Belgian Consul For

Tahiti

M. Salzani Returns to France

From Our Own Correspondent PAPEETE, March 12. 4 FTER nearly three years in Tahiti. M.

Maurice Salzani, agent for the Mes sageries Maritimes Co. and the Compagnie General Translantique in French Oceania, has terminated his sojourn and is leaving for France by the Ville d’Amiens on April 4. M. Salzani was also Belgian Consul for the Colony.

Monsieur Salzani took up his position here in April, 1933, and immediately oc cupied himself with the organisation of an inter-island service which —with a few not very serious interruptions—has been maintained ever since. During his ad ministration of the Messageries Company’s affairs in Tahiti, M. Salzani also had the satisfaction of seeing the whole copra output from French Oceania diverted — chiefly on account of the bonus —from America to France.

As Consul for Belgium, M. Salzani par ticipated in the creation and inaugura tion of the new park in Papeete, which is now known as the “Place Albert I.”, and in the reception of the Belgian training ship Mercator, both of which events pro vided the occasion for an enthusiastic manifestation of Franco-Belgian accord.

Monsieur Salzani is married and has three children, the youngest of whom, a little daughter born in Tahiti, was named Teraitu by her Tahitian godmother, the late Queen Marautaaroa, who, at the mo

ment of her death, spoke with emotion of her little French god-child.

To his new position, wherever that may be, Monsieur Salzani carries the good wishes of his numerous friends in Tahiti.

He is succeeded here by Monsieur Le Grand, a jovial and sympathetic Breton who arrived recently from France, both as representative of the two shipping companies and as the Belgian Consul.

Monsieur Le Grand has already seen a good deal of the world, and had consider able practical experience in maritime affairs in Egypt, Madagascar, Indo China and Reunion.