NEW CALEDONIA IN TURMOIL

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23129, 19 September 1940, Page 6

NEW CALEDONIA IN TURMOIL

Governor Tricks His People RISING ANGER WITH VICHY [By a Special Correspqndent,] From time to time reports have been received in New Zealand from travellers by the Pan American Clipper of disturbances in New Calcdonia. This is the first authentic account of the tension existing between the pro-Vichy authorities and the general public, who are for General de Gaulle.

September 13. New Caledonia has had no less than 26 governors in the last 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 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 yes, they were for continuing the fight lor French freedom. That was on June 25. On July 14, the Day of the Republic, several of these chiefs as well as many representative people including former servicemen, 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 Paciflque, 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. ' • For Vichy To the general stupefaction, on July 24 came an issue of the colony s official journal (Government publication) containing a formule executoire. or H#»rrGG signed by Marshal Petain. inis showed that the Governor, without consulting public feeling, had taken it upon himself to recognise the Vichy Government’s authority in “ It had the effect of a thunderclap, convincing the doubters that the Governor was playing a double game. Public resentment led to a tresh 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 it does not appear that either resolution has been put into effect, 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. ~ , . 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 provo-

cateur. A bomb was also found in i the residence itself, but it did not exl plode. ; Sailors Signed Up , All the time resentment against the Governor was growing, for although in ; public he spoke of the continuance of the alliance with Britain, in deed he > became more and more pro-Vichy. 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 successor Colonel ■ Denis —to dissuade public servants from continuing their attachment to , the movement. By August Governor Pelicier had lost ' any popularity he may once have had, , but there was a period of relative calm i until the arrival of the gunboat Dumont d’Urville. The warship, it is . said, arrived at the Governor’s radioed , request, and sent an aeroplane 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 in--tentions. Two days later he issued an- ■ other order of the day informing the ■ crew that they were to consider them- • selves as neutrals alike towards Bri- , tain, Germany, and Italy. The vessel, ! he added, was there to keep the French i flag flying in the Pacific, and approach-, • ing the Caledonian coast he had felt , obliged to take certain precautions. . Copies of these documents were smug- : gled 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. Colonel Denis The High Commissioner in Fiji (Sir . Harry Luke) arrived on Avgust 29 ; on the motor-ship Viti, accompanied ! by the British Resident in the New ; Hebrides, apparently on the Cover- : nor’s invitation, but they diplomatically left next day, receiving a cordial fare- ! well from the crowd assembled on ■ the wharf. By now the Conseil General, speci- : ally convened, had asked the Coveri nor to resign; whereupon the latter - communicated with the Vichy Government. which recalled him. But before 1 his resignation he came out with a . ’ frank statement that he was for the i Vichy Government. Nevertheless, his - eldest son. a flying man, is said to L be in England with the de Gaulle s forces. The Secretary-General, Mr ■ Bayardelle, was also ordered to re- ■ sign, but the Conseil General in its l turn threatened to resign unless he was ► reinstated. , ! The Conseil General’s next request I was that a referendum should be held ■ throughout the colony. But as this i would obviously have resulted in an : overwhelming vote against the Vicny Government, it was categorically re- : fused, and Colonel Denis is now doing [ all he 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 he seen everywhere, ! even on tiny school children. The fU* ■ ture is obscure and a heavy cloud ; hangs threateningly over this nimer- ; to quiet and neglected colony. For aL : though Colonel Denis is acting with ; firmness on behalf of the Vichy Government. which appointed him, tns public considers that it has been tricked and is inclined to be mcreasingly bitter and antagonistic. I < rT\