Tahiti News

Clean-Up Of Police Department

From Our Own Correspondent Monsieur Biesel. Police Chief at Papeeti has been making his presence felt sine he arrived from France.

During Febzruary, Tafai Aman Brigadier de Police, and Pito Tane, Ager de Police, were arrested on mattei connected with falsifying of foreigner tax payments. All passports of foreig residents in Tahiti had to be called i for investigation.

Shortly after his arrival, M. Biesel ha another member of the police arreste and charged with complicity in smugglin operations.

New Protestant Church

A new Protestant Church was in augurated in true Tahitian fashion o February 14, when Governor Petitbor Mdme. and M. Pouvanaa a Oopa, IV Oudrat (Conseiller d L’Union Francaise] M. Poroi (Mayor of Papeete) and man other important residents were present.

The service was conducted by Paste Schloesing, Director of the Svangelica Missions of Paris. Fifty-five local Pastoi attended the service; after which th lighter side of the occasion was attende to with a well-prepared native feasl which continued until dawn and wa drawn to a reluctant conclusion with th serving of some 5,000 morning cups c good Tahitian coffee, to speed th visitors homeward.

Dr. K. R. Steenson, one of th South Pacific’s best-known medica officers left Fiji in March on leav prior to retirement. He and Mrs Steenson expect to make their futur home in New Zealand. He joinei the Colonial Medical Service in 192! and served in the British Solomoi Islands, and then for about 10 year in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. Di Steenson and his Baby Austin (th only car on Tarawa) were a well known sight right up till th Japanese invasion. He got away t Fiji in 1942, and has since served h that Colony, since 1948 as Deput Director of Medical Services.

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Brown, wh have been enjoying a pleasant visi to Tahiti, left in March for Rare tonga, in their little ship Mahurangt They took as passenger to Rarotong.

Miss Germaine Lehartel, a popula member of Papeete’s younger sel She returns by TEAL.

Mr. C. W. Southey, Overseer i:

the Fiji Works Department, is spend

ing 6 months long leave in Ne\ Zealand.

Dr. W. L. Verrier, of the Fij

Medical Department is spending i

months’ leave in the United King dom.