INSULA R A US TRA LA Sf. / . 



'303 



that until something definite is done in this direction it will be futile to look for any 

 material advance in the face of the insecurity arising from the lawlessness of tli<- 

 dangerous portion of the population, and the stagnation in commerce and trade. 



For the last few years the French Government has been endeavouring to encourage 

 emigration to New Caledonia, by the offer of guaranteed assistance to settlers. Fn-c 

 passages to French citizens who have completed the term of their military service, grants 

 of land from nine to 

 twelve and a half acres, 

 and an additional con- 

 cession of nine acres on 

 the marriage of any 

 member of the emi- 

 grant's family, are 

 among the induce- 

 ments that have been 

 offered by placard on 

 the walls of every 

 mairic in the country 

 districts at home. Im- 

 migrants from Alsace 

 and Lorraine are spe- 

 cially encouraged by 

 grants of twenty- five 

 acres. Settlers from 

 countries other than 

 France receive what 



are known as " concessions a litre onercux" permitting them to purchase land at ten 

 francs per acre, payable in advance by twenty-four half-yearly instalments. 



Pastoral operations have been languishing lately from a variety of causes, among 

 which must be named the native troubles with which the colony is afflicted. The ab- 

 original tribes have at times found the incursions of the horned cattle of the settlers 

 detrimental to their own attempts at agriculture, and a revolt of the natives in 1877, 

 which resulted in great disaster to the outlying white population, was nearly due to 

 this cause. The question of their protection from trespass has engaged the attention of 

 the Government, whose task has not been lightened by the fact that the price of cattle 

 has of late fallen appreciably, since the tendency to allow stack to stray must increase 

 as their value goes down. The price obtainable for horned cattle has fallen about seventy- 

 five per cent, during the past few years, principally owing to over-production, the inci- 

 dence of unwise and ever-changing land-laws, and alterations in the price per acre by 

 Governmental regulation. Older settlers who bought at the higher values have been 

 brought to the verge of ruin by this recent lowering of the upset price. Agriculture 

 has not made much progress in the colony. Attempts to cultivate sugar and rice, for 

 which the soil is more suitable than anything else, have only resulted in failure; and though 

 coffee planting is still going on, the want of labour is a serious drawback to its success. 



NOTRE DAME ROCK. 



