Britain's Pacific

Colonies

Reconstruction Plans

THE following statement was made in the House of Commons in August by the Secretary of State for the Colonies: In Fiji a Reconstruction Commissioner has been specially appointed, and there are plans under consideration for land settlement and the development of health and education services. Other plans are in preparation.

In the British Solomon Islands surveys of mineral, forest and soil resources are about to be undertaken with assistance under the Colonial Development and Wel fare Act as soon as the necessary expert personnel can be found. Plans for the economic future of the Territory will be based on the results of these surveys.

In the Gilbert and Ellice Islands little economic development is possible owing to the extremely small area and barren soil of these coral atolls, but plans are in mind for the improvement of educational facilities, including higher education, and for medical and technical training to provide the essential background which will enable the local administrations to be more fully developed.

THE Gilbert and Ellice Islands Labour Corps is a young but very keen mili tary unit which is playing a leading part in implementing the Colony’s re habilitation programme after Japanese occupation.

Already (September, 1944) the Corps has built a fine central native hospital and is about to begin work on the con struction of a new leper station and a mental hospital. To the Corps will also fall the task of rebuilding villages des troyed by enemy action or removed from original sites to make way for military installations.