Pacific Report

President Giscard In The Pacific

The July visit to the Pacific by French President Valery Gis card d’Estaing, only the second ever made by a French head of state in office, revealed a clear distinction between French policies towards the two main territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia. France’s relations with the latter the president described as ‘lasting’. But his statements in New Caledonia - made it clear that future relations with that territory are con ditional on a number of factors (Political Currents).

After D’Estaing, A Mighty Big Baing

Only four days after French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing ended his July official visit to the Pacific, France conducted what is described as its biggest-yet underwater nuclear explosion’ at Moruroa Atoll. An explosion equal to an earthquake registering 6.3 on the Richter scale was recorded on seis mographs at Wellington Observatory at 1800 GMT on July 25.

Scientists said the blast was probably in the range of half a meg aton. A tidal wave struck the atoll on the day of the explosion, injuring two people. French Atomic Energy Commission officials in Paris strongly denied that the wave had been caused by the explosion. They dismissed as ‘fantastic’ a press report that the wave followed the emergency triggering of a nuclear bomb after ‘it became wedged halfway down its detonation shaft under the ocean bed’. The French socialist daily Le Matin claimed in August that on July 6, a fortnight before President Giscard’s visit to French Polynesia, two men were killed and six seriously injured during a decontamination operation in a bunker on Moruroa. The paper said acetone vapour in the bunker ex ploded, killing one immediately and injuring others, one of whom later died, and released a cloud of plutonium vapour over the atoll. The paper said the affair had been shrouded in secrecy in an attempt not to mar preparations for the presidential visit.

Nz Milk Less Radio-Active

Radio-active contamination of New Zealand milk is at its low est level since records started in the early sixties according to a statement by the country’s National Radiation Laboratory. The laboratory said the drop in concentrations of strontium-90 and caesium-137 apparently reflected the French move to under ground testing.

Us Court Fines Finbar Kenny

In the first criminal prosecution under the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Finbar Kenny was fined SUSSO 000 in August for using the proceeds of the sale of Cook Islands stamps to fly in voters from New Zealand in the Cook’s March 1978 elections.

The new law was enacted by Congress in the wake of big business scandals involving such companies as Lockheed and International Telephone and Telegraph. The hearing of the case against Mr Kenny caused him to reverse his earlier decision to go to Rarotonga to face trial (PIM August). He planned to have a lawyer explain his non-appearance to the court, and to indicate that he will elect trial by judge alone.

Abbey Service For Kiribati

Princess Margaret represented the Queen at a thanksgiving service in London s Westminster Abbey in July to mark the independence of Kiribati. The Kiribati flag flew from the Abbey Nagstaff as a lesson was read in the language of Kiribati by Edwin Baraniko (page 23).

Apology, Compensation, For Stinson

■iji s former finance minister, Sir Charles Stinson, has received an undisclosed sum of money and a public apology from the \tew Zealand magazine The Listener. The magazine admitted hat there was no truth in inferences in a May 1977 article sug gesting that Sir Charles, as a minister, had used his political nfluence for the benefit of the Stinson Pearce group of companies. The apology was read in the Auckland Supreme in the presence of Sir Charles and his son Peter Sir Charles had sued the magazine for SNZI million damages.

112 596 People In New Hebrides

The population of the New Hebrides at 15-16 January, 1979, was 112 596. Announcement of the figure in late July followed more than a year of preparation, canvassing and counting. The census, a vital part of preparations for elections and indepen dence, showed that the country’s population has grown by more than 36 000 since the last census in 1967 which yielded a popu lation figure of 76 582.

Sir Vijay Singh Bows Out

Sir Vijay Singh has been dismissed from his post as attorney general and economic planning minister in the Fiji cabinet. The dismissal followed strong expressions of cabinet disapproval of his role in the so-called Flour Mills case (RIM August). Sir Vijay later severed his connection with parliament by resigning from the Senate, to which he had been appointed by Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

Norfolk: Legislative Assembly Opens

With a clutch of Australian dignitaries on hand, Norfolk Island’s first legislative assembly was ceremoniously inaugura ted in August. But due to continuing doubts about its real powers, reaction to the event on the island was less than joyful

(Political Currents).

69% Of Nz Aid For Pacific

New Zealand’s overseas aid would remain at last year’s level of SNZSS million, according to Foreign Minister Brian Talboys.

Assistance to the Pacific would total $29 765 000, up $1.5 million on last year and 69% of total bilateral government-to government assistance. Assistance to ASEAN countries would be almost $lO million. Contributions to multilateral bodies such as United Nations and Commonwealth development agencies, and regional institutions in the South Pacific, would drop from $8 985 000 last year to $8 208 000.

Png Says No’ To Indochina Refugees

Papua New Guinea has ‘reluctantly, but definitely’ decided that it cannot accept any Indochinese refugees for settlement according to a July statement by Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ebia Olewale.

SIX MONTHS GAOL, FINE, FOR DAVID NEAVE David Neave, Australian lawnmower importer of Vila, New Hebrides, who faced charges of illegal importation of munitions (PIM August), has been sentenced to six months imprisonment (less 29 days detention already served), and fined FNH29O 977 ($A3779), to be deducted from the sum of sls 000 bail already deposited.

Fiji Sets Up Prisons Probe

Fiji has appointed a seven-member royal commission to review all aspects of treatment of inmates of the country’s prisons. The commission, made up entirely of Fiji residents, follows com plaints by dockworkers and others of ill-treatment by prison offi cers while they were held in Naboro Maximum Security Prison in early 1978. The ombudsman, Judge Moti Tikaram, sub sequently investigated the complaints and reported to parlia ment. Judge Tikaram will preside over the newly appointed royal commission.

ONE FOR THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS?

A British-born mother of five children is seeking $A2.2 billion from Saudi Arabian financier Adnan Khashoggi in what her law yer calls one of the largest claims ever filed in a martial dispute.

Mr Khashoggi is the financial power behind a number of South Pacific resort and hotel operations, including the Pacific Harbour complex at Deuba, Fiji. Soraya Khashoggi, in a suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in August, sought about half the $3.5 billion she maintains she helped Adnan Khashoggi accumulate during their marriage. She is also seeking $445 million in punitive damages. Mrs Khashoggi says her husband obtained a divorce in an Islamic religious court in 1974 and failed to support her afterwards. She maintains the divorce is not valid in the USA.

Family Reunion For Jacob Prai

The two wives and the children of Irian Jaya rebel leader Jacob Prai flew from Papua New Guinea in July to join him in exile in Sweden.

Petition Against Nz Immigration Laws

New Zealand Labour MP Richard Prebble has presented to par

liament a petition claiming that the country’s immigration poli cies are inhuman and discriminate against Pacific Islanders. The petition, presented on behalf of 1151 constituents, mainly Islanders living in Mr Prebble’s Auckland Central electorate, also requests that the government review the position of Islanders who have overstayed their permits because of personal econ omic hardship.

Bikinians For Hawaii?

Hawaii County Mayor Herbert Matayoshi has said he will support relocation of Bikinians on Hawaii Island as long as they would be willing to abide by county rules and regulations, according to Honolulu newspapers. The people of Bikini are looking for a new place to live because they can’t live on their atoll as a result of radiation from 1950 s nuclear testing by the US (PIM August).

Tuvalu Nabs Taiwan Longliner

The master of a wooden Taiwan longliner has been fined $lO 000 on each of two charges of fishing within Tuvalu’s 200 nautical mile economic zone without a licence. The captain of the Chiao Yeng No 22 brought his vessel into Funafuti for water.

Ouestioned about fresh tuna in the hold and fresh shark's fin drying in the rigging, he said his last fishing position was more than 200 nautical miles from Funafuti. He did not realise this was within 100 nautical miles of Nanumanga, also in the Tuvalu group. For Tuvalu it was an easy S2O 000 (though the treatment was lenient by some Island nations’ standards). However, be cause it has no patrol boats, Tuvalu usually has to stand by help less when it knows foreign vessels are fishing in its waters (Political Currents).

Libya Confirms Tonga Loan

Libya has confirmed its readiness to make a SUS 3 million soft loan to Tonga for the upgrading of Nukualofa’s Fuaamotu air port. Confirmation came in a telephone conversation between the Libyan ambassador in Manila and King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, in Nukualofa, in which the ambassador asked was Tonga ready to receive a Libyan delegation to discuss the loan. The king pointed out that planning for the new airport, in the hands of Taiwanese experts, was still in its early stages, but that the del egation would be welcome to come at any time.

NOW IT’S QUEEN EMMA FOR THE BIG SCREEN After Missis Queen, a new play about Queen Emma recently staged in Adelaide, Australia (PIM, August), comes news of a $U52.65 million project for a film on the life of the remarkable woman planter who made a fortune in Papua New Guinea’s Duke of York Islands and did many other things besides. Inves tors from the USA, Australia, West Germany, and Western Samoa will be putting up the money. It will be produced by Aus tralians Ann and Rob Chapman.

Micronesia War Claims Money Missing

A major investigation was underway in July in the US Trust Terri tory of the Pacific involving alleged misappropriation of Micronesian war claims payments, according to Guam’s Pacific Daily News. Informed sources told the paper that the amount thought to be involved was between SUS2SO 000 and

Ssoo 000.

Nz Minister Crusades For Islander Jobs

New Zealand’s Minister for Maori Affairs Ben Crouch returned from a visit to Pacific Islands coming on strong for a scheme to bring in islanders to do work other people are not prepared to do. But he anticipated difficulties from the labour department, employers and unions because of existing high unemployment levels in New Zealand. Mr Crouch said main interest had come from hurricane-hit Fiji where he had been asked by officials to help Fijians seeking work. Mr Crouch said his main hope was to establish that some jobs available are not being filled.

A Tale Of Houdini And Christ

‘Fiji’s Houdini’, Anania Ledua, 23, in July made his seventh escape from custody this year. After being sentenced in June for his sixth escape, Ledua vowed he would never escape again ‘since I have accepted Jesus Christ as my saviour’.

Western Samoa Bars A Guru

The Western Samoa Government in July refused to allow the American mystic Jagat Guru to enter the country. He was to have given a public lecture in Apia. Supporting the ban, the Rev

Oka Fauolo of the Fellowship of Churches said; ‘Since there are so many churches in Samoa, there is no need for Mr Guru to spread his propaganda here. The guru should go to countries that don’t have any religion or churches.’

Ambassador Talks Tonga-Soviet Trade

Possibilities of trade between the Soviet Union and Tonga have been canvassed by Soviet ambassador to Tonga Vsevolod Sofinsky in an audience with King Tauf’ahau Tupou IV. The king told the ambassador the matter would be referred to the Ministry of Labour, Commerce and Industries to determine whether suf ficient produce, such as bananas, was available to make Tonga- Soviet trade feasible.

Hunt For Amelia’S Plane Goes On

A former US air force pilot, Vincent Loomis, is continuing his search (PIM June 1978) for the wreckage of the aircraft in which.

American woman pilot Amelia Earhart crashed in 1937. Loomis returned to the Marshall Islands in August more convinced than ever that the plane wreck he discovered on an outer island of the Marshalls 25 years ago is the Earhart plane. Loomis led a seven-member group that unsuccessfully tried to recover the wreck in 1978.

Japanese Air Their Tourist Choices

The 1979 annual survey of Japanese tourists’ preferences con ducted by the 5.4-million-circulation Tokyo daily Mainichi Shim bun shows Hawaii scoring 20 points and South Pacific countries nine in the ‘most appreciated countries’ section. The list was headed by the United States (33 points), followed by France with 28. Guam received one point only. Under the section ‘coun tries offering the warmest welcome’, however, Guam did better, filling eighth position in a list headed by Hawaii. South Pacific countries come third (after Switzerland and Canada) in the ‘most beautiful countries’ slot. Under the heading ‘countries you’d most like to visit’, the South Pacific comes sixth after Swit zerland, Australia, Canada, Greece and China. The US fills sev enth place.

New Border Pact For Png-Indonesia

Papua New Guinea and Indonesia expect to conclude a new border administration agreement later this year, according to a communique issued following Indonesian President Suharto’s visit to PNG in June. The agreement will supersede the existing one negotiated between Indonesia and Australia in 1974, before PNG’s independence.

American Samoa In Booze Big League

American Samoa is third in the world for beer consumption. Its inhabitants last year drank 1 009 800 gallons, equal to 31 gal lons for every man, woman and child in the territory. Only Aus tralia (37 gallons per capita) and West Germany (34) were ahead.

The Rarotongan In Money Trouble

For the second year running the Cook Islands' main hotel, The Rarotongan, has been unable to meet its interest payments to the Tourist Hotel Corporation of New Zealand. The corporation, which owns a third of the shares in Cook Islands Hotels Ltd, was not paid SNZS64 500 in interest due to it last year. In the 1977 trading year, the shortfall in interest payments was $37 765.

‘Home Are The Sailors . .

Four Western Samoa fishermen are home safe and_ sound afer being presumed lost at sea in January. Their boat’s outboard motor broke down and they drifted for more than a month before making a landfall on the island of Futuna.

Air Nauru Gets Auckland Rights

New Zealand and Nauru have agreed to start a weekly Boeing 737 air service between Auckland and Nauru. It is understood Air Nauru hopes to fly to New Zealand from the New Hebrides and New Caledonia. Air Nauru made its first application for an Auckland service seven years ago.

Cooks’ Deficit Down

The Cook Islands Government has reduced the country’s deficit from $3 million to SBOO 000 in a year. In a comment to the Auckland Star Cooks Premier Dr Tom Davis claimed the achieve ment was remarkable in view of the expenses faced by the government in the fly-in voters’ case and subsequent criminal proceedings.