[?]E Affair Ollier

HOUGH Madame Ollier had jen living quietly near Noumea.

Caledonia, since May, Noumea le last to know that she had implicated, in Sydney, by the Royal Commission, which is ng into espionage in Aus was rumoured in New >nia, for sometime that “a i of unsound mind” was being ed by the police. But until ench Ambassador in Australia need, in early September, that ne Ollier had been arrested imea and was being returned nee to stand trial for breach :urity regulations, little im ce was given to reports. after the Ambassador’s ncement local newspapers re i muzzled and police and ment officials refused to :nt until nearly a week after ustralian announcement. It len stated that a few days the departure of the French n ahitien, Madame Ollier had arrested and placed in the )rison. One hour before the sailed she was taken aboard guard, and was to remain surveillance for the rest of yage.

Madame Ollier was formerly Second Secretary to the French Embassy in Canberra, Madame Ollier went to Noumea at the end of May, apparently to see her son, who is serving his military service in the Noumean barracks. She booked an air passage scheduled to leave for Sydney on June 9, but suddenly cancelled it on June 8.

In evidence, before the Royal Commission, Petrov said that he had met Madame Ollier secretly on numerous occasions to try to obtain information from her.