Curiosity About State of

Wallis And

Futuna

Curiosity About State of French Islands

THERE is much curiosity in Australia and the South Seas concerning the French South Pacific Colony of Wallis and Futuna.

New Caledonia (with the Loyalty Group), New Hebrides and French Oceania declared definitely for General de Gaulle and Free France in 1940; but the position of Wallis and Futuna never has been made clear.

For convenience, the Wallis and Futuna administration seldom is referred to .separately—it usually is included, along with the Loyalty Islands under the general heading of New Caledonia.

But these small islands are a long way from Noumea. Wallis a little group of nine islands, with a total area of 40 square miles and about 4,200 people; and Futuna (or Horne) comprises two small islands, total area 34 square miles, with a population of 1,200. The two groups lie fairly close together, north-east of Fiji, and due west of Samoa. (See map on inside cover of this issue.) There were rumours, last year, that Vichy influence continued among the few Europeans in the administration; but little notice was taken —the groups were too small to worry about.

Communication is cut off. There has been -no word, for months, from the Burns, Philp representative there.

But now, with Japanese hovering somewhere along the equator, and Wallis and Futuna lying within 300 miles of Fiji and Samoa, the condition of affairs in the two little groups becomes a matter of some interest.

The nine islets of Wallis (enclosed within the one reef) are not likely to be of value as an airfield; but both Futuna and Alofi (Horne Islands) are large (each about 15 square miles), although each has a mount running up over 2,000 feet.

There are no ports in the group, but each island has a fairly good anchorage, sheltered from the prevailing wind.