French Leader To Visit Islands

French Prime Minister Mr Jacques Chirac will visit the South Pacific in November, 1975. The trip was heralded earlier this year during the Pacific visits of French Secretary of State for Overseas Territories, Mr Olivier Stirn.

Since then, during the June visit of Caledonian politicians to Paris, ii was announced that Mr Chirac would be visiting Noumea in November.

Part of his schedule will be to open the magnificent new Noumea Town Hall, which is nearing completion at the port end of the central park, on the site of a former girls’ primary school, opposite the old post office, h replaces the old wooden mairie, towards the top end of the same street, rue Jean-Jaures.

Mr Stirn and other French sources reported several months ago thai Prime Minister Chirac hoped to visit Australia and New Zealand before the end of this year to sign up any trade contracts that may be ready by then If Mr Chirac combines his November trip to Noumea with visits to Australic and New Zealand, such stopovers would indicate that relations have sub stantially improved between France and these Pacific nations.