FRENCH OCEANIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24418, 2 October 1940, Page 8

FRENCH OCEANIA

CO-OPERATION WITH EMPIRE DOMINION IN CONTACT i __ A SUGGESTION REFUTED 'From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. The steps taken by the New Zealand Government to maintain contact with French Oceania were revealed by the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) in a statement to-night He said there was no truth whatever in a suggestion that French Oceania was now practically a British protectorate under the supervision of New Zealand. The Prime Minister said that as a result of the recent plebiscite held in Tahiti and the consequential change of Government in French Oceania, it had been thought desirable for tire New Zealand Government, acting in this matter on behalf of the other Governments of the British Commonwealth, to make contact with the new Administration, Official’s Visit to Papeete "A representative of the New Zealand Government accordingly visited Papeete, where he found the new Governor (M. Edmond Mansard) in office on the appointment of General de Gaulle, assisted by members of the late Governor’s Privy Council, who had been largely responsible for the decision to support the Free French Movement," Mr Fraser said. “ The Governor and his advisers appeared to be firmly in control of the situation and to have the support of the freat bulk of the population, both rench and Polynesian, and their collaboration with the New Zealand representative was most cordial.

“ It was possible at once to make arrangements for the repatriation to France of the late Governor and a few officials with their wives and families who found themselves unable to support the new Administration, and the opportunity was taken for detailed discussions concerning the method of collaboration between the new Administration and the British Commonwealth. The matters so discussed are. now a subject of consultation between his Majesty’s Governments in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Australia, and it is intended that the New Zealand Government, as the closest neighbour of French Oceania, should maintain contact with that territory.”

Free Co-operation

The Prime Minister added that what purported to be a report on this matter, published in a northern newspaper, contained a number of inaccuracies and he particularly stressed the fact that there was no truth whatever in the suggestion made in that report that French Oceania was now practically a British protectorate under the supervision of New Zealand. “ The Administration of French Oceania, under the authority of General de Gaulle and through _ his appointee. Governor Mansard, is freely and of its own desire co-operating with the British Commonwealth in the struggle for freedom in which we are all engaged, and is in no way under the supervision of New Zealand or any other British Government.” the Prime Minister concluded.