B.S.I. Council

Non-Official Members’ Vigorous Protest

From a Special Correspondent

Tulagi, July 2.

THE bi-annual session of the Advisory Council of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate opened at Tulagi on June 12.

Members present were:—Official: His Hon our the Acting Resident Commissioner (Captain N. S. B. Kidson), Treasurer (Mr.

F. E. Johnson, 1.5.0.), Senior Medical Officer (Dr. H. B. Hetherington), Acting Commissioner of Lands (Mr. A. H. Wil son). Non-official; Messrs. D. MacKin non, G. E. Clift, and J. C. M. Scott, and the Rev. S. G. Caulton.

In his address to the Council, the Pre sident stated that copra exported during 1935-36 amounted to 20,699 tons, an in crease of 2606 tons compared with the pre vious year. Trochus shell, at 349 tons, showed a decrease of 67 tons; and ivory nuts fell from 707 tons to 373 tons.

Revenue amounted to £58,465, and ex penditure to £49,224, leaving a surplus of £9,241.

The principal variations from estimated returns were;—Export duty on copra, an increase of £5100; import duty realised £lOOO less than anticipated; while the sale of stamps, mainly due to the demand for the Jubilee issue, was up £2OOO. Rents and royalties brought in £476 more than in the previous year.

Due to various vacant posts in the Public Service not being filled and by the exercise of economy in all departments, expenditure was less than the amount budgeted for by approximately £5OOO.

Inter-Island Wireless

The question of inter-island wireless communication, which was discussed at previous meetings of the Council, is receiv ing close attention. If proposals sub mitted to the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific relating to the establish ment of an experimental station are ap proved, and results are satisfactory, an extension of the service to outlying parts of the Group will be considered.

Premature Nut-Fall

Investigation of the serious problem of the premature fall of nuts is being in tensively prosecuted by the Government entomologist (Mr. R. J. Lever), in co operation with Dr. Phillips, of Lever’s Pacific Plantations Ltd. Experiments so far point to the green coconut bug, amhly pelta cocophaga China, being responsible for the trouble. A parasite to control amhlypelta is being sought for, and scien tists in Java have promised assistance.

Non-Official Recommendations

Non-official members in their reply to his Honour’s address submitted certain im portant recommendations. They stressed the urgent need of re-appointing a District Officer at Shortlands, in view of its being a proclaimed port of entry for shipping.

It is the nearest 8.5.1. port to New Guinea, with which there is considerable traffic.

They also represented the claims of the copra industry for some measure of relief in view of the improved state of Govern ment finances, and suggested a reduction of the export tax of 7/3 per ton. It was pointed out that in New Guinea the gradu ated scale on which the export tax was based called for no payment while the mar ket rate for copra was at the present level.

Attention was drawn to the serious in

roads made upon the shell-beds in 8.5.1. waters by poaching vessels of foreign na tionality. One such vessel was recently intercepted and taken into custody, but it was found that the maximum penalty which could be imposed was a fine of £lO.

Members recommended that power be obtained to inflict a more adequate and de terrent sentence in future cases.

Reduced Minimum Wage Rate

The chairman’s announcement that towards the end of the year an Ad visory Board would meet to recon sider the reduced minimum wage for labourers under indenture gave rise to a vigorous and emphatic pro test. When the Secretary of State for the Colonies sanctioned the reduction of the minimum wage as from December, 1934, he laid down the condition that the question should be reviewed at the end of 1936. To that no exception was taken, but non-offici al members protested in the strongest terms at the inferential slight placed upon the Advisory Council by the evident inten tion of the Administration to submit such an important question to a Board that does not at present exist. It was argued that the personnel of the proposed Board might not possess the knowledge and experience necessary to a thorough and comprehen sive investigation of the subject.

The Advisory Council, it was pointed out, is an approved, permanent component of the Protectorate Administration and is composed of members nominated by the Resident Commissioner to represent Go vernment. native interests, commerce, and industry. It is, in effect, a parliament charged with the responsibility of advising the Resident Commissioner on all proposed legislative enactments, and administrative policy generally.

Protest To High Commissioner

That so representative and experienced a Council should be superseded by an ex traneous Board to deal with such a vital question must give rise to serious consid eration as to the continued usefulness of a Nominated Council. In view of the potential political and economic aspect of the matter non-official members requested that their considered, unanimous protest be conveyed to the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, and to the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Business discussed during the session in cluded reconsideration of a recommenda tion that the licence fee for trading stores situated cutside certain business areas be reduced. A Government proposal to abol ish all trade licences, and in their stead substitute an increase in import and export duties was opposed by non-official mem bers. After debate, the latter unanimously recommended that the licences referred to should be issued at the flat rate of £3 per annum as against £lO (the existing rate) for stores within defined business areas.

The matter of granting exemption from light and harbour dues to visiting British yachts gave rise to the question of Pro tectorate author'tv to discriminate in the treatment of British and foreign vessels.

It was decided to submit the question to the Secretary cf State.

New Stamp Issue

The issue of pictorial postage stamps, previously recommended by the Council, was agreed to by the Colonial Secretary, at whose request members examined and approved certain designs for use on stamps of 12 denominations.

The session closed with a debate on an amendment to the Agriculture and Live Stock Regulation moved by Mr. G. E.

Clift, which, with minor alterations, was agreed to.