The term of the sitting Council had expired on 19 January 1952, leaving no elected replacement.Strain in New Caledonia: Bitter Fight Over Votes for Natives Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1952, p15 The Chairman of the outgoing General Council Henri Bonneaud flew to France to request its term be extended, which was approved by a vote of 325–198 in the National Assembly. However, when it emerged that around 100 of the votes in favour had come from Communist Party MPs, all-but-one of the members of the General Council refused to continue sitting and handed in their resignation to the Governor on 19 May.
