Not Guilty

Tahiti "Rebels"

Found Not Guilty

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, Nov. 30

THE trial of the large party of French Tahitians, charged with a series of offences involving a challenge !to Governmental authority, took place here between November 17 and 25, and aroused intense public interest.

It will be remembered that these young men tried to prevent three newly-ap pointed officials from France from land ing from a French liner, in June last, on the grounds that the officials were not needed in Tahiti, where all such services could be supplied by French Tahitians.

They took command of the water-front for a time, and forced the liner to lie off in the stream for several days.

It was clear, from the beginning of the trial, that public sympathy was strongly with the accused, some of whom were decorated returned soldiers. During the trial the Reverend Father Calixte spoke on behalf of the accused, and declared that they were not anti-French—the medals of valour which they wore from World Wars I and II were evidence of that.

When the foreman of the jury told the -ourt that there was nothing to prove that the accused were anti-French, or lad planned to overthrow the Govern ment and foment disorder, there was a demonstration by the public in Court, md the young men were heartily cheered.

The Court formally announced a ver dict of “not guilty” and the men were discharged from custody.

Mdlle. Claude Bergadat was married in Papeete recently to Mr. M. Baker, a pro minent business man of California.

Mdlle. Bergadat’s sister, only a few weeks earlier, was married’ to M.

Anthony Bambridge, one of the leading citizens of Papeete.

Sister Dorothy Pederick, of the Metho dist Overseas Mission, has reached her station at Watnabara, New Britain.