Cassava

Arguments for Introduction in N. Guinea

mHERE are rumours in the departments X of a doughty fight being waged by Hon. George Murray, MLC, Director of Agriculture in New Guinea, in favour of the recognition of the cassava plant as (1) a foodstuff suitable as a substitute for rice in the feeding of native labour ers and (2) a valuable source of power alcohol.

There are indications that the scien tific investigation for which Mr. Murray has pleaded will be made.

The astonishing thing is that there should be any argument about the mat ter, or any need for a scientific investi gation. People who do not know any thing about cassava obviously do not know anything about the conditions of life in tropical countries generally.

Cassava is the West Indian name of the plant named Manioc. It is other wise known as Brazilian Arrowroot, and it is popularly known in Britain and Australia as Tapioca.

It is widely cultivated in tropical America (of which it is a native) and in tropical Africa, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies. It is, with rice, a staple article of native food in the Netherlands Indies —anyone who has been there, away from the tourist tracks, will have seen cassava, in various forms, being eaten by the natives. In South America, where also it is a staple foodstuff, it is well known as Farina.

Cassava grows very easily in all tropi cal countries, as a bulky, tuberous root of great size, often weighing 30 lb. The milky juice of the plant is more or less poisonous; but, as soon as the root is grated or sliced and dried, all unplea sant properties disappear. It is grated fine for making into bread, scones or thin cakes and it is exported to Europe, from South America, in large quantities, in the form of chips, for the manufac ture of starch, alcohol/dextrin, glucose, etc.

The cassava plant grows practically wild in New Guinea, where already there are large quantities of it, and where already it is used as a foodstuff by the natives.

Mr. Murray’s contention is that it would be easy to cultivate cassava exten sively as a substitute for rice, which is now increasingly dear, and whose import is an embarrassment to Australia because of its demands on overseas exchange.

Some New Guinea interests, which have what might be called a “rice com plex”, are anxious to develop rice culti vation. This could be done, no doubt — but its inauguration might be a lengthy and slow process. In the meantime, here is cassava, waiting to be grown and developed.

It should be remembered that rice has not long been known to New Guinea natives —only since European employers began to import it for feeding planta tion and mine labourers.

Miss Dorothy Holmes, of Tasmania, has been appointed to the vacancy in the Methodist Mission’s Stewart Hospital, New Britain, caused by the retirement of Miss M. Battersby.

Brother Gamillus Rossignol has taken up duties in the New Hebrides as a Marist missionary. He arrived in Sydney from America some time ago.