Neighbourly 'interest' in New Caledonia

Highlighting Mr. Messmer's comments on the New Hebrides while visiting Noumea, the New Caledonia paper, “Les Nouvelles”, strong supporter of Governor Louis Verger’s administration and thus a likely reflection of official French thinking, said: “A British policy of withdrawal, even if it is not officially admitted, would virtually mean abandoning the New Hebrideans. And it is certain that their independence would quickly be subject to certain very greedy neighbours. We refer to the Fijians, for example, who barely disguise their desire for a confederation grouping, under their crook, the ‘oppressed’ people of the New Hebrides and New Caledonia.

“The New Hebrides, however pleasant they may be, are not marked by any great economic wealth: manganese is not nickel and tourism is only just beginning. But it is nevertheless obvious that this archipelago, rather well placed in the Pacific, could arouse the greed of certain governments which are more interested in the future of our region and its domination than are distant European nations like France and England.

To abandon the New Hebrides now would be giving them up to foreign hands.’’