Pest Beaten

Entomological Triumph In N.

Hebrides

Letter to the Editor.

IN your May issue, someone said that there had been serious outbreaks of the coconut pest Promecotheca in New Guinea, and that this pest was known in the New Hebrides, where at tempts had been made to control it by the introduction of the parasite Pleuro tropis Parvulus.

You may inform your readers that this work has now been speedily and suc cessfully carried out in the New Heb rides by Mr. Dupertuis.

After only a few weeks of technical work in the laboratory, employed in ac climatising the imported parasite, the first colonies were released last Decem ber. Since then, Pleurotropis has spread like fire through the various plantations and has practically destroyed Promeco theca.

Plantations which, for years, had been the constant prey of the dreaded pest are now clean. The hew foliage keeps green and healthy. Good crops are now expected.

Planters of the New Hebrides are ex ultant, and thankful to a good worker.

I am, etc.,

Planter.

Port Vila. June 30, 1938.

The yawl “Ronda”, owned and com manded by Captain Hudson (Royal Navy, retired), after a sojourn of several months at Tahiti, took her departure late in June for Samoa, Fiji, New Hebrides, Solomon Islands, New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.

Top; New buildings recently erected on the Port Moresby aerodrome. Left to right: The power-house; the radio and meteorological offices: the Cus toms and medical office; Vacuum and Shell Co. offices; B.N.G.

Trading Co.’s office.

Lower: The flying-boat “Cuba” (Archbold Scientific Expedition), in Port Moresby. The scientific party flew over from Hollandia (north coast, Dutch New Guinea) on a friendly visit. (See article on page 52.)