NEW CALEDONIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 30 April 1942, Page 3

NEW CALEDONIA

RASE FOR OPERATIONS D» > I* lIAIMUM K \ I \OI 'll \ Amkl.nid. April :".) A. h b.i.M fur . «•.) and Mir opera I ion. m lirno of w ar, the French island of New Caledonia deserves serious nttcn to n. in (he opinion of Mr T. McGill, of Auckland, who spent 18 month lucre m his auxiliary yacht lnyala. :n which he has made several long voyages in the South Pacific. hi addition to about. 17.(.100 white French colonists, there were Tonkinesec and Javanese labourers and Japanese shopkeepers, said Mr McGill The liar hour at. Noumea, chief town and port, was landlocked, being approached from (the outer reef which encircled the island by two channels. Dumbca Pass and Ivuare Pass. The deep-water harbom could accommodate the whole of the British or American Navies, but navigation of the surrounding seas was dangerous and the reef. -40 miles long at the southern end of the mainland, wa. strewn with wrecks. from the point, of view of its mineral wealth. New Caledonia would also be a rich prize for an invader. It con tained the second largest chrome mines I in the world, while nickel and iron were extensively worked, as well a. many other minerals. Three Japanese iron mining concessions had been granted by the Administration and most : of the ore had gone to Japan. In the north, an English companyconducted a large cattle station and packing plant, but sheep could be run only in the adjoining Loyalty Islands. The most valuable crops were coffee and rice. Apart from importations from France, which had now ceased, nearly : all the trade was done with Australia. 1 Living in New Caledonia was luxuri i ous and extremely cheap until war- j time rationing of certain foods, milk j and tobacco made matters difficult. Pre | viously. with a rate of exchange of 14-1 francs to the Australian pound and 1 178 to the pound sterling, a first-class meal could be obtained for the equivalent of Is 9cl Imported Australian beer was relatively dearer than champagne or liqueurs, for champagne of good 1 vintage could be bought for ss, and 1 standard brands of liqueurs for 3s a' bottle.