NEW CALEDONIA REVOLTS

Southland Times, Issue 24237, 21 September 1940, Page 4

NEW CALEDONIA REVOLTS

DE GAULLE COLOURS . JOINED ACTING GOVERNOR RESIGNS CHANGE MADE WITHOUT BLOODSHED The French Pacific possession of New Caledonia has joined the colours of General de Gaulle, the leader of free Frenchmen with headquarters in London, according to a broadcast statement. The acting Governor of the colony, Colonel Denis, has resigned after Popular demonstrations against the Vichy Government. His successor is the former Resident Commissioner of the New Hebrides, M. Sautot, who took office on Thursday. He was one of the first French officials to oppose the Vichy Government and to join General de Gaulle with other free Frenchmen. M. Sautot, in a statement, said he was glad to take office without bloodshed. “The French Empire is not conquered yet,” said M. Sautot. We must no tbend to Hitler’s will, but stand alongside Great Britain, whose only aim is to free France from tyranny. The Australian Minister of External Affairs, Mr J. McEwan, announced on Thursday that M. Sautot landed in Noumea early that morning. M. Sautot has thrown off the authority of the Vichy Government. Mr McEwan said he was pleased that Australia now had in New Caledonia an ally as her neighbour. ANNEXED IN 1854 Discovered by Captain Cook in 1774 and visited by another explorer, d’Entrecasteaux, 19 years later, New Caledonia has been a French possession since 1854, when it was annexed in face of an unsuccessful British counter-claim. It is a long, narrow island, measuring 220 miles north-west to south-west and about 30 miles in width. Two-thirds of the land surface is cultivable, and there are 1600 square miles of pasture, carrying over 100,000 head of cattle and some 5000 sheep. The climate is sub-tropical. A census in 1936 returned the total population as 53,245, including ‘ 17,384 Europeans and 28,800 natives, comprising both Melanesians and Polynesians. There were also 4510 Javanese and 2356 Tonkinese. Although New Caledonia has an export trade in copra, coffee, cotton and preserved meats, by far the most important industry is the production of metallic ores, in which the island is unusually rich.. These consist mainly of nickel, chrome, cobalt and iron. SEARCH FOR MARKETS France was the sole market for New Caledonian non-ferrous metals until her military collapse this year. Since then the mining interests have been endeavouring to sell the output in or through Australia. M. Paul Vois, head of the largest company, the Societe le Nickel, went to Sydney and left on his return in the collier Notou, which is believed to have been sunk by a German raider. At one time New Caledonia had an unenviable reputation as a penal settlement. . .

New Caledonia is administered by a governor, who is assisted by a privy council of six, consisting of the head of the judiciary, the military commandant, two othei- officials and two notables chosen from the white population. There is also an elective council-general of 15 members. Noumea, the capital, has a municipality, but the rest of the colony is controlled by the Government direct. The colony has a number of dependencies, including several nearby islands and the Wallis Archipelago, Futuna and Alofi, all east of the Fiji Group.

DECISION WELCOMED IN AUSTRALIA ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL TIES MELBOURNE, September 20. Commenting on the announcement about New Caledonia’s decision, the Prime Minister, Mr R. G. Menzies, said that the internal Government of New Caledonia was a matter for its people, but Australia was naturally interested in developments there which meant a friendly French colony strengthening the close economic and cultural ties already existing between Australia and New Caledonia.

“We have extensive trade relations there,” he said, “and we will continue to watch affairs with helpful and sympathetic interest. We hope as soon as possible that there will be a measure of economic co-operation, not as a matter of hostility against anyone, but as a matter of mutual interest. New Caledonia produces much nickel and chrome ores, of which Australia recently made substantial purchases.”