CEREMONY IN NOUMEA

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23351, 10 June 1941, Page 7

CEREMONY IN NOUMEA

■ _— 4 AMERICAN CONSUL LAYS WREATH (F.0.0.q.) ■ NOUMEA. June 4.’ Tha first public act of the American Consul at Noumea. Mr MacVitty, took place when he laid a wreath on the Noumea war • memorial. Governor Sautot led the cries of “Vive Amerique" which followed, and those present warmly expressed their friendship for the American nation. The people of the town, who had boycotted a similar ceremony performed by the Japanese Consul some time ago, were present in force, . New Caledonians are a simple living folk, but their use of what in war time may be. accounted luxuries is to be cut down still further by a decree dated May 26. Prohibited Imports Prohibited articles include tourist carp, radio sets costing more than 1500 francs, c.i.f. Noumea, gramophones, and musical instruments (other , than records and instruments used for study), chocolate, sweets, ornaments, illuminations and fireworks, crystal ware, toys, motor-cycles, and luxury bicycles, cameras, and expensive wines. A second list enumerates articles which may be imported only under licence. General de Gaulle’s prophetic memorandum of January 26, 1940, entitled “L’Avenement de la Force Mecanique," has been published in Noumea in booklet form and is being sold in aid cf the Free French armaments fund. The popular opinion in the colony—it is almost a superstition—is that General de Gaulle is the genius who is going to win the war, directing the efforts of the British forces as well as those of the Free French. Commandant of Troops An arrival by the mail boat bringing the first letters from the Caledonian contingent overseas was Chef-de-Batalllon Jardin. successor to Commandant. Broche as Commandant Superieur of the French Pacific troops. His wife and three children arrived by another ship a few days earlier. Commandant Jardin was born in Brest in 1894. He was wounded and taken prisoner in the last war, since when he has served In French West Africa, Madagascar, and the Cameroons. He holds the Croix de Guerre and is a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. On his return to Noumea, a New Caledonian sailor handed to Governor Soutot the sword of the latter’s unhappy predecessor. Colonel Denis, which the colonel, during his voyage to Brisbane after his expulsion from New Caledonia, had left behind hidden under his bunk. - ,