Coconut Pest in New

Britain Outbreak on the Wane

MUCH alarm has been caused in New Britain during the past four months by a most serious outbreak of the coconut pest Promecotheca Antiqua, which first attacked plantations in the vicinity of Rabaul, and quickly attained plague proportions.

The Agriculture Department officials fought the outbreak with every resource at their command. There were indica tions early in May that the outbreak was on the wane as a result of a local wasp, which appears to have no name, attack ing the pest in ever-increasing numbers.

It is hoped that soon the pest will be wiped out by the local parasite.

The pest is known also in the New Hebrides, and attempts are being made to control it there through the recent in troduction from Java of a parasite named Pleurotrupis Parvulus.

Dr. Leo Brem and Rev. Father Bruno Murche, both of the Catholic Mission of the Sacred Heart at Vunapope, New Guinea, have been made members of 'Jhe Civil Division of the British Empire, ih recognition of services performed during' the Rabaul eruption.