No Closer Ties With France Islanders Want

France Islanders Want to Remain Free

From Our Own Correspondent

Noumea, June 14.■

THOUGHTFUL Polynesians of France’s Oceanic possessions, Tahiti, the Marquesas, Wallis Island and the rest, are asking themselves in what way the French Government’s proposal to alter their status from French subjects to French citizens is likely to benefit them. .

In the past, when faced with this alternative, they have with few excep tions preferred to remain French sub jects, considering, and probably with reason and justice, that as subjects they are subject to far less economic and

political interference.

In a world torn by strife and a war of ideologies, which the Second World War has introduced rather than settled, they can hardly be blamed for wanting to be regimented and interfered with and taxed as little as possible. To try and turn them into French citizens is rather like trying to force them into the starched collar of civilisation.

They don’t want to be forced to become what they are not —bourgeois citizens dragooned by General de Gaulle and/or the French Communist Party. Why should they? They worked out a system of Communism long before Karl Marx, though they never tried to inflict it on other people. That is why they them selves should be left alone.

Mr. W. E. Donnelly, who was well known in sporting circles in Fiji, left the Colony in June.

Mr. J. E. Salzmann, who has been in New Guinea throughout the war period, has arrived in Australia on furlough. Mr.

Salzmann was stationed at Taupota dur ing the absence of the Rev. A. P. Jen nings, and has since been on the North ern Stations.

Mr. J. I. Blaikie, who held important educational positions in the Gilbert and Ellice Colony from 1924 until 1940, and then became Superintendent of Police in the British Solomons, retired from the service in February, at the conclusion of long leave.