Tahiti Kicked Up Her Skirts

WHEN ALL OF FRANCE WENT TO THE POLLS IN JUNE . . .

And Backed A Loser

By Ken Mcgregor

In June, full-face photos of the two contenders for the French Presidency—Pompidou and Poher—bobbed up and down along Papeete’s waterfront road of Quai Bir-Hackeim. Yards away, in the bustling Rue du General de Gaulle, political blurbs hung on shop walls.

In the Rue Paul Gauguin, chalk scrawls on bus stops and sidewalks urged “Pompidou Oui”, “Poher Non” or “CEP Non—Vote Poher”. Colour posters dotted the windows of Papeete’s dozens of new Renaults and Fords.

Papeete—town of clothing shops, sleazy beer bars, burgeoning trade stores, night dives and incredibly crowded downtown streets had kicked her skirts a little higher than usual. , , The oldest and the most colourful port in the South Seas was playing her small part along with the rest of French Polynesia, in electing a new French President.

Irony

The irony was, of course, that French Polynesia didn’t really play any part in electing the president.

When results were known, it was seen that the territory had backed the loser, Mr. Alain Poher.

Final results for French Polynesia showed that he received 51.8 per cent. or 13,927 votes —as against the winner, Mr. Georges Pompidou, who collected 12,946 votes.

Significantly, about 10,000 —or over one-in-four people—-didnt bother to vote for either candidate.

Observers gave many reasons for the territory’s “No” to Pompidou but it seems that the main reason was a growing dislike for the status quo.

The lesson to be learnt from the results is that the great strides forward of the 1960’s (caused by the nuclear testing, a big rise in the standard of living and a big increase in tourism) have greatly confused the formerly unsophiscated Polynesians.

Polynesians have gained cars, motor scooters, .European houses and relatively high wages. But Poly nesians say that they have had to pay a price for these things—they have been “used”.

Used to build jet airstrips for the

bomb tests, used as waiters and bell hops in new luxury hotels, such as the latest, Pan Am’s Intercontinental, used to man Papeete’s first coconut oil mill, used as labourers to build dozens of new buildings and used as employees for expansive Chinese projects.

Many think their prosperity is largely artificial and temporary, solely dependent on whims of name less civil servants in Paris and, to a lesser extent, American businessmen.

The territory’s 10,000-odd Chinese, who wield an unproportionately high control over business, voted almost to a man for Pompidou in anticipa tion that this de Gaulle man would continue the bomb tests —thus main taining local prosperity.

The Polynesians, who at best receive only indirect benefits from the French troops, object.

The influx of troops has also caused overcrowding, and some brawls have broken out between French troops and Tahitians.

As far as most Tahitians are con cerned the troops are in Tahiti for two reasons: • To conduct destructive ex periments (i.e. test H-bombs). • To prevent a possible uprising against the French Administration.

They’re not impressed with argu ments that troop spending is good for the economy.

Big numbers of troops connected with the bomb tests have been with drawn from Tahiti in recent months.

Around Papeete especially, this has caused a minor slump in business.

Yet several thousands remain out side the town, and at its waterfront a handful of French warships wait idly for orders to either return to France or to ready themselves for additional bomb tests.

In June the politically ambitious Mr. Francis Sanford, the territory’s Deputy in the French Parliament, made much of the presence of the French troops and of France’s failure

to grant French Polynesia indepen dence.

Regarded as pro-American and anti-French, Mr. Sanford was a Poher man.

Friends and foes alike said that Mr. Sanford made Mr. Poher agree to “arrangements” for the territory.

Had he been elected, and had he stood by these “arrangements”, bomb tests would be scrapped, troops withdrawn, self-government or even independence granted and American investors invited to take increased stakes in the territory.

Mr. Georges Pompidou’s victory means that the territory’s prosperity artificial or not will continue.

Bomb tests will be on again. (France has put huge investments into instal lations for the tests in the southerly Gambiers and she is not likely to scrap them.) Mr. Pompidou’s thoughts on self government for French Polynesia are not known, but if he differs from General de Gaulle’s view that the territory is merely a part of France in the Pacific, he has never said so.

It is likely, however, that he won’t send the huge Pacific fleet or mas sive numbers of troops to accompany the tests if he can help it. The con tinued presence of French troops in Polynesian soil must inevitably generate friction, and the French are anxious to avoid this.

New Post

After more than 23 years in Papua-New Guinea, since 1951 as Secretary for Law, Mr. W.

W. Watkins, MHA, is resigning to go to Sydney as chairman of the War Pensions Assessment Appeals Tribunal. Mr. Watkins who is 56, expects to take up his post in September.