Tax For Newcomers

Presumably Aimed at Tahiti's Chinese

Prom Our Own Correspondent PAPEETE, April 14. [T was announced here in March that a new tax has been introduced, to be paid by persons who make a long visit o French Oceania, and by immigrants.

Tourists, and persons travelling on busi less, after they have been six months in he Territory, will be taxed 75 francs about 10 - Australian) per month, mmigrants who propose to settle in the ountry will be taxed 150 francs per aonth.

It looks as if this law and its attendant egulations, are directed against the Chinese. There is now a large Chinese ommunity in French Oceania: the Chinese provide most of the artisans and etail distributors; and there is con iderable movement between Tahiti and Jhina. However, the yearly tax of 1,800 rancs (less that £l2 Australian) will not istress the Chinese, who do very well ere.

More World-Wandering

Yachtsmen

CHE French yawl Kurun, after sailing 12,000 miles from France, via the Atlantic coast of Europe, the Antilles, anama. the Galapagos, and the larquesas, arrived in Papeete at the ad of February, Jacques le Tourmelin, a 31-year-old reton, built the 9-tons yawl; and in eptember, 1949, accompanied by Paul arge, of Grenoble, aged 25, he set off sross the world.

They will spend a month or two in rench Oceania; and then they will con nue westwards. They will visit the New ebrides, New Guinea, Torres Straits, and lence on to Reunion, Durban and Cape >wn, and home via the west coast of frica.

So, in a few months’ time, look for the urun, and two jolly young French ichtsmen, in the Southwest Pacific.

P. G. Taylor In Papeete

commander and crew of the Aus l tralian seaplane Frigate Bird II were given a cordial welcome in Papeete, on )th their outward flight and their return om Valaraiso. The significance of iis pioneer flight—the opening up of an iistralian-South American air-route, with ipeete as an important station thereon— as not lost on our citizens.

The British Consul, Mr. Devenish, did r erything possible to make the fliers’ ay memorable, and they were warmly

itertained everywhere.

We were intrigued and pleased to know tat the charming lady who arrived here ffore the flight, to arrange the business ‘tails of the plane’s visit, returned with aptain Taylor, on the seaplane, to fdney, as his affianced wife. We always ive insisted that this island is the soul id centre of South Seas romance.

Double Wedding

I7E had a double wedding here on ▼ March 31, when the two attractive daughters of Madame Veuve Salem ere married, in the same ceremony, to /o French servicemen—Mathild to Mon eur Maurice Texier, and Helene to hnsieur Armand Tuya. A hundred jests, entertained at Rivnac’s Resort, ade the occasion one not to be soon r gotten.

Two young boys, John Ah Kuoi and oy Ah Kuoi, aged 15 and 13, were struck r a truck driven by their uncle near Apia i March 30 and subsequently died in pia hospital.