NEW CALEDONIA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14015, 21 September 1909, Page 2

NEW CALEDONIA.

THE GOVERNOR. INTER VIEWED. CRISIS DISAPPEARING. By Electric Telegraph.— Copyright. (Received Sept. 21, 10.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 21. M. Richard, Governor of New Caledonia, is e,n route to France. In the course of an interview he said that many statements respecting tlte condition of affairs in New Cnledon'in were literary exaggerations. He admitted there had been an amount of poverty, but the criais was patting away. The cause of the depression was due to the cessation of transportation. France alone, without drawing on its colonial sources, had spent £5,400,000 in thir department, and the stoppage naturally affected business. Referring to the petition for a separation from France, M. Richard looked upon it as a jrike and declared the colony was one of the richest countries in the world. [Early this month there was strong agitation in Noumea, .capital of New Caledonia, against the action of the French Home Government in stopping public works already undertaken. At a mass meeting of citise,ns it 1 was decided, after, some fiery speeches, to request the 'Governor to use his influence with the French Government to quell the discontent, which,- if allowed to ctow, might reach serious' proportion's. T&e Governor cabled to* Pans aoout the flatter.] ■