“Wait-And-See” Attitude In Noumea

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28620, 24 June 1958, Page 13

“Wait-And-See” Attitude In Noumea

(Rec. 8 p.m.) NOUMEA, June 23. Calm prevailed throughout New Caledonia today as the island awaited the outcome of the visit to Paris of the opposing factions in last week’s demonstrations. The demonstrations led the Governor to suspend the Council of Government. Today, hotel bars and all other places where public gatherings could occur, with the exception of cinemas, were closed. A "wait-and-see” attitude prevailed. An airmail report received in Melbourne from Noumea today described last week's anti-Gov-ernment demonstrations. "For one day mob rule reigned in New Caledonia,” it said. “The report, sent by the Reutei correspondent in Noumea, said thousands of citizens had assembled at the War Memorial m Noumea to honour the annivers•ary oi General de Gaulle's call

for French resistance to the Germans in 1940. “At the memorial, a demonstration march to Government House was organised by the Republican Socialists, the French Right-wing ‘ party. “At Government House, a delegation told the Governor (Mr Aime Grimald) that the Territorial Assembly should be dissolved. “The delegation claimed that the Chief Elected Minister (Mr Maurice Lenormand) was carrying out a policy contrary to the interests of European settlers, the correspondent said. “The demonstrators were impatient. and many were in a dangerous mood. Some were armed. “Later, at the Government House gates, the Republican Socialist leader. Terri Toriale, addressed the crowd. “He said that if a delegation to the Governor did not get a satisfactory axiswar to their de-

mands in five minutes the crowd should invade Government offices, which were being guarded by troops and gendarmes. "Within three minutes Toriale returned to announce that the Gcvernor had agreed to suspend the Council of Government. The demonstrators then dispersed.” the report said. The correspondent said New Caledonians were eagerly awaiting the reactions of General de Gaulle.

"Europeans here are also worried at reports that two native members of the Government were manhandled in a fracas tost weex. It true, there could be trouble with the native population,” he said.