Brief Notes From Tahiti
pp. 16-17 · Read in the full issue
Community Honours De Gaulle
IN no uncertain manner, Tahiti cele brated De Gaulle’s Day—that famous occasion in June, 1940, when General de Gaulle, from London, called on all Frenchmen to keep on fighting, with the phrase, “France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war.”
Proceedings began with a grand ball on June 16, wherein the citizens were led by Governor Petitbon and Mayor Poroi, and supported by the British and Ameri can communities. On June 17, most of the people took part in services at the Catholic and Protestant churches.
On Monday, the whole population lined the streets around the war memorial, and watched the leaders arrive to take part in a day-long series of ceremonies and speeches, to mark an occasion that most of us vividly recall —the time when we rallied to the support of De Gaulle and Fighting France.
The Governor (M. Petitbon) led the procession, and he was assisted by M.
Carrisey (head of the garrison) comman dant Lamour (commanding Naval and Air forces in French Oceania). Senator Lassale-Sere, Monsieur J. Millaud, (Presi dent of the Assemblee Representative), Monsieur de Monlezun, (Attorney-Gen eral), Monsieur Maisonnat (Chef de Cab inet) and numerous officials, Naval and Military officers, and civilians.
M. Jean Breaud, a wealthy businessman and banker, of Paris, arrived recently to take charge of some of the public works undertaken by some of the interests he controls. It will take some years to com plete what is to be done —sewers, hospital, wharves, roads. Technicians and engin eers have arrived and commenced the task.
M. Breaud is well known here. Some years ago he bought the big plantation at Atimaono. once known as the Stuart Estate. He turned the plantation into a large cattle ranch and has also specialised in grapefruit production.
Mons. G. G. A. Sully has been appointed to succeed M. Daufresne as Secretary- General of French Oceania.
M. Charles Albert Leboucher has been awarded the rank of Chevalier de la Le gion d’Honneur. He was the first President of the Assemblee Representative of Pa peete and has had 411 years of profes sional practice. He is greatly esteemed for his untiring service to the native population, as a homeopathy leader. He was bom in Tahiti 63 years ago.
Succeeding M. Le Maitre, who has gone to France on a well-deserved vacation be fore reporting for a new assignment, Mon sieur Maurice Vienne, has already settled down as Director of the Banque De Llndo-Chine, and has made many friends.
When the steamer. Grey County, left Papeete on June 12, loaded to the water line with Copra and Islands products, a passenger, leaving Tahiti for the first time, was Mr. Martial lorss—born in Tahiti, and was well-liked by the community, lorss, like many of the Euronesians of Samoa, was born of a German father, but became a good Frenchman, and loved Tahiti. This was evident when he em barked, laden to. his eyes with the tradi tional Heis (garlands of the tiare flowers). lorss is going to France to undergo an operation which we all hope will be suc cessful. He is connected with the De partment of Justice.
Miss Anatila Nordman. who has travelled widely since she left Tahiti two years ago, has radio’d from Honolulu to her father, Mr. Oscar Nordman. that she hopes to return home by the New Zea land yacht Golden Hind, towards the end of July. In Honolulu she has been staying
at the home of her former schoolmate, Mrs. Nicholas Rutgers (who is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Hall).
After 18 years of devoted activity and service to the Protestant Church, as Pre sident du Conseil Superieur des Eglises Tahitiennes, Pastor Charpier left Papeete by the Grey County, on a visit to his home in Switzerland, where he was born. Many attended his departure and all wished him a safe return.
In the night of June 13, Mr. John Farn ham, a reputable American businessman of Papeete, was awakened by a noise in his room, and saw a leg sticking out from un der his bed. He reached for his gun and pulled the trigger. A man named Do minique Guenet, crawled out, badly hurt.
Mr. Farnham was taken to the police
station and interrogated. But it was held that he was in his right. He was in his own home, and the presence there of a stranger was not explained.
The two-masted Danish motor-ship, Olympia, owned and captained by Mr.
Harry Myborg, sailed into Papeete Har bour on June 11, after a strenuous voyage from Esbyerg, Denmark, via Ponta Delgrada, Christobal, and Panama. She is going to New Zealand for fishing pur poses. The owner is accompanied by 11 men.
The French cruiser, Le Grandiere, which represented the French Navy in the fight ing at Imchon, Korea, arrived in Papeete on June 6, from Saigon. She is in com mand of Capitaine de Fregate Huet; and his chief engineer is M. Palluel, formerly
of the Dumont d’Urville, who has been here before. This naval party, before re turning, will place a memorial plaque on the tomb of Allain Gerbault, the lone French navigator.
Death Or Aiden Gooding
A well-known Papeete man. Mr. Aiden Gooding, died after a short illness on May 5. at Makatea Island. He is survived by his wife and five children. He was born 45 years ago in Tahiti, and he was for long in the employ of the French Oceania sec tion of the British Phosphate Commission.
He was in charge of the recruiting of labour from the Cook Islands.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS IN W. SAMOA Top left to lower right: Air Force visitors, Air Vice-Marshal D. V.
Carnegie, RNZAF, Group-Captain Fleming, RAAF, and Wing- Commander Trigance, RNZAF. Mr. and Mrs. Dick Curruthers, who returned to Apia after a holiday in NZ. Dr. Oechsli, of the USA Methodist Church, who has been paying a visit to Samoa. Mr. G- R. Powles (left), presents the Samoan Cup to Mr. Angus Macdonald whose horse won the race at King’s Birthday meeting. Filipo Viituala, who got IS months’ gaol for breaking into the home of Mr. T. Helg, of Apia, and who was overpowered by Mr. Helg.