of Improvement

New Hopes For French Oceania

Governor Returns From Algiers With Promises of Improvement

WHEN Governor Georges Orselli, of French Oceania, returned to Tahiti in July, after a visit to Algiers, where he made direct contact with the Provisional Administration of the French Empire, he was entertained at a banquet in Papeete. There were many speeches, in which the now returning hopes and spirit of the French people were ade quately expressed—hopes justified since the liberation of France.

In the course of an eloquent and inter esting speech, Governor Orselli dealt with the political outlook generally, and then turned to a description of conditions in French Oceania —as they had been in the four black years of the German occupa tion of France, and as he believed they would be in the future. He said that the wishes and hopes of the people of French Oceania had received most sympathetic consideration by the Provisional Adminis tration in Algiers, and he believed that the administration of French Oceania would be ruled, in future, by the follow ing principles and conditions: The people of French Oceania would have absolute equality in all the rights of citizenship with the people of France and of the French Empire.

The powers of the Economic and Fin ance Delegation would be exercised in future by a local Council, and French Oceania would elect a representative to the central Government of the Empire.

Decentra lisation of administrative machinery would be sought so that greater powers over finance and economic matters would be exercised by the local bodies. Some of the powers formerly exercised by the Minister would be given to the Governor; and, in the event of dis pute between Governor and local Council the Minister would act as arbitrator.

There would be greater control in Tahiti over the selection and payment of officials, and employment in the Adminis tration of more persons of Tahitian blood.

There would be improvement in the organisation of the health services; far reaching reorganisation and expansion of the education services; examination, in

the light of what is best for the Tahi tian people, of the problem of immigra tion; the early establishment of a regu lar line of steamers; and various other plans for improvement of the living con ditions of the native people.

In the course of his journey to and from Europe, he had been able to arrange certain matters which should be of imme diate benefit to the Colony. The per missible exportation of pearl-shell had been doubled; an increase in the prices paid for copra had been promised by the United States authorities; an advantage ous agreement had been made with the Colony of Madagascar in regard to the vanilla production of French Oceania.; There was a good prospect of an improve ment in the sale and shipment of manu factured goods from the United States to Tahiti; and. as a result of transactions in exchange, the finances of the Colony should benefit to the extent of some mil lions of francs.

Governor Orselli praised the conduct of the Tahitian people during the past four years; and he believed that, in the future, in recognition of the freedom and the advantages which they now would enjoy, he could count upon their loyalty and their unity. He concluded by ex pressing his sense of the good fortune he had enjoyed in having had allotted to him. as his duty, some years of residence in the beautiful and happy country of Oceania.

“Since I have been stationed here (Madang) I have had visits from Jack West and Middleton, both former resi dents of this area,” reports “Blue” Allan, a former Wau resident, in a personal let ter to a friend in Sydney. “Both were glad to be back in the home town—but they saw many changes from its former glory. I also had social visits from Jerry Pentland, Bertie Heath and Bunny Ham mond. A visit from one of those pioneers of the Morobe airways would have been an event; but a visit from two or more combined was a formidable occasion— which I did my best to cope with!”