Papuan Wild Bean May Be

Poisonous

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, March 1.

TWO native children died in the North- Eastern division as the result of eating raw beans from the vine known as Korisi, a form of Lima bean.

Samples of similar beans were sent by the Administration to the New South Wales Department of Public Health, where the Government Analyst reported that they contained .019 and .020 per cent, of hydrogen cyanide.

Specimens of the beans and leaves were also submitted to the Chief Botanist, Sydney Gardens, who reported that they were varieties of Phoseolus Lunatus, or “Lima” bean. He said that in their wild state they may be extremely poisonous, with cyano-genetic properties; but the cultivated forms rarely contain danger ously high amounts of cyano-genetic glucoside.

Soaking in water for 24 hours, fol lowed by proper boiling, should render them safe for eating. Generally speak ing, the forms with dark coloured seeds are considered more likely to contain poison.

Records show that stock have been poisoned by eating the plant, also human beings, after eating the cooked beans.

The root is also considered poisonous.

The death in Sydney, on January 24, of Lieutenant-Colonel George D. H.

Allen was received with as much regret by the whole community of Fiji, as it was by the Colonial Sugar Refining Co.

Ltd., in whose service he had been since 1903. He was over 30 years in Fiji, most of the time in charge at Rarawai. He was transferred to Lautoka as manager in 1940. He came to Australia for medi cal advice a few months ago, but appar ently his health was good, and his death was unexpected. He was 57 years old.

He was described as a first-class agricul turist and an able administrator, and he was notably successful in his contacts with the Indian and Fijian people. He served in the last war, in India and Palestine, and rose to be Lieut.-Colonel; and when the present war broke out he was appointed a major in the Fiji Defence Force. A public memorial ser vice for Lieut.-Colonel Allen was held on the recreation ground at Rarawai in Fiji early in February.