AFFAIRS IN NEW CALEDONIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 146, 11 June 1908, Page 4

AFFAIRS IN NEW CALEDONIA.

crrn.v; thk lwixtix l'or 11101*0 tbau a year popuhir feeling in the French colony of Xew Caledonia lias been running very high on the subject of a eluuige of nationalities. As conditions have grown more ami more alarming, ami ultimate national ruin more probable, even the well-known patriotism of Frenchmen has had lo give way, and for some months past has been heard the cvv of the secessionist demanding that the colony should become Kritish. The arrival of the new Covernor, Monsieur Richard, lias been the means of giving much of this vague unrest a definite shape, and an influential committee has been formed to draw up certain proposals which lie willbe asked to consider. The committee, which includes the president and several member* of the general council, the. Mayor of Noumea, the secretary of the Chamber of Coin- ; mme. and some of the most prominent merchants of the town, was to have called a public meeting at the Town Hall fiu .May 22. but at the last moment this meeting was adjourned till a Inter date. Meantime the local newspapers have been giving the subject considerable prominence, and the following list of proposals has been put for ! ward by one of them: 1. That all the eleeted bodies of the country should assemble and consider the matter. I. That they should establish a base of self-government for the colony, taking into consideration, finance, mine, and Customs administration. 3. That they should cable to the President of the French Republic dts maiuling either their complete franchise under the French Hag or the cession oG the colony to (ireat Britain. 4. Thati the general feeling of the inhabitants should be ascertained, and a mass meeting of the citizens of iVoumea be held to give its support to the movement.

These :\re the view* of the extremists. as there is .1 middle party. which asks only for the right of self-govern-ment for the colony, "without the alternative of Woming British. A probable reason for the postponement of the meeting was the report that Kit-hard had brought with him the loan of 3,400,000 franca which the country recently sought to raise in France. An extraordinary session of tire General Council has been called, for the purpose of considering *]'*• eoiiditions of the loan, and on its deliberations will probably depend the future actions of the Secessionist party."