rotting under the trees while imported citrui fruit is sold in Noumea shops . . . graziers paid 35 cents a pouno for beef carcases, while prepared beef sells for over a dollar ; pound in Noumea . . . local cauliflower crops left to be fed to tha pigs.

These were some of the grievances voiced by nearly 200 Caledonian farmers and graziers at a meeting of the newly-formed Union for the Defense of Caledonia Agricultural and Pastoral Interests, on August 8, at Pouembout, on the west coast.

Among the audience were Cale donian Deputy to the French

Assembly, Mr. Rock Pidjot, Presiden of the Territorial Assembly, Mil Yann Celene Uregei, eight other Ter, ritorial Councillors and several in land mayors.

The meeting urged that a five-pagg list of grievances moulded into thi union’s programme of action shoull be presented to Governor Louh

Verger and to the Territorial Assembly.

President of the union, Mr. Thierry Schmidt of La Foa (west coast) received repeated urging from his audience, as he raised the problems of imported fruit, vegetables and other primary products being sold so easily in Noumea, while Cale donian produce was often unable to find a market.

The union’s document urged the men of the inland to defend their properties, otherwise, it warned, “tomorrow, maybe within 10 years, the nickel will belong to the Rothschilds and the Caledonian land to a few big miners or companies”.

Concerning the problem of guaranteeing wages to rural workers md insurance against natural cala uities, the document urged the a loca :ion of funds for this purpose. This inance would be derived partly by i 1 per cent, tax on nickel exports ‘our Caledonian heritage”.

At the same time, farmers ex jressed apprehension at the inceasing lamage being done to their land hrough mine pollution—mineral oil washed down to the plains from nountains being bulldozed away for heir nickel.

Graziers were particularly con emed about the low price paid for •eef carcasses, while the 10 butchers i Noumea retailed at such a price hat “they own villas and apartments verywhere,” while meat has become “luxury inaccessible to large amilies”.

Fruit and vegetable growers ex ressed their opposition to the massive imports of foreign produce”, diile Noumea shops refuse to handle le local foodstuffs. One farmer rged that “only those who buy local mils and vegetables should have a cence to import foreign produce”.

The countrymen listed numerous rejects as a means of overcoming )me of these problems.

They proposed the holding of a >cal show and also suggested that J or 15 farmers and graziers be ;nt each year to the Royal Easter how in Sydney.

The union envisages the formation f a co-operative among Caledonian irmers to assure the sale of their roduce. It also urged that the im- Drtation of foreign potatoes, maize id citrus fruit should cease, as, ith the building of adequate faci ties, these products could be con ;rved to meet local needs.

All in all it appears that as the aledonian economy races ahead the aledonian man on the land is ffermined not to be left out of his tare in the bonanza.