Free Grant Of

£90,800 Fiji and Western Pacific Benefit

UNDER the Colonial Development and Welfare Act (which was passed by the British Parliament in 1940 i £90,800 was granted to the Western Pacific during the period April, 1943- March, 1944. This money is a free grant from the Imperial Government.

Of the total, £25,800 is to be used for a tuberculosis survey in Fiji -and the Western Pacific High Commission Terri tories of Solomon Islands Protectorate and Gilbert and Ellice Islands. It is believed that the necessity for determin ing the extent of this disease is urgent, and an expert will be obtained as soon as possible to make the preliminary sur vey of the effect of the disease in those islands.

The remaining £65,000 is to be spent on a scheme designed to prevent the intro duction of the anopheles (or malaria carrying) mosquito' into 'Fiji; or, alter nately, to prevent its establishing itself should it pass the quarantine barrier. A great deal of mosquito control work has already been carried out in Fiji.

Although anopheles mosquitoes—and malaria—are prevalent in the islands westward of Fiji they do not, exist in the Colony or any of the islands east of it.

Up to the outbreak of the Pacific war, quarantine measures were sufficient to ensure that the disease did not enter Fiji; but, due to the war and consequent speeding up of communications both by air and sea, and the movement of large bodies of troops in this area, something more was necessary. It has been decided that by eliminating mosquito-breeding places the Colony may be kept malaria free, and this grant is to be used for this purpose.

Through publicity campaigns, and by the work by the Agriculture and Public Health Departments, residents of Fiji have been made mosquito-conscious dur ing the last couple of years. With the help of this grant the good work should now continue.