Fiji's Giant Toads

GIANT toads, imported recently into Fiji to deal with sugar-cane pests, have been a source of concern to the Fijians, who claimed that they were eat ing the prawns in the creeks. The prawns are an important item in the Fijian larder.

The Fiji Journal of Agriculture says that the toads are land-feeders and therefore do not enter water to take their food and there need be no fear that the numbers of prawns will be de creased.

Another native belief is that the tad poles of the toads feed on mosquito larvae and thus will be helpful in less ening mosquito pests. The Journal says that this also is untrue, as tadpoles feed on algae plant matter and an experi ment conducted by the Entomologist showed that the tadpoles do not at tack mosquito larvae even in the ab sence of other food.

Mr. A. C. Ennis has taken up duties at the Bank of N.S.W., Suva, Fiji, replac ing Mr. E. G. Jeffries, who left the Col ony by the last “Aorangi”.

Mr. A. A. Andrews, formerly Chief Freight Clerk of the Union Steam Ship Company, Dunedin, N.Z.. has been ap pointed manager of the U.S.S. Co.’s of fice at Apia, Western Samoa.