NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 40, 15 February 1894, Page 3

NEWS FROM THE ISLANDS.

! MINING AT NEW CALEDONIA.

A BATHEU inbereeting report has just Mflohed Sydney from Noumea with regard to the development of the mineral resources of fcbb French colony. Hitherto nickel oremloitig has be^ri moab attended to, and wibbin the past two years has assumed almost remarkable proportions in the export tirade of New Caledonia. Cobalt, chrome, nnd copper are produced from the mineß, tub they have never reached the import*Bce o f nickel, for whose carrying to the Conttnenb and to Scotland steamships impable of loading 5,000 and 6,000 tons are --^..chartered. The comparatively Mglected mineral ores are, however, to Jaceive attention under the management of \ French company. Mr Higginson, a jSMitlenian intimately identified with tnjnini? and commercial affairs in New Caledonia for many years has succeeded, ib i? stated, in organising a company in Paris to take «ff the copper-minine with other minerals, So capital being £1,000,000. One of the items mentioned in Cho possibilities of New Caledonia is coal, and auriferous country is also referred to. As a South Pacific venture the proposed undertaking has attractod a good deal of attention both in flew Caledonia and in certain circles in Sydney. The news from the New Hebrides r&fieivecl by Mr ■ Bowden, manager of the jW Hebrides Company is encouragin^ from a commercia\ point of view. I^'B t0 b^e e^ecb t'iat s'nco steam cbinmonication from Sydney and between tf&'islands by the steamer Croydon has been , eß tablißhed, a marked stimulus has taken place amongst the settlers with regard to cultivating their lands. Coffee will jL fair be extensively grown. A Jamaica olanter, Mr Girvan, has arrived, and is giifDg up to the islands by tho Birksgato, leaves Sydney in afewdays. MrGirvan narposes looking Up suitable land for coffeegrowing- The next trip by the Birksgate tfill'be her first under the new contract eritered into with the JNew Hobrideß Board j o'f'Ffeßbyterian Missions for a monthly I gteam service connecting with the interisla.nd steamer Croydon. The New South Wales subsidy was withdrawn long ago, and with it steam communication ceased, but this has bsen overcome by a new contract with the Board of Missions, to cover a period of 12 months, and the Birksgate will initiate tho service. She will have a large quantity of stores for the mission stations, as well as a number of Jjew Hebrides missionaries now in Australiaon furlough. The intor-island steamer Croydon will connect with the Birksgate on the latter's arrival at Aneityum. By the schooner Lark that has at arrived Sydney from tho Islands it is learned that the areas of the banana plantations aro being greatly extended. The satisfactory prices realised in Sydney for New Hebrides bananaa has ao pleased the j/fowers that ship loads of this popular friiit will be seen in the Sydney market before long. The extension of the Messageries Maritimes line beyond Noumea to the New Hebrides has had not a little to do with the new era of prosperity that ie said to have dawned in that part of Polynesia. It i 3 stated to be the intention of the company to maintain the gervica with the fine steamer Tanaia, omitting perhaps the month of March owing to the bad character that month has for hurricanes.