Caledonia, just south of Hamilton, has a history closely tied to the heritage of the Grand River. From the Grand River Navigation Company of the 1830s to the current nine-span bridge in the centre of town, the river and the community have shared a special relationship. Intriguing entrepreneurs, town characters and prominent citizens have touched the life of Caledonia, leaving a legacy that is fascinating, sometimes amusing and richly anecdotal.

This memoir summarizes the current knowledge of New Caledonia’s geology, geodynamic evolution, and mineral resources, based on published and unpublished information. It comprises 10 research papers, each addressing a particular geological assemblage or topic. After an introductory chapter, and a review of the published geodynamic models of evolution of the SW Pacific, chapters 3 to 5 focus on the main geological assemblages of Grande Terre: the Pre-Late Cretaceous basement terranes, the Late Cretaceous to Eocene cover, and the Eocene subduction-obduction complex, one of the largest and best-preserved in the world. Chapter 6 is devoted to the Loyalty Islands and Ridge. Chapter 7 deals with the mostly terrestrial post-obduction units including regolith. Chapter 8 deals with palaeobiogeography and discuss plausible scenarios of biotic evolution. Chapters 9 and 10 provide an comprehensive review of New Caledonia’s mineral resources. The volume will interest stratigraphers, sedimentologists, marine geologists, palaeontologists, palaeogeographers, igneous and metamorphic petrologists, geochemists, geochronologists, and specialists in tectonics, geodynamic evolution, regolith, ophiolites, and economic geology.

New Caledonia is a French territory located in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of a main island, known as Grande Terre, and several smaller islands. The population of New Caledonia is around 280,000, with the majority of the population living in the capital city of Noumea on Grande Terre. The official language is French, but the indigenous Kanak people also speak several indigenous languages. The economy of New Caledonia is largely dependent on the mining industry, specifically nickel production, which accounts for around 80% of the country’s export revenue. Tourism is also important, with visitors attracted to the country’s beautiful beaches, coral reefs, and unique cultural heritage. New Caledonia has a complex cultural and political history. It was originally inhabited by the Kanak people, who had their own distinct cultures and languages. The territory was then colonized by the French in the 19th century and used as a penal colony. In the 20th century, the decolonization movement led to a rise in Kanak nationalism and demands for independence. This resulted in a period of violence and conflict, known as the “Events” of the 1980s, which eventually led to the signing of the Noumea Accord in 1998. The accord provided for a gradual transfer of power from France to New Caledonia, with a referendum on independence planned for 2021. The political situation in New Caledonia remains contentious, with sharp divisions between those who support independence and those who wish to maintain ties with France.

The Merry Muses of Caledonia is among Burns' best known, but least read, work. This collection of bawdy poems, some written by and some collected by Burns, ranges from celebrations of spirited women in "Ellibanks", to misogyny in "There was twa wives" and male fantasy in "Nine Inch will please a lady". These engaging poems are not lewd or distasteful but possess a great wit and charm. This new edition updates the 1959 printing, which with engaging accompanying material by James Barke and preface by J. De Lancey Ferguson have made this the definitive version, until now. "The Merry Muses" was always intended to be accompanied by music but the 1959 edition was left incomplete due to Barke's premature death. For the first time the book is completed as it was always meant to be with notes to the tunes created with reference to Barke's unpublished papers. "The Luath Merry Muses" edition also includes bonus material with specially commissioned illustrations from top political satirist Bob Dewar and an introduction by Burns scholar Valentina Bold. Ferguson's work is brought up to date with commentary on the latest critical responses. This new edition will make this classic of Burns' literature more accessible to modern readers.

This book provides a long history of France’s infamous indigénat regime, from its origins in Algeria to its contested practices and legacies in France’s South Pacific territory of New Caledonia. The term indigénat is synonymous throughout the francophone world with the rigours and injustices of the colonial era under French rule. The indigénat regime or 'Native Code' governed the lives of peoples classified as French 'native' subjects in colonies as diverse as Algeria, West Africa, Madagascar, Indochina and New Caledonia. In New Caledonia it was introduced by decree in 1887 and remained in force until Kanak — New Caledonia’s indigenous people — obtained citizenship in 1946. Among the colonial tools and legal mechanisms associated with France’s colonial empire it is the one that has had the greatest impact on the memory of the colonized. Focussing on New Caledonia, the last remaining part of overseas France to have experienced the full force of the indigénat, this book illustrates the way that certain measures were translated into colonial practices, and sheds light on the tensions involved in the making of France as both a nation and a colonial empire. The first book to provide a comprehensive history of the indigénat regime, explaining how it first came into being and survived up until 1946 despite its constant denunciation, this is an important contribution to French Imperial History and Pacific History.