Infant Native

Welfare

American Woman’s Fine Work In Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, September 2.

ONE of the interesting social ser vices inaugurated in the last two years in Fiji has been that of Infant Welfare, which owes its incep tion to Dr. Roberts, the wife of the American Consul in Fiji.

Soon after her husband was posted here, she offered her services volun tarily and she was assigned the district around Suva. Her methods include the formation of women’s com mittees in each native village and regu lar weekly visits.

This entails a certain degree of hard ship on the doctor, who suffers con siderably at times from the effects of illness contracted when she served as a Major in the Serbian army, in charge of hospitals during the War.

From this beginning the movement spread and was taken up enthusiastic ally by Sir Maynard Hedstrom, the Honourable Islay McOwan, C.M.G., at that time Secretary for Native Affairs, and by the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. Ltd., who made a grant of £2,000 a year, over some years.

European nurses have been employed to serve other districts, and in places such as Lau —the Island group lying between Fiji and Tonga—the Native medical practitioners have formed women’s committees and are carrying on the good work. In time to come the benefit will be seen in a stronger and healthier generation, and since the wealth of this Colony lies in the man-power available to till the soil, the movement should command the interest of planter, trader and civil servant alike.

Imports into Niue for 1930 were valued at £18,630, and exports £15,877.

The figures for the previous year were, imports £19,107, exports £22,206.