Noumea Is Growing Up!
p. 107 · Read in the full issue
Noumea, Sept. 20.
TWO Tahitians were charged recently in Noumea’s police court — one with committing an obscene dance in a public place and with resisting arrest, and the other with assaulting the police. A disturbing factor was that the hearing was held in a cleared court, because of the Tahitians present, and in a “houlouse” state (best translated as “threatening”).
The culprits were given gaol sentences.
The newspapers are raising cries of alarm at the frequency of nocturnal aggressions not only by natives but b T ' certain European youths.
Recently, sailors from a merchant ship were bashed by young men who were later identified and will be charged. Attacks on members of the French Navy have also occurred.
Street fighting between natives is on the increase and some of the affairs have all the characteristics of vendettas.
t A Samoan labourer, Telea Pau, 23, was sentenced to death in Apia in October, for the murder of his de facto wife, Tiatai Villi Tagaloa, 22. + For borrowing an Auckland Transport Dept, bus in which to drive home from his work as a bus cleaner, Filo Seufale, a Samoan, was fined £3O in October. The bus was valued at £6,500.