Rats!

A Village Policeman Cleans Up Paama

SOUTHWARDS from Ambrim, one of the larger islands of the New Heb rides Group, lies the small rectangu lar island of Paama, where the natives, like most other islanders of that part of the Pacific, depend almost wholly upon copra for a livelihood and as a means of purchasing the European goods they have become accustomed to use.

In recent years, however, the Paamese have been in a minor state of pertur bation and despair. It appears that a plague of rats had been responsible for a depressing decrease in copra production (and, consequently, pocket-money!) by interfering with the coconut trees to such an extent that nuts were falling before maturing.

Then, nearly two years ago, a native who had been a policeman at Vila, the capital of the Group, returned to his village at Paama. He noticed the gloom, took stock of the situation—and ordered a dozen rat traps through a European trader. On his own initiative, he walk ed around the whole island, stopping at each village to hold “Down With Rats!” meetings, and urging the natives to help rid Paama of the pests.

The idea caught on; and the gloom disappeared like beer at a “wharfies’” picnic. In scattered villages, all over Paama. natives bought traps, set them, and gleefully surveyed the results—dur ing 18 months over 27,000 rats were killed.

To-day, copra production has risen, the Paamese are happy again, and the ex-policeman, enjoying well-earned ku dos, now spends his time wandering around the island, whipping up enthus iasm at meetings and carefully adding the latest score to his mounting tally of ex tinct rodents