NEW CALEDONIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24407, 19 September 1940, Page 9

NEW CALEDONIA

DOWNFALL OF GOVERNOR PEOPLE RALLY TO FREE FRANCE Specially written for the Otago Daily Times by H. E. L. Friday, special correspondent in New Caledonia for the Melbourne Herald and other Australian newspapers. New Caledonia has had no less than 26 governors in the past 43 years, yet Governor Pelicier in his brief stay is the first ever to have encountered a succession of hostile demonstrations. He owes his downfall to having tried to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, for the public quickly made up its mind that he could not loyally serve their decision, expressed through the Conseil General, to continue the war alongside Great Britain, and at the same time give effect to the dictates of a German-controlled Government in France. He accordingly left the colony on September 5 by the Pan-American Clipper for San Francisco, unwept, unhonoured and unsung. Below is the history of his downfall, covering the last month or two to the time of his departure.

FOLLOWING the decision to continue the war, a meeting of departmental heads was convened at which they were asked by the Governor if they agreed. All then replied that they were for continuing the fight for French freedom. That was on June 25.

cessor, Colonel Denis —to dissuade public servants from continuing their attachment to the movement. French Gunboat Arrives By August Governor Pelicier had lost any popularity he may once have had, but there was a period of relative calm until the arrival of the gunboat Dumont d’Urville. The warship, it is said, arrived at the Governor’s radioed request, and sent a plane over the town—to watch out, say the populace, for hostile demonstrations. But the de Gaulle committee were not idle, and had soon signed up on their roster 52 out of the crew of 105. The captain of the gunboat, Toussaint de Quievrecourt, issued an order of the day alleging that certain people were trying to sell New Caledonia to the British, a ridiculous statement which seems to have been the cause of the absolute denial from Canberra that Australia had any annexation intentions. Two days later he issued another order of the day informing the crew that thgy were to consider themselves as neutrals alike towards Great Britain, Germany and Italy. The vessel, he added, was there to keep the French flag flying in the Pacific, and approaching the Caledonian coast he had felt obliged to take certain precautions. Copies of these documents were smuggled into the town and caused furious resentment. The warship, people said, would have been better employed searching for the German raider which sank the Notou than in suspiciously watching the doings of New Caledonian citizens. The High Commissioner in Fiji (Sir Harry Luke) arrived on August 29 on the motor-ship Viti, accompanied by the British Resident in the New Hebrides, apparently on the Governor’s invitation, but they diplomatically left next day, receiving a cordial farewell from the crowd assembled on the wharf. Governor Asked to Resign By now the Conseil General, specially convened, had asked the Governor to resign; whereupon the latter communicated with the Vichy Government, which recalled him. But before his resignation he came out with a frank statement that he was for the Vichy Government. Nevertheless his eldest son, a flying man, is said to be in England with the de Gaulle forces. The Secretary-general, Mr Bayardelle, was also ordered to resign, but the Conseil General in its turn threatened to resign unless he was reinstated. The Conseil General’s next request was that a referendum should be held throughout the colony. But as this would obviously have resulted in an overwhelming vote against the Vichy Government, it was categorically refused, and Colonel Denis is now doing all hg can to persuade the leading people of the place to give up their allegiance to General de Gaulle. With the general public he does not seem to be making much headway, for de Gaulle badges with the double cross of Lorraine are to be seen everywhere, even on tiny school children. The future is obscure and a heavy cloud hangs threateningly over this hitherto quiet and neglected colony. For although Colonel Denis is acting with fineness on behalf of the Vichy Government, which appointed him, the public considers that it has been tricked and is inclined to be increasingly bitter and antagonistic.

On July 14, the Day of the Republic, several of these chiefs as well as many representative people, including exservicemen, took part in an impressive ceremony at Noumea’s war memorial, again pledging themselves to this end For the second time within a week or two they marched to the British Consulate. Afterwards many people went along to Radio Pacifique, the official wireless station housed in the former railway building. Here protests were raised against the abandonment of all news except that supplied by Vichy, this being one of the reasons why doubt of the Governor’s intentions was already growing. Recognition of Vichy To the general stupefaction, on July 24 came an issue of the colony's official journal (Government publication) containing a formula executoire or decree signed by Marshal Petain. This showed that the Governor, without consulting public feeling, had taken it upon himself to recognise the Vichy Government’s authority in the colony. It had the effect of a thunderclap, convincing the doubters that the Governor was playing a double game. Public resentment led to a fresh meeting of the Conseil General, at which it was suggested that a telegram be sent to General de Gaulle asking for his instructions; also that a grant of £40,000 be made to assist the Free France war effort. Although unanimously agreed to, it does not appear that either resolution has been put into effect, although there is no wavering on the part of the 90 per cent, of the population who are for de Gaulle. Incidentally a reply from General de Gaulle to a cablegram from the committee formed here to act for the cause of Free France arrived in Noumea on August 31, but was held up for six days before delivery. Censorship restrictions and incidents like this have kept the public in a state of simmering irritation. The Conseil General is tied because its powers are limited to financial and economic matters, but at a further meeting it gave consideration to a proposal to form in the colony an elected body on a wider basis and with wider powers to govern more in keeping with the popular will. A Bomb Explosion An explosion of a bomb or stick of dynamite in the gardens of Government House was the next event. This took place about 7.45 one evening, just after the Governor had said good-bye to a New York journalist returning home by air from Auckland. Not much damage was done nor, apparently, intended. Public opinion thinks it may have been the work of an agent provocateur. A bomb was also found in the residence itself, but it did not explode. All the time resentment against the Governor was growing, for although in public he spoke of the continuance of the alliance with Great Britain, in deed he became more and more proVichy. He did his best, to discourage the De Gaulle movement, which had now spread throughout country districts, and also took steps—being continued even more keenly by his sue-