Tahiti
p. 103 · Read in the full issue
Lively Politics In
[?]vernor Stops Duel Between Party Leaders
From Our Own Correspondent FNDER date of April 17, our I Tahiti correspondent reports several developments in the dis ced political spheres of French eania (as reported in April PIM, se 15). [’he unrest became manifest after ; elections for the Assembles rritoriale on January 18. follow ; which charges were said to ve been made by M. Pouvanaa a pa (leader of the Radical party) 1 his followers, that the election Tahiti island had been rigged in our of the opposing party, led the Mayor of Papeete, M. Alfred roi. On all other islands the ivanaa a Oopa party was vic ious. xovernor Petitbon then ordered official investigation, and the :er found the charges false.
HERE was much bitterness at the first session of the new Assembles, which opened on rch 14. On April 10, M. Poroi 1 M. Noel Hari were forcibly re fined from coming to blows in Chamber. M, Ilari then chal ged M. Poroi to a duel, and M. oi accepted. ’he two were in earnest. The :1 was to take place at the end die Sitting. M. Frank Richmond i M. Walter Grand were ap nted as seconds for M. Ilari, and Tuterai Garbut and M. Legarde eed to act for M. Poroi. r ews of the impending clash sad rapidly, and Governor Petit . proceeded to the radio station t evening and broadcast a warn- He said that the duel must take plaoe, and that he had in icted his gendarmes to prevent nd to arrest anyone who assisted n any way. Police were there n stationed at the residence of h contender, and the duel did take place. n the following day a strike of 1 servants began, because agree it could not be reached in the emblee on a Bill granting pay it of certain back-salary that i due. üblic services, including tele ne exchange, post office and rseas radio communications sed operation, except for certain intial services. * April 15, the TEAL Solent Amnui arrived from Auckland with M. Docteur Florisson, dy-appointed Senator for nch Oceania, and successor to Lassalle-Sere. He warmly eomed by the followers of vanaa a Oopa—less warmly by
the Poroi party followers.
On this day, also, the strike was called off on a promise from the Governor that the matter would be settled at a meeting of the Assemblee scheduled for May 6.
The following day the Post Office started sorting an accumulation of mail that had arrived in the vessels Waikawa. Pioneer Gem, Thorisle Sainte Mere Eghse, Waitemata, and by aircraft.
ALSO during this week. Deputy Pouvaana a Oopa was charged in court with striking a clerk at the City Hall. Papeete, for refusing te supply him with a copy of the birth certificate of a third party. It appears that such certificates may be issued only to the person whose birth is concerned, or members of
his family. Judgment in this case was reserved for 15 days, and is not available at this writing.
The politics of French Oceania are mo st complex, and the parties represented appear to have no direct relationship with recognised parties in France, The rdjp.t. party, headed by Depu ty Pouvaana a Oopa, is of the Left w n g a nd stands for a larger measure of independence front France. The R.D.P.T. gained 15,- 062 of the 29,030 votes cast in the January election. M. Poroi’s U.D.1.0.F. party (which is a coali tion of the UJD.S.R. and the R.PJ.) registered 7,851 votes on Tahiti island, and 2,772 votes on the outer islands. This coalition is less ex treme, and more pro-French.