Immortelle! ’

‘Vive La France Immortelle! ’

French Colonies Carry on Bravely, in Association With Great Britain

FOLLOWING a period of nervousness and commercial and financial chaos —the natural result of being cut off suddenly and completely from the Mother Country—the French Colonies in the Pacific, late in July, returned to normal life, in close association with the British Colonies and Dominions.

As described in an article on page 22, Australia has helped New Caledonia to restore partially her economic situation; and a new trade between the two coun tries is rapidly developing.

The French community in the New Hebrides also is forming a closer com mercial relationship with Australia; while French Oceania, of which Tahiti is the principal unit, is turning to Aus tralia and New Zealand for most of its requirements. It is not known exactly what is happening in French Oceania— that important French Colony, in a shipping sense, is extremely isolated— but it is assumed that, like New Caledonia, Oceania is carrying on under its own administrative power.

In fact, if not officially, these French Colonies are under the protection of Great Britain; and recognition of the fact is seen in the warm and cordial relationship that exists at present be tween the French citizens in the different colonies and their British neighbours.

The Australian Government made a satisfactory arrangement with the Governor of New Caledonia for the maintenance of economic relations. Mr.

B. C. Ballard, who has represented Australia in certain directions in the New Hebrides, is now official represen tative of Australia in Noumea.

The Governor of New Caledonia, addressmg the Conseil-Generale in Noumea on July 22, expressed his grati tude to the Prime Ministers of Austra lia and New Zealand, and the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific (Sir Harry Luke) for assistance given him in making arrangements which would allow the French colonies in the Pacific to be carried on despite the severence of their communications with the Home Government.

In Port .Vila, on July 20, a large meeting, representing most of the French people in the New Hebrides, heard an address by M. Sautot (French Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides) in which the general situation was explained; and the meeting, prac tically unanimously, acclaimed the action of the Commissioner in sending to General de Gaulle, in London, leader of free Frenchmen in the French Empire, a radiogram, an English trans lation of the text of which is reproduced on the next page.

The two chief problems facing the three French Colonies in the South Pacific are transportation, and markets for their products. The French South Pacific Line, between France and the French Pacific colonies, via the Panama Canal, has ceased running, and the French colonies are now dependent to a large degree on the ships of other coun tries. New Caledonia and New Hebrides fall naturally into the Australian ship ping orbit, and can be serviced; but the position of French Oceania is a little

difficult. There has been some expecta tion that the Matson Line (running between San Francisco and Australia) will alter its course to include Papeete, the chief town of Tahiti, but there is no indication of this, up to the present date.

There is only a limited market now for the products of the French Colonies.

Australia is taking as much as possible of the New Caledonian metals, but she cannot take all. There is some demand for the cocoa and coffee of New Hebrides, and the vanilla of Tahiti; but the copra of the three Colonies, which previously had a protected market in France, now must enter an exceedingly depressed market, along with the copra of British and Dutch Colonies.

Radiogram to General de Gaulle

The following is a translation of the radiogram sent on July 20, by M. Henri Sautot, Resident Commissioner of France in the New Hebrides, to London, to General de Gaulle, Chief of the Forces of Free France:— “In the name of the French people of the New Hebrides, I transmit the follow ing message to Your Excellency: ‘ln view of the fact that the official government of France is no longer free or independent, we must endeavour to restore our Motherland by employing, to that end, all the forces of the French Colonial Empire which are intact. ‘ln view, also, of the facts that the only chance of salvation for France rests in the victory of our noble Ally, Great Britain; and that His Brittanic Majesty’s Government has appealed for the co-operation of all French colonies in pursuing the struggle to the bitter end. promising in return all assistance, poli tical, economical and financial, and the aforesaid Government having recognised Your Excellency as the only legal head of the Free French beyond the seas; and in further consideration of the fact that Your Excellency has on many occasions expressed our desire to struggle side-by side with Great Britain for the honour of our flag, for the liberation of the Motherland and for the respect of our pledged word, the French population of the New Hebrides place themselves, with confidence and respect, under Your Excellency’s authority, and place at your disposal all their members who are able to bear arms. ‘The French population of the Neiv Hebrides — who, for forty years, have worked in the Condominium at the side of our English friends, whom we have come to appreciate and to admire —ask you to accept this unanimous declara tion as an unshakeable resolution to struggle with you until final victory is attained. ‘The Fi'ench Adyninistration of the Condominium, and the Resident Com missioner of France are associated to the fullest extent in this declaration and range themselves with pride under your flag. ‘Long live immortal France! Lorig live England! ‘A copy of this declaration has been placed by me in the hands of the Resi dent Commissioner of the Government of His Brittanic Majesty.’”

Mr. J. H. Jones, of the New Guinea District Services Department passed through Rabaul at the end of July on his way to Wewak to take up duties as District Officer. He recently has been in Australia on leave.