BP's Sell Out Wallis
p. 26 · Read in the full issue
And Futuna Interests
BURNS Philp and CO, interests, long installed in the French-controlled Wallis and Futuna Islands, have been bought out by the Societe Cale donienne dTmportation et d’Exportation.
The tiny Wallis and Futuna Groups have been under French protection since 1910, and are attached to the New Cale donian administration, although, for commercial goods they have hitherto relied mainly on Fiji and Samoa. They are only a few hundred miles from these British Islands but 2,000 miles from Noumea. Their chief export trade is in copra. Population is about 7,500, of whom 5,300 are on Wallis and 2,200 on Futuna. The local administrator is usually a resident doctor—at present Medicin-Commandant Chaumet.
The Caledonian ship “New Hebridais” left Noumea on April 24 with 160 tons of merchandise for the two groups.
The local company’s manager in Futuna will be M. Victor Brial and on Wallis. M. Rene Petre. On her return the “Neo” will bring back to Noumea 300 tons of copra and about 50 Wallisian volunteers for the French Army.