NEW CALEDONIA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 118, 27 May 1885, Page 4

NEW CALEDONIA.

News lrom Now Caledonia in Sydney includes tho following :—

M. Maesoni,charged with the carrying out of tho decree of tho 16th of August,, by which an area of 275,000 acres ot land fit for cultivation waa handed over to the ponal administration, has set about determining the limitation of tho Penitentiary roHorves in the town of Noumoa. These reserves represent a superficial area of about 20 acres.

It is rumoured in Noumea that a mystorioub attompt to escape, which has, however, been dofcated, was lately made. There is in the prison of New Caledonia an anarchist whose name is well known,and who has been condemned to hard labour for having set firo to tho town hall of one of the principal cities in Franco. It appears that two of his co-religionists formod a project to doliver him. They intended to make their oscapo to Franco by tho last packet boat which called at Noumea. The police wore, however, cognisant of tho project. Tho English war schooner Undine, stationed at tho New Hobrides, arrived in Noumea a few weeks ago, having come from tho islands in throe days. Tho Britiph Coneul at Noumea at onco informed tho commnndor that, in accordance with tho orders of tho Admirnl commanding the naval forces on the Now South Wales station, tho Undino should at onco make sail for Sydnoy instead of returning to tho islands. This course was doubtless taken in view of tho probability at that timo of war with Kussia. A Curious Dlsoovory. A curious event has been disclosed to tho Penitentiary Administration. They woro infonnod that eight convicts intended to oscajn) to Australia. A boat ready to go to soa had been found. Upon this discovery tho Administration at onco ordcrod a strict soarch of tho storos to bo made in tho buildings whoro convicts aro employed. Search was also mado at tho Military Hospital and tho Hotilla dopot. The soarch at the hospital had somo result. Thoy discovered in tho pocsossion of a convict wardsman a fowling-piece bolonging to onoof theoflicors, which the convict had beon given to clean. At the dopot tho result was greater; tho searchers mado unprecedented discoveries. They brought to light heaps of stuff, sholls, hats, pulleys, workboxos, poignards, moro than 50 pairs of pattens, swords, gems mounted in silver and gold, two door's antlers, &c. The carts were completely fiHod. Certain of the articlos found woro of very considerable artistic worth, the whole of tho booty being estimated at a valuo of soveral thousand francs. One convict alone has, it appears, lost SOO francs consequent on this unlooked-for discovery. Ho sent, thoy say, 200 francs per month to his family. Lc pevuvre hommc ! Itisgivonto understand that at tho same timo tho searchers put their hands on a pioco of papor which wasuaodas an account book. It contained the names of the persons who wcro in commercial relations with tho convicts. What curious revelations this document would bo able to furnish ! Tho Brutal Nativo Outrage. Tho Criminal Court will in a short time bo occupied in arriving at tho facts concorning the recruiting of the Ambroua. Tho Bruat war vessel, which was deputed to visit the New Hebrides, whore inquiry was mado, has recoived very grave news. The captain of tho Idaho, who was implicated in this affair, understood what was the matter when he saw tho Bruat arrive, and mado his oscapo by fight, but the crew has been arrested and taken to Noumea. It is said that the inquiry revealed nothing new, but that all the facts which'were doubtful have beon confirmed. It is said that the acts of piracy, which are the object of the accusation, were committed at Aoba. It is shown that the Bchoonora Idaho and Ambroua met by agreement, and were anchored in the harbour. Two or three men remained on board to act as guard, whilst the remainder of the crew went on shore armed. The cause, or rather the excuse, of this expedition was the robbery of a boat by the natives of Aoba. An agent of the Company of the New Hebrides, settled about four miles to the north of Port Sandwich, employed on his station gome kanakas of Aoba. He pretended that one day these kanakas set out with the assistance of a whaleboat he possessed, and nover returned. Upon these representations he had some quarrels with the natives in the neighbourhood, and went to Port Sandwich, where the Idaho was, and embarked on her as a passenger. Tho schooner took him to his station to obtain what he possessed, and left him there. Somo time aftor he was landod at his desiro at Ambyrm, and it was thon that the Idaho sailed for Aoba to retake tho stolon boat But it appears that whon they arrived there thoy omitted to demand explanations from the natives. They, in fact, perceived there a boat which answered to tho description given by tho victim of tho robbery, and it was then that they landed with arms, without having received any further information. It is said that tho natives who were on the shore were unarmed. The crew at once burned tho natives' canoes to prevent them escaping, and then set firo to the village. If the natives had dared to do so, they would have had time to get into their canoes and reach the Idaho and Ambroua. The few men left on board the vessel would not have been able to defend them against a sudden attack. The inquiry of the Bruar has established tho 7 act that an old woman whom it was said had been killed was not yet dead. She had still on her arms soveral gaping wounds. To the questions which were asked her she replied that she had been illused by a whito man. The natives of Aoba protond that it is a black who struck her ; but it appears that they were not there at the moment when this occurrence took place andthe word of the woman, therefore' merits the more credence. The natives taken at Aoba were put on board the Ambroua, with tho exception of a young woman placed on board the Idaho.