FRENCH COLONIES

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1940, Page 6

FRENCH COLONIES

The future of the colonial possessions of France and their attitude towards Britain during the war remain matters of grave concern. The position in Morocco is reported to be deteriorating from the British point of view. There is unrest among the native troops, hardship among the civilian population and the uncertainty that is inevitable when the government of large numbers of native races by comparatively few Europeans is not consistently firm. British history contains evidence that indecision on the part of authority in such circumstances has led to serious trouble particularly when large bodies of troops have been recruited from the native population. The Government of France is compelled to seek instruction on its foreign policy from the Axis armistice commission. Its chief concern is to prevent French colonial possessions from rendering assistance to Britain and her Allies, and it follows that its instructions and inhibitions have rendered it impossible for the French authorities in Morocco to maintain their control and to carry out a definite policy. As a consequence want and terror are raising ugly problems, and Axis propagandists are endeavouring to convince the peoples of French Morocco that all their troubles are due to British villainy. Another report states that French Morocco is to be offered to Spain as the reward for entry into the war on the side of the Axis. In French Equatorial Africa the local administrations have broken with the Vichy Government and have promised all the support in their power to the movement led by General de Gaulle. The disposal of French Moroccan troops is _n important issue to Britain in view of the Italian campaign against Egypt. and the future of the colony may affect the destiny of the whole of northern Africa. # # # # There is the same unhappy uncertainty in Franch Indo-China where Japan is apparently making demands that would give her complete military and naval control of the northern portion of the French possession. Negotiations between Japan and France are reported in some quarters to be progressing smoothly and in others to have reached a deadlock that has been followed by a time limited ultimatum by Japan. The local French authorities in" Indo-China are said to favour defiance of Japan and full support of Britain in the war. But they have so far accepted the rulings of the Government of France sincs a pro-British Governor-Gen-eral was superseded by a nominee of the Vichy Government. There have been rumours also that the recent departure of French warships from the Mediterranean had some connection with upholding the stand taken by Indo-China against the Japanese demands and that Britain knew the destination of the vessels before they were allowed to pass through the Straits of Gibraltar. Such rumours may be but the expression of wisljfyl,t}iinking, but theofiicial statement at London that Britain had warned' Japan of her "interest in the maintenance of the status quo in Indo-China" leaves an impression that considerable diplomatic manoeuvring is proceeding in regard to this important part of the French Empire. . * • . # * To New Zeal&nd and Australia the decision of the French colony of New Caledonia to join the free Frenchmen led by General de Gaulle is of particular interest. The Prime Minister of Australia spoke for the Dominion as well as for the Commonwealth when he said that the system of government they favoured was a matter for the residents of New Caledonia to decide, but that Australia was glad to welcome a neighbour as an ally. It will simplify the closer economic relations that New Caledonia has been anxious to establish with Australia, in

which it is possible New Zealand may share. The French colony is rich in minerals including nickel, chrome, cobalt and iro'n. Supplies of two of these metals should be of value to the Australian steel industry and particularly to the manufacture of munitions in Australia and in New Zealand. According to the 1936 census New - Caledonia ha^ . population of 53,245 of which 17,384 were Europeans. The colony is administered by a Governor who is assisted by a partly-elective privy council of six and an elective coun-cil-general of 15 members. Apparently the two councils decided to depose the acting-Governor, Colonel Denis, and have elected in his stead a former Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides, M. Sautot, who was one of the first of the French colonial administrators to oppose the Vichy Government and join General de Gaulle. Whether the decision of New Caledonia will have any effect upon other French possessions in the Pacific has yet to be seen. But so far as it goes the action is further evidence that Frenchmen outside France are recognising that by giving aid to Britain they are taking the only way to recovery of freedom in France itself.