[?]-Paris Style

[?]fe On A Desert Isle [?]-Paris Style

ihiti News Round-up from Beryl Sawyer.

How well could an average man, city bred and reared, to the comforts of modern city life, react to a solitary ence on a tropical desert island?

QUES ANTOINE and Robert jamine, founders of France’s Dp “gimmick” radio station, De Number One, are in Tahiti id out. st they selected an uninhabited t island in the Tetiaroa group, ct a willing “victim” had to be ;ed in Pans. sre were scores of applicants measured up to the radio m’s conditions—male, aged 15 years, single or divorced, em d in a fairly well paid job, villing to take off for parts un n at a moment’s notice, with of luggage, but no food, to or 30 days the life of Robinson >e on a deserted tropical island rench Polynesia with only a

’or companionship,

s winner, Jacques Talleric, 36,

arrived at Papeete-Faaa airport on January 18 looking much the same as any other Frenchman after the long flight from Paris. He had on a crumpled sports jacket and slacks, soft felt hat, plus an air of resigned weariness.

He watched the rain pouring down on the asphalt outside, and lit another cigarette from the butt of the first. , , His two well-travelled suitcases contained, not the usual tourist camera equipment and natty sports clothes but a selection of fish hooks, fishing lines, a rifle, miscellaneous tools and a bundle of worn clothes and sneakers. ...

As “an average city dwelling Frenchman of average means Talleric is employed by the Lesieur oil factory.

Unattached, tired of the humdrum of crowded city living, this product of modern society armed with only tools enough to construct a basic shelter, and fishing equipment which should supply his daily sustenance, is at present living alone with a two-year-old dog Kazan on his re mote desert island.

His only contact with civilisation is a radio transmitter, with which he sends daily reports on his ex periences to Paris.

How will a modern Robinson Crusoe react to a solitary existence of primitive peace on a tropical desert isle —especially during the

rainy season?

I’ll keep you posted in next month’s PIM!

A TAHITIAN fisherman, Roland, and his vahine, Celine, from the island of Tikehau, set off one day at dawn for a four-hour fishing trip aboard their tiny 15 hp out board engined skiff.

Toward mid-day, they were struck by a rainstorm, the seas roughened and all sight of land was lost.

Their sole food supplies consisted of a can of puna puaatoro (corned beef), a can of meat paste, and eight firi-firi —twisted fried dough cakes. On board also was a gallon of fresh water in a metal drum, an axe, a knife, a fish spear and a bowl.

At dusk, they cut the engine to conserve fuel, and decided to drift in the hope of seeing land by dawn.

But the rain and rough seas con tinued and they were hopelessly lost.

Food and drinking water were rationed. (Over)

MGM make-up man Keester Sweeney in Papeete in January, prepares leading lady Tarita, 19, for the cameras. Tarita plays the part of Fletcher Christian's vahine —Christian in the film be ing Marlon Brando. In the photo at left, Tarita is the one in the bikini. How bikinis fit in with Marlon's fancy period-dress we don't know, although the fans probably won't care.

5 food supply lasted six days water ran out on the eighth >? they began to drink small iities of sea water, which only ised their thirst, the 13th day, Roland speared T which they ate for three but they became too weak tch other fish. their 24th day at sea, de ted and emaciated, they were id upon the shore of Scilly, they were found by copra ition workers. four weeks in Scilly, the aer Valtere arrived with a load \ giant turtles en route to te. Safely in Papeete, they are awaiting transport back to au. ir estimated drift during 24 it sea—400 miles. The Pacific not always merit its name.

30Defr0Y De Noaillat,

)irector of the French Gov rnment tourist office in announces that permission ?en granted for the sale and truction of the Royal Tahitian on the black sand beach al a, about three miles east of ;e. nC Aj by American —Adolph Rempp of “Adolph’s nzer —the hotel will be man y Luigi Rigler, also an Ameri s for a complete face-lift of )tel include the construction olynesian style bungalows and ble rooms.

Plans also approved this month include the construction, by a Franco-American corporation headed by Bob Frazier, of a 30bungalow hotel situated five miles east of Papeete, at Marau Beach near Lafayette.

Construction by the same group of the Hotel Bora Bora at Nunue four miles from the village of Vaitape on Bora Bora, will be com pleted by June 15.

Eighteen units, a bar-restaurant pier -, yacht anchorage will be available at rates from $26-$3O per day single (American plan, with meals) and $36-$4O per day double me hotel will be serviced by a weekly Reseau Aerien Interinsulaire flying-boat from Papeete-Faaa.

Newly opened at Taravao, 30 miles

east of Papeete in January, a 12bungalow hotel adjoining the de luxe restaurant Faretea, financed by a French-owned travel agency, Tahiti Tours. . This beachside hotel is the first m the Peninsula area and will open up to tourists an unspoiled wilder ness of unexcelled beauty, with waterfalls, mountain streams and black sand beaches. r ANSPORTATION to the outer islands of French Polynesia is normally made by trading schooner, it’s a far cry from the comfort and service expected by a majority of American tourists to the islands.

Schooner travel provides a multi-

of discomforts which are as the trademark of the South trading vessel as her frayed rusty chainplates, and fre ly malodorous cargo. in an effort to provide a t treat under the best possible :ions, the French flying-boat e RAI announced in January 'ial two-day flight to the atoll tangiroa, Tuamotu Islands,

i the four-engined, twin-deck

-boat Frigate Bird which was rly owned by Sir Gordon

Nobody Interested

excursion was planned to in a native feast, fishing party, nlimited music and entertain-

ment for an inclusive price of 8,500 francs—about £42/10/-.

But the tourist response was slight, in spite of hotels being jammed with visitors from the United States, Australia and New Zealand. So it was cancelled.

Tourists to Tahiti come generally from a high income bracket, so it was not a question of cost.

Could it be that once installed in a hotel, with U-Drive car at their disposal and most—if not all—the comforts of home, that they have neither the courage nor the initiative to explore further afield?

AT last, Marlon Brando’s leading lady has been selected jointly by Mutiny On the Bounty director Sir Carol Reed and pro ducer Aaron Rosenberg.

She is Tarita Teriitaia, 19, a dancer from Bora Bora and a mem ber of the film’s 72-women dance team.

Tarita, a pure-blooded Tahitian, has been awarded a seven-year Hollywood contract and is under going intensive coaching for her part as Maimiti —Fletcher Christian’s vahine.

MGM is, of course, very much in evidence at Tahiti now. and Frank Fay, a local artist and potter has con fessed himself solely responsible for painting signs in the streets of Papeete, MGM Go Home!

Fay, a French national born in France of American parentage, claims that an increase in the cost

of living in Tahiti, plus an upset in Tahitian economy, is directly due to the MGM “invasion” of Tahiti since last November.

During the 14-16 week filming schedule, some 4,000 Tahitians will have been employed in set construc tion, as extras, drivers, dancers and musicians.

Just a Million!

The MGM budget for filming in Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea is set at $1 million.

No action has as yet been taken against Frank Fay although French law could possibly charge him on two counts—defacing the public highways and promoting publicity in a foreign language.

A French decree insists that all publicity in French territories be in French language with, if necessary a translation underneath in smaller lettering.

One evidence of a current boom in spending in Papeete: Tahitian boys and girls proudly riding their brand new scooters and motor bicycles through the crowded streets of downtown Papeete.

[?] t the golden sands of Tahiti, but [?] den sands of Fiji, Tahiti has no [?] ht on South Pacific beaches. Rob [?] took this at Korolevu in December.

A First Hand Look

These three young Australians made a thorough investigation of TEAL routes in the South Pacific before they established themselves as the airline's information counsellors in Sydney's new Chevron- Hilton Hotel. The photograph was taken at Papeete's new airport at Faaa. The travel advisors are Freda Tisbury (left), Mary Heien and (hiding her light behind Miss Heien) Miss Jane Brailey.