Who Shall Master the World?

rE United States Bureau of Ento mology and Plant Quarantine had this to say recently:— “If history is allowed to repeat, the war may add to the insect pests that have invaded new territory because of armed conflict among men. The Hessian fly (there is a familiar ring about that— the Hess-ian fly!) which each year destroys wheat with an estimated value of many millions, came with the German troops during the War of Independence.

“Then the bedbug, cockroach, and housefly found the trip to North Amer ica easy and the new world congenial, with the codling moth, the Japanese beetle, and the pink boll worm confirm ing this subsequently.”

Evidently those pests did not trouble much about the Monroe Doctrine!

On the other hand, the dreaded Colo rado beetle, which does so much dam age to potato crops, crossed the Atlantic to Europe in 1917 with the American army and settled in France, and after wards spread to Germany, where it is now one of the worst farm pests. That suggests that the Germans will receive something even more deadly and dis turbing from America this time.

It is estimated that there are over 400

million kinds of insects in the world, and all of them are of significance to the human race. All are our competitors for the world’s food supply. Who shall inherit the earth—man or bug—will depend in the final analysis on which creature is most efficient in fighting for his daily ration.—“ Queensland Agricul tural Journal”.

Of the sum of £1,500 which Lord Maclay recently gave towards the work of the London Missionary Society, a large proportion was earmarked for build ing a new launch for the Mailu district in Papua. The launch was to be built in Papua by Papuan craftsmen, under the direction of Mr. C. R. Palmer, technical instructor at Fife Bay, and was to bear the name of Lord Maclay’s late wife—Martha. The Pacific war, how ever, has caused the project to be shelved for the present.

Mrs. Kathleen D. Bignell, prior to the Jap invasion, had settled down upon her plantation near Kokopo, in New Guinea, where she was conducting a convalescent home for soldiers. She also had a contract for suppiymg vegetables to establishments in Rabaul and was allowed to remain after all other women had been evacuated.

Mr. D. W. Amos, manager of the Pacific Insurance Co., of Suva, Fiji, since its es tablishment in 1919, has retired. He was presented with a silver-mounted Fiji ebony walking-stick at a staff function on December 31, the presentation being made by Mr. R. C. Evetts, who succeed! him as manager. /-.J^'*"^?k server J ohn Lietke, formerly a CSR Co. overseer in Fiji, and Sgt.- Observer T. McKenna, formerly of Port Moresby, Papua, arrived in England re cently for service with the RAF, after having completed their air training in Canada under the Empire Air Scheme