OPINIONS DIVIDED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 191, 15 August 1940, Page 6

OPINIONS DIVIDED

SITUATION AT FRENCH TAHITI PETAIN GOVERNMENT OR ALLIES [ Per Frees Association.J AUCKLAND, Aug. 14. News of a very unsettled situation in the French possession of Tahiti was brought by passengers who arrived at Auckland by the Mariposa. There was great uncertainty as to the future of the island, it was stated. While some passengers thought that most of the people favoured Britain, others thought that the most influential section of the population leaned toward the Petain Government. Several passengers said there was a somewhat strained situation between the Governor, whose views had changed considerably, and the commander of the French warship which was in port. The warship was believed to be the sloop Dumont D’Urville, which visited New Zealand last year. In some quarters on the island there was a wish that the United States should take over protection of the island until the end of the war, one passenger said, and he understood that the question of American relations had been raised in Washington. However, other residents felt that a more discreet policy should be followed lest Japan should raise objections to American intervention. In addition to the French warship, a freighter believed to be the 697cton Messageries Maritimes, and the steamer Ville Damiens was also in port at Papeete. Passengers stated they had been informed that the crew had’ been without pay for a considerable time, and had declined to move the vessel from the wharf to allow the Matson vessel to berth. Consequently the steamer had been moved by the’ crew of the naval ship while a machine-gun was mounted on the wharf. Another passenger said there had been a shortage of bread on the island through supplies not arriving by British ships on account of a fear that they might be heid in port. However, it was believed that this difficulty had now been overcome.