How To Ruin A High Chief's Poll

ONE of the most extraordinary objections to an election result heard in the South Seas for a long time came to light in New Caledonia recently following country-wide local council polls.

The objection was lodged by Mr. Rock Pidjot, New Caledonia's representative in the French parliament, who said, apologetically, that in more advanced communities the objection might seem ridiculous, but in the present circumstances in New Caledonia, it smacked of intimidation of voters wishing to exercise their civil rights.

Here are the facts. In a poll in a tribal area in the mountains of Hienghene, on New Caledonia’s east coast, High Chief Goa Alphonse was running on the ticket of the Union Caledonienne (Mr. Pidjofs party).

He was rated as hot a favourite as anyone can be in a political race.

But to the surprise of many, he was well beaten. This obviously meant that there had been quite a defection within his own tribe.

When a discreet investigation was held, it was found that during the night before the election a fortune teller had been sent to the High Chiefs territory from the opposite coast and had there spread the prophecy, “If you vote for the High Chief, he will die”. At least 100 of the High Chiefs subjects took the message to heart and voted against him.

Mr. Pidjofs objection to the election result was not accepted legally.