Represent Tahiti

M. Lasalle-Sere To Represent Tahiti He Is Also French Commissioner For SPC

TAHITI’S new Councillor of the French Republic (he represents the Colony in Paris), is M. Robert F. J, Lasalle- Sere, who is also Inspector-General of Colonies and Senior Commissioner for France on the South Pacific Commission.

M, Lasalle-Sere’s election (nine votes) as Councillor has been contested by Maitre Weil-Curiel (who received eight votes), on the score that M. Sere, being an official in the Pacific “en mission” could not become representative of a country covered in that mission.

It was pointed out that there was nothing to prevent an Inspector of Colonies from presenting himself for election, and that in any case, he was not “en mission” but on leave granted for personal reasons at the time of the elec tion.

M. Lasalle-Sere was recently made an honorary citizen of Noumea for his work in inducing the South Pacific Commission to make its headquarters in that, at pre sent, all-too-expensive town.