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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1197, 8 February 1895, Page 30

The news that convict transportation from Prance to New Caledonia is to be discontinued was (the Paris correspondent of the Daily News writes) given forth in the Chamber of Deputies in the veriest casual form—an interruption in five words by M. Delcasse of a speaker on Madagascar. It was fortunate that the speaker in question was the amusing and very rambling Comte de Douville-Maillefeu, who minaged to wander from Tamxtava to New Caledonia. Ho was saying, quite by the way, what a mistake it was to send out convicts there, when M. Delcasse, interrupting him, exclaimed, “We shall send no more.” Members were naturally taken aback by the startling nature of this communication, as well as by the informal and unexpected way it was notified, but were too surprised to express approval or disapproval. The Comte, before proceeding with his speech, said he would make a note of the Colonial Secretary’s promise. It is believed that the Government’s plan is to send convicts to the Gaboon, a fever-stricken district in the French Congo.