Tahiti’S Governor
p. 124 · Read in the full issue
Ignored
Newspaper Fuss Over Apia Incident
NEW ZEALAND Truth gave publicity late in March to alleged discourteous treatment of His Excellency Governor Petitbon, of French Oceania, when he passed through Western Samoa by air on his return from France.
Truth’s correspondent said that “although Mr. Powles (High Com missioner of W. Samoa) was ad vised of M. and Mme. Petitbon’s arrival, no invitation was extended to them, on the grounds that there was insufficient time to prepare for their reception, and that Mr.
Powles had another engagement.
“Other residents, with more limited facilities than those at Gov ernment House, then met the French Governor and his wife and entertained them at a small re ception and dinner. Yet the High Commissioner attended this function, despite the previous engagement which had prevented him receiving M. Petitbon himself.
“On the following morning, no arrangements were made to provide official transport for M. and Mme.
Petitbon from Apia to the airport (22 miles away) and they had to travel the distance in an open sided, wooden-seated public bus,” said Truth.
Private residents say they would have been only too pleased to pro vide transport had they thought it possible that Government House would not extend M. Petitbon the usual courtesies.
Last year, when a somewhat similar event occurred in Suva and Apia (the victim being M. Alfred Poroi, Mayor of Papeete), it was explained that no prior advice had been received of the traveller’s approach, and also that it was im possible to take note of all persons even important ones passing through these Territories.
There may have been a better explanation in this later case; but no explanation has been offered. It may be taken as certain that there was no intentional discourtesy; but it would be interesting to know why, when high functionaries pass through these Territories, the usual courtesies are not offered. French officialdom is rather sensitive about such things, and is itself scrupul ous in observing the formalities.
Unless on official visits, important functionaries pass through Aus tralia and New Zealand without formal recognition; but in the smaller Islands Territories, which are linked together through the South Pacific Commission, there should be some machinery for tak ing care of these things.