Placates
pp. 9-10 · Read in the full issue
France
Wallisians
From a Noumea correspondent The French Government has de clared the Wallis Islands shipping route a service of “national neces sity” and granted an immediate sub sidy of 18 million CFP francs ($A170,000). This is to help cut back the freight rate which was con tinually pushing up the price of goods imported into the islands. In addition, the Sofrana Line has been taken off the route.
These moves were announced by French Minister for Overseas Terri tories, Mr Olivier Stirn, when he flew to Wallis and Futuna, after his New Hebrides visit in January. The French Government’s decision fol lowed a massive protest by Wallis islanders in November, condemning freight charges and forcing the re moval of the islands’ top French Administrator, Mr Jacques d’Agostini.
The local Territorial Assembly told the French minister in the capi tal, Mata Utu, that if a French ad ministrator did not conduct himself worthily he should either resign or be removed from office, like a here ditary chieftain.
In reply, Mr Stira warned the islanders he would have to resort to punishment if the islanders again took affairs into their own hands this way. However, the minister was
also quoted as promising that sanc tions would be imposed on public servants who overstepped the mark and that the excessive number of public servants (250 persons) would be cut back.
Meanwhile, the protesting Walli sians have scored on two fronts: forcing both the French Adminis trator and the Sofrana shipping line out of their waters. In late January, the Polynesie from the Messageries Maritimes line, was unexpectedly dispatched beyond its usual Sydney- New Hebrides-Noumea route to take supplies to Wallis, during the minis ter’s visit. The islands had been left without a shipping service for two months, since late November.
Amid this general appeasement, Mr Stim emphasised that “Wallis is France” and toasted the health of the Kings of Wallis and Futuna. The minister also pointed out that the French of Wallis are the same as the Wallisians of France. Mr Stirn pro mised that a radio station would be set up in Wallis this year.
To further break the isolation of the 8,000 Polynesians living in the group (10,000 more have migrated to New Caledonia) the minister also announced that the UTA airlines service from Noumea to Hihifo air port would be stepped up to a weekly frequency with flights twice a week between Wallis and Futuna Islands. • Dr Earl Baker Ruth has been appointed Governor of American Samoa, succeeding Mr John M. Hay don. Dr Ruth, 58, was a North Caro lina representative in Congress from 1968 to 1974, serving on several committees. He is married and has three daughters and a son.