Tahiti Scandal

Long-Delayed Investigation of Kong Ah and Other Things

IT is announced in the Bulletin du Com merce, of Noumea, that an official mis sion, sent by the French Government, arrived by the Eridan on September 26 in Papeete, where it will investigate a series of events (known chiefly as “the Kong Ah Scandals”) which have occurred over the past three years.

The mission has been instructed to dis cover the real culprits, if possible, and report to the Commission for the Colonies.

The Kong Ah was a large financial and trading organisation; and, when it col lapsed, in sensational fashion, it caused the ruin of several allied concerns. Many of the leading officials and merchants of Tahiti became involved —especially some who apparently" tried to use their influence to save friends from the crash.

The “scandal” has extraordinary rami fications and, at one time, in 1935, a num ber of very prominent Papeete residents actually were in gaol in connection with it.

This official inquiry is long overdue.