Lese - Majesty !

Papeete and the Honour of an Actor

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete. Oct. 29.

A MONO the many roles which have given international renown to our island—as Captain Cook’s astronomical observatory; as Nouvelle Cythere; as Gauguin’s paint shop; as weary scien tists’ haven of refreshment; as refuge for the oppressed from the tyranny of prohibition: as the Pearl of the Pacific— Tahiti has been the studio for the record ing on inperishable celluloid the drama of many a South Sea romance.

Most of the film expeditions have been composed of serious competent actors directed by men endowed with a ripe knowledge of artistic values, and they have given to the world pictures that have truthfully represented the life of the Islands, such as Tabu, Pagan. Mutiny on the Bounty , and many others.

There have been, however, visitations of quite another type which have brought a sparkle of gaiety into our drab lives During the hectic decade (1920-1930) a wave of hysteria—closely resembling the ecstatic mysticism of the Middle Ages— swept over the United States and spread thence to other countries. It manifested itself in the apotheosis of certain cinema actors by the adoring populace. A dis cerning citizen of China, travelling at the time through the United States, be stowed on these extraordinary exhibitions the very apt name of “clown worship! 5 ’

One of the most eminent of these dar lings; of the mob has honoured twice our little island with the splendour of his presence. He came the first time to make Tahiti immortal as the site and back ground of a drama in which he was the leading actor. His second advent was a noisy affair.

The steam yacht he had chartered to sail the South Seas had a big brass cannon on the forward deck. As the ship entered Papeete harbour this piece of ordnance belched smoke and thunder in a national salute of 21 guns. Expectantly standing beside his howitzer, the actor awaited an answering salute from the French gunboat lying at anchor before the quay. It dicf not come.

The actor, fresh from ovations com pared with which the acclaim accorded to kings, emperors, and victorious field marshals was the mere chirping of crick ets, was purple with indignation. Here was lese-majesty in its most contuma cious aspect.

“What!” he shouted, “This island will not answer my salute? Very well, I shall .give them the kind of salute they will answer.”

The yacht glided to the -wharf. Messen gers were despatched. A crowd gathered.

Presently volleys of reports echoed along the water front—the detonations from foaming champagne bottles as the corks flew on high. From the shore sounded 21 loud, rousing cheers. Although none of these cheers came from the warshipi but from parched, expectant throats on the beach, the actor smiled again.

The island had answered his salute.

Honour was satisfied.

Mr. H. W. Adrian, accountant at the Seventh Day Adventist Mission head quarters at Wahroonga, N.S.W., de parted from Sydney by the Wanganella on October 23 for N.Z., en route to Suva, where he will be treasurer and secretary of the society’s Fiji activities.

Mr. Peter Edwards, of Messrs. Burns

Philip (S.S.) Co. Ltd., Lautoka, Fiji,

arrived in Papua recently to take up duties with Burns Philp & Co.’s branch at Port Moresby.