Newsletter From Tahiti

From Our Own Correspondent

PAPEETE, October 2 DUE to an exceedingly long dry season, Tahiti is experiencing something of a drought. Although rain continues to fall in the interior mountains of the island, and clouds hover above the coastal districts, the plains are parched and dry.

Cattle are commencing to look gaunt and to forage afar for fodder, while feed of all kinds is becoming more and more diffi cult to obtain.

From the same cause, apparently, numerous minor sicknesses are reported among children and have assumed almost epidemic proportions. For the time being schools have been closed as a precaution ary measure. Everyone is looking forward anxiously to the seasonal rains which are expected to commence in another few weeks.

THE new 800-ton dry dock at Papeete is rapidly approaching completion. The enterprise was made possible by means of the Economic Co-operation Act of 1948 acting jointly with the Public Works Department of France. Initial work was begun in July 1949 by the Tahiti Department of Public Works which made good progress and prepared the way for American civil engineers on their arrival in December. Construction will be com pleted this month.

The new dry dock is of the railway or marine type which enables vessels to be hauled in a cradle from the water along a track by electrical machinery. Sliding bilge blocks supported on transversal oeams and operated by chains and hand winches are located along the docking platform at each side of the cradle to keep the vessel on an even keel. By means of a side transfer dock, after the vessel has been drawn up from the water, it may be moved laterally to an adjoining platform, thus doubling the normal 800 ton capacity of the dock, and allowing two ships to be worked on at the same time.

Construction and installation of the dock and necessary machinery has been in charge of Civil Engineer V. I. Hight of Crandall Dry Dock Engineers, Cam bridge, Mass. Total cost of the under taking is about $200,000. All material employed, except stone and sand locally produced, was Imported from America.

THE new building of the Institut de Recherches de I’Oceanie Francaise in Papeete, was officially opened on September 9.

Guests were welcomed by Governor Anziani and Dr. Mille, Director of the Institute, who were attended by the Secretary General, the president of the Representative Assembly, the Public Prosecutor of the Republic, the Chief of Cabinet, the Commandant of the Auto nomous Company, the Mayor of Papeete, the civil and military doctors of the city and other distinguished residents.

Accompanying Dr. Mille were Doctors Beye, Rosen and Kessel, the latter on a misson from the University of Southern California in which he is president of Filarial Research. From the same Uni versity also was Dr. Edgar, since returned to America, who with Dr. Rosen, in co operation with Dr. Mille, had started the organising of the new institute of research in Tahiti.

In his speech to the assembled guests, Dr. Mille stated that the Institute is the first permanent centre of investigation established in the Pacific which is devoted to the study of tropical diseases generally, and to the investigation of syphilis, tuber culosis, leprosy and elephantiasis. The incidence of these latter diseases is not confined to Oceania, and therefore the

work of the Institute will interest and be of assistance to medical practitioners generally.

Following Dr. Mille, Governor Anziani gave a brief summary of the history of the new Institute which has been founded by close co-operation between the Uni versity of Southern California and the French medical profession. Funds for this work have been contributed by American philanthropists and by many benefactors in Tahiti. The Governor concluded his address with a tribute of appreciation to the splendid work of Drs. Beye, Rosen and Edgar.

Guests later wished the Institute suc cess in champagne.

The building has been constructed throughout according to the best prin ciples of modern architecture, particular

attention being given to lighting and ventilation.

Although the new Institute has been launched with great eclat, disappointment is being expressed in Papeete that only

those who subscribed large amounts to the building fund were deemed worthy of invitation to its inauguration. In an undertaking, dependent for its success on the co-operation of all classes of the com munity, it is essential to enlist the con tinual interest of all its members, and not to dampen the ardour of the less affluent by ignoring their past help. After all, the widow’s mite was her all. Many of those in Tahiti who donated their small subscriptions to the cause gave as liberally of their means and are as much entitled to recognition as those more fortunate who contributed of their wealth.

ON September 15, in the presence of Governor Anziani and many other distinguished residents of Papeete, the Reverend Pastor Charles Vernier, President of the Superior Council of the Protestant Churches of Tahiti was awarded the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour of France.

Mr. Vernier comes of a family long dis tinguished for its devotion and outstanding services to the people of Franch Oceania.

His father, the elder Vernier, commenced his pastorate in the Colony in 1867, only relinquishing the Presidency of the churches in 1907. His three sons, Paul, Andre and Charles, were all born in Tahiti and held high office in the Protestant church there with characteristic ability and success.

The Reverend Charles Vernier is an erudite scholar and authoritv on the Tahitian language. He possesses deep understanding of the Polynesians. During the late war he lost both his sons. In 1945, together with Madame Vernier, he made a visit to France where he remained two years. Upon return to Tahiti he was induced to offer himself as candidate for election as Deputy for French Oceania to the Legislative Assembly of France, but, to the regret of his many friends, in this he was unsuccessful.

Mr. Charles Henderson, British

Consul at Papeete has announced his resignation from office and will shortly depart for New Zealand. Lately he returned to his post in Papeete after a vacation of some months because of ill health. Unfortunately while absent he was involved in a car accident and re turned to Tahiti not fully recovered. His presence will be missed in social gather ings in Papeete.

Mr. W. W. Asmus who was in charge of the Consulate during the absence of Mr. Henderson, will now become British Consul in Tahiti.

INFORMATION has been received of the promotion of Monseigneur David le Cadre, Apostolic Vicar of the Mar ouesas Islands to the dignity of Officer of the Legion of Honour. The same honour has been conferred on M. Emile Martin, industrialist of Papeete, at present resid ing in Paris.

MR. ARTHUR E. MOORE, manager of the Yorkshire Insurance Company was a departing passanger to New Zealand aboard the SS Waikawa on August 23, after a visit to Tahiti in the interest of his firm.

He expressed himself well pleased with his six months in Papeete and said that he would have much to report regarding the progress seen in all parts of the city— the reorganisation and rebuilding of the Royal Tahitian and Tropiques hotels, the completion of the new 800-ton dry dock, the new building of the Institute of Medical Research and the establishment of a permanent amusement park.

The day he sailed, he asked Oscar Nordman jocularly, whether the captain of the ship on which he was leaving would blow the traditional three blasts of good bye. Mr. Nordman had, some time before, installed a ship’s syren at his home for just that purpose, and when Mr. Moore’s

vessel left the quay, he was no doubt sur prised to hear a prolonged farewell salute come biarlng across the harbour.

Mr. Nordman says that he intends, from now on, to salute all departing passenger vessels in the same way. He says it is his ambition to see built on the rocks at the entrance to the harbour, a tall tower 'mbiazoned with the word “laorana” and illuminated at night, to welcome visitors in the same way that Honolulu greets tourists with its celebrated Aloha tower.

MR. GEORGES BRANGIER, prominent industrialist of Honolulu, was an outgoing schooner passenger on October 1, for Fiji where he will take a plane back to Hawaii. He has been on a lengthy vacation to Papeete since the arrival of the SS Thor, on June 1.

On July 4, before a large gathering of French and American guests at a vin d’honneur given by Governor Anziani, he presented the latter with a handsome kou

canoe paddle bearing an inscribed silver plaque, a goodwill offering from Governor Stainback of Hawaii. On his own behalf, he presented Madame Anziani with a handsome silk lei woven in the national colours of the French Republic.

Upon his arrival on the Thor, he donated to the Red Cross of Tahiti and the Old People’s Home, 500 yards of dress and other material, and two sacks of used

clothing, the latter contributed by friends in Honolulu.

Mr. Brangier is an American citizen of French extraction, and is well-known in Papeete from former visits.