French wield

a big stick in N. Hebrides

From a Vila correspondent

French High Commissioner J-G Eriau summoned a riot squad of gendarmes to the New Hebrides in March only hours after demonstrat ors greeted his own arrival in Vila.

About 50 gendarmes with helmets, arms and shields flew out of Nou mea at 4.30 am on March 7 aboard two naval planes. The previous morning, the High Commissioner’s motorcade was stopped in Vila by a road block of almost 300 peo ple, some carrying axes and cane fcnives. Mr Eriau, who is also Governor of New Caledonia, was making his first official three-day yisit to the New Hebrides since assuming office in Noumea in fanuary.

The demonstrators, from the Isle if Fila, were contesting ownership )f the Frouin family concession. The irotestors had begun fencing in the jroperty with barbed wire. They :leared the road after Mr Eriau got >ut of his car to talk to them.

Earlier, as the French official left Bauerfield airfield, about 100 young )eople claiming to be the Syndicate )f New Hebridean Workers held ban ters demanding tighter control of trices. Reaction to this movement vas swift, since the British and 7 rench Residencies promptly an tounced their decision to set up a ystem of price controls in the con lominium.

As far as the land rights demon tration was concerned, the French •ress quoted Mr Eriau as saying he lad been greeted “in rather un xpected fashion” by “a band of

boys strangely attired”. He added: “We do not intend to let people take justice into their own hands”. The High Commissioner referred to talks scheduled soon in London between French and British authorities. The three most important subjects of discussion would be the creation of municipalities, judicial reform and an extension of the part played by the Advisory Council.

Meanwhile, in the expectation of further demonstrations, the French temporarily flew in their gardes mobiles (riot squad) with the con sent of their British partners in the condominium.

French commentators accompany ing the High Commissioner noted a different reception on the northern island of Santo. Mr Jimmy Stevens was present, while members of his Nagriamel movement sang welcome songs and waved banners in Bich lamar reading “Welcome to the French High Commissioner” and “French and English stay with us”.

Jimmy Stevens