NEW CALEDONIA—ITS PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES.

West Coast Times, Issue 329, 12 October 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

NEW CALEDONIA— ITS PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES.

FKOM TEE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD,

SEPT. 20.)

Though only .eleven hundred miles distant from Sydney, there are few here Avho have any idea of New Caledonia. By most it is thought a barren island of Avhieh the French have' taken possession merely for the purpose of establishing a penal settlement, others believe that it is becoming a naval station, tq be of vise in case of Avar ; aud- it is not so long ago that I heard the opinion expressed that the naval and military forces of .Ncav Caledonia would one day make a descent on these shores. There are others Avho Icuoav that it is of some use to' Sydney, inasmuch as the French Government spends a considerable sum of money .in this colony, arid that there are traders on the island Avho supply themselves almost solely from this market/ Avhose requirements increase every year; feAV, if any, have the slightest idea that the day is not far distant Avheu the exports from New Caledonia Avill be of very vast importance to all the Australasian colonies. Superficial as they are, my observations during a short stay in the island may be of interest to. some, ancj I shall be glad if you can afford the result of thetn a small space in yoi"* columns. It jis an undoubted fact that the French cannot colonise. The Frenchman's love for^ his country is opposed to it, and the system of government is not such as encourages colonisation. To establish a military settlement is not equivalent to forming a colony, and can neA'er be conducive to amicable rela+ ; ons Avith native tribes. That er-

rors have been made- by the Governor of that country, as well as by those avlio have *lnul influence over the natiA'e population cannot be doubted; much has been said against the present administration, but I am inclined to bcl'cvc that more blame is to be attached to the system, than to those by Avhom the instructions ' of the Home Government have been carried out, and so far .as my experience goes, I am able to testify to the anxious desire exhibited by the present Government to promote the general Avelfare of the country, and to encourage the adA'ancement of colonisation. Our oavu ' experience has .proved how impossible it is to govern a country at a distance of sixteen thousand miles, and it must not be forgotten that the French Government controls its colonies to the utmost extent. But, in spite of everything, nature has done so much for the country, that it is bound to progress ; its strides will be more or less rapid according to the degree of assistance man will afford, but it cannot remain stationary, 'and the indications of progress already visible slioav signs of future greatness. As a strangeK, I was most kindly receiA'ed by the GWernor and all the officers connected with the Govermnen.,, and I feel assured that any of my felloAv colonists going to New Caledonia, Avith the same intention as I did — of seeing the country and forming an opinion of its capabilities — will be equally ' Avell received. It is, in my opinion', much to be deplored that religion has had a> great share in bringing about disputes which haA'e shown an eA-il example to the natives with Avhom the colonists are ,a"nxious to be at peace, has caused actual Avarfare and slaughter of a large number of these natiA-es^ and in some instances has prevented the settlement of people desirous of forming plantations. I cannot but think that the country would be more advanced; and the natiA'es moro peaceable if the GoA'ernment and the missionaries were not opposed to one another ; but it is foreign to my purpose to enter in*o any discus • sion on the subject"; the disputes will doubtless be settled sonTe clay. I must add, that having had to seek the hospitality of the missionary settlement at St. Louis, I was most cortlially aud kindly received. NeAy Caledonia was taken possession of by the French in September, 1853. Missionary settlements had been made prior to that date, Avhich tAvice had been driven from the island. The natives in the southern portion are now cqmpletcly subdued. They arc *more or less so on the seaboard of the east coast, and on some portions of the north- Avcst coast. There are "excellent harbors all round the island, but Noumea. and St. Vincent on the Avest coast, and Kanala on the east, are considered the best. Not many years ago Avliite men were 'killed and eaten very near to whore the capital now stands, but at the present moment one can travel Avith safety on this portion of the country, as the natives appear more peaceable and well disposed.

I A-isited some native villages. Fearing eA*en noAv the Avhite population,- the plantations are always placed at a distance from the huts ; and are situated in positions entirely hidden by* trees ; a narroAV bush track, which can only be traced by those Avho haA'e been accus-' tomed to traA r el in the country, leading to them. They plant cocoa nuts, bana-, nos, yams, aud taros, principally the two latter formingthe most important portion of their food. At first sight these plantations appear disorderly, though one cannot fail to be struck by the luxuriance of the A'egetation. I'he system of irrigation is perfect ; the natives make a trench to bring water to the top of the field, from which small canals bringdown the stream to the foot of every tree Avhich requires moisture : the native Avalks over his land, finds a plant wanting water, and cleverly Avith his foot turns the current. As for costume of both males and females, the less said about it the better — it must be seen to be appreciated. In theirf own villages the men rarely do anything : the old Avomen fish and do all the hard Avork ; the young women spend most of their time squatting by the fire, eating yams ' and taros, or smoking their pipes. Led gently, the men can be made to AA'ork Avell, and have proved themselves most useful to some of the colonists aud to the missionaries ; but it is useless to endeavor to compel them to do any Jiard labor ; a great many. avlio haA'e been in the employ of Europeans have died, in consequence of being sent to the fields whilst the clcaa", Avhieh is alAvays very heaAy, was still on the ground. This giA'ee them seA^ere colds, from Avhich they never recover. Tn their own villages they always remain by the fire till the deAv has disappeared. The natiA'e population in some parts is decreasing Aery rapidly; at a recent census it was found that one -tribe had fallen off by one half duriug five years. The capital of the colony was fixed at the --head of a bay, named by the natives Noumea, situate at the southAvcst end of the island. The site Avas selected on account of the beauty of the harbor, Avhich is very cxtensiA r e and perfectly sheltered. The town stretches along the shore of the harbor, and is enclosed on the other sides by hills. In one respect the spot Avas badly selected, there being no 'water in the immediate neighborhood.. The town Avas first called the Port de France, but last year the original native name of the bay Avas • given it. * All the conA'icts are stationed on an island opposite to the town. If the Government is able to carry out the" design that'has been adopted (cA'en in the adoption of a plan to lay out a city, it Avas necessary to haA r e the sanction of the Home Government) Noumea Avill be an exceedingly pretty place, The

space reserved for Government offices and buildings is A'ory large. It is impossible not to be struck Avith the dulncss of the' place as you land ; soldiers passing from one Government office to another, naval and military officers going about, slioav you at once that you' are in a military settlement. There is not the least sign of animation in the streets, the dulness of Avhieh oppresses you ; but the beauty of the. climate cannot fail J;o have a very contrary effect, and all experience tends to shoAv that it is as healthy as jt is beautiful. The -summer heat is, I am informed, not so great as in Australia, while the Avinter is not colder than our spring. The port is a free one in the most extended sense of the word; you land with your luggage and your merchant disc, and nobody says anything to you ; there are no duties either on wines, spirits, or any other article ; the Avhole revenue of the colony is derived from a property tax arid a license-to-trade tax. I may mention that ucav pilotage regulations haA'e just been made. A special clause exempts from due all English men-of-war, in consequence of French men-of-war not having to" pay -these dues in Sydney. Irrespective of pilotage, A'essels have nothing whatever to pay.

The nearest plantations of importance to the capital arc on the banks of the River Dombea, situated at the head of the bay of that name, distant about ten miles, from Noumea. This river Avinds in a A'alley of immense extent, enclosed by some of the highest, mountains,, in the island. The A'egetation throughout this valley is beyond description. Streams, which we haA'e never known to Avaut water, intersect it in all directions. A large portion of the land shows signs of old native plantations. It is in most parts ready foi*the plough, there being no rocks, and feAV trees to prevent its passage. Some large sugar cane plantations haA'e been made here, ami the rapidity of their growth, their size, and quality, surprise all avlio have lived in sugar-growing countries. It is probable that there Avill be at least 100 to 150 tons of sugar exported next year. When people see this in "Sydney,, they Avill begin to think something of NeAv Caledonia. The commencement is small, but the increase Avill be very rapid. Large tracts of country have been purchased' in different portions of the island solely for the purpose of sugar growing. I am informed that the canes grow e\*en more luxuriantly on the east coast than in the valley of the Dombea. •

The next article of importance which avc shall seek to supply ourselves Avith from Ncav Caledonia is coffee. It is only a little' more than two years ago that 'serious attempts Avere made at coffee-growing ; prior to that date exj>erimcnts iad been. made__sdth2 success, but nothing of importance had been done. The trees planted at the GoA'ernnicnf Model Farm ' surprise all who are most competent to form an opinion ; it is stated that in two years they haA'e attained a size not reached in three or four years in other countries. Universal attention has now been drawn to this important article, and before the end of the present year upAvards of one hundred and fifty thousand trees will be growing on *the island — a quantity Avhieh, in all probability, will be more than doubled by the end of next year. ' Samples of the coffee produced on the Model Farm will, I believe, be sent to the Melbourne Exhibition.

Rice is being grown in several parts of the colony Avith great success. At the "Model Farm there are some large fields growing beautifully ; arid* on the Dombea it. has also done Avell ; but it is on the east coast that the most important plantations haA'e been made. One person informed me that hp Avould haA r e a crop of OA'er fifty tons this year. •Maize has for some time been one of the chief sources of revenue to the small farmers and is now very extensively cultivated; the extraordinary rapidity Avith which it grows and the beauty of the produce is such as to make this an important article of export. Already, this year large shipments have been made in New Zealand, and very extensive contracts have been entered into for future seasons. *

Cocoa-nut' oil and beche-de-mer have for many years been exported, bat to 'no very large extent ; cocoa-nut trees grow in great abundance, on the east coast particularly, and the production of the oil could be increased to a great extent. There are fine -forests-scattered over the island, and timber of the finest description can be obtained. On the land belonging to the Homan Catholic mission there is some magnificent wood both for building and for cabinet-mak-ing. All the timber required for the construction of houses and churches belonging to the mission is cut from these forests. Various samples will, I believe, be sent to the Melbourne Exhibition : some of the finer descriptions should certainly be valuable for shipment. _ ' , In travelling in the interior one cannot fail to be struck by the small number of animals of any description which are to be seen. In a country so thickly grassed it is a great boon' that there are no suakes. Birds are notnumereus ; unfortunately this cannot be said ot mosquitoes. The mineral , wealth of the colony has not been thoroughly investigated ; but large quantities of chrome ore exist close to Noumea ; indications of copper and other metals have been found. The stone used for building purposes is of very fine quality, and very abundant, near the town; the limestone near Noumea is of a very superior description ; ordinary and fireclay is also abundant. I shall not trespass further on your valuable space* to-day ; but as very com-

plete^statistics of the colony were compiled two months ago, and will shortly •be published, 1 should be glad to address you 'some further remarks on the capabilities of the colony based upon extracts of these statistics and other documents Avhieh have lately been published by the Government.